Cognitive Behavior: The Diverse Nature Of Psychology

The Diverse Nature of Psychology

Nicole Celencevicius

Capstone Course in Psychology/Psy490

September, 26, 2011
Dr. Susan Ellis-Slavich

The Diverse Nature of Psychology

Psychological is a very diverse field. The field of psychology is broken into four major theoretical perspectives; the psychodynamic perspective, the humanistic perspective, the cognitive-behavioral perspective, and the family systems perspective (Plante, 2011). In addition to major theoretical perspectives, psychology is comprised of many subdisciplines and subcategories. Subcategories and subtopics within psychology are often applied to other disciplines and venues in contemporary society further adding to the diversity of the field. The concepts and subtopics
I feel that all that we do ties into what we have learned throughout our lives. The ways we learn are very different which is why no two behave in the same manner. The cognitive-behavioral perspective comes into play in many if not all aspects of psychology. And really why wouldn't it? We learn how to behave; behavior is not some innate aspect of ourselves. Behavior is fostered, it is taught. We learn from what we see and how we perceive and interpret our surroundings. If we grow up loving the environment and feel comforted by being outdoors that love would relate back into environmental psychology. If we grow up witnessing violence or live in a high crime area we may end up resorting to criminal behavior because we have learned that that type of behavior is okay; this ties into forensic psychology. The foods we crave, the drugs people end up experimenting with, and even the way we behave in a social atmosphere all tie into learning and cognition. Psychology has taught me so much about people and myself. I will always be able to apply all that I have learned outside of the
For example, from what I have learned about personality and motivation, I am able to go into a workplace knowing that everyone is different. Personality dictates how we act towards one another and within a team setting. We are all motivated by different things; time off, a pay increase, or just notoriety for a job well done. By understanding the differences in personality and motivation, it is easier to understand the people I work with and helps with diffusing any personal issues since I know that not everyone is going to be get along and be great friends because our personalities are different. However, that doesn’t mean that we cannot settle our differences and learn to work together; psychology has taught me this. In a health setting, I have learned about how stress can lead to physical and psychological issues such as depression. By understanding how to recognize and cope with stress, I am able to handle ups and downs in life without getting sick over it. I can better handle change and adapt to situations knowing that I now possess the capacity to know myself and my triggers and how to lead a a more psychologically healthy life. Psychology above all has helped me to understand myself as a person and this understand others. I have a better understanding of empathy which allows me