Question

Describing the contemporary perspectives in psychology, choose at least two of the perspectives and explain it as you understand it. How does it view human behavior? How would you explain it to someone else who has never read this information?

Answer 1

1. Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic (unconscious):

• People's actions are determined by the way their thoughts, feelings and wishes are connected in their minds
• Many occur outside of conscious awareness
• The mental processes may conflict, leading to compromises among competing motives (ID 'now', ego 'reasoning', superego 'conscience'
• Sigmund Freud emphasised on unconscious mental forces
• Many of the associations between feelings and behaviour or situations that guide our behaviour are done unconsciously
• Uses dreams, free associations, sexuality, subconscious mind (Allowing patient to talk without guidance or influence)

2. Behaviour (learning):

• Focuses on the way objects or events in the environment come to control behaviour through learning (E.g. Classical or Opperant Conditioning)
• B. F. Skinner observed that behaviour can be controlled by environmental influences that either increase (reinforce) or decrease (punish) their likelihood of occurring
• Uses observations of environment and is focused on the short term change