PsychologyPsychology

Contemporary PerspectiveContemporary Perspective

(1:4)(1:4)

Six PerspectivesSix Perspectives

►BiologicalBiological►CognitiveCognitive►HumanisticHumanistic►Psychoanalytic Psychoanalytic ►LearningLearning►SocioculturalSociocultural

Biological PerspectiveBiological Perspective

►The influence of biology on our The influence of biology on our behaviorbehavior The Nervous System plays a gigantic role The Nervous System plays a gigantic role

in behaviorin behavior►Connections of events in the brainConnections of events in the brain

Brain activity in various situationsBrain activity in various situations

Hormones and genesHormones and genes►Do these relate to personality traits?Do these relate to personality traits?

Cognitive PerspectiveCognitive Perspective

►The role played by thoughts in The role played by thoughts in determining behaviordetermining behavior Study of the mindStudy of the mind

►Problems, dreams, interpreting the worldProblems, dreams, interpreting the world►Jean Piaget – The concept of the world from Jean Piaget – The concept of the world from

child to adultchild to adult

Cognitive PerspectiveCognitive Perspective

► Information ProcessingInformation Processing From the cognitive perspective our minds From the cognitive perspective our minds

are similar to supercomputers are similar to supercomputers

►Behavior is influence by values, Behavior is influence by values, interpretations, and choicesinterpretations, and choices Perceptions of statementsPerceptions of statements

Humanistic PerspectiveHumanistic Perspective

►Human capacity for self-fulfillment and Human capacity for self-fulfillment and the importance of consciousness, self-the importance of consciousness, self-awareness, and choice makingawareness, and choice making Personal experience is the most important Personal experience is the most important

part of psychology (Humanistic part of psychology (Humanistic Psychology)Psychology)

Humanistic PerspectiveHumanistic Perspective

►People are basically good and helpfulPeople are basically good and helpful Critics say that this is unobservable, Critics say that this is unobservable,

therefore it is unscientifictherefore it is unscientific►Is the inner-experience as important as an Is the inner-experience as important as an

outer experience?outer experience?

Psychoanalytic PerspectivePsychoanalytic Perspective

►The influence of unconscious forces on The influence of unconscious forces on human behavior (Freud)human behavior (Freud)

►Pent up aggression and its outletsPent up aggression and its outlets

Learning PerspectiveLearning Perspective

►The effects of experience on behaviorThe effects of experience on behavior In the view of many psychologists learning In the view of many psychologists learning

is an essential factoris an essential factor People do things because they are People do things because they are

learned, not because of conscious choicelearned, not because of conscious choice►Social-Learning Theory – learning by Social-Learning Theory – learning by

observation and storing outcomes for later useobservation and storing outcomes for later use Can youCan you choose choose to do what you learned to do?to do what you learned to do?

Sociocultural PerspectiveSociocultural Perspective

►Ethnicity, gender, culture, and socio-Ethnicity, gender, culture, and socio-economic status have a great impact economic status have a great impact on behavior and mental processon behavior and mental process

Sociocultural PerspectiveSociocultural Perspective

►Gender is NOT simply a matter of Gender is NOT simply a matter of anatomyanatomy A complex web of expectation and social A complex web of expectation and social

rolesroles►How has this changed over time?How has this changed over time?