Theoretical Views

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Recommended: Essays on the history of psychology

Psychology is now and always has been a strongly debated science. Beginning from the time psychology first became separated from the philosophy and biology sciences, there has been controversy. The subject, most debated, was the explanation and description of human behavior as well as the human mind. It was the schools of thought in psychology that allowed for the major names in psychology that we study and read about on what seems to be a daily basis that put theoretical opinions and differences out in the open for everyone to study and perhaps formulate their own studies and/or opinions alike. There are major names in history of psychology such as; Sigmund Freud, Alfred Adler, Carl Jung, and William James. Each psychologist’s mentioned has proposed their own reasoning behind the psychological functions and causes of human behavior. Each doctor of psychology has their own perspective as to why a person behaves the way that they do. Take Sigmund Freud for instance, he believed the unconscious mind had a strong influence on human behavior. (Cherry, 2011). "According to Freud, the unconscious continues to influence our behavior and experience, even though we are unaware of these underlying influences." (para. 8). Then there is William James, he was responsible for the influence of the school of thought regarding functionalism. James believed a person’s environment had a strong influence on their behavior. Carl Jung, another theorist of the psychoanalysis school of thought, believed that dream analysis played a major role in influencing an individual’s behavior. According to the text, Jung believed the collective unconsciousness was a reservoir of all the experience and knowledge of the human species (Cherry, 2011). Psychologist Al...

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...ind. The New York Times

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http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/a/consciousuncon.htm

Cherry, K. (2011). William James Biography (1842-1910). The New York Times

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Fragar, R. (2005). Transpersonal pioneers: William James . Pearson Prentice Hall. August 8, 2011 from http://www.itp.edu/about/william_james.php

Soylent Communications. (2011). Alfred Adler. Retrieved August 7, 2011 from

http://www.nndb.com/people/256/000097962/

Soylent Communications. (2011). Carl Jung. Retrieved August 5, 2011 from

http://www.nndb.com/people/910/000031817/

Taylor, E. (1996). Classics in the history of psychology. York University. Retrieved August 8,

2011 from http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/James/TaylorWoz.htm

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