The links below are designed for print; more screen reader friendly documents can be found on the Students: Additional Lumen Resources page.<\/p>\r\n
Download a PDF of this page here.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\r\n Download the Spanish version here.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\r\n In addition to these early perspectives, some other key perspectives that developed in the latter part of the 20th century include:<\/p>\r\n Psychology is a diverse discipline that is made up of several major subdivisions with unique perspectives. The five psychological domains, or pillars, divide the main areas of study within psychology into 5 categories:<\/p>\r\n Industrial and organizational psychology, health psychology, sport and exercise psychology, forensic psychology, and clinical psychology are all considered applied areas of psychology.<\/p>\r\n Doctoral-level psychologists work in academic, clinical, and research settings.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t Master\u2019s-level psychologists may work in counseling, education, or social services.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t Bachelor\u2019s-level graduates often pursue careers in human resources, business, and healthcare.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n American Psychological Association<\/strong><\/p>\r\n professional organization representing psychologists in the United States<\/p>\r\n behaviorism<\/strong><\/p>\r\n the psychological focus on observing and controlling behavior. Behaviorism as a theory holds that behaviors are learned or conditioned through environmental experiences.<\/p>\r\n biological perspective<\/strong><\/p>\r\n a psychological approach that examines physiological causes for behavior<\/p>\r\n biopsychology<\/strong><\/p>\r\n study of how biology influences behavior<\/p>\r\n biopsychosocial model<\/strong><\/p>\r\n perspective that asserts that biology, psychology, and social factors interact to determine an individual\u2019s health<\/p>\r\n clinical psychology<\/strong><\/p>\r\n area of psychology that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders and other problematic patterns of behavior<\/p>\r\n cognitive psychology<\/strong><\/p>\r\n area of psychology that focuses on studying thoughts and their relationship to our experiences and actions<\/p>\r\n cognitive revolution<\/strong><\/p>\r\n a period of change in psychology during the 1950s and 1960s, characterized by a shift back to studying mental processes and the emergence of cognitive psychology as a prominent perspective<\/p>\r\n counseling psychology<\/strong><\/p>\r\n discipline that focuses on emotional, social, vocational, and health-related outcomes in individuals who are considered psychologically healthy<\/p>\r\n cross-cultural psychologists<\/strong><\/p>\r\n compare populations across countries<\/p>\r\n developmental psychology<\/strong><\/p>\r\n the scientific study of development across a lifespan<\/p>\r\n dissertation<\/strong><\/p>\r\n long research paper about research that was conducted as a part of the candidate\u2019s doctoral training<\/p>\r\n eclectic approach<\/strong><\/p>\r\n an approach in psychology where psychologists draw from multiple ideas and theories, integrating different perspectives to understand and study human behavior<\/p>\r\n empirical method<\/strong><\/p>\r\n method for acquiring knowledge based on observation, including experimentation, rather than a method based only on forms of logical argument or previous authorities<\/p>\r\n evolutionary perspective<\/strong><\/p>\r\n A psychological approach that posits behaviors have an evolutionary cause and grew from functionalist views<\/p>\r\n evolutionary psychology<\/strong><\/p>\r\n seeks to understand human behavior as the result of psychological adaptation and natural selection<\/p>\r\n forensic psychology<\/strong><\/p>\r\n area of psychology that applies the science and practice of psychology to issues within and related to the justice system<\/p>\r\n functionalism<\/strong><\/p>\r\n early school of thought (William James) that studied how mental activities help adaptation. Focused on how mental activities help an organism adapt to its environment.<\/p>\r\n health psychology<\/strong><\/p>\r\n the study of how psychological factors, including thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and social interactions, influence health and well-being<\/p>\r\n humanism<\/strong><\/p>\r\n perspective within psychology that emphasizes the potential for good that is innate to all humans<\/p>\r\n humanistic perspective<\/strong><\/p>\r\n a psychological approach that emphasizes the potential for good in all humans and rejects a focus on problems and disorders. It emerged in the 1950s, with influential figures such as Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers.<\/p>\r\n multicultural psychologists<\/strong><\/p>\r\n develop theories and conduct research with diverse populations, typically within one country<\/p>\r\n natural selection<\/strong><\/p>\r\n a process by which heritable traits conferring survival and reproductive advantage to individuals tend to be passed on to succeeding generations and become more frequent in a population<\/p>\r\n -ology<\/strong><\/p>\r\n suffix that denotes \u201cscientific study of\u201d<\/p>\r\n personality psychology<\/strong><\/p>\r\n study of patterns of thoughts and behaviors that make each individual unique<\/p>\r\n personality trait<\/strong><\/p>\r\n a consistent pattern of thought and behavior<\/p>\r\n PhD (doctor of philosophy)<\/strong><\/p>\r\n doctoral degree conferred in many disciplinary perspectives housed in a traditional college of liberal arts and sciences<\/p>\r\n postdoctoral training program<\/strong><\/p>\r\n allows young scientists to further develop their research programs and broaden their research skills under the supervision of other professionals in the field<\/p>\r\n psyche<\/strong><\/p>\r\n Greek word for soul<\/p>\r\n psychiatrist<\/strong><\/p>\r\n a person with a medical degree who specializes in treating mental health issues and diagnosable disorders, they can prescribe medications<\/p>\r\n psychoanalysis<\/strong><\/p>\r\n a type of talk therapy originally developed by Freud but still practiced today that focuses on the interaction between conscious and unconscious elements and involves a person talking about their past experiences to uncover and understand the reasons for behavior<\/p>\r\n psychoanalytic theory<\/strong><\/p>\r\n focus on the role of the unconscious in affecting conscious behavior<\/p>\r\n psychodynamic<\/strong> perspective<\/strong><\/p>\r\n a psychological approach that focuses on the role of the unconscious and childhood experiences in shaping conscious behavior. It originated in the late 19th to early 20th century, with notable figures like Sigmund Freud and Erik Erikson.<\/p>\r\n psychological domain<\/strong><\/p>\r\n specific areas of study within the broader discipline of psychology. Each domain examines a different aspect of human experience and behavior.<\/p>\r\n psychological perspective<\/strong><\/p>\r\n theoretical frameworks psychologists use to understand, describe, and explain human behavior and cognitive processes. Each perspective emphasizes different aspects of human behavior and uses different techniques and methods for treatment and study.<\/p>\r\n psychology<\/strong><\/p>\r\n the scientific study of mental processes and behavior<\/p>\r\n PsyD (doctor of psychology)<\/strong><\/p>\r\n doctoral degree that places less emphasis on research-oriented skills and focuses more on application of psychological principles in the clinical context<\/p>\r\n social psychology<\/strong><\/p>\r\n the scientific study of how people\u2019s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others<\/p>\r\n sociocultural perspective<\/strong><\/p>\r\n a psychological approach that emphasizes the influence of the environment on thoughts and behaviors<\/p>\r\n sport and exercise psychology<\/strong><\/p>\r\n area of psychology that focuses on the interactions between mental and emotional factors and physical performance in sports, exercise, and other activities<\/p>\r\n structuralism<\/strong><\/p>\r\n an early school of psychology that aimed to identify the basic structures of consciousness. It sought to understand the conscious experience through introspection.<\/p>","rendered":" The links below are designed for print; more screen reader friendly documents can be found on the Students: Additional Lumen Resources page.<\/p>\nEssential Concepts<\/h2>\r\n
Early Psychology<\/h3>\r\n
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The History of Psychology<\/h3>\r\n
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\r\n \r\nSchool of Psychology<\/th>\r\n Description<\/th>\r\n Earliest Period<\/th>\r\n Historically Important People<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n \r\n Psychodynamic<\/strong>\u00a0perspective<\/strong><\/td>\r\n Unconscious motivations and childhood experiences shape behavior<\/td>\r\n Very late 19th to Early 20th Century<\/td>\r\n Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n Behavioral<\/strong>\u00a0perspective<\/strong><\/td>\r\n Focuses on observing and controlling behavior through what is observable. Puts\u00a0an emphasis\u00a0on learning and conditioning.<\/td>\r\n Early 20th Century<\/td>\r\n Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson, B. F. Skinner<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n Humanistic<\/strong>\u00a0perspective<\/strong><\/td>\r\n Emphasizes the potential for good that is innate to all humans and rejects that psychology should focus on problems and disorders. Focuses on free will, personal growth, and self-actualization.<\/td>\r\n 1950s<\/td>\r\n Abraham Maslow, The Blackfoot Nation, Carl Rogers<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n Cognitive<\/strong>\u00a0perspective<\/strong><\/td>\r\n Focuses not just on behavior, but on mental processes and internal mental states. Emphasizes thinking, memory, perception, and problem-solving<\/td>\r\n 1960s<\/td>\r\n Ulric Neisser, Noam Chomsky, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/section>\r\n \r\n\t
The Psychological Domains<\/h3>\r\n
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Careers in Psychology<\/h3>\r\n
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Glossary<\/h2>\r\n