The profession of psychology plays an important role in enhancing the lives of individuals and communities. Thanks to this profession, it is possible for individuals with mental health problems to receive care and support. Psychology also makes it possible for individuals to make improvements in their personal lives (Bray & Kehle, 2011). This field is able to enhance human experiences through different perspectives and approaches. Biological, cognitive, socio-cultural and psychodynamic are the major psychological approaches. This essay applies these approaches to the case of Molly, an 18-year old girl struggling with alcohol abuse and who has attempted suicide. The essay investigates how this approaches shed light on her case.
Biological approach
The biological perspective is among the approaches that are used to understand the forces that shape human behavior. Basically, this perspective examines how the functions of the body determine the behavior of an individual (Wade & Travis, 2011). It investigates such issues as hormones and chemical processes and the role that they play in shaping human behavior, thoughts and feelings. Some of the issues that are linked to biological functions of the human body include performance, how individuals perceive reality, memory and susceptibility to various disorders (Wade & Travis, 2011). This approach also seeks to understand the interactions between the mind and the body. The biological approach tends to rely on insights regarding human anatomy and the functioning of the body to explain behavior.
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The biological perspective can be applied to Molly’s case to understand why she feels sad and has attempted suicide. In the case, it is mentioned that Molly missed classes and that she consumes alcohol in her effort to combat the feeling of sadness. A psychologist applying the biological perspective may begin treating Molly by shedding light on her bodily functions. Could these functions be responsible for how she feels? Is it possible that her anatomy and the performance of her body are to blame for her low spirit and lack of motivation? There have been efforts to understand how the biological functions can cause an individual to feel sad and lack enthusiasm for life. As established, there is a link between the mind and the body (Breazeale, 2012). There are some unconscious processes that occur in the body, which influence how an individual feels and responds to their environment. Hormones also play a role in shaping behavior. Low levels of such hormones as norepinephrine and serotonin have been blamed for depression (“Sadness and Depression”, n.d). The psychologist using the biological perspective may conclude that the low levels of these hormones in Molly’s system could be responsible for her sadness, alcohol abuse and suicide attempt.
Cognitive approach
The cognitive perspective can also provide insights into the forces behind Molly’s behavior. This approach is concerned with investigating mental processes. Psychologists who adopt this perspective seek to understand how such processes as memory, beliefs, explanations, and perceptions are related to human behavior (Wade & Travis, 2011). These psychologists investigate how the mental processes shape decision-making, problem solving and other intellectual tasks.
The cognitive approach could help to shed light on the causes of Molly’s behavior. As noted above, this perspective seeks to establish a link between mental processes and observable behavior. One of the observations that were made regarding Molly’s behavior is that she consumed too much alcohol and lost commitment to her studies. The psychologist using the cognitive approach may blame her behavior on some mental functions. For instance, beliefs and perceptions are some of the mental processes that could be responsible for Molly’s troubles. It could be that she has adopted a belief system that encourages laziness and promotes binge drinking. It has been demonstrated that an individual’s belief system informs their position on such issues as alcohol consumption (Horvath et al., 2013). This means that it is possible that Molly’s belief system and her expectations are responsible for her drinking and sadness.
Socio-cultural approach
The socio-cultural perspective is the third approach that can be relied on to understand human behavior. This approach focuses on the role that culture and the social environment plays in determining attitudes and behavior (Wade & Travis, 2011). The approach aims to demonstrate socio-cultural forces have a subjective effect on individuals, thereby determining their behavior. These forces include one’s peers and employment. Molly’s case can be examined through the socio-cultural lens. In the case, it is mentioned that binge drinking occurs in her college. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that her drinking could be the result of pressure from her peers. Peer pressure has been blamed for many cases of binge drinking. Many people, especially those who are young, consume alcohol in an effort to fit in and impress their peers. The socio-cultural perspective can also be used to explain her state of sadness and suicide attempt. Molly shares that she drinks alone to escape the sadness that she feels. It can be argued that she lacks a strong social support system. She is unable to rely on her friends or family for strength. This could be why she turns to alcohol and attempted suicide. The socio-cultural perspective would definitely allow the attending psychologist to get to the root of the problems that Molly struggles with.
Psychodynamic approach
The psychodynamic approach is another perspective that could provide insights into the causes of Molly’s struggles. This perspective examines inner forces and their impact on human behavior (Wade & Travis, 2011). The three other approaches primarily rely on observable characteristics. The psychodynamic perspective is different in that it digs deeper to reveal hidden forces. Freud is among the psychologists who promoted this perspective (Wade & Travis, 2011). He believed that hidden forces play a more active role than other factors in shaping human behavior. This perspective can enable the psychologist attending to Molly to find out what the root of her troubles is. In the case, it is mentioned that Molly’s mother strived to shield her from the troubles at home and was committed to offering her the best life possible. It can be argued that the mother was overprotective and failed to prepare Molly for the challenges of adulthood. This could explain why Molly is unable to resist the urge to drink alcohol or stay committed to her studies. The psychodynamic perspective can also explain why Molly is unable to cope with stress. It is mentioned in the case that she never learnt how to deal with stress when she was young. Instead, she escaped and turned to drinking. It is clear that Molly never developed the capacities and tenacity needed to face life. This makes the psychodynamic approach effective at unearthing the causes of her problems.
Each of the perspectives discussed above are valid and allow for the causes of Molly’s problems to be revealed. However, it may be impossible to apply all the approaches. It is for this reason that one approach must be selected. It is felt that the socio-cultural approach is the most reliable and that it best explains Molly’s behavior and attitudes. Peer pressure is one of the biggest influencers of human behavior. There are many individuals who have adopted certain habits as a result of pressure from their friends. The cultural environment is also a strong force that plays a significant role in determining behavior and attitudes. The strength of the cultural and social factors forms the basis of selecting the psychodynamic perspective as the most reliable approach.
In conclusion, the psychology profession continues to play an important role in improving the lives of individuals. Every day, members of this profession listen to the problems that their clients present and help them find solutions. The psychodynamic, biological, cognitive and socio-cultural perspectives are among the tools that the practitioners rely on to understand the causes of the problems that their clients grapple with. Each of these perspectives is good and effective in its own right. However, it is advised that practitioners should select the approach that holds the most promise of shedding light on the forces behind the behavior of clients.
References
Breazeale, R. (2012). Thoughts, Neurotransmitters, Body-Mind Connection. Retrieved 3 rd June
2017 from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-the-face-adversity/201207/thoughts-neurotransmitters-body-mind-connection
Gray, M. A. & Kehle, T. J. (2011). The Oxford Handbook of School Psychology. Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
Horvath, A. T., Misra, K., Epner, A. K. & Cooper, M. G. (2013). Cognitive Theory and
Addiction (Thoughts, Beliefs, Expectations). Retrieved 3 rd June 2017 from
https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/cognitive-theory-and-addiction-thoughts-beliefs-expectations/
Sadness and Depression. (n.d). Retrieved 3 rd June 2017 from
https://www.neumann.edu/life/counseling/mental_health/depression/sadness_depression.htm
Wade, C. & Travis, C. (2011). Invitation to Psychology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
