History and counseling psychology Essay

When we study human behavior, specifically focusing on the development of personality and crucial to how a person or individual conducts him/herself, psychology offers a variety of dimensions. The concept of personality is central to our attempt to understand ourselves and others and is part of the way in which we account for the differences that contribute to our individuality. Psychologists have been particularly concerned with shaping of the personality in relation to genetic and environmental influences. We have been fortunate that the study of human personality has been thriving and fruitful. We can choose from as many models we can to help us see ourselves better and maintain good relationships (Fall et al. , 2003). Behavior is described and analyzed. On this basis, an attempt to predict behavior is possible, and although this may not thoroughly and completely be accomplished in some endeavors, the basic understanding then is that there are certain expectations concerning how any person would act or decide upon things that are within his conscious awareness. Psychology is of great importance to man since psychological problems are common to group relations, in whatever framework a person or group of individuals come from (Fall et al. , 2003). Black, feminist, and cross-cultural psychologies depart from traditional psychology as these are expansions of the classic approaches but are reflective of more distinct and culturally sensitive perspectives that need to be incorporated. The relevance of integrating such approaches is timely since these have never been thought of before as pertinent hence, timely implementation of these theoretical perspectives is then appreciated (Fall et al. , 2003; Hamm, 1989). It is by separately labeling and providing a distinct area for each of these approaches much the same as their predecessors, and pointing to their current applications that makes this incorporation in the new course interesting and exciting. Due to the increasing technological breakthroughs, communication has never before as quick or speedy and as available as it is now, implying the accessibility of the approaches being introduced as readily as possible. The internet is a visible proof for this fact. At one’s fingertips, materials can be had that even very remote villages or cities in third world countries may be able to see the relevance of the approaches according to their contexts (Hamm, 1989). With this in mind, the application of these viewpoints in one’s role as teacher involves a deeper understanding in those populations that are particularly addressed in the theoretical viewpoints provided (Gloria & Lewis, 1986). As a practitioner on the other hand, the new set of formally accepted perspectives enhances one’s profession in a sense that a new way of looking at individuals and their culture are acceptable already and thus is a welcome addition to the depth of knowledge and insights of human behavior (Aguirre & Turner, 1995; Boisnier, 2003).