1 20 2015 Psychology Today Seven Contemporary Approaches in Psychology Biological Behavioral Psychodynamic Humanistic Cognitive Evolutionary Sociocultural Biological Approach human animal behavior is seen as the direct results of events in the body ex measuring sweat on skin related to lies studying brain areas involved when we recall a memory investing the brain s activity while we sleep Behavioral Approach emphasizes the scientific study of observable behavioral responses the environments that determine those responses started by John B Watson B F Skinner s theory of operant learning the idea that you can modify behavior using various rewards punishments Psychodynamic Approach mental behavioral problems are caused by conflicts between acceptable behavior unacceptable unconscious desires ex Sigmund Freud Austrian Physician Humanistic Approach emphasizes free will self actualization and human nature as growth seeking experiences motivations for behavior Carl Rodgers Abraham Maslow emphasizes free will self authentication ideal self full human potential when we fall short or obstacles we are unhappy or dissatisfied with ourselves could cause emotional problems some people fully self actualized people like MLK Jr Nelson Mandala the rest of people are trying Cognitive Approach study of how we think remember store use info from our environment using a vast array of mental processes ex How do we learn language form concepts what is intelligence Evolutionary Approach focus on natural selection adaptation the evolution of behavior causes of behavior are attributed to those that lead to greater productiveness ex Revolutionary theory of mate selection Sociocultural Approach emphasizes social interactions cultural determinants of behavior mental processes specifically ethnicity religion occupation socioeconomic status as predictors control how we think or behave ex does socioeconomic status effect your health do people who work the night shift have shorter life spans do people of a particular ethnicity perform better or worse on SAT tests Part 2 Scientific Method 5 Types of Research Methods used by research psychologists 3 which research method should be used to answer any given scientific question Scientific empirical approach objective unbiased measures critical thinking Scientific Method 1 Make observation or perceive question 2 Form hypothesis 3 Test the hypothesis 4 Draw conclusions critical thinking 5 Report results share with people confirm with other s questions Research Methods 1 Descriptive research describes behavior 2 Correlational research predicts behavior between two things relationships 3 Experimental research explains behavior Descriptive research observe collect record data 3 types 1 Naturalistic observation watching people animals in natural setting make speculations 2 Case studies in depth study of a single sub Or small group of people unusual case person or group anything rare ex NBC vid Reverse Evolution Turkish sibs walk on all 4s careful not to violate study subjects privacy potential problems don t know if things are true because of what you re studying or if everyone is just different naturally 3 Survey research form of polling to measure a wide variety of psychological behaviors attitudes ex Flawed advantage quick many responses with lots of data disadvantage might not all be accurate errors Correlational Research observing or measuring 2 or more variables to find the relationships between them can NOT determine cause effect relations ex Water sunshine plant growth class attendance exam performance Characteristics of a Correlation Strength the degree to which two variables are related Ex foot size is STRONGLY related to shoe size Ex weak correlation shyness is WEAKLY related to low self esteem Direction Positive correlation both variables go up down together as one increases the other increases vice versus Negative Correlation the two variable go in opposite directions as one increases the other decreases vice versus Correlation Coefficient r statistical calculation that indicates the strength and the direction of the correlation Strong positive correlation r 92 Weak positive correlation r 46 Strong negative correlation r 92 Weak negative correlation r 46 no correlation r 0 0
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