Exploring Perspectives of Psychology: Neuroscience, Psychodynamics, Behavioural, Cognitive, and Humanistic Approaches to Understanding Human Behavior

Perspectives of psychology

Ever since human behaviour became the focus of study for psychologists, they have been trying to explain and understand human behaviour using different approaches or perspectives. These perspectives gave different explanations of mental processes and behaviour. There are five perspectives or approaches to the study of behaviour, including, Neuroscience, Psychodynamics, Behavioural, Cognitive, and Humanistic.

Neuroscience

It focuses on behaviour from the angle of biology, it makes the claim that behaviour is linked to the human brain, nervous system and how it functions. Furthermore, it explains that behaviour is something that is inherited from biological parents and ancestors. This approach has helped psychologists to treat many psychological disorders, including certain types of deafness and other disorders.

Psychodynamics

This perspective is linked to Austrian physicist Sigmund Freud in the 1900s. According to him, human behaviour is driven by unconscious forces over which humans have little control. Sigmund Frued’s principles have been controversial.. Still, his approach has led to treatments of many psychological disorders and to the understanding of inner feelings like prejudice and aggression.

Behavioural Perspective

This perspective was first initiated by American psychologist, John B Watson, and it was also endorsed by B. F Skinner. This perspective focuses on observable behaviour, and it claims that human behaviour can be understood by manipulating or changing the environment of human beings.  John B Watson even went on to the extent and claimed that if he were given healthy infants, he would be able to raise them in the desired way despite their talents, inclinations, or likings.

The Cognitive Perspective

This perspective focuses on how humans think, perceive, and understand the world around them. It also focuses on how behaviour changes on the basis of perception of the world. Psychologists who espouse this perspective consider the human mind as computers that take information and then process it.

The Humanistic Perspective

This perspective was pioneered by Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow. It defined human behaviour as the result of free will, rather than it being a cause of unconscious forces or human biology. In addition, it also focuses on the tendencies of humans to grow, strive, and develop to reach full potential.