Final answer:
The mid 20th century in psychology was dominated by behaviorism and psychoanalysis. Discontent with the limitations of these schools led to the rise of humanistic psychology, emphasizing innate human goodness and personal agency. The Cognitive Revolution later emerged, shifting focus back to internal mental processes.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the mid 20th century, psychology was largely dominated by two main schools of thought: behaviorism and psychoanalysis. Behaviorism, which is deterministic at its core, posits that all human behavior is determined by a combination of genetics and environment. On the other hand, psychoanalysis, founded by Sigmund Freud, emphasized the importance of the unconscious mind and its effects on human behavior. Despite their dominance, there was growing discomfort among psychologists regarding the limitations of these perspectives. The humanistic psychology emerged as a reaction to these dominant paradigms, with key figures like Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers focusing on the potential for good within all humans and emphasizing personal control and intentionality.
The later part of the mid 20th century saw the rise of the Cognitive Revolution, which shifted the focus back to the mind and internal mental processes, expanding the field beyond the constraints of behaviorism and psychoanalysis. This revolution, fueled by interdisciplinary collaboration and the integration of insights from linguistics, neuroscience, and computer science, opened up new avenues and perspectives in psychological research.