Seven Perspectives Of Psychology Terms Checklist 922909

Seven Perspectives Of Psychology Terms Checklistpsychodynamicpsycho

Seven Perspectives of Psychology – Terms Checklist Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytic The psychodynamic approach was promoted by Sigmund Freud, who believed that many of our impulses are driven by sex. Freud, who was medically trained in neurology, developed a theory of personality that made the assumption that human motivation was propelled by conflicts between instinctual, mostly unconscious, psychological forces. He called these intrapsychic elements the id, ego and superego. This psychodynamic theory caught on like wild fire and due to its explanatory power for human behavior, became very popular over the following century. Freud's therapeutic method, called psychoanalysis, was developed to identify the underlying conflicts between intrapsychic structures and resolve them by bringing them to consciousness.

Insight therapy was one term used to describe Freud's treatment approach. Freud also contributed the first developmental theory of human personality. It suggests that human development progresses through psychosexual stages. Each stage is characterized by specific behavioral and psychodynamic developments and challenges. Although Freud thought of himself as a scientist, and he was indeed very thorough in recording his methods and outcomes, he did not practice scientific methods.

Psychoanalytic theory was developed through case study analysis, a qualitative, not scientific, method. There are a lot of jokes about Freud and his now mostly outdated theories. But have you ever thought that something about who you are today comes from your experiences as a child? Say, you blame your smoking habit on an oral fixation that stems from being weaned from breastfeeding too early as a baby. Well, that also comes from Freud's theories, and it was an idea that revolutionized how we see ourselves.

Psychologists in this school of thought believe that unconscious drives and experiences from early childhood are at the root of your behaviors and that conflict arises when societal restrictions are placed on these urges. Other psychodynamic theories arose, like those of Carl Jung and Alfred Adler, Margaret Mahler, and famous developmentalists like Jean Piaget and Erik Erikson, but all made the same basic assumption: There is a dynamic mind, conscious and unconscious, that influences the behavior of humans. Elements of the unconscious psyche interact to produce motives for behavior and thought processes. Describe how the following concepts are linked to your thoughts, feelings and behaviors in your life event: · The Unconscious – Id, Ego, Superego · Stages of Psychosexual development – Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency, Genital Oedipus complex, Electra complex, identification, fixation · Dreams – manifest and latent content · Defense Mechanisms – repression, regression, displacement, denial, sublimation, projection. rationalization, reaction formation · Inferiority complex · Collective unconscious

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Psychological perspectives provide a diverse understanding of human behavior, each emphasizing different mechanisms. The psychodynamic perspective, rooted in Freud's theories, views behavior as the result of unconscious conflicts and early childhood experiences. For example, in my personal life event—overcoming social anxiety—the influence of unconscious processes is evident. Freudian concepts such as the unconscious, defense mechanisms, and psychosexual development stages help explain how past conflicts can manifest as current anxiety. Repression and projection might have shielded me from confronting fears during childhood, leading to the anxiety experienced in social situations today.

The id, ego, and superego, as components of unconscious drives aligned with Freud's model, directly relate to internal conflicts influencing feelings and behaviors. For instance, my desire to avoid social interactions (id) conflicted with societal expectations to participate and be social (superego), creating tension that the ego manages through anxiety. Dreams, as Freud described, contain manifest and latent content, providing insights into unresolved conflicts. Reflecting on dreams from that period, I understood underlying fears and desires that contributed to my anxiety.

Defense mechanisms guided my subconscious responses—especially repression and displacement—blocking emotions and redirecting stress. An inferiority complex, another Freudian concept, may have contributed to feelings of inadequacy in social contexts, reinforcing the cycle of anxiety. Finally, the collective unconscious, representing shared archetypes, influences social perceptions and interactions, shaping behavior unconsciously. Hence, the psychodynamic perspective illuminates the deep-rooted, often hidden factors influencing my thoughts, feelings, and behaviors during my social anxiety episode.

In contrast, the behavioral approach emphasizes observable behavior shaped by environmental stimuli and reinforcement. In my case, social anxiety was reinforced by negative experiences—such as awkward interactions or judgment—that conditioned me to avoid social settings. Classical conditioning might have linked social situations with discomfort, while operant conditioning perpetuated avoidance to escape negative feelings. Recognizing these patterns shows how reinforcement influences behavior without necessarily understanding the underlying unconscious conflicts.

From a cognitive perspective, my thoughts, beliefs, and expectations played a crucial role. Cognitive theories posit that thoughts about social rejection heightened my anxiety. Cognitive distortions, like catastrophizing, made social interactions seem threatening, thus fueling avoidance behaviors. By challenging these thoughts and replacing them with realistic appraisals, I could reduce anxiety, demonstrating the power of conscious cognitive restructuring in behavior change.

The biological perspective attributes my social anxiety to neurochemical imbalances and brain structures involved in fear responses. For example, increased activity in the amygdala, responsible for processing threats, and decreased regulation by the prefrontal cortex could contribute to heightened fear. Neurotransmitter dysregulation, such as serotonin deficits, might also play a role. Biological interventions, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, have been effective in managing anxiety, supporting this perspective's relevance.

Social-cultural influences further shaped my attitude towards social interaction. Cultural norms valuing extroversion or stigmatizing shyness impacted my self-perception and behaviors. Family, peer, and societal expectations influenced how I interpreted social cues, reinforcing or challenging my fears. Understanding these influences helps contextualize my personal experience within broader cultural frameworks.

In analyzing my social anxiety across multiple perspectives, I recognize that human behavior results from complex interactions among unconscious drives, learned behaviors, cognitive processes, biological factors, and social influences. Integrating these perspectives provides a comprehensive understanding of my experiences, enabling targeted strategies for management and growth.

References

• Becks, J. S., & Hemmings, J. (2014). Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond. Guilford Publications.
• Cain, D. J., et al. (2013). Human Development. Worth Publishers.
• Corr, P. J. (2014). The Psychology of Fear and Anxiety. Routledge.
• Davison, G. C., & Neale, J. M. (2014). Abnormal Psychology. Wiley.
• Eysenck, H. J. (2012). Fundamentals of Psychology. Psychology Press.
• Gay, P. (2018). Freud: A Life for Our Time. W.W. Norton & Company.
• Goldstein, E. B. (2019). Cognitive Psychology: Connecting Mind, Research, and Everyday Experience. Cengage Learning.
• Kolb, D. A., & Boyatzis, R. (2015). Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. Elsevier.
• LeDoux, J. (2015). Anxious: Using the Brain to Understand and Treat Fear and Anxiety. Viking.
• Olson, M. H., et al. (2017). Biological Psychology. Pearson.