Major Schools of Thought in Psychology - 829 Words

Schools of Thought Throughout psychology s history, a number of different schools of thought have been formed to explain human thought and behaviour. These schools of thought often rise to dominance for a period of time. While these schools of thought are sometimes perceived as competing forces, each perspective has contributed to our understanding of psychology. The following are some of the major schools of thought in psychology. †¢ Structuralism †¢ Functionalism †¢ Psychoanalysis †¢ Behaviourism †¢ Humanism †¢ Cognitivism Major Schools of Thought in Psychology When psychology was first established as a science separate from biology and philosophy, the debate over how to describe and explain the human mind and behaviour began. The†¦show more content†¦Behaviourism Behaviourism became a dominant school of thought during the 1950s. It was based upon the work of thinkers such as: John B. Watson Ivan Pavlov B. F. Skinner Behaviourism suggests that all behaviour can be explained by environmental causes rather than by internal forces. Behaviourism is focused on observable behaviour. Theories of learning including classical conditioning and operant conditioning were the focus of a great deal of research. Psychoanalysis Psychoanalysis is a school of psychology founded by Sigmund Freud. This school of thought emphasizes the influence of the unconscious mind on behaviour. Freud believed that the human mind was composed of three elements: the id, the ego and the superego. The id is composed of primal urges, while the ego is the component of personality charged with dealing with reality. The superego is the part of personality that holds all of the ideals and values we internalize from our parents and culture. Freud believed that the interaction of these three elements was what led to all of the complex human behaviours. Freud s school of thought was enormously influential, but also generated a great deal of controversy. This controversy existed not only in his time, but also in modern discussions of Freud s theories. Other major psychoanalytic thinkers include: ï‚ § Anna Freud ï‚ § Carl Jung ï‚ § ErikShow MoreRelatedMajor Schools of Thought in Psychology2010 Words   |  9 PagesMajor Schools of Thought in Psychology Major Schools of Thought in Psychology Desirae Carrion Kaplan University Abstract Several researchers contributed to the development of psychology as a separate field of study. Their work, along with Wundt s work, made Germany the undisputed center of the movement (Schultz, Schultz, 2011p. 77). The world s first psychological laboratory was opened by Wilhelm Wundt in 1879 at the University of Leipzig (Schultz Schultz, 2011).When researchers startedRead MoreSchool of Thoughts in Psychology1604 Words   |  7 PagesMajor Schools of Thought in  Psychology When psychology was first established as a science separate from biology and philosophy, the debate over how to describe and explain the human mind and behavior began. The first school of thought, structuralism, was advocated by the founder of the first psychology lab, Wilhelm Wundt. Almost immediately, other theories began to emerge and vie for dominance in psychology. The following are some of the major schools of thought that have influenced our knowledgeRead MoreFoundations of Psychology747 Words   |  3 PagesFoundations of Psychology L R Juneaux 07/24/2013 PSY/300 Psychology is one of the core studies of the human being, which include investigating of behavior and mental processes. 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Applications of psychology include mentalRead MoreStructuralism And Functionalism Of American Psychology Essay1154 Words   |  5 PagesThis lecture podcast discussing structuralism and functionalism in the development of American psychology must have a road map for how I will chart this brief course through such a brilliant history with characters as large as Lady Liberty. Therefore, I will begin by discussing the historical nature and foundational construct of structuralism, functionalism, the process of change for American psychology to be where it is today, and finish with a summary. I will also make available the paper and referencesRead MoreThe Historical History Of American Psychology Essay1091 Words   |  5 PagesAmerican psychology came by way of Francis Bacon and John Stuart Mill philosophy, Char les Darwin evolutionary biology, Chauncey Wright evolutionary psychology, and Wilhelm Wundt volunteer psychology generally (Green, 2009; Wright, 1873). From these philosophical and biological contributors came two major schools of American psychology, namely structuralism and functionalism (Green, 2009; Caldwell, 1899; biological terms; see Boucher, 2015, pp. 384-385), which emerged as competitors of thought on howRead MoreAbnormal Psychology Essay1646 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract The following paper includes such topics of normal and abnormal psychology. Discussed with these topics are definitions of each as well as the similarities and differences between them both. Included here also is a discussion and explanation of two mental disorders and two mental illnesses all taken from the psychology perspective. As the reader will see, normal and abnormal psychology as well as the mental disorders and illnesses are common issues that could happen to any person or affect