Approaches to PsychologyApproaches to Psychology

Historical ApproachesHistorical Approaches

StructuralismStructuralism

• William Wundt (1832-1920)William Wundt (1832-1920)• Study of human behavior in a systematic and Study of human behavior in a systematic and

scientific mannerscientific manner• Acknowledged as establishing modern Acknowledged as establishing modern

psychology as a separate formal field of studypsychology as a separate formal field of study• Was interested in basic elements of human Was interested in basic elements of human

experience (experience (structuraliststructuralist))• Important because he used a systematic Important because he used a systematic

procedure to study human behaviorprocedure to study human behavior

FunctionalisFunctionalismm

• William James (1842-1910)William James (1842-1910)• Father of Psychology in the USFather of Psychology in the US• Rather than focusing on structures of the Rather than focusing on structures of the

mind, James focused on the functions or mind, James focused on the functions or actions of the conscious mind and the actions of the conscious mind and the goals or purpose of behaviorgoals or purpose of behavior

• FunctionalistsFunctionalists focus on how animals and focus on how animals and people adapt to their environmentspeople adapt to their environments

Inheritable Inheritable TraitsTraits

• Sir Frances Galton (1822-1911)Sir Frances Galton (1822-1911)• Wanted to understand how heredity Wanted to understand how heredity

influences a person’s abilityinfluences a person’s ability• Heredity includes all the traits and Heredity includes all the traits and

properties that are passed along from properties that are passed along from parents to childrenparents to children

• He thought the world would be a better He thought the world would be a better place if we got rid of less desirable peopleplace if we got rid of less desirable people

• Most fit were those with high intelligenceMost fit were those with high intelligence• Galton assumed wealthiest people were the Galton assumed wealthiest people were the

most intelligentmost intelligent

GestalGestaltt

• Group of German psychologists who Group of German psychologists who focused on the whole pattern (in focused on the whole pattern (in German, Gestalt)German, Gestalt)

• See the whole rather than the partsSee the whole rather than the parts

• Example, see a chair rather than a Example, see a chair rather than a seat, legs back etcseat, legs back etc

Todays ApproachesTodays Approaches

• PscychoanalyticalPscychoanalytical

• BehavioralBehavioral

• HumanisticHumanistic

• CognitiveCognitive

• BiographicalBiographical

• SocioculturalSociocultural

PsychoanalytiPsychoanalyticalcal

• Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)• Practiced in Vienna until 1938Practiced in Vienna until 1938• More interested in unconscious mindMore interested in unconscious mind• Our conscious experiences are only the tip of the Our conscious experiences are only the tip of the

icebergiceberg• Beneath surface are primitive biological urges Beneath surface are primitive biological urges

that are in conflict with the requirements of that are in conflict with the requirements of society and modestysociety and modesty

• These unconscious motivations and conflicts are These unconscious motivations and conflicts are responsible for most human behaviorresponsible for most human behavior

• Also responsible for many unexplained physical Also responsible for many unexplained physical symptomssymptoms

Free AssociationFree Association

• Patient said anything that came to mindPatient said anything that came to mind• Psychoanalyist Psychoanalyist is a psychologist that studies is a psychologist that studies

how the unconscious motives and conflicts how the unconscious motives and conflicts determine human behavior, feelings and determine human behavior, feelings and thoughtsthoughts

• Dreams are an expression of the most Dreams are an expression of the most primitive unconscious urges – Freud used primitive unconscious urges – Freud used dream analysis dream analysis which is free association which is free association applied to dreamsapplied to dreams

• Case study: Case study: analyze the thoughts, feelings, analyze the thoughts, feelings, beliefs, experiences, behaviors and beliefs, experiences, behaviors and problems of individualproblems of individual

BehavioralBehavioral

• Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)• Pavlov dogs: Pavlov rang a tuning fork Pavlov dogs: Pavlov rang a tuning fork

each time he gave dog meat. The dog each time he gave dog meat. The dog would normally drool when he got the would normally drool when he got the meat. After Pavlov repeated the procedure meat. After Pavlov repeated the procedure many times, the dogs would drool when it many times, the dogs would drool when it heard the ring of the tuning fork, even if heard the ring of the tuning fork, even if no food appeared. It had been conditioned no food appeared. It had been conditioned to associate the sound with the food. to associate the sound with the food.

• This is known as This is known as conditioning or the conditioning or the conditional reflexconditional reflex

• Conditional reflex was a response (drool) Conditional reflex was a response (drool) provoked by a stimulus (tuning fork) other than provoked by a stimulus (tuning fork) other than the one that first produced it (meat)the one that first produced it (meat)

• Could account for behaviors as the product of Could account for behaviors as the product of prior experiencesprior experiences

• This enabled psychologists to explain how certain This enabled psychologists to explain how certain acts and differences among individuals were the acts and differences among individuals were the result of learningresult of learning

BehavioristsBehaviorists

• John Watson (1878-1958)John Watson (1878-1958)

• Concern with only observable Concern with only observable behaviorsbehaviors

• All behavior is result of conditioning All behavior is result of conditioning and occurs because the appropriate and occurs because the appropriate stimulus is present in the stimulus is present in the environmentenvironment

Behavior- ReinforcementBehavior- Reinforcement

• B. F. Skinner (1904-1990)B. F. Skinner (1904-1990)

• Introduced concept of reinforcementIntroduced concept of reinforcement

• Response to a behavior that Response to a behavior that increases likelihood that the behavior increases likelihood that the behavior will be repeated (rewards)will be repeated (rewards)

HumanisticHumanistic

• Developed as a reaction to behavioral Developed as a reaction to behavioral psychologypsychology

• 1960’s1960’s• Humans not controlled by environment or Humans not controlled by environment or

unconscious forcesunconscious forces• Environment and the outside forces serve Environment and the outside forces serve

as a background to our own internal as a background to our own internal growthgrowth

• Each person is unique and has a self Each person is unique and has a self concept and potential to develop fullyconcept and potential to develop fully

Cognitive PsychologyCognitive Psychology

• Cognitivists focus on how we process, Cognitivists focus on how we process, store, retrieve and use informationstore, retrieve and use information

• Influences our thinking, language, problem Influences our thinking, language, problem solving and creativitysolving and creativity

• Behavior is more than a simple response Behavior is more than a simple response to a stimulusto a stimulus

• Behavior is influenced by a variety of Behavior is influenced by a variety of mental processes including perceptions, mental processes including perceptions, memories and expecationsmemories and expecations

BiologicalBiological

• Impact of biology on behaviorImpact of biology on behavior• Pyschiobiologists study how physical and chemical Pyschiobiologists study how physical and chemical

changes in our bodies influence our behaviorchanges in our bodies influence our behavior• How the brain, hormones impact our behaviorHow the brain, hormones impact our behavior• Use tools like MRI CT Use tools like MRI CT • Genetics influences a wide range of human Genetics influences a wide range of human

behaviorbehavior• Recent discoveries between chemicals in brain Recent discoveries between chemicals in brain

(neurotransmitters) and human behavior(neurotransmitters) and human behavior• EX – autisitic children share a genetic defect in EX – autisitic children share a genetic defect in

regulation neurotransmitter Serontin – serontin regulation neurotransmitter Serontin – serontin plays a role in brain functionplays a role in brain function

SocioculturalSociocultural

• Study influences of cultural and ethnic Study influences of cultural and ethnic similarities and differences on behavior and similarities and differences on behavior and social factorssocial factors

• Our ways of thinking, feeling and behaving are Our ways of thinking, feeling and behaving are dependent on the culture in which we belongdependent on the culture in which we belong

• Study impact of millions of immigrants who Study impact of millions of immigrants who come to US each yearcome to US each year

• How different Genders and socioeconomics How different Genders and socioeconomics influence our behaviors, male-female, rich-influence our behaviors, male-female, rich-poorpoor