Principal Approaches
in Psychology
APPROACHES: EXPLAINING WHY ORGANISMS
ACT/FEEL THE WAY THEY DO
Agenda
1. Bellringer: Structuralism (10)
2. Lecture: Contemporary Theoretical Approaches (20)
3. How many words? Perspectives (10-15)
4. Perspectives Scenario (15)
5. Case Study: Andrea Yates (15) video clip
1. Behavioral
How a person is rewarded/punished
Want to understand how learning relates to
behavior
Focus on what you can observe
Famous people: Pavlov, Skinner, Watson
2.
Psychoanalytic/Pyschodynamic
Focus on unconscious thoughts/desires and
internal conflicts in order to explain behavior
Method = psychoanalysis
Famous people: Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung,
Alfred Aldler
3. Humanistic
Humans have needs that must be met
Emphasize feelings and view people as good
Famous People: Abraham Maslow and Carl
Rogers
4. Biological
Understanding how the brain and body work in humans and animals
5. Evolutionary
 Use Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection
 Look at how have behavior patterns have evolved and
changed over time
6. Cognitive
Focus on thinking and memory and how the brain processes that information
at various stages in development
Famous people: Jean Piaget
7. Sociocultural
 How does culture and the environment effect behavior
Eclectic Approach
Most psychologists use a variety of the
approaches to study psychology
Discussion
With your partner discuss the following: 3 minutes.
Which of the approaches most represents psychology as a science?
Why?
Which of the approaches least represents psychology as a science?
Why?
Mike Perspective: Psychoanalytic
Reason: Subconsciously he thinks all women will hurt him like his
mother did.
Brenda Perspective: Behavioral
Reason: working out = positive results = more working out (if had not
lost weight prob. No working out)
Tommy Perspective: Cognitive
Reason: Tommy’s development hasn’t allowed him to see another’s
point of view.
Jared: Perspective: Biological
Reason: Brain damage etc.
Countries: Perspective: Sociocultural
Reason: cultural cues are what we make them.
Not everyone is born with wisdom teeth. Perspective: Evolutionary
Reason: Humans used to need wisdom teeth as replacement and now we
don’t need them – we brush.
Julia Perspective: Humanist
Reason: Self-esteem