Ubaida Alvi

Historical Approach
 Structuralism
Structuralism ( 1870’s -1900 Wilhelm
Wundt) Known as Father of
Experimental Psychology Set up the
first psychology laboratory at Leipzig
in 1879.

 Analyze consciousness into basic elements

and study how they are related.

Introspection - self-observation of one’s

own conscious experiences.
 Functionalism
Functionalism (Led by William James
in1900)
Arose in protest to the private mental
events studied by structuralism, not
focusing on mind components but the
functions or activity what the mind
does.

 Investigate the function, or purpose of

consciousness rather than its structure.
 Behaviorism

Rejected mental events.

John B. Watson Psychology should only study

(1878-1958) observable and verifiable events.
 Gestalt Psychology

 Emphasized the total experience

of the individual and not just
parts of the mind or behavior.
 The whole is greater than the
Max Wertheimer
(1880-1943) sum of its parts.

“The whole is different than the sum of its

parts.”
Modern Approaches in

Psychology
 Psychodynamic Behavioral

Neuroscience Cognitive

Sociocultural
Humanistic Evolutionary
 Psychodynamic approach
Proposes the idea of the UNCONSCIO

 This approach is based on the

belief that behavior is motivated by
Sigmund Freud unconscious inner forces over
(1856-1939)
which the individual has no control.
 Structure of Personality

Freud argued that our personality (mind) is

divided into three parts.
1. The Id
2. The Ego and
3. The Super Ego

 Childhood is a critical period in development.

Defense Mechanism
The ego deals with the demands of reality,
the id, and the superego as best as it
can. But when the anxiety becomes
overwhelming, the ego must defend
itself .

The defense mechanisms are the methods

by which the ego can deal with conflicts
between the super-ego and the id.
o Denial: Denying the existence of an
external threat or traumatic event.

o Repression :not being able to recall a

threatening situation, person, or event .

o Displacement: shifting id impulses from

a threatening or unavailable to an
available object.

o Projection :Attributing a disturbing

impulse to someone else.
Regression: A reversion to immature
patterns of behavior.

Rationalization : Creating false but

plausible excuses to justify unacceptable
behavior.

Sublimation is the transforming of an

unacceptable impulse, whether it be sex,
anger, fear, or whatever, into a socially
acceptable, even productive form.
 Neuroscience Approach

Considers how people and nonhumans

function biologically: how individual
nerve cells are joined together, how the
inheritance of certain characteristics
from parents and other ancestors
influences behavior, how the function of
the body affects hopes and fears, which
behaviors are instinctual etc.
 Cognitive Approach
Computers as Metaphor for Mind

This approach focuses on how

people think, understand and
know about the world.

 Cognitive Psychologists return

to the study of learning,
memory, perception, language,
development & problem
 Behavioral Approach

• John B. Watson, (1878-1958) an American

psychologist.

This approach suggests that

observable behavior should be the
focus of study.
Basic Assumptions of Behaviorism
 Behavior is all that matters, the stimulus
and response.
 It doesn't matter what goes on inside the
mind.
 All behavior is learned. And maladaptive
behavior is no different .
 This learning can be understood in terms of
the principles of conditioning and modeling.
 What was learned can be unlearned, using
the same principles.
 the same laws apply to human and non
human.
 Humanistic Approach

This approach suggests that all individual

naturally strive to grow, develop and be
in control of their lives and behavior.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Social-Cultural Approach
“Focuses on how behavior and thinking vary
across situations and cultures.”

• How are we, as members of different

races and nationalities, alike as members of
one human family?
• How do we differ, as products of different
social contexts?
• Why do people sometimes act differently
in groups than when alone?
 Evolutionary Approach

This approach attempts to explain useful

mental and psychological traits—such as
memory, perception, or language—as
adaptations, i.e., as the functional
products of natural selection.
 Eclectic Approach
Eclectic psychology refers to a therapeutic
approach in which a variety of methods,
principles and philosophies are used to
create a treatment program that caters to
a patient's unique needs. Rather than
adhering to a certain school of therapy,
eclectic therapists use techniques from all
schools to treat patients.