9/11 Friday Quiz 5: Perspectives

altruism

unselfish regard for the welfare of others

psychodynamic perspective

behaviors and mental processes are the result of the unconscious

Believes we are shaped by childhood experiences

based on Freud's idea about influence of the unconscious

This perspective analyzes dreams to determine unconscious concerns

Example: this perspective would study altruism by looking at unconscious motivations that the hero was not consciously aware of

behavioral perspective

How an individual responds to the environment - Behaviors are learned and maintained through associations, like receiving rewards or punishments, and also learned through watching and imitating others (social learning)

Example: this perspective would study altruism by looking at all the positive attention a hero gets as a reward

humanistic perspective

behaviors and mental processes are influenced by humans who are naturally good and who can reach full potential through choices and free-will.

People need to be accepted through empathy.

Example: this perspective would study altruism by studying what choices and fee-will can bring out someone's naturally good self to become a hero

cognitive perspective

THINKING influences behavior and mental processes

includes thoughts, attitudes, memories, and expectations

Example: this perspective would study altruism by asking the person acting heroically "what were you THINKING?"

biological perspective (neuroscience)

Brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, hormones, neurons, and our genes influence behavior and mental processes

Example: this perspective would compare the brain of someone who was altruistic with the brain of a normal person

evolutionary perspective

applies evolution's "natural selection" and "survival of the fittest" to psychology

our behavior and mental processes TODAY are because of how it helped our species survive thousands of years ago. Those survival traits were passed down and influence us today.

Example: a person may risk his/her life to save others, but this altruism helps more people survive which allows the human race to survive

sociocultural perspective

behaviors and mental processes are influenced by ethnicity, religion, gender, language, nationality, like differences with individualistic vs collectivist cultures

Examples: which type of culture, individualistic or collectivist, would encourage altruism?

Biopsychosocial perspective

the process of using two or more perspectives to explain behavior or mental processes

BIO: biological and evolutionary

PSYCHO: cognitive, behavioral, humanistic, psychodynamic

SOCIAL: sociocultural

Example: studying "altruism" from each of the seven perspectives instead of just one