Theory Contributions for Modern

Psychology Development
Contribution of different approaches to psychology for the development of modern
psychology

Different approaches to psychology contributed immensely for the development of modern

psychology. Psychology is a large area of study with its branches in many other fields.
Modern definition of psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
However the study of psychology existed even during the times of ancient civilizations, under
a philosophical line of study. Now it is a modern science that has matured in diverse ways
throughout the years. Many approaches of psychology and schools of thought lead to the
development of modern psychology.

Primeval people had many different theories about mental illnesses. These psychological
problems were viewed as punishments from god, possession by demon or as caused by
spiritual mystic forces.

The birth of modern science led to the emergence of modern psychology in the 1800s.

Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920), a German scientist, opened the first experimental psychology
laboratory in Leipzig in 1879, paving the way for a scientific turn in the history of
psychology. As it established psychology as a science separate from biology and philosophy,
arguments over definition and interpretation of the mind and behavior appeared (cite).This
resulted in various schools of thought arising during this period.

Schools of thought are various aspects of assessing human behavior. Psychologists use a
range of viewpoints when assessing how humans behave or think. These are approaches or
perspectives of psychology. These perspectives or schools of thought help psychologists to
approach different problems, find new solutions or treatments for psychological problems and
analyze behavior of people.

The first scientific and systematic school of thought, emerged from Wundt’s work, was
structuralism. It focused on the structure or the basic elements mind, consciousness,
sensations and ideas. The procedure used in structuralism was ‘introspection’. According to
Wundt psychology is the study of ‘immediate experiences’. A student of Wundt, Edward B.
Tichener, formally established structuralism, even though later on he diverted from Wundt’s
ideas. Structuralism was an important milestone in the development of psychology because it
was the first proper school of thought in psychology and because of its influence on
experimental psychology.

Founded by William James, functionalism came up as a counterpose to structuralism. This

approach focused on the purpose of the mind rather than the ‘structure’. And how people
adapt to their environment. ‘The Principles of Psychology’ (1890) by James was viewed by
many as the first textbook of modern psychology. Functionalism had an impact on
educational psychology in regard to John Dewey’s theories. Furthermore it influenced on
various aspects of modern psychology such as evolutionary psychology, behaviorism,
educational psychology and Industrial or organizational psychology.

Criticisms of structuralism gave way to another approach in the field of psychology.

Wertheimer, Kohler and Koffka’s gestalt approach emphasized that the ‘whole’ is more than
the sum of its parts. Gestalt psychology influenced on perception and learning. Mario Polito,
an Italian psychologist said ‘Gestalt theory is focused on the experience of contact that occurs
on the here now. It considers with interest the space of teachers as well as students (Gelph
n.d.).

Criticisms of structuralism, functionalism and gestalt theory brought forward behaviorism.

Based mostly on the work of Ivan Pavlov’s work, behaviorism was proposed by John B.
Watson. According to Pavlov, behavior is learned- ‘conditioned’. Watson argued psychology
should study observable behavior, not internal events (consciousness). The concept of ‘tabula
rasa’- one’s mind is a blank state when born- arose under this approach. Behaviorism had a
major impact on development of modern psychology. Gender role development, behavioral
therapy, scientific method, aversion therapy, moral development, phobias are only some of
the areas in modern psychology that have been influenced by this approach (McLeod 2007).

Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytical approach stood opposed to Watson’s behaviorism,

emphasizing on the importance of unconscious motives and early childhood experiences.
Under psychoanalytical approach Freud presented the structure of personality (Id, Ego and
Superego), defense mechanisms and psychosexual stages of personality development. And he
introduced ‘free association’ as a form of therapy. This approach has made many
contributions towards the growth of other psychotherapies. “SigmundFreud, in his influential
theory of the unconscious, gave a new direction to psychology and laid the groundwork for
the psychoanalytic model. Freudian theory took psychology into such fields as education,
anthropology, and medicine, and Freudian research methods became the foundations of
clinical psychology” (The Colombia electronic encyclopedia 2012).

These differences of opinions between the schools of thought had led to many vehement
debates among early psychologists. But these schools of thought or historical approaches
contributed greatly for the development of modern psychology and guided the way to the
modern or contemporary perspectives of psychology.

Modern or contemporary perspectives are the main approaches used in todays field of
psychology. Most of them were guided by the historical approaches mentioned earlier.

One of the modern approaches is the psychodynamic perspective. It is a modern version of

psychoanalysis. Although this rooted from Freud’s psychoanalytical theory, psychodynamic
approach focused more on ‘self-psychology’ and the discovery of other motivations behind
behaviors rather than sexual motivations. Neo-Freudians like Carl Jung diverted from Freud’s
ideas and developed concepts of collective unconscious and archetypes. Anna Freud further
expanded the theory of defense mechanisms. The attachment theory, transference, resistance
and trauma are being studied by other psychologists and merged with their hypotheses and
procedures of treatments (American psychoanalytic association n.d.)

Behavioral perspective is another approach used in psychological field today and focuses on
overt behavior. B. F. Skinner’s work made behavioral approach important in the modern
psychology. Two main processes of people learning has been introduced by this approach:
classical conditioning and operant conditioning. In clinical psychology, behavior therapy and
behavior modification play a major role in the treatment of abnormal behavior.

Another main approach of psychology is the humanistic approach. This approach rejects
behaviorism and argued that humans have their own ‘free will’ and that people had control
over their lives. Psychologist such as Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow introduced concepts
such as self-actualization and ‘ideal self’. Today humanistic approach is utilized in areas such
as person centered therapy, education, motivation. This perspective shifted the focus of
behavior to the individual / whole person rather than the unconscious mind, genes, observable
behavior.

Biological perspective or biopsychology is another approach of psychology which has

contributed immensely to the growth of psychology. Biopsychology emphasizes on
biological events such as nervous system, hormones and genetics in relation to behavior.
Biological approach has become increasingly important in psychology with the invention of
various apparatus for mapping of the brain. The field of neuropsychology bloomed under this
approach.

One of the major modern approaches of psychology is cognitive perspective. It focuses on the
processes of the mind,.mainly researching on memory, intelligence, perception, problem
solving, and learning. Cognitive psychology, derived from Wundt’s structuralism, has been
integrated into various other subfields of psychology such as social psychology , personality
psychology , abnormal psychology and developmental psychology (Boundless n.d.)

As a relatively new approach of psychology evolutionary perspective focuses on inherited

tendencies shaped by evolution. Charles Darwin’s theories of evolution has been incorporated
in this approach. Evolutionary perspective can help interpret dysfunctional behaviors such as
anorexia (McLeod 2007)

There are various approaches of psychology giving different viewpoints in explaining human
behavior. None of the perspectives are greater or more suitable than the other. Earlier
psychologist viewed psychological problems only in one way of approach. But nowadays
psychologists tend to incorporate more than single approach in finding suitable solution to a
problem. Today psychology is a modern science. And for the field of psychology to become
what it is today the contribution of different approaches of psychology has been immense.

List of references

McLeod, S. A. (2007). Behaviorist Approach [online]. Available from

<http://www.simplypsychology.org/behaviorism.html>

Gelph, C. (n.d). Gestalt psychology [online]. Available from

<www.slideshare.net/christiangelph/gestalt-psychology-15849804>

American Psychoanalytic association (n.d.). Contributions of psychoanalysis [online].

Available
from<http://www.apsa.org/About_Psychoanalysis/Contributions_of_Psychoanalysis.aspx>

The Colombia Electronic Encyclopedia (2012). Psychoanalytical approach [online].

Available from <http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/science/psychology.html>
McLeod, S. A. (2007). Evolutionary Approach [online]. Available from
<http://www.simplypsychology.org/Evolutionary psychology.html>

Boundless (n.d.). Cognitive perspective e[online]. Available

from<https://www.boundless.com/psychology/the-science-of-psychology/history-of-
psychology/cognitive-perspective/>