There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to studying and understanding the human mind and behavior.
That’s why psychologists utilize a variety of perspectives when studying how people think, feel, and behave.
For example, have you ever wondered why you flinch when you hear a loud noise?
Verywell / Emily Roberts
Looking at the problem from different perspectives gives us insight into the various factors that can play a role.
No single perspective is “better” than another.
Instead, each emphasizes different aspects of human behavior.
Together, these perspectives give us a more well-rounded understanding of why we do the things we do.
As psychology has grown, the number and variety of topics psychologists investigate have also expanded.
Since the early 1960s, thefield of psychologyhas flourished.
It continues to grow rapidly, as has the depth and breadth of subjects studied by psychologists.
Purpose of Psychological Perspectives
Why are there so many different perspectives in psychology?
It is important to remember that every topic in psychology can be looked at in many ways.
For example, let’s consider the subject of aggression.
Here are seven of the major perspectives inmodern psychology.
The Psychodynamic Perspective
The psychodynamic perspective originated with the work ofSigmund Freud.
Much thanks to Freud’s work and influence, psychoanalysis became one of the earliest major forces within psychology.
While the psychodynamic perspective is not as dominant today, it continues to be a useful psychotherapeutic tool.
Behavioral psychology focuses on learned behaviors.
Behaviorism stands out from other perspectives because it focuses solely on observable behaviors rather than on emphasizing internal states.
Today, the behavioral perspective is still concerned with how behaviors are learned and reinforced.
The Cognitive Perspective
During the 1960s, a new perspective known ascognitive psychologyemerged.
Today, the perspective is known as biological psychology (also called biopsychology or physiological psychology).
The point of view emphasizes the physical and biological bases of behavior.
The role that genetics plays in behavior and psychological problems is also a huge area of interest.
The Cross-Cultural Perspective
Cross-cultural psychologyis a fairly new perspective that has grown significantly in the last twenty years.
Psychologists and researchers in this school of thought look at human behavior across different cultures.
By examining these differences, we can learn more about how culture influences our thinking and behavior.
For example, researchers have studied how social behaviors differ in individualistic and collectivistic cultures.
Individualistic cultures place emphasis on independence and self-reliance, while collectivist cultures stress social harmony and cohesiveness.
The Evolutionary Perspective
Evolutionary psychologyfocuses on the study of how the theory of evolution can explain physiological processes.
Psychologists who take this perspective apply the basic principles of evolution (like natural selection) to psychological phenomena.
The Humanistic Perspective
In the 1950s, a school of thought known ashumanistic psychologyarrived.
It was greatly influenced by the work of prominent humanists such asCarl RogersandAbraham Maslow.
The humanistic perspective emphasizes the role of motivation in thought and behavior.
Concepts such as self-actualization are essential.
This field focuses on the things that can improve quality of life, happiness, and subjective well-being.
For example, this perspective helps us understand how practices likegratitudeandcompassionstrengthenresilienceand reduce stress.
The different perspectives in modern psychology give researchers and students tools to approach problems and answer questions.
They also guide psychologists in finding new ways to explain and predict human behavior.
Exploring problems from multiple angles and through different lenses can help us better understand the many factors involved.
It can even lead to the development of new treatment approaches.
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