Perspectives in Psychology

This perspective is interested in what is actually going on in the brain that affects psychology. Might study how hormones or genes might affect personality.

• biological

• sociocultural

• cognitive

• evolutionary

This perspective believes that behavioral traits that are advantageous in certain environments allow people to survive and pass down these traits to offspring.

• learning

• evolutionary

• cognitive

• biopsychosocial

This perspective concentrates on how thoughts affect behavior. Might study how people perceive certain events and how this affects their behavior.

• cognitive

• biological

• learning

• psychoanalytic

This perspective stresses the human capacity for self-fulfillment. Unlike behaviorists, this perspective believes that people can choose their own behavior.

• humanistic

• cognitive

• social

• learning

This perspective stresses the influence of unconscious desires on behavior.

• psychoanalytic

• humanistic

• biological

• learning

This perspective focuses on the impact of experience on behavior.

• learning

• biological

• biopsychosocial

• humanistic

This perspective focuses on how gender, ethnicity, and economic status affect behavior and mental processes. A psychologist from this perspective might study how an African-American may view the world differently than a white person.

• sociocultural

• biopsychosocial

• learning

• cognitive

This perspective takes a holistic approach to psychology. Believes that behavior and mental processes are affected by biological, cognitive, and social factors.

• biopsychosocial

• learning

• cognitive

• evolutionary