psychological perspectives

understanding psychology and perspectives

1. Psychological PerspectivesPsychological Perspectives
Prof. Abby Ngwako, M.Ed.Prof. Abby Ngwako, M.Ed.

2. •What is Psychology?
•Activity: What would you do?
•Roots of Psychology
•Today’s Perspectives on
Psychology
1.Neuroscience
2.Psychodynamic
3.Behavioral
4.Cognitive
5.Humanistic
•Name that Perspective…

3. •Mental processes, which are comprised of our thoughts
(cognition), senses (perception), and feelings (emotion),
help us to understand and make sense of the world and
who we are within it (Corcini & Wedding, 2000)
•Why is it “Science”?
•systematic method explains human behavior and
mental processes
•reasons behind behavior, mental processes or capacity
•analyzing and conducting studies

4. reason why
psychology needs to
be “science”…
More on Bystander Effect:
http://psychology.about.com/od/socialpsychology/a/bystandereffect.htm

7. •behavior from
perspective of
biological
functioning
•Study of heredity &
evolution
•Influence behavior
•Brain & nervous system

8. •Behavior motivated by inner
forces & conflicts not aware or
not in control (i.e. dreams,
slips of tongue, etc.)
•Origins linked to Sigmund
Freud
•Criticized but helps to
understand & treat
psychological disorders
•Understand everyday
phenomena ( i.e. prejudice &
aggression)
Source: Syracuse.com

9. •Focuses on objective,
observable behavior
•Rejected psychodynamic
approaches
•1920s-John B. Watson first
behaviorist
•elicit desired behavior by
controlling environment
•B.F. Skinner -studied how
people learn new behaviors,
learning processes, treating
mental disorders, drug
addiction, etc.

10. •Focuses on how people think,
understand & know about world
•influences our behavior
•Human thinking=computer
(information processing)
1.Takes in information
2.Transforms
3.Stores
4.Retrieves
•how people make decisions,
patterns & irregularities in operation
of minds

11. •naturally strive to grow,
develop & be in control
•Capacity to seek & reach
fulfillment
•Positive perspective
•Carl Rogers & Abraham
Maslow
•strive to reach full
potential if given
opportunity
•Free will
•Own choices
•Self-fulfillment

12. most behavior inherited
& adaptive
Pavlov experiment with
salivating dog
Charles Darwin & theory
of evolution
rejects free will &
believes environment
determines behavior
behavior determined by
unconscious &
childhood experiences.
people are similar to
computers in processing
information
Focus on
memory, perception &
attention 
each person is unique
& has free to change at
any time
Sigmund Freud &
controversial theories
N=Neuroscience P=Psychodynamic
B= Behavioral C=Cognitive H=Humanistic

13. most behavior inherited
& adaptive
Pavlov experiment with
salivating dog
Charles Darwin & theory
of evolution
rejects free will &
believes environment
determines behavior
behavior determined by
unconscious &
childhood experiences
people are similar to
computers in processing
information
Focus on
memory, perception &
attention 
each person is unique
& has free to change at
any time
Sigmund Freud &
controversial theories
N=Neuroscience P=Psychodynamic
B= Behavioral C=Cognitive H=Humanistic
N H P
C N B
P C B

14. •Corcini, R. J., & Wedding, D. (2000). Current
Psychotherapies (6th ed.). Itasca, IL: F. E.
Peacock.
•Editorial Board (2011). Introduction to Psychology.
Words of Wisdom, LLC.
•Watson, J.B. (1924/1925). Behaviorism. New
York: People's Institute Publishing Company