Perspective in Psychology

DEFINITION OF PSYCHOLOGY
What do psychologists study? Psychology the systematic, scientific study of behaviors and mental processes Behaviors refers to observable actions or responses in both humans and animals Mental processes not directly observable, refer to a wide range of complex mental processes, such as thinking, imagining, studying, and dreaming

GOALS OF PSYCHOLOGY (CONT.)

Describe first goal of psychology is to describe the different ways that organisms behave
Describe the behaviors and mental processes of autistic children such as difficulties in learning language

Explain second goal of psychology is to explain the cause of behavior

Autism caused by genetic and biological factors that result in maldeveloped brain.

GOALS OF PSYCHOLOGY (CONT.)

Predict third goal of psychology is to predict how organisms will behave in certain situations
Based on previous information, psychologists can predict that autistic children will have difficulty learning in a school environment because there are too many activities and stimuli in the classroom.

Control the fourth goal of psychology is to control an organisms behavior

Can help people such as Donna, learn to control undesirable behaviors via methods of self-control etc. Psychologists might control peoples behaviors without their knowledge or consent.

ANSWERING QUESTIONS

How do psychologists answer questions? Approaches to understanding behavior include:

Cognitive Behavioral Psychoanalytic Humanistic

FREUDS PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORY

Definition Freuds Psychodynamic Theory of Personality emphasizes the importance of early childhood experiences unconscious or repressed thoughts that we cannot voluntarily access, conflicts between conscious and unconscious forces that influence our feelings, thoughts, and behaviors

FREUDS PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORY (CONT.)

Conscious Versus Unconscious forces

Conscious thought wishes, desires, or thoughts that we are aware of, or can recall, at any given moment Unconscious forces wishes, desires, or thoughts that, because of their disturbing or threatening content, we automatically repress and cannot voluntarily access Unconscious motivation Freudian concept that refers to the influence of repressed thoughts, desires, or impulses on our conscious thoughts and behaviors

FREUDS PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORY (CONT.)

Techniques to discover the unconscious Free association technique in which clients are encouraged to talk about any thoughts or images that enter their head; the assumption is that this kind of freeflowing, uncensored talking will provide clues to unconscious material Dream interpretation technique of analyzing dreams, is based on the assumption that dreams contain underlying, hidden meanings and symbols that provide clues to unconscious thoughts and desires

FREUDS PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORY (CONT.)

Techniques to discover the unconscious Freudian slips mistakes or slips of the tongue that we make in everyday speech; such mistakes, which are often embarrassing, are thought to reflect unconscious thoughts or wishes

DIVISIONS OF THE MIND

Id, ego, and superego Freud divided the mind into three separate processes each has a different function interactions among the id, ego, and superego result in conflicts

DIVISIONS OF THE MIND (CONT.)

Psychoanalytic Approach

Rational, planful, mediating dimension of personality

Ego Superego

Conscious Preconscious

Information in your immediate awareness Information which can easily be made conscious Thoughts, feelings, urges, and other information that is difficult to bring to conscious awareness

Moralistic, judgmental, perfectionist dimension of personality

Unconscious

Id

Irrational, illogical, impulsive dimension of personality

DIVISIONS OF THE MIND (CONT.)

Id, ego, and superego Id: pleasure seeker first division of the mind to develop contains two biological drives: sex and aggression ids goal is to pursue pleasure and satisfy the biological drives Pleasure principle id operates according to the pleasure principle satisfy drives and avoid pain, without concern for moral restrictions or societys regulations

DIVISIONS OF THE MIND (CONT.)

Id, ego, and superego Ego: executive negotiator between id and superego second division of the mind, develops from the id during infancy egos goal is to find safe and socially acceptable ways of satisfying the ids desires and to negotiate between the ids wants and the superegos prohibitions large part of ego is conscious smaller part is unconscious Reality principle satisfying a wish or desire only if there is a socially acceptable outlet available

DIVISIONS OF THE MIND (CONT.)

Id, ego, and superego Superego: regulator third division of the mind develops from the ego during early childhood superegos goal is to apply the moral values and standards of ones parents or caregivers and society in satisfying ones wishes moral standards of which we are conscious or aware and moral standards that are unconscious or outside our awareness

DIVISIONS OF THE MIND (CONT.)

Anxiety uncomfortable feeling that results from inner conflicts between the primitive desires of the id and the moral goals of the superego id, superego conflict ego caught in the middle egos continuous negotiations to resolve conflict causes anxious feelings ego uses defense mechanisms to reduce the anxious feelings

DIVISIONS OF THE MIND (CONT.)

Defense mechanisms Freudian processes that operate at unconscious levels and that use self-deception or untrue explanations to protect the ego from being overwhelmed by anxiety Two ways to reduce anxiety: can take realistic steps for reducing anxiety use defense mechanisms to reduce anxiety

DIVISIONS OF THE MIND (CONT.)

Defense mechanisms Rationalization involves covering up the true reasons for actions, thoughts, or feelings by making up excuses and incorrect explanations Denial refusing to recognize some anxiety-provoking event or piece of information that is clear to others Repression involves blocking and pushing unacceptable or threatening feelings, wishes, or experiences into the unconscious

DIVISIONS OF THE MIND (CONT.)

Defense mechanisms Projection falsely and unconsciously attributes your own unacceptable feelings, traits, or thoughts to individuals or objects Reaction formation involves substituting behaviors, thoughts, or feelings that are the direct opposite of unacceptable ones Displacement involves transferring feelings about, or response to, an object that causes anxiety to another person or object that is less threatening

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES
Development: dealing with conflict Psychosexual stages five developmental periods-oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital stages each marked by a potential conflict between parent and child conflicts arise as a child seeks pleasure from different body areas that are associated with sexual feelings erogenous zones

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES (CONT.)

Fixation: potential personality problems occur during any of the first three stages Oral Anal Phallic refers to a Freudian process through which an individual may be locked into a particular psychosexual stage because his or her wishes were either overgratified or undergratified

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES (CONT.)

Five psychosexual stages Oral stage lasts for the first 18 months pleasure seeking activities include: sucking, chewing, and biting Fixation adults who continue to engage in oral activities, such as overeating, gum chewing, or smoking; oral activities can be symbolic as well, such as being overly demanding or mouthing off

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES (CONT.)

Five psychosexual stages Anal stage late infancy: one and a half to three years a time when the infants pleasure seeking is centered on the anus and its functions of elimination Fixation results in adults who continue to engage in activities of retention or elimination retention: very neat, stingy, or behaviorally rigid elimination: generous, messy, or behaving very loose or carefree

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES (CONT.)

Five psychosexual stages Phallic stage early childhood: 3 to 6 years infants pleasure seeking is centered on the genitals Oedipus complex process in which a child competes with the parent of the same sex for the affections and pleasures of the parent of the opposite sex

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES (CONT.)

Oedipus complex: boys discovers that his penis is a source of pleasure result: feels hatred, jealousy, and competition toward his father and fears castration resolves the complex by identifying with his father

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES (CONT.)

Oedipus complex: girls penis envy: girl discovers that she does not have a penis and feels a loss loss makes her turn against her mother and develop sexual desires for her father resolves fixation by identifying with her mother

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES (CONT.)

Five psychosexual stages Latency stage middle to late childhood: 6 to puberty time when the child represses sexual thoughts and engages in nonsexual activities, such as developing social and intellectual skills puberty sexuality reappears

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES (CONT.)

Five psychosexual stages Genital stage puberty through adulthood time when the individual has renewed sexual desires that he or she seeks to fulfill through relationships with other people conflict resolution depends on how conflicts in the first three stages were resolved

HUMANISTIC THEORIES
Humanistic theories emphasize our capacity for personal growth, development of our potential, and freedom to choose our destiny

HUMANISTIC THEORIES (CONT.)

Three characteristics of Humanistic theories 1. Phenomenological perspective your perception or view of the world, whether or not it is accurate, becomes your reality 2. Holistic view personality is more than the sum of its individual parts; instead, the individual parts form a unique and total entity that functions as a unit 3. Self-actualization refers to our inherent tendency to develop and reach our true potentials

HUMANISTIC THEORIES (CONT.)

Maslow: needs hierarchy and self-actualization Hierarchy of Needs arranges needs in ascending order biological needs at the bottom and social and personal needs at the top Maslows hierarchy: must satisfy biological safety needs before using energy to fulfill your personal and social needs devote time and energy to reach true potential, called self-actualization

HUMANISTIC THEORIES (CONT.)

HUMANISTIC THEORIES (CONT.)

Maslow: need hierarchy and self-actualization Self-actualization refers to the development and fulfillment of ones unique human potential Characteristics of self-actualized individuals perceive reality accurately independent and autonomous prefer to have a deep, loving relationship with only a few people focus on accomplishing their goals report peak experiences (moments of great joy and satisfaction)

HUMANISTIC THEORIES (CONT.)

Rogers: self theory also called self-actualization theory based on two major assumptions: personality development is guided by each persons unique self-actualization tendency each of us has a personal need for positive regard Rogers self-actualization tendency refers to an inborn tendency for us to develop all of our capacities in ways that best maintain and benefit our lives relates to biological functions meeting basic need for food, water, and oxygen

HUMANISTIC THEORIES (CONT.)

Rogers: self theory Psychological functions expanding our experiences, encouraging personal growth, and becoming self-sufficient Self or self-concept refers to how we see or describe ourselves positive self-concepts tend to act, feel, and think optimistically and constructively negative self-concepts tend to act, feel, and think pessimistically and destructively

HUMANISTIC THEORIES (CONT.)

Rogers: self theory Positive regard includes love, sympathy, warmth, acceptance, and respect, which we crave from family, friends, and people important to us Conditional and unconditional positive regard Conditional positive regard refers to the positive regard we receive if we behave in certain acceptable ways, such as living up to or meeting the standards of others

HUMANISTIC THEORIES (CONT.)

Rogers: self theory Unconditional positive regard the warmth, acceptance, and love that others show you because you are valued as a human being, even though you may disappoint people by behaving in ways that are different from their standards or values or the way they think Importance of self-actualization Rogers recognized that: our tendency for self-actualization may be hindered, tested, or blocked by a variety of situational hurdles or personal difficulties

HUMANISTIC THEORIES (CONT.)

Rogers: self theory Unconditional positive regard we will experience the greatest self-actualization if we work hard and diligently to remove situational problems, resolve our personal problems, and hopefully, receive tons of unconditional positive regard