The Foundations of Psychology Essay Example
The Foundations of Psychology
General Psychology/PSY300
January 12, 2010
Lena Klumper, P.h.D
The Foundations of Psychology “Psychology is the scientific investigation of mental processes and behavior” (Kowalski & Weston, 2009, p. 28). Psychologists practice examining biological makeup, experience and functioning, and cultural and historical moments in a person simultaneously (Kowalski & Weston, 2009). The foundations of psychology include five major schools of thought: (1) Structuralism and Functionalism, (2) Behaviorism, (3) Gestalt, and (4) Psychoanalysis (a2zpsychology, 2010). The four schools of thought are used in psychology today to study questions about human behavior and allow scientists to study why these behaviors occur (Spear, 2007). Another school of thought of psychology is biopsychology, or behavioral neuroscience, and it is used to study the brain and the nervous system (Spear, 2007). The study of the brain is used to link biopsychology to human behavior (Spear, 2007).
The Major Schools of Thought “Since the birth of scientific psychology over 100 years ago, four major schools have completed to become the predominant model for understanding human behavior” (Robins, 1998, para 2). These schools built distinct and contending approaches to the learning of mental processes (Magner, 2000). There are four major schools of thought, structuralism and functionalism, behaviorism, Gestalt psychology, and psychoanalysis (Kowalski & Weston, 2009). Structuralism is “is an early school of thought in psychology developed by Edward Titchener, which attempted to use introspection as a method for uncovering the basic elements of consciousness and the way they combine with each other into ideas”, (Kowalski & Weston, 2009, p.9). Structuralism identified and combined the basic elements and experience (Morris & Maisto, 2005). Psychologists studied the anatomy of the mind, in terms of how separate conditions combined to create multifaceted
General Psychology/PSY300
January 12, 2010
Lena Klumper, P.h.D
The Foundations of Psychology “Psychology is the scientific investigation of mental processes and behavior” (Kowalski & Weston, 2009, p. 28). Psychologists practice examining biological makeup, experience and functioning, and cultural and historical moments in a person simultaneously (Kowalski & Weston, 2009). The foundations of psychology include five major schools of thought: (1) Structuralism and Functionalism, (2) Behaviorism, (3) Gestalt, and (4) Psychoanalysis (a2zpsychology, 2010). The four schools of thought are used in psychology today to study questions about human behavior and allow scientists to study why these behaviors occur (Spear, 2007). Another school of thought of psychology is biopsychology, or behavioral neuroscience, and it is used to study the brain and the nervous system (Spear, 2007). The study of the brain is used to link biopsychology to human behavior (Spear, 2007).
The Major Schools of Thought “Since the birth of scientific psychology over 100 years ago, four major schools have completed to become the predominant model for understanding human behavior” (Robins, 1998, para 2). These schools built distinct and contending approaches to the learning of mental processes (Magner, 2000). There are four major schools of thought, structuralism and functionalism, behaviorism, Gestalt psychology, and psychoanalysis (Kowalski & Weston, 2009). Structuralism is “is an early school of thought in psychology developed by Edward Titchener, which attempted to use introspection as a method for uncovering the basic elements of consciousness and the way they combine with each other into ideas”, (Kowalski & Weston, 2009, p.9). Structuralism identified and combined the basic elements and experience (Morris & Maisto, 2005). Psychologists studied the anatomy of the mind, in terms of how separate conditions combined to create multifaceted