Understanding the theoretical foundations, influential theorists, and demarcation of the three major movements of psychology
Understanding the theoretical foundations, influential theorists, and demarcation of the three major movements of psychology is essential to having a fundamental knowledge of the discipline. Psychoanalysis; behaviorism; and humanistic, transpersonal, and existential psychology (HTE) are recognized as the three primary movements of psychology. As such, they provide a rich history of human science and form the basis for understanding human experience and the human condition as a whole. In this assignment, you will address this history, synthesize the theories, and consider applications of the theories.
General Requirements:
• To foster retention of foundational theories in psychology, this assignment requires the incorporation of information from this course and previous courses regarding psychological theories and their applications. Refer to PSY-802, Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Theory and PSY-803, Behaviorism to assist with this assignment.
• This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
• Doctoral learners are required to use APA 7th style for their writing assignments. The APA Style Guide is located in the Student Success Center.
• Refer to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association for specific guidelines related to doctoral level writing. The Manual contains essential information on manuscript structure and content, clear and concise writing, and academic grammar and usage.
• This assignment requires that at least ten scholarly research sources related to this topic, and at least one in-text citation from each source be included. Scholarly works encountered in prior doctoral courses may be used in this assignment.
• You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.
Directions:
Write a paper (2,350-2,500 words) that demonstrates your understanding of the primary movements in psychology – psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and humanistic, transpersonal, and existential psychology (HTE). Your paper should provide a historical perspective for each of the movements, showcase your understanding of the key components of each, and suggest a synthesis and application of the theories. Include the following in your paper:
1. An overall historical context of all three movements. (Benchmarks C.2.1: Discuss the history and development of the theories of Psychoanalysis, Behaviorism, and Humanistic/Transpersonal/Existential (HTE) Psychology)
2. A rationale for why each movement is/was considered essential to understanding human behavior and experiences.
3. An analysis of psychoanalysis/psychodynamic theory. What were the primary tenets and perspectives of the theories? Who were the key theorists? How did their work lead them to new ideas including Neo-Freudianism?
4. An analysis of behaviorism. What were the theoretical underpinnings of the movement? What were the primary tenets and concepts of the movement? Why were these tenets and concepts important? Who were the key theorists?
5. An analysis of humanistic, transpersonal, and existential psychology (HTE). From what cultural and historical contexts did the movement emerge? What were the primary tenets and concepts of the movement? Why were these tenets and concepts important? How do these tenets and concepts differ across the movement? Who were the key theorists?
6. A synthesis of these movements. How did these movements enhance the understanding of human behavior, growth, and potential? (Benchmarks C.2.2: Synthesize the theories of Psychoanalysis, Behaviorism, and HTE Psychology)
7. An evaluation of the applications of the theories that were the basis for each of these movements. To what extent has the application of these theories enhanced treatments in mental health and the helping professions? (Benchmarks C.2.3: Evaluate the common applications of Psychoanalysis, Behaviorism, and HTE Psychology)
8. A statement of next steps. What comes next in the development of psychological approaches to understanding human behavior and experience?
Sample Solution
Overall historical context of psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and humanistic, transpersonal, and existential psychology
Psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and humanistic, transpersonal, and existential psychology (HTE) are the three major movements in psychology. Each movement has its own unique history, theories, and applications.
Psychoanalysis is the oldest of the three movements, dating back to the late 19th century. Sigmund Freud is considered the father of psychoanalysis. Freud developed a theory of the mind that proposed that human behavior is driven by unconscious forces.
Full Answer Section
Behaviorism emerged in the early 20th century. John B. Watson is considered the father of behaviorism. Watson rejected Freud's theory of the unconscious and instead focused on observable behavior. Watson believed that human behavior is learned through conditioning. HTE psychology emerged in the mid-20th century. Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow, and Viktor Frankl are considered some of the key theorists in this movement. HTE psychology emphasizes the importance of human free will, self-actualization, and the search for meaning and purpose in life. Rationale for why each movement is/was considered essential to understanding human behavior and experiences Each of the three major movements in psychology has made significant contributions to our understanding of human behavior and experiences. Psychoanalysis provided a new way of thinking about the human mind. Freud's theory of the unconscious helped to explain a wide range of human behavior, including mental illness, dreams, and slips of the tongue. Behaviorism helped to shift the focus of psychology from the internal mind to observable behavior. This shift led to new insights into how humans learn and how to change behavior. HTE psychology emphasized the importance of the individual and the subjective experience. This movement helped to humanize psychology and to focus on the positive aspects of human nature. Analysis of psychoanalysis/psychodynamic theory The primary tenets and perspectives of psychoanalysis include:- The unconscious mind: Freud believed that the unconscious mind is a powerful force that influences our thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
- Defense mechanisms: Freud also believed that we use defense mechanisms to protect ourselves from anxiety and conflict.
- Psychosexual stages of development: Freud proposed that we all go through a series of psychosexual stages of development, from infancy to adulthood.
- Sigmund Freud
- Carl Jung
- Alfred Adler
- Erik Erikson
- Carl Jung
- Alfred Adler
- Karen Horney
- Erich Fromm
- Classical conditioning: Classical conditioning is a type of learning in which an unconditioned stimulus is paired with a conditioned stimulus to produce a conditioned response.
- Operant conditioning: Operant conditioning is a type of learning in which behavior is reinforced or punished, which leads to changes in the frequency of the behavior.
- John B. Watson
- F. Skinner
- Ivan Pavlov
- Carl Rogers
- Abraham Maslow
- Viktor Frankl
- Rollo May
- James Bugental
- Psychotherapy: Therapists from all three movements use their theories to help clients understand and change their behavior.
- Education: Teachers can use the principles of learning to help students learn more effectively.
- Organizational development: Consultants can use the theories of human motivation and behavior to help organizations improve their performance.