School of Psychology

1. Structuralism

Major Thinkers

Theory

Strength

Criticism

Wilhelm Wundt. He
founded psychology as
an academic discipline.
He established the first
laboratory in Leipzig
University. Known as
the
father
of
experimental
psychology.

-Structuralism was the first school

of psychology which focused on
breaking down mental processes
into the most basic components. Its
focus was on reducing mental
processes down into their most
basic elements. According to
Titchner, the main goal of
psychology was to understand the
structure of mind, that is why this
concept
was
labeled
as
Structuralism. Wundt proposed that
psychology should focus on
analyzing
the
content
of
consciousness in order to determine
its basic elements and the
relationship between them, his
main interest was in immediate
consciousness.
Titchener
and
Wundt believed that the immediate
consciousness has great importance
to understand the mind. And this
experience
of
immediate
consciousness is like Experience of
Awareness. Structuralists used
techniques such as introspection to
analyze the inner processes of the
human mind.

-Structuralism
is
important because it
is the first major
school of thought in
psychology and it
influenced
experimental
psychology

The
experimental
methods used to
study the structures
of the mind were too
subjective and the
use of introspection
led to a lack of
reliability in results.
Other critics argue
that
structuralism
was too concerned
with
internal
behavior, which is
not
directly
observable
and
cannot be accurately
measured.

Edward Titchener.
Helikedto emphasize
theuseofintrospection
touncovertheelements
of experience, such as
sensations,images,and
feelings. He also
developedexperimental
techniques that were
more fully accepted
than his atomistic
approach.

School of Psychology
2. Functionalism

Major Thinkers

Theory

Strength

Criticism

John Dewey. The main

person credited as the
founder
of
functionalism. He was
the first functionalist to
apply functionalism to
social problems and
education.

Functionalism was formed as a

reaction to the Structuralism. It was
heavily influenced by the work of
William James and the evolutionary
theory of Charles Darwin. Instead
of focusing on the mental processes
themselves, functionalist thinkers
were instead interested in the role
that these processes play.

-Functionalism
influenced
behaviorism
and
applied psychology.

According
to
Wilhelm Wundt, It
is literature. It is
beautiful, but it is
not psychology."

James
Rowland
Angell. He was a
student under John
Dewey.
He
was
interested in what the
mind was doing, how
mental functions of the
mind help for survival.
He thought the body
and the mind worked
together to survive.
Harvey Carr. His main
focus was on learning.
He thought learning
happened when needs
for
survival
were
accomplished.

James was interested to understand

the mental process of Adaptation,
the process that helped the humans
and animals adapt to their
environment.
He
said
that
psychology should concern with
not only what the mind is made of
but also how and why it works as it
does.
Functionalists sought to
explain the mental processes in a
more systematic and accurate
manner. Rather than focusing on
the elements of consciousness,
functionalists focused on the
purpose of consciousness and
behavior. Functionalism also used
the method of Introspection as a
tool. Functionalism covered some
mental processes like Learning,
Perceiving, Memory, Thinking, and
Personality.

-It influenced the

educational system,
especially with regard
to John Deweys
belief that children
should learn at the
level for which they
are developmentally
prepared.

School of Psychology
3. Behaviourism

Major Thinkers

Theory

Strength

Criticism

John B. Watson. He
sets the stage for
behaviorism and was
famous
for
his
controversial
experiment, known as
the
Little
Albert
experiment.

The term behaviorism refers to the

school of psychology founded by
John B. Watson based on the belief
that behaviors can be measured,
trained, and changed. Behaviorism
was
established
with
the
publication of Watson's classic
paper
Psychology
as
the
Behaviorist Views It (1913).

-Behaviorism is based
upon
observable
behaviors, so it is
easier to quantify and
collect
data
and
information
when
conducting research.

-Many critics argue

that behaviorism is
a one-dimensional
approach
to
understanding
human
behavior
and that behavioral
theories do not
account for free
will and internal
influences such as
moods,
thoughts
and
feelings.
moods,
thoughts
and feelings.

Ivan Pavlov. His work

had a major influence
on the field, particularly
on the development of
behaviourism.
His
discovery and research
on reflexes influenced
the growing behaviorist
movement.
Burrhus
Frederic
Skinner.
Skinner
thought all animal and
human behavior was
linked to rewards or
reinforcers. He came
up with the Stimulus
Response
Consequencemodel.

Behaviorism, also known as

behavioral psychology, is a theory
of learning based upon the idea that
all behaviors are acquired through
conditioning. Conditioning occurs
through interaction with the
environment. Behaviorists believe
that our responses to environmental
stimuli shapes our behaviors.
According
to
behaviorism,
behavior can be studied in a
systematic and observable manner
with no consideration of internal
mental states. This school of
thought
suggests
that
only
observable behaviors should be
studied, since internal states such as
cognitions, emotions and moods are
too subjective.

-Effective therapeutic
techniques such as
intensive behavioral
intervention, behavior
analysis,
token
economies
and
discrete trial training
are all rooted in
behaviorism.
These
approaches are often
very
useful
in
changing maladaptive
or harmful behaviors
in both children and
adults.

-Behaviorism does
not account for
other
types
of
learning, especially
learning that occurs
without the use of
reinforceme
and
punishment.
-People
and
animals are able to
adapt their behavior
when
new
information
is

There are two major types of

Edward Thorndike. conditioning:
Best-known for the
theory he called the law 1. Classical conditioning is a
of
effect,
which technique used in behavioral
emerged
from
his training in which a naturally
research on how cats occurring stimulus is paired with a
learn to escape from response. Next, a previously neutral
puzzle
boxes. stimulus is paired with the naturally
According to the law of occurring stimulus. Eventually, the
effect, responses that previously neutral stimulus comes
are
immediately to evoke the response without the
followed
by
a presence of the naturally occurring
satisfactory
outcome stimulus. The two elements are then
become more strongly known as the conditioned stimulus
associated with the and the conditioned response.
situation
and
are 2. Operant conditioning (sometimes
to
as
instrumental
therefore more likely to referred
occur again in the conditioning) is a method of
future.
Conversely, learning that occurs through
responses followed by rewards and punishments for
Through
operant
negative
outcomes behavior.
conditioning,
an
association
is
become more weakly
associated and less made between a behavior and a
likely to reoccur in the consequence for that behavior.
future.

introduced, even if
a previous behavior
pattern has been
established through
reinforcement.

School of Psychology

Major Thinkers

Theory

Strength

4. Gestalt Psychology

Max Wertheimer. He
noted that we perceive
motion where there is
nothing more than a

The term Gestalt was first used in

psychology by the Austrian
philosopher
and
psychologist
Christian von Ehrenfels in 1890.

-The
Gestalt
Psychologys
contribution is in the
field of learning,

Criticism

rapid sequence of Gestalt Psychology took birth in

individual sensory 1912 at Germany by efforts of Max
Wertheimer, Wolfgang Kohler and
events.
Kurt Koffka. The development of
Wolfgang Kohler. He this area of psychology was
met and worked with influenced by a number of thinkers,
max Wertheimer. In including Immanuel Kant, Ernst
1929, he wrote Gestalt Mach and Johann Wolfgang von
Goethe. According to Gestalt
Psychology.
psychology,
this
apparent
Kurt
Koffka.
He movement happens because our
published Principles of minds fill in missing information.
Gestalt Psychology in This belief that the whole is greater
than the sum of the individual parts
1935.
led to the discovery of several
different phenomena that occur
during perception.
Gestalt means wholeness, thus, it
is based upon the idea that we
experience things as unified
wholes.
This
approach
to
psychology began in Germany and
Austria during the late 19th century
in response to the molecular
approach of structuralism. Instead
of breaking down thoughts and
behavior to their smallest elements,
the gestalt psychologists believed
that you must look at the whole of
experience. According to the gestalt
thinkers, the whole is greater than
the sum of its parts.

creative thinking and

insight.
Work
of
Kohler gave birth to
theory of Insight
learning.

School of Psychology
5. Psychoanalysis

Major Thinkers

Theory

Strength

Criticism

Sigmund
Freud.
Discovered that a lot of
the
thoughts
and
feelings that influenced
personality
were
operating
in
the
unconscious.
He
started recording his
dreams at a very young
age. He even did
psychoanalysis
on
himself at one point in
his life. He discovered
the talking treatment,
after meeting a troubled
young woman named
Ana. She traced back
her
problems
to
childhood abuse, as did
many of his patients.
This is where he came
up with a lot of his
ideas about sexuality
and
the
Oedipus
complex.
Anna Freud. Created
the field of child
psychoanalysis and her
work
contributed
greatly to our under-

This school of thought emphasizes

the influence of the unconscious
mind on behavior. Psychoanalysis
was based on the theory that
behaviour is determined by
powerful inner forces, According to
Freud and other psychoanalysts,
from early childhood people repress
(force out of conscious awareness)
any desires or needs that are
unacceptable to themselves or to
society. The repressed feelings can
cause personality disturbances, selfdestructive behaviour, or even
physical symptoms.

-While
most
psychodynamic
theories did not rely
on
experimental
research, the methods
and
theories
of
psychoanalytic
thinking contributed
to
experimental
psychology.

-Freud's
theories
overemphasized the
unconscious mind,
sex, aggression and
childhood
experiences.

Freud believed that the human

mind was composed of three
elements: the id, ego and the
superego. The id is composed of
primal urges, while the ego is the
component of personality charged
with dealing with reality. The
superego is the part of personality
that holds all of the ideals and
values we internalize from our
parents and culture. Freud believed
that the interaction of these three
elements was what led to all of the
complex human behaviors.

-Many
of
the
concepts proposed
by psychoanalytic
theorists
are
-Psychodynamic
difficult to measure
thinkers
are
stil and quantify.
influential influential
today,
including -Most of Freud's
Erikson's theory of ideas were based on
psychosocial
stages case studies and
and
Freud's clinical
psychosexual
stage observations rather
theory..
than
empirical,
scientific research.
-Psychoanalysis
opened up a new view
on mental illness,
suggesting that talking
about problems with a
professional
could
help relieve symptoms
of
psychological
distress.

standing
of
child
psychology. She also
developed
different
techniques to treat
children.
She
also
provided
clear
explanations of the
ego's
defense
mechanisms in her
book The Ego and the
Mechanisms of Defense
(1936).
Carl Jung. He was
known for his studies of
the human psyche,
dream analysis, the
collective unconscious
and archetypes. He
believed the human
psyche exists in three
parts: the ego (the
conscious mind), the
personal unconscious
and
the
collective
unconscious.
Jung
believed the collective
unconscious was a
reservoir of all the
experience
and
knowledge
of
the
human species.
Erik

Erikson-

He

There are six assumptions that

show the main ideas of
psychoanalytictheory. Oneisthat
unconscious mental processes
exist. The second is all human
behavior is motivated and
purposeful.Third,pastexperiences
influence current changes and
reactions. Fourth, personality
functioning is very complex and
can beunderstoodthrough theId,
Ego,andSuperego.Fifth,thinking
processes involve energy, strength
andforce.Finallyhumanbehavior
isinfluencedbyinteractionwiththe
environment

stressed the importance

of growth throughout
the lifespan. He was
best known for his
Stages of Psychosocial
Development
and
Identity Crisis
School of Psychology
Major Thinkers
6. Humanist
Abraham
Maslow.
Perspectives
Theorized
that
all
people are motivated to
fulfill a hierarchy of
needs. At the bottom of
the hierarchy are basic
physiological
needs,
such as hunger, thirst,
and sleep. Further up
the hierarchy are needs
for safety and security,
needs for belonging and
love,
and
esteemrelated needs. Once
these needs are met,
Maslow
believed,
people strive for selfactualization,
the
ultimate
state
of
personal fulfillment.
Carl Rogers. He is best
known for his concept
of
the
actualizing
tendency and developed

Theory
The roots of humanistic psychology
lie primarily in two areas:
existential
philosophy,
which
decidedly European in flavor, and
the work of some American
psychologists, most notably Carl
Rogers and Abraham Maslow.
Existential philosophy addresses
many of the questions that later
became cornerstones of the
humanistic approach. These include
the meaning of our existence, the
role of free will, and the uniqueness
of the human being.
It is born out of a desire to
understand the conscious mind, free
will, human dignity, and the
capacity for self-reflection and
growth. Humanistic psychologists
believe individuals are controlled
by their own values and choices
and not entirely by the environment
The goal of humanistic psychology
is to help people function

Strength
-One of the major
strengths
of
humanistic
psychology is that it
emphasizes the role of
the individual. This
school of psychology
gives people more
credit in controlling
and determining their
state of mental health.

Criticism
-Humanistic
psychology is often
seen
as
too
subjective;
the
importance
of
individual
experience makes it
difficult
to
objectively study
and
measure
humanistic
phenomena. How
can we objectively
tell if someone is
self-actualized? The
answer, of course,
is that we cannot.
We can only rely
upon
the
individual's
own
assessment of their
experience.

-It
also
takes
environmental
influences
into
account. Rather than
focusing solely on our
internal thoughts and
desires,
humanistic
psychology
also
credits
the
environment's
influence
on
our
experiences.
-Another
criticism

is

major
that

the concept of the fullyfunctioning

person.
Developed his approach
to therapy, which he
initially
termed
"nondirective therapy."
This approach, which
involves the therapist
acting as a facilitator
rather than a director of
the therapy session,
eventually came to be
known
as
clientcentered therapy.
Erich Fromm. He is
best known for his
concept of freedom as a
fundamental part of
human
nature,
the
social unconscious and
humanism. ife, Fromm
believed,
was
a
contradiction,
since
humans are both part of
nature and separate
from it. From this
conflict arises basic
existential
needs
including relatedness,
creativity, rootedness,
identity and a frame of
orientation.

effectively and fulfill their own -Humanistic

unique potential.
psychology continues
to influence therapy,
Humanistic
psychology
was education, healthcare
focused on each individual's and other areas.
potential
and
stressed
the
importance of growth and self- -Humanistic
actualization. The fundamental psychology
helped
belief of humanistic psychology is remove some of the
that people are innately good and stigma attached to
that mental and social problems therapy and made it
result from deviations from this more acceptable for
natural tendency.
normal,
healthy
individuals to explore
During the late 1950s, Abraham their abilities and
Maslow and other psychologists potential
through
held meetings to discuss the therapy.
development of a professional
organization devoted to a more
humanist approach to psychology.
They agreed that topics such as
self-actualization, creativity and
individuality and related topics
were the central theme of this new
approach. In 1961, they officially
established
the
American
Association
for
Humanistic
Psychology.

observations
are
unverifiable; there
is no accurate way
to
measure
or
quantify
these
qualities.

School of Psychology
Major Thinkers
7. Phenomenological Martin Heidegger. He
Perspectives
primarily

was
concerned with the
questionofthemeaning
ofBeing,thatis,what
it is for anything to
existallthewayfrom
rocks, art, icons, what
he called equipment
or tools (everything
wedeploywhenevents
happen in the world),
and what he called
Dasein.
Dasein,
roughly, is human
beings. Dasein is a
type of being who is
attempting to discern
the meaning of Being
not in a conscious
way, but rather, through
what they do.

Theory
-20th-century
philosophical
movement dedicated to describing
the structures of experience as they
present
themselves
to
consciousness, without recourse to
theory, deduction, or assumptions
from other disciplines such as the
natural sciences. It is more
concerned with worldly and cultural
constraints,
and
how
they
insidiously
and
irrevocably
determine an individuals sphere of
activity.
Phenomenological psychology has
significant implications for the
Western concept of self.
Because, its not at all clear the
self (with its corollary notion of
the soul) exists, in any
meaningful sense. Its true that,
from a therapeutic standpoint,
phenomenological
psychology
depends on some degree of
patient/client insight. In this, its a
form of cognitive therapy, albeit
from a different perspective.

Strength

Criticism

School of Psychology
8. Existential
Perspectives

Major Thinkers

Theory

Soren
Kierkegaard
(1813-1855)
The founder of the
philosophy
of
existence
Proposed that truth lies
in subjective rather than
presumptions
of
objectivity
True
existence
is
achieved by intensity of
feeling
Anguish: a revelation
of the possibilities
which lie beyond ones
constricted existence
Passion: the quality of
striving to come into
being
True heroism:
a
daring to be entirely
oneself, alone before
God
Friedrich Nietzsche
Talked about our will
to power &
herd mortality

-Existential psychology attempts to

explore meaning in life and seeks a
balance between the limits on
human
existence
and
the
possibilities of humanity. The focus
is on understanding what it means
to be human.
The key assumptions of existential
psychology is that lifes meaning is
never fixed and is constantly being
created
and
recreated.
The
Existential Approach is rooted in
attempting to understand several
basic human dimensions (6
propositions):
The capacity for self-awareness
Tension between freedom and
responsibility
creating
ones
identity
&
meaningful relationships with
others
the search for meaning & purpose
Accepting anxiety as a condition
of living
awareness of death.

Jean-Paul Sartre
The most defining element of
"Freedom is existence, existentialism is the concern with
& in it existence existence- the person in the human

Strength

Criticism

School of Psychology
9. Evolutionary
Psychology

precedes essence."
This means that what
we do, how we act in
our life, determines our
apparent "qualities
Existential guilt is
what we experience
when we allow others
to define us or to make
our choices for us
Viktor Frankl. He
struggled
to
find
meaning while in a
concentration
camp
during World War II.
He suggests that the
will to meaning is the
most
human
phenomenon of all,
since other animals
never worry about the
meaning
of
their
existence. He used
logotherapy
as
treatment.

condition. The existentialist is

concerned with the phenomena that
are inherent in the nature of being
alive, human, existing. What
constitutes the essence of existence
varies for different existentialist;
however, all agree that certain
concerns are fundamental to the
very nature of our being and cannot
be ignored, dismissed, explained
away or trivialized. In the
existentialist
view
freedom,
consciousness and self-reflection
are what distinguish humans from
other animals.

Major Thinkers

Theory
- an approach in the social and
natural sciences that examines
psychological traits such as
memory, perception, and language
from a modern evolutionary
perspective. Its historical roots in

Strength
For evolutionary
psychologists, the
most interesting
contribution that
evolutionary theory
makes is the

Criticism
Mostofthesecritics
are philosophers of
biology who argue
that the research
traditionsuffersfrom
an overly zealous

Charles Darwins theory of natural

selection. It seeks to identify which
human psychological traits are
evolved adaptations that is, the
functional products of natural
selection or sexual selection. One
of many biologically informed
approaches to the study of human
behavior.
Evolutionary
psychologists propose that much, if
not all, of our behavior can be
explained by appeal to internal
psychological mechanisms. They
proposed that the relevant internal
mechanisms are adaptations
products of natural selectionthat
helped our ancestors get around the
world, survive and reproduce. The
psychological mechanisms invoke
by the Evolutionary Psychology are
computational, sometimes referred
to as Darwinian algorithms or as
computational modules.
Evolutionary
psychology
is
founded on several core premises:
1. The brain is an information
processing device, and it produces
behavior in response to external
and internal inputs. 2. The brain's
adaptive mechanisms were shaped
by natural and sexual selection 3.
Different neural mechanisms are

explanation of
apparent design in
nature or the
explanation of the
production

of
complex organs by
appeal to natural
selection.
Evolutionary
psychologists
generate
evolutionary
hypotheses by first
finding apparent
designintheworld,
say in our
psychological make
up, and then
presenting

a
selective scenario
that would have led
to the production of
thetraitthatexhibits
apparentdesign.The
hypotheses
evolutionary
psychologists
generate, given that
they are usually
hypothesesaboutour
psychological
capacities,aretested

form

of
adaptationism, an
untenable
reductionism,abad
empirical bet about
modules, a fast and
loose conception of
fitness.

specialized for solving problems in

humanity's evolutionary past. 4.
The brain has evolved specialized
neural mechanisms that were
designed for solving problems that
recurred over deep evolutionary
time, giving modern humans Stone
age minds. 5. Most contents and
processes of the brain are
unconscious; and most mental
problems that seem easy to solve
are actually extremely difficult
problems
that
are
solved
unconsciously by complicated
neural mechanisms and lastly
human psychology consists of
many specialized mechanisms,
each sensitive to different classes of
information or inputs. These
mechanisms combine to produce
manifest behavior.
Evolutionary Psychologists sees
humans as often in conflict with
others, including mates and
relatives. Even mothers sometimes
struggle with their children over
weaning, which benefits the mother
more than the child. Evolutionary
psychology also recognizes the role
of kin selection and reciprocity in
evolving prosocial traits such as
altruism.

by

standard
psychological
methods.
Adaptation is the
one biological
concept that is
central to most
debates

over
evolutionary
psychology.

-Evolutionary theory
can
provide
a
foundational,
metatheoretical
framework
that
integrates the entire
field of psychology,
in the same way it
has for biology.

School of Psychology
10. Positive
Psychology

Major Thinkers

Theory
Positive psychology is one of the
Martin
Seligman, newest branches of psychology to
Mihaly
emerge. This particular area of
Csikszentmihalyi and psychology focuses on human
Raymond Fowler.
prospering. While many other
branches of psychology tend to
focus on dysfunction and abnormal
behavior, positive psychology is
centered on helping people become
happier.
Martin Seligman and Mihaly
Csikszentmihalyi describe positive
psychology in the following way:
"We believe that a psychology of
positive human functioning will
arise that achieves a scientific
understanding
and
effective
interventions to build thriving in
individuals,
families,
and
communities."
-Seligman observes that "Before
World War II, psychology had three
distinct missions:
First is to cure mental illness,
Secondly, to make everyone's lives
happier and more productive and
fulfilling and lastly, to identify and
nurture high talent and genius.
After the war, two of the missions

Strength
-A
call
for
psychological
science and practice
to be as concerned
with strength as with
weakness;
as
interested in building
the best things in life
as in repairing the
worst;
and
as
concerned
with
making the lives of
normal
people
fulfilling as with
healing pathology.
-Positive psychology
does not involve
ignoring the very
real problems that
people face and that
other
areas
of
psychology strive to
treat. "The value of
positive psychology
is to complement
and
extend
the
problem-focused
psychology that has
been dominant for

Criticism
Many criticisms
seem to arise from
theassumptionthatif
there is a positive
psychology,thenthe
rest of psychology
must be negative
psychology, and if
we need a positive
psychology it is
because this so
called negative
psychology has
taughtuslittle.
People who study
positive psychology
fail to recognize the
very real negative
sides of life,
preferring a Polly
anna view of the
world.
The most daunting
chal lenges to
positive psychology
stemfromdefining
what actually is

were forgotten. Positive psychology many decades

is intended to bring attention back
to the pursuit of happiness and the
nurturing of genius and talent.
Positive Psychology focuses on
well-being,
happiness,
flow,
personal
strengths,
wisdom,
creativity,
imagination
and
characteristics of positive groups
and institutions. It focused on what
makes individuals and communities
flourish rather than languish. It has
traditionally
conceptualized
authentic happiness as a mix of
hedonic
(Hedonic
happiness
encompasses high levels of positive
affect and low levels of negative
affect, in addition to high subjective
life satisfaction) and eudaimonic
well-being (focuses more on the
creation of meaning and purpose in
life).
Authentic Happiness indicates a
life that is a combination of a
pleasurable life, an engaged life
and a meaningful life. The
pleasurable
life
encompasses
feelings of positive emotions (for
example, joy, gratitude, serenity,
interest, hope, pride, amusement,
inspiration, awe and love which are
integral components to our success

positive and the

ambiguous line
between describing
somethingasgood
and prescribing itas
good

and wellbeing. Positive emotions

widen our thought processes, which
can be built up over time and
banked to create a protective
reservoir upon which a person can
draw from during unpleasant or
distressing times.
Positive Psychology concentrates
on positive experiences at three
points: 1. The Past: centering on
well-being,
contentment,
satisfaction, serenity, pride and
fulfillment 2. The Present: focuses
on concepts such as happiness and
flow experiences (joy, ecstasy,
calm, zest, ebullience and pleasure)
3. The Future: with concepts
including optimism, faith, hope and
trust.
The three pillars of positive
psychologyaccordingtoSeligman
were positive subjective
experience, positive individual
characteristics (strengths and
virtues), and positive institutions
andcommunities.
One of the major findings of
positive psychology include:
People are generally happy.
Money doesn't necessarily buy

School of Psychology
11. Feminist
Psychology

Major Thinker
Judith Worrell
Pam Remer
Sandra Bem
Laura Brown
Jean Baker Miller
Carolyn Enns
Ellyn Kaschak
Boonie Burstow
Judith V. Jordan

well-being; but spending money on

other people can make individuals
happier.
Some of the best ways to combat
disappointments
and
setbacks
include strong social relationships
and character strengths.
Work can be important to wellbeing, especially when people are
able to engage in work that is
purposeful and meaningful.
While happiness is influenced by
genetics, people can learn to be
happier by developing optimism,
gratitude and altruism.
Theory
Feminist psychology grew out of
the influence of the womens
movement of the late 1960s. It
originated as a backlash against the
traditional assumptions of male
dominated theory, research and
practices,
especially
in
psychoanalytic
theory.
Its
emergence arises from Freuds
theories, such as penis envy and
hysteria, which were gender-biased
and based on developmental studies
of
men,
were
particularly
distasteful to supporters of the
feminist
movement. Feminist
Psychology was found by women
who had become aware of the

Strength

Criticism
Scholar
Susan
Thomas argued that
feminist therapy was
"more part of a social
movement than type
of psychotherapy,"
and
was
so
intimately tied to
broader social and
political
feminism
that its legitimacy as
a therapeutic school
was questionable.
-Satal argues that the
feminist presumption
that women are

pressures of patriarchy, sexism and

male chauvinism that therapy and
counseling were not exempt from
these pressures. Women discovered
that they were put down in a
number of subtle ways, and that all
sorts of expectations about the
female role and how it should be
played were built in to the therapy
process. Therefore, they started to
set up their own therapy centers
and their own network of
therapists. In this way, a feminist
therapy started to come into being.
Feminist
Therapy
examines
sociological
as
well
as
psychological factors, helps people
understand the impact of gender
roles and power differences in
society
A. Sex: biological difference
B. Gender: socially determined
thoughts, beliefs and attitudes about
men and women
Three
distinct
development:

phases

of

The first phase was characterized

by
borrowing
therapeutic
techniques that fit into the feminist
philosophy, with the goal to

oppressed
can
actually worsen a
patient's feelings of
helplessness
by
placing the patient's
locus of control
outside herself.
-Other critics have
argued that feminist
therapy
embraces
and
promotes
a
number of inaccurate
and discredited a
priori assumptions,
such as the belief that
men are responsible
for
initiating,
perpetrating
and
perpetuating
most
interpersonal
violence

empower
all
women
by
strengthening individual women.
The second phase is marked by the
inclusion of feminism into more
psychological
theories
where
feminists attempted to keep the
parts of psychological theories that
were sensible and that worked, but
tried to eliminate the sexist
elements that were present
The final and ongoing phase
consists of trying to develop a
complete theory that explains the
common experiences of women
and their difficulties arising from
living in a society where they are
devalued. Such a theory would
also integrate the impact of social
oppression based on ethnicity, race
and culture.
Goals of Feminist Therapy:
To become aware of ones genderrole socialization process
To identify internalized genderrole messages and replace them
with functional beliefs
To acquire skills to bring about
change in the environment

References:

Burger, J. (2010). Personality: Fifth Edition. United States of America: Wadsworth.

John, Oliver and Lawrence Pervin (1997). Personality: Theory and Research Seventh Edition. United States of America: John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.
Blanden, A. (March 2008). Citing Websites. Vygotskys Idea of Gestalt and its Origins. Retrieved October 18, 2012, from
http://home.mira.net/~andy/works/gestalt.htm
Boeree, C. G. (n.d.) Citing Websites. Gestalt Psychology. Retrieved October 13, 2012 from
http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/gestalt.html
Cherry, K. (n.d.). Citing Websites. Humanistic Psychology: The Third Force in Psychology. Retrieved October 13, 2012, from
http://psychology.about.com/od/historyofpsychology/a/hist_humanistic.htm
Khanna, R. (June 2010). Citing Websites. Schools of Psychology. Retrieved September 20, 2012, from
http://www.homeorizon.com/homeopathic-articles/psychology/schools-of-psychology2