Introduction, History,

The Six Psychological

Perspectives
 Psychology
• The scientific study of behavior and
mental processes.
– Uses scientific research methods.
– Behavior includes all observable
behavior.
– Mental processes include thoughts,
feelings and dreams.
Modern Psychology’s
Roots
 Wilhelm Wundt
(1832-1920)
• “father of psychology”

• founder of modern
psychology

• opened the first

psychology lab in
1879
 E.B. Titchener

• founder of structuralism
(1st perspective)

• goal: understand the

structure of conscious
experience by analyzing
its parts
 Structuralism
• studied the basic elements (structure)
of conscious experience
 Gestalt Psychology
• the whole (conscious experience) is
different from the sum of its parts.
• integrate pieces of information into
meaningful wholes.
 William James
• first American psychologist

• author of the first

psychology textbook

• founder of Functionalism
 Functionalism
• study the functions of consciousness:
how consciousness helped people
adapt to their environment
 Sigmund Freud
• founder of psychoanalytic
perspective (personality)

• abnormal behavior
originated from unconscious
drives and childhood
conflicts

• used personal observation &

reflection instead of
controlled lab experiments
 Freud’s Influence
(don’t have to write this, just f.y.i.)
• Influence on “pop culture”
– freudian slips
– anal-retentive
• Influence on psychology:
– psychodynamic theory – modern
version of Freud’s ideas
– importance of unconscious thoughts
– significance of childhood experiences
 Ivan Pavlov
• Russian Physiologist
• studied learning in animals
• created an interest in the study of observable
behaviors
 John B. Watson
• founder of behaviorism

• studied only observable

and objectively
describable acts

• emphasized objective and

scientific methods
 B.F. Skinner
• Behaviorist

• Focused on learning
through rewards and
observation
 Humanistic Psychology
• focus on conscious experience and
individual’s free will

• healthy individuals strive to reach their

potential

• humans are not solely controlled by

rewards and reinforcements
Six Contemporary
Psychological
Perspectives
 What’s a perspective?
• Method of classifying a collection of ideas
• Also called “schools of thought”
• Also called “psychological approaches”

• Don’t write this bullet: Example – Whether you

help a student who has dropped their books in the
hall. Why do some help when others don’t?
 6 Contemporary Psychological
Perspectives
Perspective Focus Behavior is Explained by…

Cognitive

Biological

Social-Cultural

Behavioral

Humanistic

Psychodynamic
 Cognitive Perspective
• Focus: how people think and process
information

• Don’t write this bullet, just think about it

(Forerunners – Structuralism, Functionalism, &
Gestalt Psychology)

• behavior is explained by how a person

interprets the situation
 Biological Perspective
• Focus: how our biological structures and
substances might cause a given behavior,
thought, or emotion

• behavior is explained by brain chemistry &

structure, genetics, hormones, glands, etc.
 Social-Cultural Perspective
• Focus: how thinking and behavior change
depending on the setting or situation

• behavior is explained by the influence of

other people present

*review
 Behavioral Perspective
• Focus: how we learn through rewards,
punishments, and observation

• behavior is explained by previous learning

 Humanistic Perspective
• Focus: how healthy people strive to reach
their full potential

• behavior is explained as being motivated

by satisfying needs (safety, hunger, thirst,
etc.), with the goal of reaching one’s full
potential after basic needs are met.
 Psychodynamic Perspective
• Focus: how behavior is affected by
unconscious drives and conflicts

• behavior is explained through unconscious

motivation and unresolved inner conflicts from
one’s childhood

• modern version of psychoanalytic perspective

(Freud’s ideas)
Psych Perspectives Group Activity
Scenario: Fight Breaks out in the Cafeteria

Task: Explain how each of the 6 Contemporary

Psychological Perspectives would explain the
aggressive behavior
 Psych Perspectives:
Self-Assessment
• Think about it…Now that you understand
each of the Six Contemporary Psych
Perspectives, with which one/s do you
most identify?

• Task: Write your name on each of your

post-it notes and stick them on the
perspective/s you feel are most accurate.
Careers in Psychology

What do psychologists do?

 Basic Research
• research that aims to increase the
scientific knowledge base

• research for the sake of finding new

information
 Applied Research
• Aims to solve specific, practical problems
rather than expanding the scientific
knowledge base
 Clinical Psychologist
• Diagnose and treat patients with
psychological problems

• Largest number of professional

psychologists