Overview
This lecture explores major psychological perspectives on understanding the self, including psychodynamic, behaviorist, cognitive, social cognitive, humanistic, and self-determination theories.
Psychodynamic Perspective (Sigmund Freud)
- Freud emphasized the role of the unconscious mind in shaping the self.
- The mind consists of three levels: conscious (current awareness), preconscious (recallable memories), and unconscious (hidden emotions and desires).
- Freud proposed three components: id (pleasure-seeking, unconscious), ego (reality-oriented mediator), and superego (moral standards).
- Defense mechanisms (e.g., repression, denial, sublimation) manage conflicts between id and superego.
Behaviorist Perspective (Ivan Pavlov, B.F. Skinner)
- Focuses on observable behaviors shaped by environmental stimuli.
- Pavlov’s classical conditioning: learning by association (e.g., dogs salivate at a bell after pairing with food).
- Skinner’s operant conditioning: behaviors increase/decrease through reinforcement (rewards) or punishment.
- Positive/negative reinforcement and punishment affect the likelihood of repeating behaviors.
Cognitive Perspective (Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky)
- Emphasizes internal mental processes such as thinking, memory, and problem-solving.
- Piaget: cognitive development occurs in four stages (sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, formal operational).
- Vygotsky: social interaction and culture are essential for learning; zone of proximal development explains tasks learned with assistance.
Social Cognitive Perspective (Albert Bandura)
- Integrates behaviorist and cognitive ideas; learning occurs in social contexts.
- Key concept is self-efficacy: belief in one's ability to perform tasks.
- Observational learning (modeling) influences behavior.
- Reciprocal determinism: personal factors, behavior, and environment interact and influence each other.
Humanistic Perspective (Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow)
- Emphasizes human goodness, growth, and self-actualization.
- Rogers: growth requires unconditional positive regard, empathy, and congruence; self-concept includes self-image, self-esteem, and ideal self.
- Maslow: hierarchy of needs culminates in self-actualization, achievable after lower needs (physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem) are met.
Self-Determination Theory (Richard Ryan, Edward Deci)
- Focuses on fulfillment of innate psychological needs for well-being: autonomy (control over choices), competence (mastery), and relatedness (connection to others).
- Satisfaction of these needs leads to psychological well-being; frustration leads to stress and poor mental health.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Unconscious mind — Mental processes not accessible to conscious awareness but influence behavior.
- Defense Mechanisms — Ego strategies to manage conflict between id and superego.
- Classical Conditioning — Learning by associating neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus.
- Operant Conditioning — Learning via rewards (reinforcement) or punishments after a behavior.
- Self-efficacy — Belief in one’s capability to succeed in specific situations.
- Self-actualization — Achieving one’s full potential and true self.
- Zone of Proximal Development — Range of tasks learnable with guidance but not alone.
- Autonomy, Competence, Relatedness — Core psychological needs per self-determination theory.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Reflect: Consider how your behavior is shaped by thoughts, environment, and beliefs.
- Think of a time when you felt confident and examine what contributed to that feeling.