PSYCH PERSPECTIVES
3. Students will be able to
describe psychology’s related
perspectives
LESSON TWO: APPROACHES AND SCHOOLS
OF PSYCHOLOGY:
Not all psychologists look at psychology the same
way.
Some believe that you are who you are purely
because of your genetics.
Some believe that experiences play a much
bigger factor.
Psychology is a broad field that aims to answer
questions from many different perspectives.
We are going to look at the different schools and
approaches to psychology.
But first….. A quick poll to wake you up!
SEVEN APPROACHES TO PSYCHOLOGY:
BEHAVIORAL
Behavioral Approach – Focuses on
measuring and recording observable
behavior. (behavior results from learning)
Pavlov and his dogs, Watson and Baby
Albert, Skinner and his rats. (rewards,
punishments, and associations)
All these men believed that psychology
should be the science of behavior.
SEVEN APPROACHES TO PSYCHOLOGY: PSYCHOANALYTIC / PSYCHODYNAMIC
Psychoanalytic Approach – Focuses on
unconscious internal conflicts to explain
mental disorders, personality, and
motivation.
Sigmund Freud developed this approach
and focused on unconscious desires (Freudian
slips, life and death instincts, libido, early life
experiences.
Psychodynamic Approach – Those that
varied Freud’s ideas but kept with the roots
of psychoanalysis.
SEVEN APPROACHES TO PSYCHOLOGY:
HUMANISTIC
Humanistic Approach – Emphases the
importance of people’s feelings and view
human nature as naturally positive and
growth seeking.
Abraham Maslow (Hierarchy of Needs) and
Carl Rogers (Unconditional Positive Regard)
led the charge.
This approach came out the 60’s and 70’s.
SEVEN APPROACHES TO PSYCHOLOGY:
BIOLOGICAL
Biological Approach – Examines
how complex chemical and biological
processes within the nervous and
endocrine systems are related to the
behavior of organisms.
Much research is being done today
using this approach – Brain based
research.
SEVEN APPROACHES TO PSYCHOLOGY:
COGNITIVE
Cognitive Approach – Emphasizes
the importance of receiving, storing,
and processing information.
It also focuses on thinking, reasoning,
and using language to understand
human behavior.
Cognition – thinking and memory.
SEVEN APPROACHES TO PSYCHOLOGY:
EVOLUTIONARY
Evolutionary Approach –Attempts
to explain behavior patterns as
adaptations naturally selected to
increase reproductive success.
This approach uses Darwin’s theory
of natural selection as a basis.
Darwin wrote Origin of Species.
SEVEN APPROACHES TO PSYCHOLOGY:
SOCIO-CULTURAL
As time progressed more people were
traveling and visiting other cultures.
Psychologists soon recognized the difference
in cultural gestures, body language, and
spoken language.
Socio-cultural Approach – Examines the
cultural differences in an attempt to
understand, predict, and control behavior.