Why would you support (or why would it he the most accurate) structualism over functionality, psychodynamic psychology, behaviorist. And gestalt/humanism?
Why would you support (or why would it he the most accurate) structualism over functionality, psychodynamic psychology, behaviorist. And gestalt/humanism?
The history of psychology emerges from philosophy. As a modern discipline, psychology has many western influences. The modern beginning of this subject was traced back to 1879, when the first experimental laboratory was formed in Leipzig, Germany, by Wilhelm Wundt. He focused his study on the conscious experience and the building blocks of the mind.
Different schools of psychology which contain famous classical theories are mentioned below.
1) Structuralism: This is the first school of psychology. Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Titchener were the famous structuralist thinkers, who were interested in studying the structure of the mind through introspection. Introspection is the process of self-describing an individual's thoughts and emotions. But this notion lacks scientific evidence, as introspection cannot be verified for external behavior.
2) Functionalism: The limitations of structuralism paved the way for the emergence of new theoretical perspectives in psychology. William James, an American psychologist, developed a new approach to studying the mind called functionalism. According to him, rather than focusing on the structure of the mind, it is better to study the function of the mind. That is, how our mind works in a specific environment, or the purpose of consciousness and behavior.John Dewy, an educational thinker of that period, claimed that human beings behave in order to adapt to their environment.
3) Psychodynamic psychology: This theory says that the psychological drives and energy within the individual are the core reason for one's behavior and personality. Psychodynamic theory originated from psychoanalysis, a renowned theoretical approach developed by Sigmund Freud. He focused on the unconscious mind and libidinal energy, which motivates human behavior. The conflicts that arise due to the unfulfillment of these desires induce psychological disorder. The major criticism of psychoanalysis is the importance of sexual desires and the lack of scientific evidence.
4) Behaviorism: Almost in the same era as psychoanalysis, behaviorism has emerged as another major school of psychology. J.B. Watson, Ivan Pavlov, and B.F. Skinner are the main contributors to behaviorism. They denied the idea of mind and consciousness in psychology, instead giving importance to observable and measurable behavior. This has more scientific support and an evidence base compared to other schools of psychology.
5) Gestalt psychology: During the early 20th century, a new perspective emerged in psychology in relation to Wundt's structuralism, that is, Gestalt psychology. They contended that our perception is not based on a single structure or set of blocks, but rather on the sum of information received from our surroundings.Rather than breaking down into smaller elements, thinking and behavior should be perceived as a whole.
6) Humanistic psychology: was pioneered by Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow. This school arose in response to psychoanalysis and behaviorism. They argued that behaviorism is more concerned with observable behavior and a mechanistic view of the environment, whereas psychoanalysis is concerned with the unconscious mind and sexual desires. Humanists value free will and the ability of humans to discover their inner potential. This has a more optimistic view of human nature.
Many perspectives on human behavior and personality have been explained in psychology, each with their own notions and theories of explanation. However, the controversy persists due to limitations in providing scientific and empirical evidence to describe human mind and behavior.
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