Psychology Perspectives

There are various different approaches in contemporary psychology. An approach is a perspective (i.e. view) that involves certain assumptions (i.e. beliefs) about human behavior: the way they function, which aspects of them are worthy of study and what research methods are appropriate for undertaking this study. There may be several different theories within an approach, but they all share these common assumptions.

Behaviorist Perspective
If your layperson's idea of psychology has always been of people in laboratories wearing white coats and watching hapless rats try to negotiate mazes in order to get to their dinner, then you are probably thinking of behavioral psychology. Behaviourism is different from most other approaches because they view people (and animals) as controlled by their environment and specifically that we are the result of what we have learned from our environment. Behaviourism is concerned with how environmental factors (called stimuli) affect observable behavior (called the response). The behaviorist approach proposes two main processes whereby people learn from their environment: namely classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning involves learning by association, and operant conditioning involves learning from the consequences of behavior. Behaviourism also believes in scientific methodology (e.g. controlled experiments), and that only observable behavior should be studies because this can be objectively measured. Behaviourism rejects the idea that people have free will, and believes that the environment determines all behaviour. Behaviourism is the scientific study of observable behavior working on the basis that behavior can be reduced to learned S-R (Stimulus-Response) units. Classical Conditioning (CC) was studied by the Russian psychologist Ivan Pavlov. Though looking into natural reflexes and neutral stimuli he managed to condition dogs to salivate to the sound of a bell through repeated associated of the sound of the bell and food. The principles of CC have been applied in many therapies. These include systematic desensitisation for phobias (step-by-step exposed to feared stimulus at once) and aversion therapy. B.F. Skinner investigated Operant Conditioning of voluntary and involuntary behaviour. Skinner felt that some behaviour could be explained by the person's motive. Therefore behavior occurs for a reason, and the three main behaviour shaping techniques are positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement and punishment. Behaviourism has been criticised in the way it underestimates the complexity of human behaviour. Many studies used animals which are hard to generalise to humans and it cannot explain for example the speed in which we pick up language. There must be biological factors involved.

Psychodynamic Perspective

Freud, the founder of Psychoanalysis, explained the human mind as like an iceberg, with only a small amount of it being visible, that is our observable behaviour, but it is the unconscious, submerged mind that has the most, underlying influence on our behaviour. Freud used three main methods of accessing the unconscious mind: free association, dream analysis and slips of the tongue. He believed that the unconscious mind consisted of three components: the 'id' the 'ego' and the 'superego'. The 'id' contains two main instincts: 'Eros', which is the life instinct, which involves self-preservation and sex which is fuelled by the 'libido' energy force. 'Thanatos' is the death instinct, whose energies, because they are less powerful than those of 'Eros' are channelled away from ourselves and into aggression towards others.

Humanism
Humanistic psychology is a psychological perspective that emphasises the study of the whole person (know as holism). Humanistic psychologists look at human behaviour not only through the eyes of the observer, but through the eyes of the person doing the behaving. Humanistic psychologists believe that an individual's behaviour is connected to his inner feelings and selfimage. The humanistic perspective centres on the view that each person is unique and individual and has the free will to change at any time in his or her lives.

Cognitive Psychology
The cognitive perspective is concerned with mental functions such as memory, perception, attention etc. It views people as being similar to computers in the way we process information (e.g. input-process-output). For example, both human brains and computers process information, store data and have input an output procedures. This had led cognitive psychologists to explain that memory comprises of three stages: encoding (where information is received and attended to), storage (where the information is retained) and retrieval (where the information is recalled). It is an extremely scientific approach and typically uses lab experiments to study human behaviour. The cognitive approach has many applications including cognitive therapy and eyewitness testimony.

Biological Psychology
The biological approach believes that most behaviour is inherited and has an adaptive (or evolutionary) function. For example, in the weeks immediately after the birth of a child, levels of testosterone in fathers drop by more than 30 per cent. This has an evolutionary function. Testosterone-deprived men are less likely to wander off in search of new mates to inseminate. They are also less aggressive, which is useful when there is a baby around.

1901-1910 As early as 1910, two years after the University of the Philippines was founded, psychology was being taught at the Department of Philosophy and Psychology, College of Liberal Arts. The Department was placed under Dr. Henry S. Townsend, an American who taught all of the

Psychology courses being offered then, namely General Psychology, Genetic Psychology, Educational Psychology and Tests and Measurements. 1911-1920 Psychology separated and became part of the College of Education when the college was created in 1918. Townsend became acting head of this new department as he continued to be the head of the Department of Philosophy at the College of Liberal Arts. Under the able leadership of Dean Francisco Benitez, the UP modelled for the entire country the curricular utilization of psychology in education. 1921-1930 The University of the Philippines Department of Psychology is established within the School of Education. Agustin Alonzo is chairman(1926).The Department of Psychology at the University of Santo Tomas is established(1930). 1931-1940 Sinforoso Padilla organizes the Psychological Clinic at the University of the Philippines(1932). Jesus Perpinan sets up the Far Eastern University Psychological Clinic(1933). Angel de Blas, OP, sets up the Experimental Psychology Laboratory in the University of Santo Tomas(1938). 1941-1950 Estefania Aldaba-Lim sets up the Institute of Human Relations at Philippine Women's University(1948). 1951-1960 Joseph Goertz establishes the Psychology Department at the University of San Carlos.(1954) 1961-1970 Fr. Jaime Bulatao establishes the Department of Psychology and the Central Guidance Bureau at the Ateneo de Manila University(1961). The Philippine Psychological Corporation is founded. The corporation offers psychological services and is the main retailer of psychological tests. The Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP) is founded(1962). e PAP holds its first annual convention, leading to its first publication, Symposium on the Filipino Personality(1963). The Philippine Journal of Psychology, the official journal of the PAP makes its first appearance. The PAP, together with the Philippine Association of Social Workers, Philippine Economics Society, Philippine National Historical Association, Philippine Sociological Society, and Philippine Statistical Association form the Philippine Social Science Council(1968). The Philippine Journal of Psychology, the official journal of the PAP makes its first appearance. The PAP, together with the Philippine Association of Social Workers, Philippine Economics Society, Philippine National Historical Association, Philippine Sociological Society, and Philippine Statistical Association form the Philippine Social Science Council. Psychological testing flourishes as the overseas contract workers boom begins. (1970). 1971-1980 The Pambansang Samahan ng Sikolohiyang Pilipino is founded by Virgilio Enriquez(1975). Several universities in the Visayas and Mindanao establish psychology departments(1975+). 1981-1990 The PAP decides the time has come for quality control in the practice of psychology. It introduces a bill in the Batasan Pambansa that would require practicing psychologists to be licensed(1982). Amaryllis T. Torres is named an Outstanding Young Scientist by the NAST "In recognition of her researches in population, industrial psychology, social development and participatory strategies, and in evaluation studies, as well as her work on human development training."(1985). EDSA Revolution overthrows the Marcos dictatorship. Psychologists play a

key role in the new government's Moral Recovery Program(1986). Ma. Lourdes ArrelanoCarandang's book Filipino Children Under Stress is published. The book is cited by the Catholic Mass Media Awards for "its facscinating probe of a sad social concern, written in lucid language for the lay reader who cares deeply about out children"(1987). Alfredo V. Lagmay is named National Scientist by President Corazon Aquino(1988). The PAP is among the founding members of the Afro-Asian Psychological Association. Jaime Bulatao is named National Social Scientist by the Philippine Social Science Council(1990). 1991-2000 Ma. Cecilia G. Conaco is named an Outstanding Young Scientist by the NAST "In recognition of her pioneering works on ethnicity and fertility which led to the development of models and ethnic-specificpopulation control strategies...in the Philippines. Her other pioneering works on the psychology f Filipino women and social cognition have resulted in the development of strategies on persuasion and attitude change which are very relevant to the country's national development efforts." (1991). The PAP and nine other national psychological associations establish the Asia-Oceania Psychological Association. The PAP names Ma. Lourdes Arellano-Carandang, Abraham Felipe, and Patricia Licuanan as Outstanding Psycholgists. Jaime C. Bulatao's Phenomena and Their Interpretation is published. Virgilio Enriquez publishes From Colonial to Liberation Psychology(1992). The PAP hosts a regional conference of the International Council of Psychologists with the theme "Psychological Issues in a Growing Global Community". The proceedings are later published in a book, Understanding Behavior, Bridging Cultures. The PAP names Virgilio Enriquez, Allen Tan, and Amaryllis Tiglao-Torres as Outstanding Psychologists. Allan B.I. Bernardo is named Outstanding Young Scientist Award by the National Academy of Science and Technology "in recognition of his significant research studies on the roles of language and other contextual factors in the development of higher-order cignitive processes and representation particularly in the are of mathematical cognition, that provide scientific bases for rationalizing educational practice and reform"(1995). The PAP hosts the 4th biannual AfroAsian Psychological Association. Ma. Emma Concepcion D. Liwag, is named an Outstanding Young Scientist by the NAST "In recognition of her significant scientific research works on the emotional and cognitive development of children...Her work...provides scientific knowledge that can be used to guide therapy for children who experience traumatic or highly emotional events, and to design educational programs to prepare children for the cognitive challenges of the 21st century, is unmatched by any other psychologist in the country." Cristina J. Montiel receives the Distinguished Contribution Award from the Psychologists for Social Responsibility of the American Psychological Association "For her unwavering commitment to social justice in her personal and professional life." Her work is a model for those who aspire to do peace activism and scholarship, to combine passion with analytical rigor, and to speak with both their heart and mind. The APA Division of Peace Psychology also confers on her the Outstanding Service Award(1998). Ma. Emma Concepcion Liwag, Alma de la Cruz, and Ma. Elizabeth Macapagal of the Ateneo Wellness Center complete a thorough review of gender socialization in the Philippines for the United Nations Children's Fund: How We Raise Our Daughters and Sons(1998).