Report on various Perspectives in the Understanding of Human Development

Psychological Perspectives in the Understanding
of Human Development
Behaviourist Perspective
The Behaviourist Perspective used to be a very popular method in Psychology for a
majority of the 20th century and has helped Psychology a lot in terms of techniques. The
key supposition of the behaviourist perspective is that all behaviour is shaped by the
environment and people’s surroundings. For example, in the Bandura et al. study it is
illustrated that anger is taught and formed by role models. This perspective also debates
that for Psychology to be logical and scientific, it should emphasis on observable
behaviour which can be accurately measured instead of cognitive processes which can
be inferred with.
Significant learning theories projected by this perspective are Operant Conditioning
which is by Skinner and Classical Conditioning which is by Pavlov. Classical Conditioning
expresses the way we learn behaviours through association and Operant Conditioning
clarifies how the consequences of behaviours (reinforces) form behaviour. A very early
sample of a report into Operant Conditioning was done by Skinner in 1935. Skinner put
pigeons and rats in a box whereby pressing a lever caused food to be dispensed. From
unintentionally knocking the lever, the pigeons and rats soon learned and
acknowledged that pressing the lever meant that they would receive food, found on the
performance of diverse stimuli and was able to accomplish that behaviour is shaped by
it’s consequence. But this is only true if an animal is rewarded for doing a specific
behaviour (pecking at a circle) and if the animal is not, it is less likely to carry out this act
in the future.
An extension of Behaviourism is the Social Learning Theory and was advanced by Albert
Bandura. His early work was induced by the Behaviourist Perspective because it fixated
on learning and observable behaviour but he also knew the necessity of needing to
understand the cognitive procedure. There are a few resemblances and dissimilarities
amid the Bandura study and other Behaviourist Perspective Studies such as some by
Skinner. Both studies were in extremely measured and controlled situations. For
example, Skinner made sure the conditions were the same for both the Pigeons and
Rats and Bandura also carried out experiments which were highly controlled. The only
variable that varied was the behaviour or gender of role models. Bandura and Skinner
also looked at behaviour which is learned. Skinner found out that you could teach an
animal a new behaviour that had not been acquired before in the wild and Bandura was
able to illustrate that children learn aggression by using aggressive and passive role

models. However, children shown an aggressive role model were more expected to
behave in a negative way.
Bandura’s study used human participants and Skinner’s study was used on animals.
Bandura’s experiment was set in a nursery school and he had used 72 girls and boys.
Skinner used many pigeons and rats. This means we have more confidence with
Bandura’s study as human being are used, rather than Skinner’s as he uses animals. The
difference between Bandura and Skinner’s studies is that Bandura studied learning
without a reward whereas Skinner studied learning that is forced by a reward. Bandura
found out that human beings do not need a reward to mimic a role model whereas
Skinner could only structure the animal’s behaviour through rewarding and punishing
reinforcements.
A major asset of the Behaviour Perspective is the growth and expansion of beneficial
applications. Behaviourism illustrates straight-forward methods of how to alter
behaviour. A positive influence of the Behaviourist Perspective is it appearing in modern
perspectives like the Cognitive Behaviour approach which is very similar but includes the
importance of cognition which makes it more scientific and accurate. A problem with
this perspective is the newly learned behavior is usually short-lived and it is only there
for a limited amount of time.
Psychodynamic Perspective
The psychodynamic perspective was initially established by Sigmund Freud but also
incorporates concepts from numerous others who have advanced Freud’s opinions. The
key supposition of this perspective is the idea that all behaviour can be clarified in
expressions of the inner conflicts of the mind. For instance, in the case study of Little
Hans, Freud claimed that Little Hans fear of horses was triggered by a displaced terror of
his father. The psychodynamic perspective highlights the part of the unconscious mind,
the construction of character and the effect that childhood experiences have on future
life.
Freud also supposed that the unconscious mind controls much of our behaviour and
that we are driven by unconscious emotional drives. Freud believed that the
unconscious part of our brain comprises unsettled conflicts and beholds a powerful
effect on our performance and involvement. He claimed that countless of these conflicts
will display in our imaginations and dreams, but the struggles are so intimidating that
they emerge in masked forms, in the form of symbols. Freud projected that the adult
personality has three parts the id, ego and superego. The id is the mixture of pleasure
pursuing wishes and we are born with it. The ego matures later and it controls the
cravings of the id. The superego is the moralistic part of personality which grows as a

child interrelates with significant others such as its parents. The superego can be seen as
the conscience. It is the role of the ego to uphold a stability between the id and the
superego.
Freud supposed that children go through five stages of development, known as the
psychosexual stages because of Freud’s importance on sexuality as the basic energy in
maturity. These stages are: the oral stage, the anal stage, the phallic stage, the latency
period and finally the genital stage. The phallic stage, from three to five years old was
the stage where the youngster’s sexual identification was recognised. During this stage,
Freud hypothesised that a young boy would experience what he called the Oedipus
complex. This would deliver the child with highly disturbing conflicts, which had to be
determined by the child classifying with the same-sexed parent.
A main asset of the psychodynamic perspective is the way it can be used to clarify a
widespread assortment of phenomenon. In fact, some supporters of the psychodynamic
perspective consider that all human life can be enlightened from a psychodynamic
approach. However, you will find even more psychologists who claim that the
psychodynamic theory cannot justify anything at all. Freud’s best achievement is the
discovery of treatments for healing mental disorders. Freud thought that once
unconscious conflicts and emotions were made aware that they could be conversed and
fixed. Freud himself temporarily used hypnosis to gain access to patient’s unconscious
thoughts but then established a technique of free association. However, there is
considerable controversy relating to these psychoanalytic treatments regarding both
their usefulness and abuse by unscrupulous therapists.
One very popular disapproval of the psychodynamic perspective is that it is extremely
particular and its concepts are hard to test scientifically. For example, most of the
thoughts are grounded on case studies of individuals and are not simply tested
experimentally.
(From Simplypsychology.org)
The Behaviourist Perspective in application to Health &
Social Care
The Behaviourist Perspective argues that all forms of Behaviour are absorbed and
formed through the environment. Professionals and theorists who approve of this
perspective find that it aids to the enlightenment of an individual’s behaviour and
produces information on the individual’s history or early years of their life and the
effects of it currently and in the future. The learning of behaviour happens over time as

it is Classical Conditioning which is learning a new behaviour via the process of
association, which is not like Operant Conditioning which means behaviour is educated
through approaches such as positive reinforcement.
Psychodynamic Perspective in application to Health &
Social Care
The Psychodynamic Perspective emphases on getting inside the head of individuals in
order to understand their relationships, experiences and how they perceive the world.
This perspective of Psychology is used in everyday life by therapists and counsellors
whether in private constitutions or in schools. The perspective helps illustrate an
individual’s past and how this has affected them and what can be done to change this as
it might be creating mental health issues or constant negativethinking.
The Psychodynamic perspective is used everyday in the Health & Social Care industry by
being used by therapists and psychologists to explain how life has affected someone
and why it is causing an individual a range of mental health issues such as depression,
anxiety, stress or an eating disorder. Having therapy and using the Psychodynamic
Perspective, can change a person’s state of mind and improve their health dramatically
so they feel more confident and able to live their life to the fullest.
Culture and Human Development
Culture effects how people dress, their diet, and the relationships we form.
When people are living in a multicultural country, e.g. England, we mature and develop
differently because of our cultural effects.
Culture can also includes religion and faith. Religions can contain Islam, Christianity,
Hinduism and Judaism. This gives individuals guidelines to follow such as health, lifestyle
and moral matters (marriage, personal hygiene, abortion etc.)
People’s behaviour, health and relationships can also be inclined by the population they
live in.
Economic and Human Development
Income/Wealth
Income is the sum of wealth in a household.
This typically comes from an individual’s job, pensions, benefits, or investments.
The amount of income and money an individual has can effect their development
because it can affect the quality of life available to them.
People with a well-paid or good income are much more probable to having a better