How Psychologists Explain Behavior: 6 Perspectives

Biological

Cognitive

Humanistic

Psychodynamic

Learning-Theory

Socio-cultural

Biological Perspective

Biologically oriented psychologists look for links between behavior and…

Cognitive Perspecitve

Cognitive oriented psychologists focus on mental processes to explain human behavior. Examples include:

Cognitive Psychologists include:Jean Piaget

Lawrence Kohlberg: Theory of Moral Development.

The Humanistic Perspective

Humanism stresses our capacity for self-fulfillment.

It emphasizes the “goodness” that exists in humans.

Behavior is explained by focusing on…

Humanistic Psychologists include…

Abraham Maslow

The Psychoanalytic Perspective

This perspective attempts to explain human behavior through its emphasis on…

Psychoanalytic Psychologists include…

Sigmund Freud

Carl Jung

Alfred Adler

The Learning Perspective

This perspective explains human behavior by stating that it is…

Learning Theory Psychologists include…

Ivan Pavlov

John B.Watson

B.F. Skinner

Socio-Cultural PerspectiveThis perspective is similar to the learning perspective, however it focuses more on…The influence of groups on our behavior, including:

EthnicEconomicCultural

Socio-Cultural Psychologists Include…

Albert Bandura

Stanley Milgram