Contemporary Psychological Perspectives

Psychological Perspectives

• Each perspective explains the same behavior in a different way

• Also called “schools of thought”

• Also called “psychological approaches”

Perspectives

• Psychology has multiple perspectives– Biological– Psychodynamic– Behavioral/ Learning– Humanistic– Cognitive– Socio-Cultural– Evolutionary

Biological Perspective

DEFINITION & KEY IDEAS:• Attempts to explain the ways that the physical body

influences one’s behavior. MAJOR TOPICS OF STUDY:• Nervous System, Hormones, Brain Chemistry, Heredity,

Evolutionary Influences SAMPLE FINDINGS OF VIOLENCE:• Brain damage caused by birth complications or child

abuse might incline people towards violence.• Violence is a result of a chemical imbalance in the brain.

Cognitive PerspectiveDEFINITION & KEY IDEAS:• Attempts to analyze how thoughts influence one’s

behavior. • Behavior is explained by how a person interprets the

situationMAJOR TOPICS OF STUDY:• Thinking, Memory, Language, Problem Solving,

Perceptions SAMPLE FINDINGS OF VIOLENCE:• Violent people are often quick to perceive others’

actions as an insult or provocative.

Humanistic Perspective

DEFINITION & KEY IDEAS:• Personal experiences are most important. Teaching

awareness of one’s self, experiences and choices can help someone reach their potential as a person.

MAJOR TOPICS OF STUDY:• Reaching One’s Potential as a Person.

SAMPLE FINDINGS OF VIOLENCE:• Violent people at times choose poorly and need to be

taught how to make better decisions.

Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Perspective

DEFINITION & KEY IDEAS:

• Attempts to explain how the unconscious mind influences human behavior.

MAJOR TOPICS OF STUDY:

• Unconscious Thoughts, Desires, Conflicts, Dreams

SAMPLE FINDINGS OF VIOLENCE:

• Violence may be the result of unconscious conflicts about one’s parents or sexuality.

Learning/Behavioral Perspective

DEFINITION & KEY IDEAS:• Examines how the environment influences observable

behavior. MAJOR TOPICS OF STUDY:• Environment and Experience, Habitual Behavior,

Observational Learning, Reinforcement SAMPLE FINDINGS OF VIOLENCE:• Violence increase when it pays off (there is a reward).• Violent Role Models can influence some children to

behave aggressively.

Social-Cultural PerspectiveDEFINITION & KEY IDEAS:• Examines how society, gender, culture and socioeconomic status

influence human behavior and mental processes. MAJOR TOPICS OF STUDY:• Social Rules, & Roles, Groups, Relationships. Cultural Norms,

Gender, Socioeconomic Status, Values, and Expectations. SAMPLE FINDINGS OF VIOLENCE:• People are often more aggressive in a crowd than they would be

on their own.• The TV culture of today promotes violence as a good thing.

Perspectives Timeline