The Psychological Perspectives

What is psychology?

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes of people and animals.

Structuralism v.s. Functionalism

Structuralism:

• Wilhelmina Wundt

• Edward Titchener

• Used introspection to analyze consciousness into its basic elements

Functionalism:

• William James

• Investigates the purposes of consciousness

• More lasting impact and fostered emergence of behaviorism and applied psych

Part 1: The Perspectives

Psychoanalytic:

Our behaviors and mental processes are influenced by our past experiences

Action: Thumb points behind us

Assumptions of Psychoanalysis:

Psychological problems as rooted in the UNCONSCIOUS MIND (the mind is not actively conscious that there’s an issue)

Symptoms caused by HIDDEN DISTURBANCES

Causes include UNRESOLVED ISSUES from CHILDHOOD/PAST

Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic = PAST

Situation: terrified of spiders.

Psychoanalytic Perspective Explanation: During childhood a spider landed on your arm. Your friend witnessed this as it was happening and began to scream and shout that it was going to bite;  now you scream and cry when you see a spider

Cognitive:

Our behaviors and mental processes are influenced by our thinking and learning abilities

Action to remember: Pointer finger points to head

Assumptions of Cognitive:

Studies internal MENTAL PROCESSES

i.e. THINKING, LEARNING, MEMORY, PROBLEM SOLVING

Scientifically studied using EXPERIMENTS

COGNITIVE = THINKING

Situation: terrified of spiders.

Cognitive: Since that debacle, you have learned that some are poisonous and also learned to be afraid of them. In problem solving; You stay away from spiders to not get poisoned and thus not creating a problem.

Behavioral:

Our behaviors and mental processes are influenced by what we see others do

Action to remember: middle finger learned as a kid

Assumptions of Behavioral:

It is an OBSERVABLE BEHAVIOR that is learned

Only concerned w/OBSERVABLE BEHAVIOR (monkey see, monkey do)

Behaviors  are learned through INTERACTION with the environment.

Uses SCIENTIFIC & OBJECTIVE methods of investigation.

Behavior - CONSEQUENCE

STIMULUS -RESPONSE

Situation: I’m terrified of spiders.

Behavioral: You saw your friend freaking out watching the spider land on me so you began to freak out as well.

Humanistic:

Our behaviors and mental processes are influenced by our basic needs and helping hands of others

Action to remember: Try to hold your ringer finger up while putting your other fingers down...can you do it?

Assumptions of Humanistic:

Humanists believe that we need others to help us REACH OUR FULL POTENTIAL

Everything that we have done or are attempting to do is possible because of ASSISTANCE from others in some way some how

We cannot begin to process much without first having meet our basic NEEDS (food, shelter, etc)

Situation:  terrified of spiders.

Humanistic: In order to overcome your fear of spiders your friends refuse to kill them. Therefore you must overcome the fear and learn to cohabitate with them to be a better version of yourself. (this one’s a stretch)

Biological:

Our behaviors and mental processes are influenced by our brain and body

Action to remember: Hold up just your pinky and touch your head

Assumptions of behavioral:

Link between our BEHAVIOR and our BIOLOGY.

Behavior and mental processes are consequences of our GENETICS and PHYSIOLOGY

STRUCTURES, CHEMICALS, ANOMALIES in BODY

Situation:  terrified of spiders.

Biological: Your brain sends out stress inducing neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) like cortisol (stress hormone) whenever you see a spider and causes you to be afraid. Additionally, these chemicals communicate to your amygdala and sends more fear signals throughout your nervous system.

Socio-Cultural:

Our behaviors and mental processes are influenced by the society and culture we live in

Action to remember: shaking someone's hand

Assumptions of socio-cultural:

Sociocultural = understand SOCIAL and CULTURE influences on behavior

Assumptions of Socio-cultural approach

SOCIETY influences our thinking and behaviors

CULTURE (i.e. language, norms, art) influences thinking and behaviors

Situation:  terrified of spiders.

Socio-Cultural: Spiders have been depicted negatively in many U.S. horror movies and within the society and therefore are a symbol of fear.

Evolutionary:

• Darwin Perspective

• Mentions Natural Selection

• Focuses on Adaptive Behaviors

• Darwins explanation of More survival and Reproduction

• Charles Darwin and Steven Pinker

Eclectic/Biopsychosocial:

• ALL PERSPECTIVES ARE COMPLEMENTARY

• As research continues, some perspectives might be combines; others may emerge

• Bio: biology

• Psycho: thinking, emotions and learning

• Social: people around us in our environment