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Contemporary Perspectives

Contemporary Perspectives. Where have we been?. Yesterday you learned: A history of psychology Schools of Psychology Structuralism- Wilhelm Wundt Functionalism- William James Behaviorism- John B. Watson, B.F. Skinner Gestalt- Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka , Wolfgang Kohler

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Contemporary Perspectives

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  1. Contemporary Perspectives

  2. Where have we been? • Yesterday you learned: • A history of psychology • Schools of Psychology • Structuralism- Wilhelm Wundt • Functionalism- William James • Behaviorism- John B. Watson, B.F. Skinner • Gestalt- Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, Wolfgang Kohler • Psychoanalysis- Sigmund Freud

  3. Where are we now? • Today you will learn: • Contemporary Perspectives • Biological • Cognitive • Humanistic • Psychoanalytic • Learning • Sociocultural

  4. Introduction • Today we no longer find psychologists identifying themselves in a certain school • Historical traditions find expression in contemporary perspectives of psychology • Each perspective emphasizes different topics of investigation and has different approaches

  5. Biological Perspective • Emphasizes the influence of biology on our behavior • Assume mental processes and behaviors are made possible by the nervous system • Certain chemicals in the brain help storage of information • Study the influence of genes on personality traits like artistic talent, psychological health and behavior patterns

  6. Cognitive Perspective • Emphasizes the role played by thoughts in determining behavior • Investigates ways in which people perceive information and make mental images of the world, solve problems, dream, and daydream • Says working memories are like a computer • People need certain cues to retrieve information from their long-term memories • Believes behavior is influenced by values, interpretations, and choices

  7. Humanistic Perspective • Stresses the human capacity for self-fulfillment and the importance of consciousness, self-awareness and ability to make choices as the force that shapes personality • Considers people’s personal experiences as most important aspect of psychology • We are free to choose our own behavior • View people as good and helpful to others • Critics say inner experiences unsuitable for measurement

  8. Psychoanalytic Perspective • Stresses the influence of unconscious forces on human behavior • This was based on Freud’s school of thought • Freud believed aggressive impulses are reactions to daily frustrations • We fear retaliation so we put them out of our minds. However this sets us up for a big explosion • Today, focuses less on unconscious sexual and aggressive impulses and more on conscious choice and self-direction

  9. Learning Perspective • Emphasizes the effects of experience and observation on behavior on individual development • Behaviorists and Social Learning Theorists are within this perspective • Behaviorists believe that learning comes from reinforcement • Social Learning believes that learning comes from observation and changing your environment

  10. Sociocultural Perspective • Ethnicity, gender, culture, and socioeconomic status have a significant impact on human behavior and mental processes • These factors create individual differences

  11. What you learned today • Today you learned: • Contemporary Perspectives • Biological • Cognitive • Humanistic • Psychoanalytic • Learning • Sociocultural

  12. Where are we going? • Chapter Test • Psychological Methods: Research

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