Biological:
1. Relating to biology or living organism.
2. Of a member of a person’s family. Genetically related. Related by blood.
The biological perspective focuses on how physiology and genetics
affect behavior. For example someone who takes a biological viewpoint may
focus on how a particular injury may affect a persons mood. Or how genetics may
affect aggressive behavior.
The biological perspective looks at the biological roots of a person’s behavior.
Cognitive:
1. Relating to, being, or involving conscious intellectual activity ( such as thinking, reasoning, or remembering ).
The cognitive perspective is the belief that the brain is most important
In affecting the way a person behaves.
The cognitive viewpoint considers the way a person gathers and processes
Information and how they heard or learned something will determine their
behavior. This viewpoint suggests that to understand someone you must first
understand what is going on in their mind.
Humanistic:
1. Of or relating to character, values and dignity.
The humanistic perspective focuses on stressing the good in human
behavior. For example, if a person is feeling useless or worthless, the humanistic
perspective would encourage them to focus on the good things they have done.
To focus on their strengths instead of their weaknesses.
Psychodynamic:
1. Of or relating to unconscious desires and beliefs.
The psychodynamic perspective focuses on the belief that childhood
experiences shape adult behavior. That we unconsciously allow the things
that affected us as a child to shape the type of adult we will become.
The psychodynamic viewpoint maintains that certain behaviors such as nail biting,
hoarding and other obsessive or compulsives behaviors may come from repressed
childhood memories and manifest themselves when the person reaches
adulthood.
Sociocultural:
1. Of or relating to or involving a combination of social and cultural factors.
The sociocultural perspective focuses on how a group or subgroup a person
belongs to such as race, religion, or gender affect how a person will interact with
society. The context of culture makes a difference on how you view behavior.
For example. A Native American talking to a tree or bush would not seem strange because in Native American culture, communing with nature is a part of everyday life. However if you saw a person from another culture talking to a tree or bush, you would probably recommend they visit a mental institution. Meaning similar situations will be viewed differently based on cultural differences.