Types of Psychological Perspectives

Behaviorist Perspective

When a person thinks of a psychological study, they often think of mice running through a maze under the observation of scientists.

Commonly associated with studies in a laboratory setting, often using animals, the behaviorist perspective believes only observable behavior must be studied in a controlled setting.

The behaviorist approach focuses on learning how the environment impacts behavior.

These environmental factors are known as stimuli, the observable behavior is referred to as the response.

Through a process called conditioning, the belief is that all behavior is merely a response to outside environmental stimuli, and it rejects the notion that people have free will.

Who Uses the Behaviorist Perspective?

Behaviorism was predominately popular during the first half of the 20th century, but the field has continued to evolve so that techniques can be applied in a modern setting.

Behavior psychologists and behavior analysts use the theories of the behaviorist perspective to perform cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, and the combination approach of cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Psychodynamic Perspective

The psychodynamic perspective is heavily associated with the work of Sigmund Freud and psychoanalysis.

While relatively defunct today, the psychodynamic perspective encompasses theories that provide reason for both normal and pathological personality development.

Freud believed that people have little free will and our behavior is determined by the unconscious mind, early childhood experiences, and interpersonal relationships.

He also believed there were three main elements of the mind: the id, the ego, and the superego.

Each part of the mind plays an important role in shaping behavior and can be used as a psychotherapeutic tool to further understand the patient.

The id is driven by the pleasure principle, searching for immediate gratification for our desires, wants, and needs. Id is present from birth, making it a primary component of a personality.

Responsible for dealing with reality, the ego develops from the id and strives to ensure impulses and desires can be satisfied in a socially acceptable manner.

The superego is the last component of the personality to develop. Emerging during childhood, the superego holds the internalized moral standards and ideals acquired from those around us, like parents or caregivers.

Who Uses the Psychodynamic Perspective?

There are modern psychoanalysts and neuropsychologists that exist in the clinical and research settings across the globe.

Many theorists have updated Freud’s original work to fit current times and today’s understanding of mental health conditions.

Humanistic Perspective

Originating in the 1950s, the humanistic perspective focuses on the inner feelings and self-image of the patient.

Also known as holism, it is the study of the whole person and self-actualization, or the role of motivation in achieving one’s highest potential.

This perspective believes individuals have free will to grow, change, and develop to meet their personal potential.

Positive psychotherapy uses the humanistic approach to reorient treatment away from focusing on what is wrong towards resilience and self-reliance.

Who Uses the Humanistic Perspective?

Typically, there is not a humanistic psychologist by title, but rather therapists, counselors, and social workers who have a focus or background in humanism and existential humanism.

Cognitive Perspective

The cognitive perspective is an extremely scientific approach that treats the human brain much like a computer.

This approach is concerned with how information is acquired, processed, stored, and utilized, which often impacts functions such as memory, perception, and attention.

This type of psychological perspective states memory is comprised of three main stages: encoding, storage, and retrieval.

The three stages help to identify areas of the brain that may not be functioning correctly.

Cognitive therapy is used in a variety of applications, such as validating eyewitness testimony in a court case.

Who Uses the Cognitive Perspective?

Cognitive psychologists can work in a variety of industries, they are not limited to just clinical therapy.

Cognitive psychologists can work in a business setting conducting product research, teach in colleges, or work in a government or legal setting for research or consulting division.

Biological Perspective

With the advancement of genome sequencing, a vast treasure trove of new data is available to scientists to help them understand the human brain.

The biological perspective aims to understand what immediate factors can be inherited through genetics and how chromosomes, hormones, and brain development affect behavior.

With a focus on neurological factors like the structure of the brain, the biological approach uses advanced imaging tools such as an MRI or a PET scan to observe the brain under changing conditions.

This can help diagnose diseases, long-term effects of drug use, or brain damage that could be the underlying causes of mental health conditions.

Who Uses the Biological Perspective?

There are a variety of experts who utilize the biological perspective including neuropsychologists and behavioral scientists.

The biological perspective also forms foundational knowledge for careers in product marketing, public health, and statistics.

Evolutionary Perspective

The evolutionary perspective works together with the biological perspective to try to answer the question of why we are the way we are.

The main difference between the evolutionary and biological perspectives is evolutionary psychologists are concerned with understanding which human behaviors today served an evolutionary purpose.

This approach tries to explain human behavior in terms of natural selection that originated from our hunter-gatherer ancestors during the upper Pleistocene period.

Evolutionary perspective indicates that the challenges each generation of mankind faced, including survival and reproduction, helped shaped our mental processes today.

Who Uses the Evolutionary Perspective?

Evolutionary psychologists are part of a highly specialized field and includes several branches of study, such as reproduction, comparative psychology, and feminist psychology.

Many evolutionary psychologists work in teaching, research, and public speaking fields.

Cross-Cultural Perspective

Cross-cultural perspective focuses on how different cultural factors can influence human behavior.

This perspective requires performing research from participants of different backgrounds to fully understand the potential cultural variations.

Many aspects of human thought and behavior are universal, but cultural psychologists understand that cultural differences can have an impact.

One example of this is comparing individualistic and collectivistic cultures, such as the United States versus China, to understand the ways societal norms can shape how people work and live.

Who Uses the Cross-Cultural Perspective?

Cultural psychologists work mainly in the research field working to collect, analyze, and interpret the data from different cultures.