Over the course of human existence, it has become apparent that the brain is an extraordinarily complex organ. Major advancements in technology, combined with traumatic brain injuries, have led to a greater understanding of the different regions of the brain and their various functions. Even though new information is constantly being discovered about the brain, it is still arguably the most mysterious organ in existence. However, there are seven main theories that shed some light on human behavior. Psychoanalysis, developed by Sigmund Freud, is a theoretical approach to human development that deals predominantly with childhood experiences and the unconscious mind. Freud believed that people repress certain feelings, and by bringing those feelings into conscious awareness, the root of the problem can be identified. For example, if a person is having relationship issues with a significant other, a therapist could figure out that abuse from a parent or sibling in the past could be causing the issues. The humanistic approach boosts self-fulfillment and promotes personal growth instead of focusing on curing illnesses. It also focuses greatly on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which describes the different needs that influence humans and motivates certain behavior. If a person wanted to quit smoking, they might seek out a humanistic therapist who will have an unconditional positive regard and not pass judgment. That would provide a safe environment for the patient, allowing them to feel more comfortable opening up about their feelings. The therapist would work towards the goal of establishing self-actualization in the patient by showing empathy and accentuating all the good qualities the patient possesses, ultimately leading them to acquire self-acceptance. Another main theory in human development is the behavioral theory, which quantifies aspects of behavior and enforces conditional techniques, such as the response students have when they hear the bell that signifies either the beginning or end of a class. To quantify a behavior, it must be observed carefully and there should be a significant amount of recorded data. If a person is stuck in the habit of spending too much money, they might quantify their behavior by recording how much they spend daily and what they spend it on. Doing so would emphasize the problem and encourage the person to change their spending habits. Cognition is the process of obtaining knowledge through thought, so it’s fitting that the cognitive theory mainly involves focusing on thoughts. If someone loses their job, they can look at it one of two ways. They can either feel worthless and spiral into depression, or they can view it as a poor fit and understand they deserve better. Reproduction and survival are the two main aspects that the evolutionary theory covers. The part about survival is based off Darwin’s “survival of the fittest,” otherwise known as natural selection. Certain traits possessed by humans are products of natural selection, which occurs in evolution. The traits produced from natural selection are ones that will make survival easier, and the useless ones are erased from existence. Everybody comes from different cultural backgrounds and have different societies that they function in. A person’s behavior depends on who they are with. A teenager might act immature around friends, but they would be kind and respectful if they were with their grandmother. If a person comes from a poor society, they might not receive adequate rest and nutrition, which would affect their ability to learn and function on a daily basis. Nobody can function properly if they are running on practically no sleep and haven’t eaten in days. The neuroscience approach studies behavior caused by the brain and genetics. Other systems of the body, such as the immune and nervous systems, are also examined to help scientists fully understand how bodies function and continue to evolve. It is necessary to know how the body functions to determine why people react the way they do to certain things. A person might be depressed because their parents passed the depressive trait on to them. After studying the seven main theories in psychology, the behavioral theory is the most difficult for me to understand. I don’t have a problem with understanding conditional techniques; those are pretty straightforward, but quantifying behavior befuddles me. If the behavior isn’t quantified, then it has to be any theory except the behavioral theory. I feel as if quantification isn’t necessary; behavior shouldn’t have to be measured numerically. Out of all six of the main theories in psychology, I find the psychoanalytic theory most useful to me and the easiest to comprehend. My childhood was filled with traumatic experiences, and because I was so young, I didn’t know how to properly cope with my feelings. As I matured, I dug up those feelings and learned how to properly deal with them. Because of that, I was able to get to the root of my unhappiness and work towards becoming healthy. In essence, there are seven main theoretical approaches in psychology that stem from different perspectives of evaluating human behavior. Not all the theories are easy to understand, but they are all important in explaining the development of humans. Every person is bound to relate to at least one, if not all, of these theories at some point in his or her lifetime.