Behavioral Perspective Theory
Observable behaviors are learned from the response of environmental stimuli.
Key Concepts:
- The environment influences focus on how stimuli and experiences from the environment are reflected in your behavior.
- Your motivation is directly linked to the effort you put into the outcome that happens.
- You learn by two methods of conditioning: Classical states that a neutral stimulus will cause a natural response (Pavlov’s Dog). Operant states that you learn that good behavior is rewarded and bad behavior is punished (Skinner’s Box) (Cherry, 2025).
Principles of Behavioral Theory:
Only observable behaviors should be studied; feelings and internal thoughts are unimportant and not scientific.
Learning is a changed behavior deeply rooted in rewards and punishments but influenced by the environment in which you are subjected to.
We are all born with absolutely no genetic imprint that dictates our personality and behaviors; we were blank slates and were influenced by environments, as thought by Skinner and Watson (Fritscher, 2025).
How can the Behavioral theory be applied to understanding personality development?
By observation. An example of applying the behavioral theory in a school scenario, when the teacher wants students to do well on a test, they might say If everyone passes, we can have a pizza party. Students will study more to help improve their chances of being rewarded with pizza.
Behavioral Theory shifts the focus from introspection to measurable actions using replicable experiments; this is the biggest contribution of this theory to psychology. Adding a science-based element to behaviorism thanks to John B. Watson (McLeod, 2025).
Psychodynamic Theory
The personality is a complex interplay of conscious and unconscious motives, thoughts, and feelings (Twenge & Campbell, 2019).
Key Concepts:
- Behavior is affected by our thought’s feelings and memories (Opland, 2024).
- Dream analysis can help revel desires, conflicts and fears.
- Psychosexual stages can lead to adult issues (Cherry, 2025).
Principles of Psychodynamic Theory:
Childhood experiences shape the individual’s adult personality.
We have a defense mechanism that unconsciously helps to repress, deny and protect that helps us to manage anxiety, or threatening thoughts.
The ego is the rational part of our personality, Super-Ego is the moral compass, and the ID is our natural instincts and drive that we are born with (Taylor et al., 2022).
Idea behind Psychodynamic Theory:
The unconscious mind holds the key to understanding how our adult personalities were formed.
How can Psychodynamic Theory be applied to understanding personality development?
Knowing someone’s experiences, traumas, and unmanaged anxiety can give us the reason why someone’s personality is the way it is in their adult life. Our adult behaviors are a reflection of our early childhood experiences.
What are the contributions that biological theory made for psychology?
The Psychodynamic Theory was the first to say early childhood experiences genuinely help shape adult personalities, and that our internal thoughts and feelings mattered. That our external actions didn’t define us, there was much deeper reasoning for why we had a temper, or why we are friendly, and you had to go inside the mind to find those reasons.
Humanistic Theory
Focuses on self-potential and personal growth
Key Concepts:
- As you satisfy each basic need of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, your true personality develops.
- Your personality is developed around who you are and who you want to be.
- Unconditional support and acceptance is essential in developing a healthy self-concept and authenticity.
Principles of Humanistic Theory:
People are basically good.
Individuals are responsible for their personal growth and how some grow from adversity (Jospeh, 2021).
You have to understand the person as a whole and not just their parts separately (Millacci, 2025).
Idea behind Humanistic Theory:
Abrham Maslow thought that people were inherently good and wanted to reach their full potential and that each person possessed that ability through their own driven motivation.
How can Humanistic Theory be applied to understanding personality development?
Understanding people have free will, and that they can shape and mold their personalities and are not bound by past experiences and feelings (McLeod, 2025).
What are the contributions that the Humanistic theory made for psychology?
Humanistic Theory has bridged the gap between what the psychologist can postulate about what is wrong with a person and allows that individual more control over the direction of their therapy. It helped open up person-centered therapy. It also taught researchers that they were missing the human experience behind a lot of the research (Millacci, 2025).
Biological Theory
Genetics determine your personality
Key Concepts:
Traits are genetic as observed by the identical twins’ studies were twins that were raised apart shared the same personality traits (Winerman, 2015).
Personality is linked to certain neural systems by using fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imagery) and PET (positron emission tomography) researchers can see how the brain and nervous system can affect behavior (Cherry, 2025).
Children are born with their natural disposition, their temperament.
Principles of Biological Theory:
According to Steven (2021), researchers in biological theory focus on how physiological factors affect human behavior.
Idea behind Biological Theory:
Our personality is shaped by nature, utilizing our biological foundations, which are our genetic makeup, brain structure, and physiological processes. Personality traits are linked through your DNA.
How can Biological Theory be applied to understanding personality development?
Researchers say our genetics are the blueprint for our personality. Biological Theory can be applied to the understanding of personality development by showing how our foundations, as mentioned above, can exhibit a range of behaviors in people. This theory helps therapists understand that some behaviors are not a choice but are biologically predisposed. This will help determine the best treatment plan for the client.
What are the contributions that biological theory made for psychology?
Biological theory has transformed psychology by enabling researchers to pinpoint brain regions linked to specific behaviors while establishing that the brain possesses neuroplasticity, allowing it to remain adaptable (Youngblood-Gregory, 2024). Furthermore, modern biological perspectives demonstrate how neurotransmitters directly influence mood, motivation, and behaviors.
What do I believe is the theory that can be applied to life and work?
Psychodynamic theory is a theory that relates more with my system of understanding why people do what they do and act the way they act. I strongly believe that the traumas and experiences of our childhood really create our personalities as we age. Do I believe it is the only thing that molds our personalities no, I do believe that genetics plays its part as well.
I can only discuss myself for an example of why I think psychodynamic theory helps us better understand not only ourselves but others as well. I grew up in an abusive household; I had to learn quickly to read a room and dictate my moods off of others so I would not anger them or create a situation that could become abusive. Living like that for so long you learn to make yourself smaller and more voiceless. I walked with my head looking to the ground, with no eye contact, I didn’t like to speak to people. I was fragile, but not like a flower, like a bomb. If I was pushed or threatened as I became older, I would explode with anger and wanted to fight. When I started therapy, it became very apparent to me that all the traumas I was exposed to for so long was what made me impatient, made me volatile and very sharp tongued.
I do not work in any psychological field yet; I work in logistics and with a lot of people who have served some time in prison. I watch how they interact and how they solve problems, and how their tempers progress.
One person I work with grew up in a household much like mine, drug drug-addicted father and an abusive mother. When I first started talking with him, he would cause so many problems at work, lashing out at people and starting fights with other workers when he had a bad day. I would talk with him about how his past traumas were important to heal now, if he ever wanted to find the peace he said he had never felt before. For 2 years, I have been helping him unravel his childhood negative experiences so he can understand that his abuse is directly linked to the feelings of abandonment, anxiety, anger, and the fear of not being enough. These unregulated emotions are what make others view him as a liability and as a threat. I have seen a huge change in him from our first conversation two years ago. Now he is calmer and walks away from instigating conversations with his peers. He has told me that he has learned to use breathing and other techniques I taught him to lower his anxiety and to keep his cool. He started seeing a therapist, and his personality has changed since he learned to heal. He smiles more, he is more confident without being a bully, he takes initiative at work, and has become more of a leader and not a follower.
If you cannot understand and see where someone came from, if you don’t let them paint you a picture of their childhood experiences, you’re only seeing them at surface level, but you’re not seeing them as a whole. Psychodynamic theory in therapy helps us face our unconscious motives and give them names, this realization can help us break patterns and impulses that had become our framework for our personality from past traumas (Vigliotti, 2024).
I feel that when I become a psychologist, psychodynamic theory will be a huge part of my practice. We come from so many different places in this world, so many different upbringing situations. I picture therapy like this; your brain has as many doors that match your age at the present time you start therapy. We open each door until we find the one that holds the trauma and that is where we start healing that inner child so the adult can live in peace, so their adult personality can start being formed instead of just being manipulated.
If you cannot understand and see where someone came from, if you don’t let them paint you a picture of their childhood experiences, you’re only seeing them at the surface level, but you’re not seeing them as a whole. Psychodynamic theory in therapy helps us face our unconscious motives and give them names; this realization can help us break patterns and impulses that had become our framework for our personality from past traumas (Vigliotti, 2024).
References Used:
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[ Classical and Operant Conditioning]. (n.d.)
Photos 1-8, Alisa Hurkman (n.d.)