Comprehensive Overview of Psychological Approaches
This page presents a detailed comparison of major psychological approaches, examining their perspectives on reductionism, determinism, treatment methods, and developmental theories.
Definition: Reductionism refers to breaking down complex behaviors into simpler components for study.
Example: Behaviorism breaks behavior into stimulus-response units, while cognitive psychology views people as information processors.
Highlight: Each approach takes a distinct stance on the nature-nurture debate, with behaviorism emphasizing environmental factors while biological approaches focus on genetic influences.
Vocabulary: Psychic determinism - the concept that unconscious forces control our behavior.
The page explores treatment approaches:
- Humanistic therapy focuses on achieving congruence and personal growth
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy targets faulty thinking patterns
- Biological treatments utilize drug therapy
- Behavioral therapy employs systematic desensitization
- Psychodynamic approach uses psychoanalysis
Development theories vary significantly:
- Psychodynamic theory links development to specific psychosexual stages
- Humanistic approach sees development as ongoing throughout life
- Cognitive psychology emphasizes progressive schema development
- Behaviorism views learning as a continuous life-long process
Quote: "Anatomy is destiny" - representing the biological perspective that inherited genetic blueprints determine behavior.
