Behavioral psychology is a school of thought that emphasizes the role of observable behavior in understanding and predicting human behavior. Behaviorists believe that behavior is learned through conditioning, and that it can be changed by changing the environment. Some of the key figures in behavioral psychology include B.F. Skinner, Ivan Pavlov, and John B. Watson.
2. Cognitive psychology
Cognitive psychology is a school of thought that emphasizes the role of mental processes, such as thinking, memory, and attention, in understanding and predicting human behavior. Cognitive psychologists believe that behavior is influenced by the way people process information. Some of the key figures in cognitive psychology include Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, and Jerome Bruner.
3. Humanistic psychology
Humanistic psychology is a school of thought that emphasizes the importance of human values, such as freedom, choice, and self-actualization, in understanding and predicting human behavior. Humanistic psychologists believe that people are inherently good and have the potential to grow and change. Some of the key figures in humanistic psychology include Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow, and Viktor Frankl.
4. Psychodynamic psychology
Psychodynamic psychology is a school of thought that emphasizes the role of unconscious processes, such as dreams, fantasies, and repressed memories, in understanding and predicting human behavior. Psychodynamic psychologists believe that people's behavior is influenced by their early childhood experiences and their unresolved conflicts. Some of the key figures in psychodynamic psychology include Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and Alfred Adler.
5. Biological psychology
Biological psychology is a school of thought that emphasizes the role of biological factors, such as genetics, brain structure, and hormones, in understanding and predicting human behavior. Biological psychologists believe that behavior is influenced by the brain and the body. Some of the key figures in biological psychology include James Olds, Paul MacLean, and Roger Sperry.
6. Evolutionary psychology
Evolutionary psychology is a school of thought that emphasizes the role of evolutionary processes, such as natural selection and sexual selection, in understanding and predicting human behavior. Evolutionary psychologists believe that behavior is influenced by our evolutionary history. Some of the key figures in evolutionary psychology include Charles Darwin, Richard Dawkins, and Daniel Dennett.