Modern Approaches to Psychology

Psychoanalytic / Psychodynamic

• *The unconscious and animal drives (animal instincts) are important

• *Unresolved conflicts from childhood trauma and/or psychosexual conflicts

• *Uses projective tests like dream analysis and free association primarily as part of a case study

• *Freud

Evolutionary

• *Natural selection - over a long period of time, the behaviors and psychological traits that most enable survival will be passed down to the next generation

• *Adaptation for survival of the species

• *Darwin

Cognitive

• *Our behaviors are influenced by mental processes (like thinking, beliefs, perceptions, memories, expectations, decision-making, problem-solving)

• *Piaget, Chomsky

Behavioral

• *People are "blank slates" -we can only truly study observable behaviors

• *Behaviors are the result of consequences -- punishments and rewards -- so they are learned and we can be conditioned to modify behaviors by changing associations

• *Pavlov, Watson, Skinner

Humanist

• *Human nature is evolving and self-directed, so choice is important -- we all have free will

• *Focuses on people's self-concept, growth, and efforts to reach self-actualization (full potential)

• *Maslow, Rogers

Biological / Neuroscience / Behavioral Genetics

• *Our physical bodies heavily influence our mental processes, behaviors, and emotions

• *Hormones, nervous system, brain, genetics

Social-Cultural / Sociocultural

• *The messages, expectations, or norms in our culture or environment impact behavior through socially created constructs lik gender, ethnicity, race, economic class (poor/wealthy), geography (rural, urban, country of origin), religion, culture, society, and social media

• *Bandura

Developmental

• *Focuses on areas of change and consistency throughout the lifespan

• *Cognitive, social, physical, and moral comparisons

Trait

• *Focuses on patterns of thoughts, behaviors, and feelings (temperament)

• *Tends to view humans as having innate characteristics or "dispositions"