AP Psych Unit 1.1: Waves of Psychology

Waves of Psychology

There have been five waves of psychology, with a sixth added more recently. They are different ways of thinking over time, and they are:

• Structuralism
• Functionalism
• Gestalt Psychology
• Psychoanalysis
• Behaviorism
• Eclectic

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Structuralism

Began with Wilhelm Wundt’s first psychological laboratory and concept of structuralism.

• Edward Titchener: Use introspection, self reflection to learn about yourself.
• ==Introspection==: Internal examination and analysis of someone’s own mental state
• Basic structure of thought and the brain, and their ==interactions==.

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Functionalism

• Mental states are identified by what they do rather than by what they are made of
• Focused on working of the ==conscious== mind as well as behaviors.
• Heavily Darwinist thinking (survival of the fittest, evolution)
• Have adapted to help our survival and those of our ancestors

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Gestalt Psychology

• The whole of an experience can be more than the sum of its parts.
• Focused on how we ==experience== the world
• Led by Max Wertheimer.

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Psychoanalysis

• Started with Sigmund Freud
• Most of your feelings come from the ==unconscious==.
• We protect ourselves from our real feelings by using ==defense mechanisms==.

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Behaviorism

• Ignore how you feel inside, because all that mattered was how you ==acted==.
• ==B.F. Skinner== was the forerunner of Behaviorism.
• During the time period (early-mid 1900s), it was considered that it didn’t matter how you felt, as long as you changed your behavior.
• ==Ivan Pavlov:== Often credited as another forerunner in behaviorism, focused on classical conditioning

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Eclectic

• Largely about ==variety==.
• Psychologists picked and chose what theories they’d use based on the client.
• An eclectic person is someone who derives ideas, style, or taste from a broad and ==diverse== range of sources.

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