Homework answers / question archive / LINKING SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT TO YOUR SPECIALIZATION Identify one or two of modern schools of thought that seem to match your psychology specialization area (industrial-organizational, educational, developmental, general, or behavioral analysis) as you perceive it

LINKING SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT TO YOUR SPECIALIZATION Identify one or two of modern schools of thought that seem to match your psychology specialization area (industrial-organizational, educational, developmental, general, or behavioral analysis) as you perceive it

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LINKING SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT TO YOUR SPECIALIZATION

Identify one or two of modern schools of thought that seem to match your psychology specialization area (industrial-organizational, educational, developmental, general, or behavioral analysis) as you perceive it. Also, be sure that your specific focus or areas of interest within your specialization area (for example, sports psychology, addiction research, or organizational leadership) aligns with the school or schools of thought you choose.

To make your post clear and complete, please use the four attributes (introduced in the Unit 1 Assumptions About Human Behavior discussion) as headings within your paper and for comparison of the school of thought and your specialization. Discuss how the principles, values, theories, techniques, methods, and research approach of the school or schools match and contribute to, those of your specialization area. Give specific examples to show how the school of thought and specialization area complement each other in each category.

Read the following on Campus for more information:

• Psychology Ph.D. Library Research Guide – Researching Schools of Thought

Matrix of Schools of Thought: PSY7115, Research Foundations of History and Systems in Psychology Modern Schools of Thought: Acceptable for PSY 7115 research topics. Note: Material in this matrix is adapted from Hergenhahn, B. R., & Henley, T. B. (2014). An introduction to the history of psychology (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Psychoanalytic and psychodynamic School of Thought Comparative Constructs Humanistic School of Thought Comparative Constructs Principles Values Subject Matter Questions Methods Unconscious factors, usually conflicts, drive behavior; sexual motives are central, although other motives are important to the degree they are brought to conscious awareness and integrated with the ego/self. Attachment and relationships to others early in life shape later behavior. Psychology as healing, not science; overcoming one’s conflicts by making them conscious is central value. Goal: Strengthening and developing the ego at the expense of unconscious forces. Scientific investigation is secondary to attempts to ameliorate mental illness. Mental illness and deficiency; inner conflict; treatment techniques. Relationships, attachment. Some interest in social or environmental correlates of mental illness, but often focused on individual intrapsychic functioning. Questions about what constitutes mental illness, how to explain its causes and effects, and how best to treat it. How do early experiences influence later life? What effects do trauma, abuse, childhood experiences have on mental health? Originally, single-case anecdotal reports (not systematic); later, some systematic case studies. Heavy reliance on smallsample studies and anecdotal (clinical) evidence. Some quantitative studies exploring psychotherapy, attachment, adjustment, related topics. Principles Values Subject Matter Questions Methods People are free and responsible; they are unique (not merely like animals); they seek meaning and authenticity. People are basically good. Good environments will help people live well. Core principle of human life is actualization of potential. Humans are qualitatively different from other animals. Psychology should study positive, healthy aspects of humans, not only dysfunction. Freedom, responsibility, uniqueness of persons. Creativity and growth are suitable topics of study. Values are appropriate to include in science; neutral, valuefree approaches are not able to capture the uniqueness of humans. Scientific study should involve a holistic perspective, rather than a piecemeal one. Humans as whole beings; any aspect of being human; meaning, goals, and potentials; not structures or elements; not animals. Creativity, growth. Lived experience of people. Questions about what it means to be human in any of its unique and multiple aspects. Questions about how human nature interacts with society, how human reach full potential, how humans meet needs, role of spirituality, and similar questions. Phenomenological, qualitative, meaning-seeking methods, often from an inductive perspective. Science should be human science, not based on mechanistic models of natural science (for example, behaviorism or physics). Quantitative studies sometimes used, but strong reliance on qualitative research methods. 1 Matrix of Schools of Thought: PSY7115, Research Foundations of History and Systems in Psychology Modern Schools of Thought: Acceptable for PSY7115 research topics. Cognitive School of Thought Comparative Constructs Psychobiological School of Thought Comparative Constructs Principles Understanding how brain assemblies function as systems to process information and thus to generate mind. Brain/mind can best be understood as an information processing organ. Values Objective description of brain activities relevant to specific aspects of conscious thought (cognition). Subject Matter Attention; memory; concept formation; reasoning; decision making; problem solving; mental imagery; judgment; language; intelligence and artificial intelligence; information processing; connectionism. Questions Questions about the cognitive (brain) information processing involved in all aspects of conscious thought, affect, and behavior, usually taken individually (not holistically). Principles Psychological events are rooted in biological events. Values Understanding biological roots of psychological experience is the core value. Mind is interpreted as an epiphenomenon of body. Subject Matter The biological structures and functions underlying conscious (and unconscious) mind. Questions Questions about the structures of the brain associated with human thinking, feeling, and behavior. Methods Usually laboratory experimental, but relying heavily on qualitative information combined with objective observation and imaging (for example, fMRI, CT scanning, et cetera). Studies of learning, memory, cognitive processes, et cetera using experimental, correlational, and other quantitative methods. Methods Empirical laboratory experimentation, often animal research; functional MRI and other imaging techniques. Some research involves experimental or correlational methods to explore body/mind connections. 2 Matrix of Schools of Thought: PSY7115, Research Foundations of History and Systems in Psychology Modern Schools of Thought: Acceptable for PSY7115 research topics. Behaviorism School of Thought Comparative Constructs Neo-behaviorism School of Thought Comparative Constructs Principles Positivism; psychology through physiology; human and animal behavior equivalent; “stimulus-andresponse” is chief rule. Values Objectivity and insistence on pure observation of behavior; prediction and control of behavior is the goal; avoid theory and theorizing, only describe. Subject Matter Conditional reflexes; stimulus-response arcs; animal learning; study of mental events or consciousness is rejected. Questions Questions about how learning (predictable responses) occurs in the presence of stimuli, especially in animals. Methods Animal experiments; physiological experiments; behavioral observation only (behavior analysis). Experimental designs; research with observable results. Principles Logical positivism (empiricism plus rationalism) combined with behaviorism; theoretical terms must be operationalized; adaptation to environment is root of learning. Values Empiricism critical, but theorizing allowed if terms are kept operational (measurable); objectivity, measurement, external behavior only source of truth. Subject Matter Animal and human learning as well as explanations (not mere descriptions) and theory about it; overt behavior only. Questions Questions about how learning (adaptation to stimuli) occurs in animals and humans and how it can be explained objectively. Methods Animal experimentation, human experimentation, and behavior analysis. Experimental designs; research with observable results. Note: With instructor approval ONLY, evolutionary psychology (formerly called sociobiology), neuropsychology, and positive psychology are acceptable schools of thought for this course. The course textbook does not cover them with enough depth. Thus, learners selecting these schools of thought will need to do substantial research on their principles, values, subject matter, questions, and methods to complete course assignments. 3 Matrix of Schools of Thought: PSY7115, Research Foundations of History and Systems in Psychology Legacy Schools of Thought: Not acceptable for PSY7115 research topics. Experimentalism School of Thought Comparative Constructs Structuralism School of Thought Comparative Constructs Principles Materialism; body as mechanism; difference between physical reality and psychological response; empiricism. Values Seek general truths, not individual differences. Subject Matter Physiology, nervous system, general laws of human psychology; cannot study consciousness. Questions Questions about what is general about human nature? What general laws govern mental processes? Methods Laboratory experiment only, using some form of observation. Principles Rationalism; pure, not applied, science; describe, don’t explain (avoid theory). Values Empirical-positivist. Subject Matter Elements or structures of consciousness. Questions Questions about the elements of human consciousness and what structures constitute consciousness. Methods Introspection, subjective observation of internal conscious events. 4 Matrix of Schools of Thought: PSY7115, Research Foundations of History and Systems in Psychology Legacy Schools of Thought: NOT acceptable PSY7115 research topics. Functionalism Darwinian Influence and Mental Testing School of Thought School of Thought Comparative Constructs Principles Pragmatism; Evolutionary theory, especially adaptation. Values Individual differences matter; adaptation is important; usefulness is a measure of value. Subject Matter The function of consciousness; how it fosters adaptation; studied both mental processes and behavior. Questions Questions about the purpose of consciousness, what consciousness helps us do, and how it helps us adapt and develop. Methods Any method, using any subject, which provides useful knowledge is acceptable. Struggle for survival; natural selection; fitness; adaptive features; evolution as a guiding principle. Developmental theory, comparative physiology, applied psychology. Measurement is an important part of psychological knowledge. Development can be understood as a universal human process. Humans and animals differ only in degree. Careful observation of animals and humans. Humans as descendants of other animals; comparative physiology and psychology. Explored heritability of traits, including psychological traits. Nature/nurture controversy—which is primary? Experimental, observational. Testing of intelligence, personality, other traits. Please note: The non-Western schools of thought are for discussion purposes only. Do not use them for development of research topics! 5 Matrix of Schools of Thought: PSY7115, Research Foundations of History and Systems in Psychology Note: Buddhism is not a Western School of thought in psychology. It is in this matrix for reference purposes only. This School of Thought: Not an acceptable PSY7115 research topic. Buddhism School of Thought Comparative Constructs Principles Illusory nature of ego; necessary to control thought for better outcomes; core goal is alleviation of human suffering, which is based on striving against reality. Values Mindfulness is royal road. Ego-less presence to the world and others, compassion for all creatures, readiness to work for common good. Subject Matter Human cognition in relation to suffering. Meditation techniques. Forms of compassion. Questions Questions about how mindful presence enhances both happiness and compassion for others. Methods Meditation, personal experience. Little research advocated, but Western scientists have begun to extensively study meditation’s cognitive/affective effects using laboratory methods. Recent Western work is on influence of meditation on illness and recovery. Note: This matrix is intended to help you in choosing a school of thought that best aligns with your research topic. Please be aware that the information provided here is only partial; do not base your choice only on this information, because it is incomplete. For purposes of the discussion questions, we will discuss both Western and non-Western schools of thought. For the assignments; however, only the allowed Western schools of thought specified on the matrix are acceptable to use as theoretical bases for your research topic.