Foundations of Psychology Paper Essay Example
Running Head: FOUNDATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGY PAPER
Foundations of Psychology Paper
PSY/300
November 7, 2011
Betsy Ferronato
Foundations of Psychology Paper * This paper will discuss the major schools of thought in psychology and examine their major underlying assumptions. The paper will also identify the primary biological foundations of psychology linked to behavior.
According to our reading in psychology is the scientific investigation of mental processes and behavior. Mental processes include how a person thinks, feels, remembers as well as a person’s behavior. When a doctor needs to understand a person they need to know the person’s biology, psychological experience, and cultural context. What people experience during their life from birth to adulthood is what shapes how they feel and think. Early psychologists established several approaches and schools of thoughts of psychology. They came up with these by research and study which will be discussed throughout this paper. * Biopsychology perspective: Is a school of thought in psychology. Biopsychology is the field that examines the physical basis of psychological phenomena such as motivation, emotion, and stress; also called behavioral neuroscience, (Kowalski & Westen, 2009). In other words, Biopsychology is a form or branch of psychology that analyzes how the brain and neurotransmitters influence how we are motivated, what our emotions are, and how we handle stress or feelings. In this field of psychology it can be considered a combination of basic psychology and neuroscience, (Kowalski & Westen, 2009). * Psychodynamic perspective: This perspective was initiated by Sigmund Freud to focus on the dynamic interplay of mental forces (Kowalski & Westen, 2009). There are three key premises to this perspective. First, how people think, feel, and wish determines their actions. Second, these mental events happen outside a person’s conscious awareness. And third, a
Foundations of Psychology Paper
PSY/300
November 7, 2011
Betsy Ferronato
Foundations of Psychology Paper * This paper will discuss the major schools of thought in psychology and examine their major underlying assumptions. The paper will also identify the primary biological foundations of psychology linked to behavior.
According to our reading in psychology is the scientific investigation of mental processes and behavior. Mental processes include how a person thinks, feels, remembers as well as a person’s behavior. When a doctor needs to understand a person they need to know the person’s biology, psychological experience, and cultural context. What people experience during their life from birth to adulthood is what shapes how they feel and think. Early psychologists established several approaches and schools of thoughts of psychology. They came up with these by research and study which will be discussed throughout this paper. * Biopsychology perspective: Is a school of thought in psychology. Biopsychology is the field that examines the physical basis of psychological phenomena such as motivation, emotion, and stress; also called behavioral neuroscience, (Kowalski & Westen, 2009). In other words, Biopsychology is a form or branch of psychology that analyzes how the brain and neurotransmitters influence how we are motivated, what our emotions are, and how we handle stress or feelings. In this field of psychology it can be considered a combination of basic psychology and neuroscience, (Kowalski & Westen, 2009). * Psychodynamic perspective: This perspective was initiated by Sigmund Freud to focus on the dynamic interplay of mental forces (Kowalski & Westen, 2009). There are three key premises to this perspective. First, how people think, feel, and wish determines their actions. Second, these mental events happen outside a person’s conscious awareness. And third, a