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.