The 7 perspectives

Psychological Perspective

A way of thinking about and explaining human behavior and mental processes.

Psychodynamic Perspective

Focuses on the unconscious mind, early childhood experiences, and how past experiences can influence current behavior.

Unconscious Mind

Thoughts, feelings, memories, and motives that are outside of conscious awareness.

Free Association

A technique in which one word, image, or idea triggers another thought, word, or image.

Behavioral Perspective

Focuses on observable behaviors and how behaviors are learned through the environment, conditioning, reinforcement, and punishment.

Behaviorism

The idea that psychology should focus on observable behavior and study it objectively rather than focusing on unobservable mental processes.

Reinforcement

A consequence that increases the likelihood that a behavior will happen again.

Punishment

A consequence used to decrease the likelihood that a behavior will happen again.

Cognitive Perspective

Focuses on mental processes such as thinking, memory, attention, perception, problem-solving, and decision-making.

Mental Processes

Internal processes such as thinking, remembering, interpreting, and processing information.

Biological Perspective

Focuses on how biological processes such as the brain, neurotransmitters, hormones, genetics, and nervous system influence behavior and mental processes.

Sociocultural Perspective

Focuses on how culture, society, cultural norms, values, beliefs, and social expectations influence behavior.

Cultural Norms

Shared expectations and rules that guide behavior within a group or culture.

Evolutionary Perspective

Focuses on how natural selection and adaptation have influenced behavior and psychological processes.

Natural Selection

The process through which traits and behaviors that help organisms survive and reproduce become more common over generations.

Adaptation

A trait or behavior that develops or is shaped because it helps an organism survive and function in its environment.

Humanistic Perspective

Focuses on free will, personal growth, human potential, and the desire to reach one's full potential.

Free Will

The idea that people have the ability to make choices and influence their own behavior.

Self-Actualization

The motivation to reach one's full potential and achieve personal growth.

Biopsychosocial Perspective

An approach that considers the interconnected effects of biological, psychological, and social factors on behavior and mental processes.

Biological Factors

Physical factors such as the brain, nervous system, neurotransmitters, hormones, and genetics that can influence behavior.

Psychological Factors

Mental and emotional factors such as thoughts, feelings, and mental processes that can influence behavior.

Social Factors

Factors involving relationships, culture, society, and a person's social environment that can influence behavior.

Altruistic

Showing a selfless concern for the well-being of others.

Sigmund Freud

The psychologist associated with developing the psychodynamic perspective and psychoanalytic theory.

John B. Watson

A psychologist associated with behaviorism and the focus on observable behavior.

Ivan Pavlov

A psychologist associated with behaviorism and conditioning.

B. F. Skinner

A psychologist associated with behaviorism and the role of reinforcement and punishment.

Carl Rogers

A humanistic psychologist who emphasized personal growth and human potential.

Abraham Maslow

A humanistic psychologist associated with self-actualization and the hierarchy of needs.

Charles Darwin

The scientist whose theory of evolution and natural selection influenced the evolutionary perspective.