This Week's Theme Is To Examine How A Particular Field Of Ps

This Weeks Theme Is To Examine How A Particular Field Of Psychology

This week's theme is to examine how a particular field of psychology (i.e., a field of specific interest to you) arrived to its current form and what major theories are associated with that field of psychology. For this particular assignment, we are going to discuss the major theories related to your field of interest in psychology. Field of interest: Why humans live the way that they do? Review at least 3 scholarly sources on the major theories related to your interests in psychology Explain how those theories impact your choice in your particular interest (field) of psychology.

Paper For Above instruction

The exploration of human behavior—particularly understanding why humans live the way they do—has been a central focus in psychology for centuries. The field of social psychology, which investigates how individual behaviors and thoughts are influenced by social environments and contexts, offers valuable insights into this question. Theories within this field have evolved over time, aiming to explain the complexities of human social behavior and motivation, ultimately illuminating why people choose certain lifestyles, form particular relationships, and engage in specific societal roles.

One foundational theory in social psychology is Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory, which emphasizes the importance of observational learning, imitation, and modeling in human behavior. According to Bandura (1977), people learn behaviors by observing others and imitating those behaviors, particularly when they observe positive outcomes or rewards associated with imitation. This theory underscores the significance of environmental influences and social context in shaping individual behavior. It suggests that much of human conduct is learned socially, which aligns with observations that cultural norms, family environments, and peer groups heavily influence how individuals behave and live.

Another major theory is Leon Festinger's Cognitive Dissonance Theory, which focuses on the internal psychological processes that motivate behavior. Festinger (1957) proposed that individuals experience psychological discomfort when their beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors are inconsistent, leading them to change either their beliefs or behaviors to reduce dissonance. This theory helps explain why humans often modify their perceptions or behaviors to align better with their social environments, thereby maintaining internal consistency. It contributes to understanding behaviors such as conformity, justification, and the pursuit of social harmony, which influence why humans tend to adapt or change behaviors to fit societal expectations.

The third influential theory is Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which provides a motivational framework explaining human behavior through a progression of needs, from basic physiological requirements to self-actualization. Maslow (1943) argued that humans are motivated to fulfill needs in a specific order, and that meeting these needs drives behavior and influences lifestyle choices. This theory emphasizes the importance of fulfilling social needs—belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization—in shaping the way humans live and interact within society. It suggests that individuals' pursuits, motivations, and behaviors are rooted in their ongoing quest to satisfy these hierarchical needs.

The impact of these theories on my interest in understanding why humans live the way they do is profound. Social Learning Theory highlights the importance of social environment and modeling in shaping behavior, suggesting that lifestyle choices are heavily influenced by observed behaviors and societal norms. Cognitive Dissonance underscores the internal psychological mechanisms that promote conformity or behavioral change to maintain social harmony. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs provides a motivational perspective, explaining that human behavior is driven by the desire to meet specific needs, which consequently impacts life choices, relationships, and societal roles. Understanding these theories helps clarify that human behavior is a complex interplay of social influence, internal cognition, and motivational drives, making the study of social psychology essential to comprehending human lifestyle patterns and behaviors.

References

• Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. Prentice-Hall.
• Festinger, L. (1957). A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance. Stanford University Press.
• Maslow, A. H. (1943). A Theory of Human Motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396.
• Crano, W. D., & Prislin, R. (2006). Attitudes and attitude change. Annual Review of Psychology, 57, 345–374.
• Allport, G. W. (1954). The Nature of Prejudice. Addison-Wesley.
• Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1979). An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. In W. G. Austin & S. Worchel (Eds.), The social psychology of intergroup relations (pp. 33–47). Brooks/Cole.
• Schachter, S. (1959). The Psychology of Affiliation. Stanford University Press.
• Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. Springer Science & Business Media.
• Higgins, E. T. (1987). Self-discrepancy theory. In E. Tory Higgins (Ed.), Self-discrepancy theory: Implications for self-esteem (pp. 293–313). Academic Press.
• Rosenberg, M. (1979). Conceiving the Self. Basic Books.