psych approaches + founders

Psychodynamic

focus on unconscious thought - assumes the behaviors are motivated by internal factors unavailable to the conscious mind

behavioral

focus on visible interactions with the environment - concentrates on observable behavior that can be directly measured and recorded

humanistic

focus on positive human qualities - assumes that people are innately good and the mental and social problems result from deviations from this natural tendency

cognitive

focus on mental processing (attention, perception, memory, and problem-solving) - focuses on the workings of the human brain and how we process information we collect from our environment

biological

focus on the body, especially the brain and nervous system - includes the study of biological bases of behavior and the structure and function of the nervous system

evolutionary

focus on evolution as the origin of behavior (adaptation, reproduction, and natural selection) - explores ways in which patterns of human behavior may be beneficial to people’s survival

sociocultural

focus on how people are molded by nurture factors and group dynamics - examines the influence of social and cultural factors on human behavior and mental processes

psychodynamic founder

sigmund freud

behavioral founder/notable people

ivan pavlov, john watson, and b. f. skinner

humanistic founders/notable people

carl rogers, abraham maslow