7 Perspectives of Psychology

Different theoretical approaches to understand and explain why people

behave and think as they do

Why so many perspectives?

• Psychology is an INEXACT SCIENCE• Technological advancements change old thinking• Psychological theory often product of its times/culture• Experiments change/disprove old thinking

Nature

• All psychology perspectives fall within the spectrum of the nature or nurture question

Genetics & physiology

Biopsychology

Evolutionary Psych

Behavioral PsychSociocultural Psych

Cognitive Psych

Psychoanalytic

100% Nature nature and nurture interact Nurture 100%

OR

Nurtureinteractions with and observations of our environments and people

Hum

anism

Perspective 1: Biopsychology (AKA Neuropsychology)

• We are who we are due to biological and physiological causes and their interactions with nurture factors

Biopsychology

Biopsychologist study how the following cause us to behave and think as we do:

•Brain structures•Hormones, enzymes, chemicals•Genes (DNA)

100% Nature nature and nurture interact Nurture 100%

Perspective 2: Evolutionary Psych

• We are who/how we are due to “survival of the fittest” interaction of our genes with our environment

Evolutionary Psych

100% Nature Nature and nurture interact Nurture 100%

Perspective 3: Cognitive Psych

• We are who we are/do what we do because we actively think about past and present and make predictions about our future as we interact with environment

100% Nature nature and nurture interact Nurture 100%

Cognitive Psych

Perspective 4: Humanism

• Every human has a desire to achieve to his or her fullest potential; humanists look at environmental factors that are necessary to reach fullest potential and what prevents others from doing so

100% Nature nature and nurture interact Nurture 100%

Hum

anism

Perspective 5: Psychoanalytic

• We are who we are/do what we do due to…bad or good childhood experiences and memories hidden in our subconscious

Psychoanalytic100% Nature nature and nurture interact Nurture 100%

Perspective 6: Behavioral Psych

• We are who we are/do what we do due to involuntary reactions to environmental stimuli, reinforcement of behaviors, and observing and imitating others

Behavioral Psych100% Nature nature and nurture interact Nurture 100%

Perspective 7: Sociocultural Psych

100% Nature nature and nurture interact Nurture 100%

We are who we are, do what we do due to…the culture in which we are raised and social expectations and norms

Sociocultural P

sych