Unit 0 AP Psych

Perspectives

The varying viewpoints on human behavior that help explain psychological phenomena, including biological, cognitive, behavioral, humanistic, psychodynamic, and socio-cultural perspectives.

Cognitive

Focuses on mental processes such as perception, memory, and reasoning, emphasizing how these processes influence behavior.

Keywords: feel, remember, understand, interpret, think (FRUIT)

Behavioral

Emphasizes the role of environmental factors and experiences in shaping observable behavior, focusing on how behaviors are learned and reinforced.

Keywords: modeling, copy, observable, environment, nurture, classical conditioning, operant conditioning, reinforcement, punishment

Psychodynamic

Explores how unconscious motives and conflicts influence behavior, emphasizing the impact of early childhood experiences and the importance of internal psychological processes.

Keywords: unconscious, subconscious, childhood trauma, repress, defense mechanisms, levels of consciousness, unscientific, subjective

Humanism

Emphasizes inherent human goodness, free will, self-actualization, and the importance of fulfilling one's potential. It focuses on conscious experience rather than unconscious drives or observable behavior.

Keywords: choice, freewill

Biological

Attributes behavior to biological processes such as genetics, brain structures, neurotransmitters, hormones, and physiological responses. It emphasizes the physical basis of behavior.

Keywords: biology, genes, hormones, neurotransmitters, predisposition

Sociocultural

Examines how social and cultural factors, such as social norms, cultural beliefs, and group influences, impact behavior and mental processes.

Keywords: environment, ethnicity, gender

Evolutionary

Explains behavior and mental processes as adaptations resulting from natural selection. It focuses on how these traits have evolved over time to enhance survival and reproduction.

Keywords: natural selection, survival, reproduction

Biopsychosocial

Integrates biological (e.g., genetic predispositions, brain chemistry), psychological (e.g., thoughts, emotions, stress), and socio-cultural (e.g., family, cultural expectations, peer influence) factors to provide a more comprehensive understanding of health, illness, and behavior.

Keywords: nurture (environment), nature (biology)

Eclectic

A therapeutic approach or theoretical orientation that combines and integrates elements from different psychological perspectives or theories, rather than adhering strictly to just one.

Gestalt

A school of thought in psychology that emphasizes that the whole of anything is greater than its parts. It focuses on perception and problem-solving, suggesting that the mind organizes sensory input into meaningful wholes.

Cultural Norms

Shared rules of conduct that specify appropriate behavior within a cultural group. They are learned through socialization and guide expectations for how individuals should act, think, and feel in particular situations.