Final answer:
The cognitive approach to psychology views the mind as an active problem-solving system, contrasting with the behaviorist approach which sees actions as controlled by external forces. Cognitive psychology, humanistic psychology, and modern integrated perspectives that consider both environment and cognition contribute to our understanding of behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
The approach to psychology that views the mind as an active and aware problem-solving system is the cognitive approach. This perspective contrasts with the behaviorist approach to psychology, which holds that actions are purely driven by external environmental forces. The cognitive approach is part of the broader cognitive revolution that began in the 1950s and shifted the focus of psychology back to mental processes after a prolonged period of behaviorism's dominance. Unlike behaviorism, which focuses only on observable behavior, the cognitive viewpoint emphasizes the mental activities of the brain and its problem-solving capabilities, aligning more closely with the methods of empirical research and scientific testing.
Later developments in psychology, such as humanistic psychology also recognize the active role that individuals' perceptions and interpretations play in shaping their behavior, stressing the importance of both the situation and personal factors. This is seen in the work of figures like Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers, who contributed significantly to our understanding of self-actualization and personal growth, and Albert Bandura with his notion of reciprocal determinism and self-efficacy. These approaches emphasize an interplay between the environment and individual cognition, challenging the deterministic viewpoint of the behaviorist approach.
In conclusion, modern psychology generally incorporates both the impact of the environment and the cognitive processes of individuals in understanding behavior, rejecting the idea that behavior is determined solely by external factors as suggested by strict behaviorists. Instead, psychology today often adopts a functionalist viewpoint, analogous to how a computer runs a program, where the mind is seen as a function of the brain's processes, resonating with the monist-materialist perspective of physicalism.