Gestalt psychology is a psychological approach that emphasizes the holistic understanding of human experience, perception, and problem-solving. It originated in Germany in the early 20th century, with key figures such as Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, and Wolfgang Köhler. The term “Gestalt” refers to a unified whole or pattern that is perceived as different from the…

Functional psychology is a psychological approach that focuses on the practical functions and purposes of mental processes and behaviors, rather than their underlying structures or mechanisms. It emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a reaction against structuralism, which emphasized the analysis of the mind into its constituent elements, and as an…

Existential psychology is a branch of psychology that focuses on the unique aspects of human existence, emphasizing the individual’s subjective experience, freedom, responsibility, and search for meaning in life. It emerged from existential philosophy, particularly the works of philosophers such as Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger, and Jean-Paul Sartre, and has been developed further…

Enactivism is a theoretical approach in psychology and cognitive science that emphasizes the active role of the individual in shaping their own cognition and perception through embodied interaction with the environment. Enactivism challenges traditional cognitive science models that view cognition as the manipulation of internal representations of the external world and instead proposes that cognition…

Ego psychology is a psychological framework that originated from psychoanalytic theory and was developed by psychoanalyst Anna Freud and others. It focuses on the role of the ego, or the conscious aspect of the personality, in mediating between the demands of the id (instinctual drives) and the superego (internalized moral standards). Ego psychology seeks to…

Ecological systems theory, also known as ecological perspective or bioecological theory, is a psychological framework developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner. It emphasizes the complex interplay between individuals and their environment, recognizing that human development is influenced by multiple levels of environmental systems. Key concepts of ecological systems theory include: Microsystem: The microsystem refers to the immediate…

Descriptive psychology is a psychological framework developed by philosopher and psychologist Peter Ossorio. It focuses on understanding and describing the structure and function of psychological phenomena in a systematic and precise manner. Descriptive psychology seeks to provide a comprehensive and rigorous account of human experience, behavior, and mental processes without making assumptions about underlying causes…

Depth psychology is a psychological approach that explores the unconscious aspects of the human psyche, including hidden motivations, conflicts, and desires that influence behavior and experience. It seeks to uncover the deeper layers of the psyche beyond conscious awareness, drawing on concepts such as the unconscious mind, dreams, symbols, and archetypes. Key aspects of depth…

Cognitivism is a psychological approach that emphasizes the role of mental processes, such as perception, memory, thinking, and problem-solving, in shaping behavior and understanding the mind. Unlike behaviorism, which focuses primarily on observable behavior, cognitivism explores the internal cognitive processes that occur between stimuli and responses. Key features of cognitivism include: Focus on Mental Processes:…

Radical behaviorism is a perspective within behaviorism that was developed by B.F. Skinner, an influential psychologist known for his work on operant conditioning and behavior analysis. Radical behaviorism extends the principles of behaviorism to emphasize the role of environmental contingencies in shaping behavior, while also rejecting the use of hypothetical mental constructs to explain behavior.…