Introduction To Psychology
Major Assignment
Professor: Audrene Kerr Brown
PSYC 001
Eric Savage
November 30th 2011
The five major theoretical perspectives in psychology are biological, learning, cognitive, psychodynamic, and humanistic perspectives. Each one of these perspectives searches for answers about behavior through different techniques and through looking for answers to different kinds of questions. Due to the different approaches, each perspective form their own assumptions and explanations. Some perspectives are widely accepted while others struggle for acceptance. Each perspective has its strengths and weaknesses, and brings something different to our understanding of human behaviour. For these reasons, it is important that psychology does have different perspectives to the understanding and study of human and animal behaviour.
Biological perspective, "The premise behind the biological perspective in psychology is that all actions, feelings, and thoughts are associated with bodily events." Biological psychologists examine how all of the electrical impulses, hormones, and chemicals flowing through the body can affect behavior and how changes to these bodily functions can change behavior.
They are concerned with how the aspects of biology effect people's emotions, learning abilities, and their perception of events.
One of the major theories of biological psychology is that "We cannot know ourselves if we do not know our bodies." Through application of this theory, biological psychologists strive to understand the relationship between the mind and body and they influence sickness or health. For example, it is believed that poor health can lead to negative attitudes, while poor attitudes can lead to poor health. Biological psychologists have researched the study of this theory in an attempt to help solve some mental and emotional problems.
Psychodynamic perspective, many people of psychodynamic perspective do not think that the school of psychology has any bearing on academic psychology. It's usually based upon the fact that many...