Part I    Introduction8
fei75766_ch01_001-018.indd 8  02/06/20 10:41 AMPsychodynamic Theories
Beginning withFreud, psychoanalytic andthenthemore general psychodynamic 
approaches havefocused ontheimportance ofearly childhood experiences andon
relationships withparents asguiding forces thatshape personality development. Addi -
tionally, thisviewseestheunconscious mind andmotives asmuch more powerful 
thantheconscious awareness. Psychoanalysis traditionally useddream interpretation 
touncover theunconscious thoughts, feelings, andimpulses asamain form oftreat-
ment forneurosis andmental illness. After Freud, these theorists moved away from 
theimportance ofsexuality andmore toward social andcultural forces.
Humanistic-Existential Theories
Theprimary assumption ofthehumanistic (currently known as“positive psychol -
ogy”) approach isthatpeople strive toward meaning, growth, well-being, happiness, 
andpsychological health. States ofpositive emotion andhappiness foster psychologi -
calhealth andprosocial behavior. Understanding these evolved positive aspects of
human behavior provides justasmuch insight intohuman nature asdoesunderstand -
ingthepathological aspects. Existential theorists assume thatnotonlywearedriven 
byasearch formeaning butalsonegative experiences, suchasfailure, awareness of
death, death ofaloved one,andanxiety, arepartofthehuman condition andcan
foster psychological growth. 
Dispositional Theories
Dispositional theorists argue thattheunique andlong-term tendencies tobehave in
particular ways aretheessence ofourpersonality. These unique dispositions, suchas
extraversion oranxiety, arecalled traits. Thefieldhasconverged ontheunderstand -
ingthatthere arefivemain traitdimensions inhuman personality. Traits serve the
function ofmaking certain behaviors more likely insome people.
Biological-Evolutionary Theories
Behavior, thoughts, feelings, andpersonality areinfluenced bydifferences in
basic genetic, epigenetic, andneurological systems among individuals. Thereason 
some people havedifferent traits, dispositions, andways ofthinking stems from 
differences intheir genotype andcentral nervous system (brain structures and
neurochemistry). 
Because theyarebased onevolved brain systems, human thought, behavior, and
personality havebeenshaped byforces ofevolution (natural andsexual selection) 
overmillions ofyears. Thebody, brain, andenvironment coexist andcoevolve, and
somore thananyother psychological perspective, thisoneemphasizes thatwhat we
think, feel,anddoisalways aninteraction between nature (biological) andnurture 
(environment).
Learning-(Social) Cognitive Theories
Ifyouwant tounderstand behavior, thenfocus onlyonbehavior, notonhypothetical 
andunobservable internal states suchasthoughts, feelings, drives, ormotives. 
Allbehaviors arelearned through association and/or itsconsequences (whether itFinal PDF to printer