Psychology
The Top 10 Psychological Theories of the Modern Era
Whether you’re a psychology student, a mental health professional, or someone curious about the inner workings of the mind, this post has something for you
The field of psychology has been a study of the mind, emotions, and behavior for many years. There have been many theories that have helped psychologists understand how people think, feel and behave.
One of the most famous psychoanalytic theorists was Sigmund Freud, who created several theories on personality development and human behavior which are still being studied today by psychologists around the world.
In this post, we will be exploring the top 10 psychological theories of the modern era. From the groundbreaking work of Sigmund Freud to the latest research in the field, these theories have had a profound impact on our understanding of the human mind and behavior.
Whether you’re a psychology student, a mental health professional, or simply someone who is curious about the inner workings of the mind, this post has something for you. Join us as we delve into the top 10 psychological theories that have helped shape our understanding of the human experience.
1. Self-Determination Theory
Self-determination theory (SDT) is an approach to motivation that arose from research in the field of psychology. It was developed by Baumrind, who argued that children’s needs for autonomy and competence should be balanced with parents’ authority over their behavior.
Self-determination theory is based on several assumptions: first, it assumes that intrinsic motivation is better than extrinsic or social rewards; second, it holds that people have limited control over their own actions; thirdly and most importantly, SDT argues that people want to be autonomous — they want to make choices about what they do with their lives without being restricted by others establishing limits on these choices through coercion or influence tactics such as bribery or peer pressure.
2. Learned Helplessness
Learned helplessness is a psychological condition in which an organism forced to bear aversive stimuli repeatedly and without escape fails to learn or ceases to respond altogether. The term was coined by psychologist Martin Seligman, who observed that when dogs are raised in isolation they stop resisting the electric shock they receive. This suggests that the dogs have learned that there is no point in fighting back against what would otherwise be unbearable shocks. Learned helplessness occurs when an organism is conditioned to believe that it has no control over adverse events; this belief leads them not only not fight back against those events but also accept them as inevitable.
3. Attribution Theory
Attribution theory is a theory of motivation that focuses on the reasons why people behave in certain ways. It is based on the assumption that people have a tendency to attribute their own behavior to internal factors, while they attribute other people’s behavior to external factors. For example, if you see someone texting while driving and you get angry at them for doing so, then you may assume that it had something to do with them being distracted by their phone instead of thinking about where they are going or how fast they should drive there.
The attributional process begins when individuals receive information about themselves (e.g., “I am hungry”). This information then causes them either positive or negative feelings towards themselves (e.g., feeling hungry). In this way, people can determine whether they feel good or bad based upon what happened at any given time during each momentary experience.”
4. Stress and Coping Theory
The theory of stress and coping is a dynamic process that describes the effects of stress on an individual. Stress is a state of mind, which can be positive or negative. It’s important to note that coping is not an either-or situation; it’s possible for someone to cope with stress in one way while also experiencing other negative consequences from it (e.g., poor health).
The purpose of this theory was to explain why certain people get sick more often than others despite having similar lifestyles — and why some people recover from illness faster than others do after getting sick again! This may sound contradictory at first glance because we typically expect things like this (a person who’s physically healthy doesn’t catch every cold going around) but when you think about it logically instead: If everyone had equal access to resources such as food, shelter and medical care then everyone would always be happy regardless if their lives weren’t perfect yet — they’d still have enough money leftover each month so they could afford new clothes without having debt hanging over their heads too long…
5. Expectancy Theory
Expectancy theory is a psychological theory that explains the relationship between expectations and behavior. It was developed by Edward Lee Thorndike in 1898, and it states that people’s attitudes and behaviors are determined by their expectations. Expected rewards for an activity or outcome lead to higher rates of engagement in that particular activity or outcome, whereas unexpected rewards lead to lower rates of engagement. In other words, if you expect something positive from doing something (such as finishing your homework), then you’re more likely to actually do it — and vice versa with negative outcomes; if you think completing your homework will result in punishment (like getting detention), then there’s less likelihood that you’ll actually complete it because hedonic value hasn’t been established yet!
Expectancy theory is based on the assumption that people will engage in activities which they believe will be rewarded; however there are exceptions depending on how difficult they find certain tasks may seem at times.”
6. The Social Exchange Theory
The Social Exchange Theory is a theory of interpersonal relationships that explains how people make decisions about who to enter into relationships with and what to do in those relationships. It suggests that individuals maximize their own rewards and minimize their costs by engaging in exchanges with others. The theory states that people enter into social interactions for the purpose of getting something from another person (such as money or status) or giving something to another person (such as respect).
The basic idea behind this theory is that humans are inherently selfish, but they also have a desire for companionship, friendship and love which makes them want to try to get along with everyone they meet by forming bonds with others through sharing things like food or shelter.
7. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a theory of human motivation that describes the stages of growth and development that humans go through as they seek to satisfy their basic needs. The hierarchy consists of five levels: physiological, safety/leisure, love/belonging, self-esteem and esteem.
Maslow’s theory was first published in 1943 in his book Motivation and Personality (1943) with the help of Abraham H. Maslow who became his mentor after they met at Columbia University where he was studying medicine while she was studying psychology at Teachers College New York City .
8. Operant Conditioning
Operant conditioning is a psychological theory that explains how humans learn by observing their own behavior. The concept was first introduced by B. F. Skinner in 1938, and it’s been an important part of psychology ever since.
Operant conditioning works like this: A person performs an action (such as pressing a button) and then receives some kind of consequence (such as getting their phone back). Over time, they will begin to associate the action with its consequences — the more times they press a button before receiving their phone back, the more likely it is that they will continue doing so until finally pressing the button without any repercussions whatsoever!
9. The Myers-Briggs Test (MBTI)
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality test that uses four dimensions to describe personality: extroversion (E), introversion, sensing (S), and thinking (T). It is based on the theory of Carl Jung.
To take the test, you will be asked questions about your preferences and behaviors according to these four categories. For example, if you are an extrovert who prefers being alone or with others but not both at the same time due to feeling uncomfortable in groups; then it would be appropriate for this item on how much time do people spend at work versus home with family members etcetera?
10. Freud’s Psychoanalysis Method and Psychosexual Stages
Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis method is a form of therapy that focuses on exploring an individual’s unconscious mind in order to understand their behavior and psychological issues. The theory behind psychoanalysis is that unconscious conflicts and desires often manifest as psychological symptoms or disorders, and that by bringing these conflicts and desires to the conscious mind, individuals can better understand and address their issues.
One of the key components of Freud’s psychoanalysis method is the concept of the psychosexual stages, which describes the development of an individual’s sexual and psychological identity throughout their lifetime. According to Freud, individuals pass through five distinct stages of psychosexual development: the oral stage, the anal stage, the phallic stage, the latent stage, and the genital stage. Each stage is characterized by a particular focus on a different body part or area, and conflicts or issues that arise during a particular stage can have lasting effects on an individual’s psychological development.
For example, during the oral stage, which typically occurs during the first year of life, an infant’s primary source of pleasure is through oral activities such as sucking and biting. If an infant experiences frustration or overindulgence during this stage, they may develop negative personality traits such as being overly dependent or aggressive. Similarly, during the anal stage, which typically occurs between the ages of one and three, an individual’s focus shifts to controlling their bowel movements and learning to follow rules and social norms. If an individual experiences conflicts or difficulties during this stage, they may develop negative traits such as being overly anal retentive or rebellious.
Overall, Freud’s psychoanalysis method and psychosexual stages continue to be influential in the field of psychology, even though many of Freud’s theories have been challenged or revised over time.
Many psychological theories have been put forth to explain various human behaviors and attitudes
As you may have noticed, there are many psychological theories that have been put forth to explain various human behaviors and attitudes. Some theories are more widely accepted than others.
Theories can be used to understand how people think and act. Theories also help us understand why people behave in certain ways. For example, if a person experiences anxiety while thinking about making an important decision, then they might feel pressure from the outside world (such as work) or within themselves (such as fear of failure).
Conclusion
The field of psychology has grown over the years, and now it’s difficult to keep up with all of the new theories that are being proposed. As we can see from this list, there is much more than meets the eye with each one — from how our brains work to what motivates us. Each theory has its own strengths and weaknesses, which makes it important for researchers to conduct their own studies before arriving at conclusions about any particular theory.
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