Theoretical Perspectives in Psychology

by Jarvis; Matt

• ISBN13: 9780415191081
• ISBN10: 0415191084
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-08-24
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Psychology is often considered to be a science. However, it is unique among the sciences as it is not governed by a single set of principles or beliefs. Instead, psychologists can draw upon a range of alternative approaches, each of which views the person and the study of the person in very different ways. Theoretical Perspectives in Psychology introduces and outlines the six main approaches and considers how each has helped psychologists understand human behavior, thought and feeling.

Author Biography

Matt Jarvis is Senior Teaching Psychologist at Totton College of Further and Higher Education

Table of Contents

List of illustrations	xiii
Acknowledgements	xv
Introduction	1	(10)
Introduction: one psychology or many?	1	(1)
Case examples and explanations	2	(5)
Case example 1	3	(4)
Case example 2	4	(1)
Case example 3	5	(2)
The major features of each psychological approach	7	(1)
Scientific and less scientific approaches	8	(1)
Summary	9	(2)
Behavioural psychology	11	(20)
Key assumptions of the approach	11	(2)
Classical conditioning and early behavioural theory	13	(4)
Evaluation of early behavioural theory	16	(1)
Operant conditioning and later behavioural theory	17	(4)
Operant conditioning	17	(2)
Uncontrollable reinforcers	19	(1)
Evaluation of radical behaviourism	20	(1)
Social learning theory	21	(3)
Evaluation of social learning theory	23	(1)
Key application: behaviour change	24	(2)
Aversion therapy	24	(1)
Child-behaviour management	25	(1)
Contemporary issue: the media violence debate	26	(2)
Contributions and limitations of behavioural psychology	28	(2)
Summary	30	(1)
Psychodynamic psychology	31	(28)
Key assumptions of the approach	31	(2)
Freud's theories	33	(15)
The unconscious mind and personality	34	(2)
The ego-defences	36	(3)
Psychosexual development	39	(4)
Dream theory	43	(2)
Discussion of Freud's work	45	(3)
Winnicott's theories	48	(2)
The unconscious mind	48	(1)
The first relationship	48	(1)
Evaluation of Winnicott's theories	49	(1)
Key application: mental health	50	(3)
Early experience and later mental disorder	50	(1)
Psychodynamic approaches to therapy	51	(1)
Discussion of the psychodynamic approach to mental health	51	(2)
Contemporary issue: why do we love monsters?	53	(2)
Discussion	54	(1)
Contributions and limitations of the psychodynamic approach	55	(2)
Summary	57	(2)
Humanistic psychology	59	(18)
Key assumptions of the approach	59	(2)
Rogers' theories	61	(5)
The actualising tendency	62	(1)
Development of the self-concept	62	(2)
The fully functioning person	64	(1)
Discussion of Rogers' theory	65	(1)
Maslow's theories	66	(3)
The hierarchy of needs	66	(1)
The self-actualised person	67	(1)
Evaluation of Maslow's theories	68	(1)
Key application: person-centred counselling	69	(2)
Principles and techniques of person-centred counselling	69	(2)
Discussion of person-centred counselling	71	(1)
Contemporary issue: is there a place for spirituality in psychology?	71	(2)
Discussion of spirituality in psychology	72	(1)
Contributions and limitations of the humanistic approach	73	(1)
Summary	74	(3)
Cognitive psychology	77	(22)
Key assumptions of the approach	77	(3)
The computer analogy	79	(1)
Strands of cognitive psychology	80	(1)
Memory	80	(6)
Long-and short-term memory	81	(1)
Working memory	82	(2)
Evaluation of working memory	84	(1)
Episode and semantic memory	84	(1)
Evaluation of the episodic/semantic distinction	85	(1)
Forgetting	86	(4)
Cue-dependency	86	(3)
Repression	89	(1)
Key application: eyewitness testimony	90	(3)
Contemporary issue the reliability of children's memories	93	(2)
Applying the cognitive approach to the rest of psychology	95	(1)
Contributions and limitations of the cognitive approach	96	(1)
Summary	97	(2)
Cognitive-developmental psychology	99	(22)
Key assumptions of the approach	99	(1)
Piaget's theory of cognitive development	100	(9)
How children learn	101	(1)
How children think	102	(3)
Piaget's stage theory	105	(2)
Later research on Piaget's ideas	107	(2)
Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development	109	(2)
The social and cultural basis of learning	109	(1)
The zone of proximal development	110	(1)
The role of language	110	(1)
Discussion of Vygotsky	111	(1)
Key application: applying psychology to teaching	111	(5)
Historical background	111	(1)
Implications of Piagetian theory for teaching style	112	(1)
Implications of Vygotsky's theory for teaching style	113	(3)
Contemporary issue: computer-aided learning	116	(2)
Contributions and limitations of the cognitive-developmental approach	118	(1)
Summary	119	(2)
Social psychology	121	(24)
Key assumptions of the approach	121	(2)
Obedience and agency	123	(4)
Agency theory	125	(1)
Evaluation of agency theory	126	(1)
Prejudice and social identity	127	(5)
How prejudiced are we?	128	(2)
Social identity theory	130	(1)
Evaluation of social identity theory	131	(1)
Social constructionism	132	(5)
A deliberately political and unscientific psychology?	132	(1)
The importance of culture and language	133	(1)
Discourse and discourse analysis	133	(2)
Discourse and reality	135	(1)
Evaluation of social constructionism	136	(1)
Key application: tackling racism	137	(3)
Common in-group identity model	137	(1)
Racist discourse	138	(2)
Contemporary issue: lesbian and gay psychology	140	(2)
Contributions and limitations of social approaches	142	(1)
Summary	143	(2)
Biological psychology 1: genetic influences on behaviour	145	(18)
Key assumptions of the approach	145	(2)
Behavioural genetics: the genetics of Individual differences	147	(8)
The origins of intelligence	147	(1)
Twin studies	148	(1)
Gene-environment interaction	149	(2)
Molecular genetics and cognitive abilities	151	(3)
Discussion of behavioural genetics	154	(1)
Evolutionary psychology: the genetics of human similarity	155	(4)
Innate behaviour and abilities in children	156	(1)
Mate selection	157	(1)
Discussion of evolutionary psychology	158	(1)
Contemporary issue: does behavioural genetics pose a threat to other psychological approaches?	159	(1)
Contributions and limitations of genetically based approaches	160	(1)
Summary	161	(2)
Biological psychology 2: neurophysiology	163	(26)
Key assumptions of the approach	163	(1)
The brain	164	(3)
Discussion of localisation of brain function	167	(1)
Techniques for measuring brain function	167	(4)
Imaging techniques	167	(2)
EEG and MEG	169	(2)
Lesioning studies	171	(1)
Bodily rhythms and sleep	171	(4)
The sleep cycle	175	(1)
Theories of sleep	175	(3)
Restoration theories	175	(2)
Evolutionary theory	177	(1)
Dreams	178	(4)
Activation-synthesis theory of dreaming	180	(2)
Key application: understanding the effects of shiftwork and jet lag	182	(2)
Shiftwork	182	(1)
Jet lag	183	(1)
Contemporary issue: are gender differences due to biological factors?	184	(2)
Contributions and limitations of biological approaches	186	(1)
Summary	187	(2)
Study aids	189	(8)
Improving your essay writing skills	189	(4)
Practice essay	190	(3)
Key research summary	193	(4)
Glossary	197	(8)
References	205	(14)
Index	219