psy

1. 7 Perspectives of Psychology
Different theoretical approaches to
understand and explain why people
behave and think as they do

2. 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

3. Nature
• All psychology perspectives fall within the spectrum of the nature or nurture question
Genetics & physiologyBiopsychology
EvolutionaryPsych
BehavioralPsych
SocioculturalPsych
CognitivePsych
Psychoanalytic
100% Nature nature and nurture interact Nurture 100%
OR
Nurture
interactions with and
observations of our
environments and
people
Humanism

4. 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%

5. Perspective 2: Evolutionary Psych
• We are who/how we
are due to “survival of
the fittest” interaction
of our genes with our
environment
EvolutionaryPsych
100% Nature Nature and nurture interact Nurture 100%

6. 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%
CognitivePsych

7. 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%
Humanism

8. 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
Psychoanalytic
100% Nature nature and nurture interact Nurture 100%

9. 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
BehavioralPsych
100% Nature nature and nurture interact Nurture 100%

10. 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
SocioculturalPsych