Abstract
Psychology owes its roots to scholars of the 19th Century when Edward Titchener and Wundt Wilhelm sought to analyze human behavior based on one’s experience under metaphysical studies. However, scientific studies took over as scholars sought to understand psychology empirically. This led to divergence of psychological field into several perspectives commonly known as foundations of psychology in contemporary times.
Different scholars hold different views each with his/her justifications and assumptions making psychology one of the most diverse fields of study in modern-day science. This divergence is set to go on with the present improvement in scientific studies ameliorated by technological advancements. One of the most exciting psychological perspectives is the biopsychological perspective as elaborated in this paper.
Introduction
Psychology is one of the broad areas of scientific study; interestingly, it is difficult to define psychology for the definition keeps on changing depending on time and the person defining it. Nevertheless, all definitions given to psychology lie in two areas, scientific and metaphysical.
According to Moore (2007), the metaphysical or rational psychology deals with religious needs of man to address the probability of soul surviving physical death while the scientific or empirical psychology addresses the intellectual nature of man based on scientific procedures (p. 7). The metaphysical part of psychology preceded the empirical approach, and the earliest definition of psychology was study of how people think and why they behave in particular behavior.
This definition has evolved with time to integrate the scientific aspect of it giving a more conclusion definition of psychology as, “a science of behavior and mental functioning that uses both quantitative and qualitative research studies to develop and test hypotheses and put forward theories and models that explain human behavior” (Spear, 2007). All schools of thoughts together with their assumptions are hinged on this definition as exposited next.
Major Schools of Thought in Psychology
As aforementioned, psychology has developed into diverse areas of study since its inception. It is important to note that, these schools of thought popularly known as perspectives represent the underlying assumptions in foundations of psychology. The oldest school of thought is structuralism and functionalism, which emerged in 1800s. The proponents of this perspective included Edward Titchener and Wundt Wilhelm who sought to identify and analyze elemental components of experience based on verbal explanations of the same.
At the same time, functionalism perspective emerged championed by William James and John Dewey in reaction to structuralism theories. This perspective holds that, by knowing brain functions in information processing, one would set optimal learning environments. These formative perspectives did not last long as science took precedence over metaphysics giving rise to what is commonly known as modern-day psychology.
The modern-day psychological perspectives include, humanism, socio-cultural, behaviorism, psychoanalytic, biopsychological, cognitive, and evolutionary perspectives. According to Hayes (2000), J.B. Watson came up with the behaviorism perspective of psychology after dismissing metaphysical theories as vague (p. 4).
Behaviorism insinuates that behavior is shaped by environment; an idea cemented after the famous Pavlov’s experiment. The underlying assumption here is; behavior is not attached to any psychological element but environment. Championed by Sigmund Freud, the psychoanalytic perspective of psychology holds; the unconscious mind determines one’s behavior as opposed to environment.
The assumption here is, people posses a dynamic mind that determines one’s behavior. The development road was not over and the cognitive perspective emerged to right what its proponents termed as ‘erroneous and empty’ in behaviorism perspective. This perspective claims that thought processes determine human behavior with beliefs, values, and meditation playing pivotal role in determining human behavior. Nevertheless, these diverse observations and arguments paved way for more deductions.
Socio-cultural perspective came in, suggesting that human behavior is subject to social and cultural context coupled with the surrounding environment. The assumption here is people behave in a given way when put under social, cultural, and environmental pressures, thus qualifying these elements as core contributing factors towards one’s behavior. On the other side, the evolutionary perspective maintains evolutionary processes determine human thinking, leading to a given behavior.
Proponents of this perspective assume that for evolution to occur species must survive and so do their behaviors. The humanistic perspective seeks to prove that human behavior results from their potential to focus on the positive side of whatever happens in their lives, environment, or social circles. It emphasizes on optimism as opposed to pessimism bearing the assumption that as a man is what he thinks. Finally, the biopsychological school of thought holds that biological aspects determine human behavior and thinking patterns.
However, the greatest question is how does this happen. The primary biological foundation of psychology is rooted in neuron, the elemental unit of the nervous system. “Neurons hold the secrets of how the brain works; therefore, the nature of human consciousness” (Huessmann, 1999, p. 32). In light of this revelation, it is evident that neurons determine ones emotions, feeling, and ultimately, behavior.
Conclusion
Psychology has come along way starting in 1800s to the 21st Century. Scholars initially addressed psychological matters metaphysically with structuralism and functionalism dominating the 19th Century. However, with time, science took over and scholars sought to address psychological issues empirically into what culminated into modern-day psychology.
Among these contemporary perspectives are psychoanalytic, behavioral, biological, and humanistic perspectives. These perspectives represent the underlying assumptions in each perspective and as aforementioned, definition of psychology differs with time and person behind it.
Neurons form the primary biological foundations of psychology given the fact that they coordinate brain functions and the unconscious mind. With the current development of technology and intense research work on psychology, there is high probability more foundations of psychology will emerge. The new but undeveloped feministic-poststructural perspective is a confirmation to these claims.
Reference List
Hayes, N. (2000). Foundations of Psychology. Third Ed. London; Thomson Learning.
Huesmann, R. L. (1999). Biological Foundations of Psychology. Web.
Moore, J. S. (2007). Foundations of Psychology. Princeton; Princeton University Press.
Spear, L. (2007). Foundations of Psychology. Web.