Theorist Bible

Memory trick

FREUD = Father of the Unconscious

Most known for

Psychoanalysis. Unconscious conflicts, psychosexual stages, defense mechanisms.

Key concepts

• Id, Ego, Superego
• Psychosexual stages
• Defense mechanisms
• Free association

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JUNGLE of the Mind

Most known for

Analytical psychology. Collective unconscious, archetypes, individuation.

Key concepts

• Archetypes
• Collective unconscious
• Shadow self
• Individuation

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ADLER = Aim for Superiority

Most known for

Individual psychology. Feelings of inferiority, social interest, birth order.

Key concepts

• Inferiority complex
• Social interest
• Birth order
• Striving for superiority

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ROGERS = Real, Open, Genuine

Most known for

Person-centered therapy. Unconditional positive regard, empathy, congruence.

Key concepts

• Unconditional positive regard
• Empathy
• Congruence
• Self-actualization

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MASLOW = Must Have Love

Most known for

Hierarchy of Needs. Self-actualization and personal growth.

Key concepts

• Hierarchy of Needs
• Self-actualization
• Peak experiences
• Growth motivation

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SKINNER = Stimulus → Response → Consequence

Most known for

Behaviorism. Operant conditioning and reinforcement.

Key concepts

• Reinforcement
• Punishment
• Shaping
• Behavior modification

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PAVLOV = Dogs + Bells

Most known for

Classical conditioning. Learned associations.

Key concepts

• Unconditioned stimulus
• Conditioned response
• Classical conditioning

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WATSON = Watched & Learned

Most known for

Classical behaviorism. Environment shapes behavior.

Key concepts

• Stimulus–response
• Environment
• Observable behavior

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BANDURA = Behavior And Modeling

Most known for

Social learning theory. Modeling, observational learning, self-efficacy.

Key concepts

• Modeling
• Observational learning
• Self-efficacy
• Reciprocal determinism

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BECK = Bad Events → Crazy Thoughts

Most known for

Cognitive therapy. Automatic thoughts influence feelings and behaviors.

Key concepts

• Cognitive triangle
• Automatic thoughts
• Cognitive distortions
• Schemas

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ELLIS = A-B-C

Most known for

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). ABC model, disputing irrational beliefs.

Key concepts

• A-B-C model
• Irrational beliefs
• Disputation
• Rational beliefs

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FRANKL = Find Meaning & Live

Most known for

Logotherapy. Search for meaning is the primary motivator.

Key concepts

• Will to meaning
• Freedom of choice
• Meaning in suffering
• Existential vacuum

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PERLS = Be Here Now

Most known for

Gestalt therapy. Awareness of the present, unfinished business, wholeness.

Key concepts

• Here-and-now awareness
• Gestalt
• Empty chair
• Unfinished business

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BERNE = Parent, Adult, Child

Most known for

Transactional Analysis. Ego states and life scripts.

Key concepts

• Parent-Adult-Child
• Life scripts
• Transactions
• Strokes

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GLASSER = Choice Theory

Most known for

Reality therapy. Basic needs, responsibility, quality relationships.

Key concepts

• 5 basic needs
• Choice theory
• Responsibility
• WDEP system

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LAZARUS = Stress & Coping

Most known for

Multimodal therapy. Stress, coping, and emotional responses.

Key concepts

• Multimodal appraisal
• Stress
• Coping
• Problem-focused coping

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BOWEN = Bow & Arrow (aim across generations)

Most known for

Family systems theory. Differentiation of self, triangles, family projection process.

Key concepts

• Differentiation of self
• Family triangles
• Emotional cutoff
• Multigenerational transmission

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SATIR = People Are Valuable

Most known for

Humanistic family therapy. Communication styles, self-esteem, family rules.

Key concepts

• Communication stances (blamer, placater, etc.)
• Self-esteem
• Congruence
• Family sculpting

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MINUCHIN = Make Structure Change

Most known for

Structural family therapy. Family structure, boundaries, subsystems.

Key concepts

• Boundaries
• Subsystems
• Enmeshment
• Hierarchy

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HALEY = Hypothesis and Change

Most known for

Strategic family therapy. Paradox, reframing, solutions focused.

Key concepts

• Paradox
• Reframing
• Communication
• Solutions focused

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MADANES = Join & Lead

Most known for

Strategic family therapy. Joining, directives, enactments.

Key concepts

• Joining
• Directives
• Enactments
• Phases of treatment

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WHITAKER = Empathy & Experience

Most known for

Experiential family therapy. Empathy, confrontation, family emotional awareness.

Key concepts

• Experiential focus
• Confrontation
• Empathy
• Family growth

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NAGY = Give & Take

Most known for

Contextual family therapy. Relationships, loyalty, reciprocity, justice.

Key concepts

• Relational ethics
• Loyalty
• Reciprocity
• Balance of give and take

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MCGOLDRICK = Life Cycle & Culture

Most known for

Family life cycle theory. Transitions, cultural influences, resilience.

Key concepts

• Family life cycle
• Transitions
• Multicultural sensitivity
• Resilience

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ERIKSON = Eight Stages for Life

Most known for

Psychosocial development. Identity formation throughout the lifespan.

Key concepts

• 8 stages
• Identity vs. Role Confusion
• Generativity vs. Stagnation
• Integrity vs. Despair

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PIAGET = Kids Think in Stages

Most known for

Cognitive development. How children think and process information.

Key concepts

• Sensorimotor
• Preoperational
• Concrete operational
• Formal operational

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KOHLBERG = Right vs. Wrong Thinking

Most known for

Moral development. Stages of moral reasoning.

Key concepts

• Preconventional
• Conventional
• Postconventional

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VYGOTSKY = Zone of Help

Most known for

Sociocultural theory. Learning through social interaction.

Key concepts

• Zone of Proximal Development
• Scaffolding
• More Knowledgeable Other

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KEGAN = Meaning Making

Most known for

Adult development. Subject-object meaning making.

Key concepts

• Subject-object shift
• Constructive-developmental levels

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LEVINSON = Life Structure

Most known for

Adult life stages. Seasons of a man's life.

Key concepts

• Seasons of life
• Transitions
• Life structure

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BRONFENBRENNER = Bioecological Systems

Most known for

Ecological systems theory. Multiple environmental systems influence development.

Key concepts

• Microsystem
• Mesosystem
• Exosystem
• Macrosystem
• Chronosystem

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SUPER = Life-Span, Life-Space

Most known for

Career development. Life roles and stages.

Key concepts

• Life-span
• Life-space
• Self-concept
• Career maturity

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HOLLAND = RIASEC

Most known for

Vocational personality theory. Match person to environment.

Key concepts

• RIASEC types
• Person-environment fit
• Consistency
• Congruence

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GOTTFREDSON = Circumscription & Compromise

Most known for

Career development theory. Factors that limit career choices.

Key concepts

• Circumscription
• Compromise
• Self-concept
• Career aspirations

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ROE = Needs Satisfaction

Most known for

Theory of career choice. Needs and values guide choices.

Key concepts

• Needs
• Values
• Career choice
• Satisfaction

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THORNDIKE = Trial & Error

Most known for

Law of Effect. Trial and error learning, connections.

Key concepts

• Law of Effect
• Trial and error
• Connections

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AUSUBEL = Meaningful Learning

Most known for

Meaningful learning. Connect new info to prior knowledge.

Key concepts

• Meaningful learning
• Advance organizers
• Assimilation
• Subsumption

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BRUNER = Discover & Construct

Most known for

Discovery learning. Scaffolding and spiral curriculum.

Key concepts

• Discovery learning
• Scaffolding
• Spiral curriculum