The Multi-Faceted Science of Psychology

The Multi-faceted Science of Psychology

Brenita Norwood

University of Phoenix

The Multifaceted Science of Psychology

The science of Psychology is ever changing. Each time this scientific community thinks that it has found a good answer to some of life's greatest questions, something new arises. With each decade there is another view point or an alternate theory offered to express or explain a particular behavior or finding. Through all the diversities and moderations the basic approaches to Psychology remain the same.

The science of Psychology is said to be "at the intersection of biology and culture. (Kowalski and Westin). Of the major approaches to understanding the human condition, the behavioral neuroscience has and underlying vein in all of these approaches.

Biopsychology investigates the physical interaction of the brain and body when such things as life experiences both good and bad, stress and other emotional events. For example, per the "clinical biophysical model (CBM) the two cortices o be two semi-independent mindsÐ'....whichever side can best respond to an ongoing situation is the side that assumes control and coordination of an ensuing response" (Moss 2007). This theory helps to explain the reactions people may have after trauma to the body or head. It also helps to explain how people deal with emotional pain and trauma in different ways when the same stimuli may be introduced .

Conversely, cross cultural psychology test the reactions of humans across different cultural plains. Rather than using what is universal in humans-(we all have brains)-this approaches seeks to discern what is universally true for all cultures and what is true for a particular group of people. In this approach questions pertaining to cultural differences such as the peace and subdued demeanor of the Asian culture verses the gregarious Western culture. This approach can help us understand protocols of other cultures and their reactions to our customs as well as the customs of others. Often it is the differences in our cultures that make the reactions different. Understanding these differences will help us understand one another.

The behavioral approach to psychology addresses the stimulus that can affect behavior of humans and animals. Behaviorists believe that reactions to the outside stimulus can be understood without knowing the internal workings of the brain. It is the experiments of Pavlov and others that show conditioning from the environment produce certain behavior. Like Pavlov's dog was conditioned to salivate at the ring of a bell because he anticipated food. Behaviorists believe that conditioning can change behavior, modify behavior or eliminate behavior. (Watson 1913) While the earliest studies of this approach now utilize the inner workings of the mind and body to judge behavior they still believe that predictability can only be observed because no one knows what a person thinks unless they say what is on their mind. Now a day this school of thought is joined is closely associated with addiction treatments such as smoking and alcoholism.

Cognitive perspective examines the thought process from how the brain intakes info and utilizes it via storage and how it is recalled and used at a later date. Cognition recognizes the minds ability to associate and transform information according to how it was initially perceived. This approach can closely examine what happens when a couple argues. Normally, the cognitive thought process puts data in a logical