Main Theories in Psychology

By MAURICIO ENRIQUE FAU

Among many other topics of great interest, this work addresses issues such as:  philosophical foundations of psychology, Pavlov and conditioning, Behaviorism, 
Gestalt theory, Genetic epistemology: Piaget, Cognitive psychology, historical-cultural psychology: Vigotsky, Psychoanalysis: Freud.

In addition, we offer the reader interesting tools for self-analysis: some examples of exam questions and 78 self-assessment questions and answers.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: LIBROS Y RESÚMENES DE MAURICIO E. FAU
• Release date: Mar 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393371168

MAURICIO ENRIQUE FAU

Mauricio Enrique Fau nació en Buenos Aires en 1965. Se recibió de Licenciado en Ciencia Política en la Universidad de Buenos Aires. Cursó también Derecho en la UBA y Periodismo en la Universidad de Morón. Realizó estudios en FLACSO Argentina. Docente de la UBA y AUTOR DE MÁS DE 3.000 RESÚMENES de Psicología, Sociología, Ciencia Política, Antropología, Derecho, Historia, Epistemología, Lógica, Filosofía, Economía, Semiología, Educación y demás disciplinas de las Ciencias Sociales. Desde 2005 dirige La Bisagra Editorial, especializada en técnicas de estudio y materiales que facilitan la transición desde la escuela secundaria a la universidad. Por intermedio de La Bisagra publicó 38 libros. Participa en diversas ferias del libro, entre ellas la Feria Internacional del Libro de Buenos Aires y la FIL Guadalajara.

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MAIN THEORIES IN PSYCHOLOGY

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MAURICIO FAU

Copyright © 2021 Mauricio Enrique Fau

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 9798720642495

DEDICATION

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To my children Elías, Selva, Greta, Ciro and Yaco.

To my life's daughter Emma.

To my wife Cecilia.

Table of Contents

Copyright Page

Main Theories in Psychology

INTRODUCTION | Contents

Tools

PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGY

Philosophical background

The first psychology laboratory. Leipzig School

Functionalism

PAVLOV AND CONDITIONING

Reflections

Unconditioned reflexes

The laws of reflex

Reflexes and behaviour

The conditioned reflex

Conditioning and its interpretation

The second signalling system

CONDUCTISM

Post-Watson behaviourism

Watson, John | WHAT IS BEHAVIOURISM?

Example of such concepts

Emergence of behaviourism

Behavioural programme

Problems of behaviourism

Does this orientation exclude something specific to psychology?

To understand behaviourism, it is necessary to start by observing people.

What is a stimulus?

How learning multiplies stimuli

What does behaviourism mean by response?

General classification of the response

Is behaviourism merely a methodological orientation in the study of psychological problems or does it constitute a true system of psychology?

Skinner, Burrhus | INNATE BEHAVIOUR | Innate behaviour

Reflexes and free behaviour

Preparing for new environments | Respondent conditioning

Preparing for new environments | Operant conditioning

Intermingling of survival and reinforcement contingencies

The evolution of the mind

GESTALT THEORY

Perception

Insight learning

Gestalt psychotherapy

Köhler, Wolfgang | PSYCHOLOGY OF FORM

GENETIC EPISTEMOLOGY: PIAGET

Piaget, Jean | GENETIC PSYCHOLOGY STUDIES | Chapter 1

experiences with children by Piaget: two aspects of time

Piaget: four factors | of development

COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

The crisis of behaviourism

The mind as a PC

Crises and revolutions in psychology

Psycholinguistics

Genetic psychology and cognitive psychology

Introspection

Classical introspection. The Würzburg School

CULTURAL-HISTORICAL PSYCHOLOGY: VYGOTSKY

The basic concepts of Vigotsky's theory

Elementary and higher functions

Thought and language

How concepts are formed

Zone of proximate development

Instruction and development

The crisis of psychology according to Vigotsky

Vigotsky, Lev | the development of higher psychological processes | Chapter 4  Internalisation of higher psychological functions

PSYCHOANALYSIS: FREUD

Psychoanalysis: its definition

Neuroses

Formations of the unconscious

POINTS OF VIEW FOR EXAMINING A PSYCHIC PROCESS

The drives

Freud, Sigmund | COMPENDIUM OF PSYCHOANALYSIS | Chapter 1  The Psychic Apparatus

FREUD: PSYCHIC APPARATUS

Freud, Sigmund | SOME REMARKS ON THE CONCEPT OF THE UNCONSCIOUS IN PSYCHOANALYSIS

Freud, Sigmund | INTRODUCTORY LESSONS IN PSYCHOANALYSIS | LESSON 1

LESSON 20  HUMAN SEXUAL LIFE

SOME EXAMPLES OF | EXAMINATION QUESTIONS | Characterise the method of study adopted by American behaviourism. Differentiate the method of study identified from that adopted by the first school of scientific psychology.

Determine the truth or falsity of each of the statements below:

Justify the choice made in points 2 and 4.

Taking into account the developments in gestalt psychology, explain the isomorphism hypothesis held by these researchers.

Taking into account the position of genetic psychology developed by J. Piaget, explain the concept of genesis assumed by this author.

Compare the object, method and approach of Intentional Behaviourism, Gestalt and Cognitive Psychology.

Underline the words that relate to Gestalt psychology. Then take three of the chosen ones and link them together | Soul - Body - Elementarism - Elementarism - Isomorphism - Von Ehrenfels - Tolman - 19th Century - USA - Qualities of Form -

Explain the following statement by Watson: To explain behaviour, we need nothing more than the laws of physics and chemistry.

Tolman's fundamental postulates include the following:

Some of the paragraphs above are wrong. Underline them and then elaborate on the paragraph(s) marked as true.

Identify the following statements as True or False:

Develop the main postulates of cognitive psychology.

Distinguish between T or F. Develop and justify | a) Sexual life begins at puberty

b) The superego is constituted with the decline of the Oedipus complex.

c) The theory of suggestion is the fundamental rule of psychoanalysis.

Explain why Vigotsky argues for a social origin of higher psychological functions.

Develop and articulate the following concepts: | Intelligence | Assimilation | Balance | Accommodation

What does Piaget understand by time? Explain the concept of stage and develop its characteristics.

Explain and articulate the concepts of: diurnal remnants, condensation, displacement, manifest content and latent content.

Explain and relate the concepts of consciousness, behaviour, historical materialism and development that appear in Vigotsky's psychology.

In a text, relate Freud's understanding of infantile sexuality to the influence of drives on psychic processes.

78 QUESTIONS FOR | SELF-ASSESSMENT

ANSWERS

BIBLIOGRAPHY | In all cases, the year of the edition consulted is given, which does not necessarily coincide with the first edition of the work or the year in which it was written. | BOOKS

ARTICLES

ENCYCLOPAEDIAS, DICTIONARIES AND GLOSSARIES

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Further Reading: How to Summarize

Also By MAURICIO ENRIQUE FAU

PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGY

PAVLOV AND CONDITIONING

CONDUCTISM

GESTALT THEORY

GENETIC EPISTEMOLOGY: PIAGET

COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

CULTURAL-HISTORICAL PSYCHOLOGY: VIGOTSKY

PSYCHOANALYSIS: FREUD

SOME EXAMPLES OF EXAM QUESTIONS

78 QUESTIONS FOR SELF-ASSESSMENT

ANSWERS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INTRODUCTION

Contents

This book is especially designed for all those who want to familiarise themselves with the main theories, fundamental themes and essential authors in psychology.

It is an indispensable reference tool both for secondary school students who want to learn about what is being studied for university   entrance, as well as for teachers and the general public.

Tools

The book consists of a number of useful tools:

A general explanation of each school, with the historical context in which it developed.

A summary of the key chapters by the various authors, selected according to their use in the CBC.

Boxes and synoptic tables

Tables highlighting central concepts

CAPITAL-lowercase system, which allows for double reading (in full or by reading only the text in capitals).

The biography of the main authors of the discipline

Exercise questions and/or multiple-choice questions, with typical model exams.

The reader also has the opportunity to delve deeper into the meaning of basic terms using our Basic Dictionary Collection.

PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGY

Psychology in France was greatly INFLUENCED BY Rene Descartes and his BODY-SOUL DUALISM.

✓  SPIRITUALISMOMaine  de Biran

✓  MATERIALISMAuguste  Comte

French materialism was also influenced by English associationism.

English associationism, for its part, derives from the nominalist ideas of William of Occam. This gave rise to empiricist or sensationist philosophy (Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, George Berkeley, David Hume). From the latter philosophy arose the psychology of association. Representatives: David Hartley, James Mill, John Stuart Mill.

German scientistic associationism originated with Johann Herbart. It took up Kant's critical positions against Hume. At the same time they disagreed with Kant when he denied the possibility of a scientific psychology.

Herbart founded SCIENTIFIC PSYCHOLOGY and based it on EXPERIMENTATION and MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE.

From Herbart derives the so-called EXPERIMENTALISM, whose main REPRESENTATIVES are: Ernst WEBER, Gustav FECHNER, Wilhelm WUNDT.

Evolutionism synthesised the belief in continuous progress, in evolution in general and in so-called biological evolutionism. Representatives: Charles Darwin in biology, Lloyd Morgan in anthropology, Francis Galton in psychology.

The so-called globalist reaction confronted elementalism and the tendency towards mechanisation of mental activity.

Its main representatives were: Franz BRENTANO (theorist of the psychology of the act) and Edmund HUSSERL (founder of phenomenology).

In psychology this had an influence on the creation of GESTALT or PSYCHOLOGY OF FORM. Its main representatives were: Max WERTHEIMER, Wolfgang KOHLER, Kurt KOFFKA.

These philosophers and psychologists REACTED AGAINST THE TENDENCY TO ERASE THE FINALITY AND INTENTIONALITY OF ACTS.

Functionalism and behaviourism in the United States is DIRECTLY INFLUENCED BY DARWINISM. This influence is expressed in the belief that the SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST applies to the psychological realm. The PSYCHOLOGICAL, for behaviourism, has to do with ADAPTATION TO ENVIRONMENT.

FUNCTIONALISM studied the BIOLOGICAL TOTALITY BODY-MIND. It was characterised by its use of the so-called INTROSPECTIVE METHOD. Representatives: William JAMES (precursor), John DEWEY, Edward THORNDIKE.

CONDUCTISM is a REACTION TO FUNCTIONALISM. Representatives: John WATSON, Edward TOLMAN, Clark HULL, Burrhus SKINNER.

At the end of the 1950s there was a great INTEREST IN THE STUDY OF THE HUMAN MIND. COGNITIVEPSYCHOLOGY arises because of the CRISIS OF BEHAVIOURISM and the INADEQUACES OF EVOLUTIONISM. Cognitivism USES COMMUNICATION THEORY, PSYCHOLINGUISTICS and COMPUTING THEORY.

Philosophical background

In the history of modern philosophy, the contrast between two attitudes stands out: RATIONALISM and EMPIRISM.

RATIONALISM RECOGNISES REASON AS THE SOURCE OF ALL KNOWLEDGE. Metaphysically, for rationalism, REALITY IS RATIONAL.

EMPIRISM holds that EXPERIENCE IS THE FOUNDATION OF KNOWLEDGE. From the metaphysical point of view empiricism asserts that THERE IS NO REALITY OTHER THAN THAT WHICH CAN BE KNOWN BY EXPERIENCE.

It is from the 17th century onwards that the MAIN PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTION is that of HOW KNOWLEDGE CAN BE SUPPORTED AND JUSTIFIED.

In the Middle Ages, on the one hand, people appealed to the AUTHORITY OF A GREAT PHILOSOPHER (ARISTOTHELS is the most frequent case) and, on the other hand, they resorted to the so-called AXIOMATIC or self-evident TRUTHS.

DESCARTES is the first great philosopher of modern times. Descartes argued that recourse to axiomatic truths was not enough to justify the knowledge obtained or the origin of that knowledge.

Descartes holds that the ONLY SOLID FOUNDATION is the CERTAINTY THAT MAN HAS OF BEING CONSCIOUS.

Descartes held that A MAJOR PART OF KNOWLEDGE IS INNATE. This applies to certain kinds of IDEAS such as PERFECTION AND OTHERS. These ideas ARE CONTAINED IN THE HUMAN SPIRIT BEFORE ANY EXPERIENCE.

The famous Cartesian DUALISM implies the DIVISION of two irreducible substances. The RES COGITANS or thinking substance, immaterial and proper to the human being. And on the other hand, the RES EXTENSA which corresponds to matter (for example the human body).

For Descartes, CONSCIOUSNESS KNOWS ITSELF IMMEDIATELY.

On the contrary, KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD REQUIRES THE APPLICATION OF STRICT RULES OF THOUGHT. A thinking that is NECESSARILY METODICAL.

Descartes posits that there are TWO FORMS OF BEHAVIOUR. One is VOLUNTARY behaviour which is governed by the SOUL. The other is INVOLUNTARY behaviour which obeys MECHANICAL forms, which Descartes equates to those of the functioning of the animal organism. Descartes made this equivalence because, according to theology, animals have no soul.

DESCARTES WAS THE FIRST THINKER TO CONCEIVE AN INVOLUNTARY ACT, such as the reflex arc, AS MECHANICAL.

Descartes conceives that the OBJECTS OF THE WORLD STIMULATE THE PERCEPTIVE ORGANS. These send messages to the brain through the nerves. In the BRAIN there are TWO PROCESSES:

✓  MECHANICALLY the brain SENT ANIMAL SPIRITS TO THE MUSCLES (these spirits are a substance released by the brain and travel along the nerves). This is the REFLEX ARC

✓  THE BODY INTERACTING WITH THE SOUL

For Descartes the BEHAVIOUR OF AN ANIMAL IS AS CONSCIOUS AS THAT OF A STONE. Therefore, it follows that it is governed by the SAME LAWS AND MECHANISMS.

The EFFECT OF CARTHESIAN DUALISM was to DIVIDE the study of behaviour in two:

✓  PHYSIOLOGY was devoted to the study of INVOLUNTARY BEHAVIOUR, centred on the BODY.

✓  PHILOSOPHY devoted itself to the study of VOLUNTARY BEHAVIOUR

PSYCHE is a Greek word meaning SOUL, SPIRIT or BLOW. Hence psychology was the science that studied the soul.

Although Descartes thought that there were a number of IDEAS that were INNATE (e.g. the idea of God), that does not mean that he gave no role to experience. On the contrary, he believed that EXPERIENCE DETAILS IDEAS, makes them more complex.

These debates would be very influential in later developments. Those who defended the EXISTENCE OF INNATIVE IDEAS would be called INNATISTS. Others would deny their importance or, at any rate, relativise it. They are known as EMPIRISTS.

England was the place where the ideas of EMPIRISM were most developed. HOBBES and LOCKE were the first to argue that our knowledge comes from SENSORY EXPERIENCE.

Another important philosophical polemic is that of SAINT THOMAS AQUIN, supporter of ARISTOTHETIC REALISM and the NOMINALISM of OCCAM on the PROBLEM OF THE UNIVERSALS.

SAINT THOMAS defended the ARISTOTHETHELIC DIVISION OF THE SENSIBLE AND THE INTELLIGIBLE. Sensible things are objects of knowledge for the senses. The latter are the object of knowledge of thought.