Psychology is a discipline which seeks to understand why humans think and behave the way they do (McLeod, 2007). In order to characterize the various approaches to psychology, it is best to classify them into distinct perspectives or schools of thought. The major schools of thought in psychology include Psychodynamic (Psychoanalysis), Behaviorist (Behaviorism), Cognitive, & Evolutionary.
The psychodynamic perspective of psychology was developed by Sigmund Freud and is based on the concept that thought processes take place below the threshold of conscious awareness (McLeod, 2007). According to the psychodynamic perspective people have three psyches; the id, the ego, and the superego, unconscious directive that motivate human behavior. This perspective focuses on the role of the unconscious mind, experiences early in childhood and interpersonal relationships to explain the various aspects of human behavior (Kowalski & Westen, 2009).
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"The Major Psychological Perspectives".
Behaviorism, also referred to as the behaviorist approach, was at the forefront of psychology from 1920s to the 1950s and is based on several underlying assumptions regarding methodology and the analysis of human behavior (Kowalski & Westen, 2009). According to the behaviorist approach, psychology should be considered a science and all theories must be supported by empirical data obtained through controlled observations and measurement of behaviors (Graham, 2010) Behaviorism is focused on the observable behavior that can be both scientifically and objectively measured. All internal factors such as thoughts and emotions are explained through the analysis of behavior. A major assumption of the behaviorism approach to psychology is that people have no free will, as their environment determines their behavior and all people are born with a ‘tabula rasa’ mind, or a blank slate (Kowalski & Westen, 2009). All human behavior is a response to stimulus, and all behavior is learned through classical or operant conditioning from the environment (Graham, 2010).
The cognitive perspective of psychology is based on explanations for human behavior based on the theory that human behavior is thoughtful and can be controlled by our thought processes (Kowalski & Westen, 2009). Cognitive psychology focuses on areas of human perception, thought, and memory. According to the cognitive perspective of psychology human behavior is mediated by processes such as memory, attention, attitudes, belief systems, and language (Kowalski & Westen, 2009). The scientific investigation of human cognition and the mental abilities of perceiving, learning, remembering, thinking, reasoning, and understanding. Cognitive psychology is based on two major assumptions: human cognition can be understood by the scientific method, with the ability for individual al components of mental processes to be identified and understood, and internal mental processes can be explained in rules or algorithms displayed in models of information processing models.
The evolutionary perspective of psychology seeks to explain human behavior as the impact that evolutionary processes has on human thought. Underlying assumptions of the evolutionary perspective is based on the survival of the human race and that biological evolution occurs to promote survival of the species. The Darwinian Theory is the basis of the evolutionary perspective of psychology which is based on history of humans to include thought patterns, mental processes, and behaviors (Kowalski & Westen, 2009). According to the evolutionary perspective the process of natural selection is the foundation of human nature is which ensures the survival of the human species through the ability to adapt and change within their environment which modifies human thoughts and behaviors (Kowalski & Westen, 2009).
- Graham, G. (2010). Behaviorism, the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (fall 2010 Edition), Available at: http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2010/entries/behaviorism.
- Kowalski, R., & Westen, D. (2009). Psychology (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
- McLeod, S. (2010). Psychodynamic Approach. Simply Psychology online. Available at: http://www.simplypsychology.org/psychodynamic.html.
