Psychology’s Perspectives
The Big Seven
Neuroscience Perspective

Focus on how the physical body and
brain creates our emotions, memories
and sensory experiences.
If you could not remember
the names of your parents
and went to a
psychologist who adheres
to the neuroscience
perspective, what might
they say?
Evolutionary Perspective

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Focuses on Darwinism.
We behave the way we
do because we
inherited those
behaviors.
Thus, those behaviors
must have helped
ensure our ancestors
survival.
Mother nature
practicing selective
breeding
How could this
behavior ensured
Homer’s ancestors
survival?
Psychodynamic Perspective
What might a psychoanalyst say is the
reason someone always needs to be
chewing gum?

Fathered by Sigmund
Freud.

Our behavior comes
from unconscious
drives.

Usually stemming
from our childhood.
Behavioral Perspective
Focuses on our
OBSERVABLE
behaviors.
 Only cares about
the behaviors
that impair our
living, and
attempts to
change them.

If you bit your fingernails when
you were nervous, a behaviorist
would not focus on calming you
down, but rather focus on how
to stop you from biting your
nails.
BEHAVIORISTS

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How people learn
Rewards and
punishment
John B. Watson
Cognitive Perspective
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Focuses on how we
think (or encode
information)
How do we see the
world?
How did we learn to
act to sad or happy
events?
Cognitive Therapist
attempt to change
the way you think.
Meet girl
Or get back on the
horse
Get Rejected
by girl
Did you learn to
be depressed
Social-Cultural Perspective

Focus on how your culture effects
your behavior.
Even in the
same high
school,
behaviors can
change in
accordance to
the various
subcultures.
Humanistic Perspective
Focuses on positive growth
 Attempt to seek self-actualization
 Therapists use active listening and
unconditional positive regard.

Mr. Rogers would
have made a
great Humanistic
Therapist!!!
Approaches cont.

HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY


people try to achieve their
maximum potential (self
actualization)
Promote health and self-growth
What Approach is Best?

What perspectives should we consider
throughout this class?
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ECLECTIC
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Combination of approaches
Some topics/issues have become dominated
by a certain approach, so this will lead our
thinking, but all should be in our
considerations.
Apply Perspectives to Case
Study:
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Application - Andrea Yates

Other applications – test anxiety,
autism