1. Assess How Psychological Understanding Has Developed Over Time Flashcards
What is the AO1 for this debate?
-describing the change/ not change over time
What is the AO3 for this debate?
-explaining the impact of the change- positive and negative
For cognitive topic- models of memory- strength and weakness
AO1: The first model of memory was the multi store model which was developed by Atkinson and Shiffrin, explaining how memory was split into 3 components, sensory, STM and LTM. Baddeley and hitch then developed the working memory model which gives a more in-depth and broken down explanation of STM, with visual and auditory information being split into 2 separate stores. Tulving then develops his explanation of long term memory and how there are 3 different types; semantic, episodic, and procedural, which all deal with different types of long term information. The most recent model of memory is Bartletts reconstructive which now demonstrates the complexity of memory, and how easily it can be distorted.
AO3 STRENGTH: Research to support is Bartletts war of the ghosts who told a story to a number of ppts. He found that ppts simplified words such as canoe to boat, and that it was shortened from 330 words to 180.
AO3 WEAKNESS:
AO3 JUDGEMENT: Development of models of memory are very beneficial to society in terms of applications because it provides new ways of looking at memory to develop different applications e.g multi store model still has applications for revision and students whereas reconstructive memory has applications for cognitive interviews and eye witness testimony
For cognitive topic- study change over time- strength and weakness
AO1: Baddeley’s study investigated how STM and LTM were encoded, whether it was the same by acoustic encoding or if it was different such as semantic encoding.
For learning topic- classical and operant conditioning- strength and weakness
AO1: Learning theories like classical and operant conditioning have hardly changed over time as they have been proven to work with high applications to society. Classical conditioning is learning made through making associations with an unconditioned stimulus and a neutral stimulus to give a conditioned response. Operant conditioning uses consequence to reinforce or discourage a behaviour from occurring.
AO3 STRENGTH: Has high applications for society such as treatment for phobias such as systematic desensitisation which uses the process of classical conditioning to create positive associations with phobic stimulus, improving quality of life
AO3 WEAKNESS: this theory of classical conditioning was first tested by Watson and Rayner in 1920 but in a very unethical way, through creating a phobic response in a baby to a white rat by striking a metal pole behind his ear when the rat was presented. Without this experiment the theory wouldn’t have been tested to the same extent however it was extremely unethical to conduct
For learning topic- social learning theory- strength and weakness
AO1: The development of Banduras social learning theory shows a change over time. Bandura conducted an experiment in 1961, 1963, and 1965 to see how aggressive behaviour is learnt. In his 1961 study he found that children exposed to an aggressive model were more likely to display acts of aggression during free play then control groups, even more so if the model was the same sex as the child.
AO3 STRENGTH: The development of social learning theory has high applications to society as created the watershed to protect children from hearing inappropriate words on the tv like swearing at a young age, as well as age ratings on movies.
AO3 WEAKNESS: Banduras experiment has low internal validity however because the model were only acting aggressive towards a bobo doll, which the aim of is to hit and knock down, therefore the children which were acting aggressive may have been simply playing with the toy.
For bio topic- brain scans development- strength and weakness
AO1: the first brain scan to be developed was the CAT scan which shows brain structure by directing many x rays through the brain, then the PET scan which measures glucose metabolism activity in the brain and the most recent one being fMRI, which is the safest of the scans as does not use any radiation and provides a highly detailed image of the structure of the brain.
AO3 STRENGTH: Research to support is Raine et al who measured the brains of murderers who pleaded NGRI and non murderers, comparing glucose metabolism levels in different brain regions using a PET scan. He was able to conclude there was abnormal dysfunction in the brains of NGRI murderers and controls
AO3 WEAKNESS: However brain scans may be considered a subjective form of measurement. Although the way the scan measures brain activity is objective, the image has to be interpreted which may be liable to subjectivity of the research, limiting the applications the findings may have.
For bio topic- theories of aggression- strength and weakness
AO1: An old theory of aggression is evolution, which explains that the cause of aggression was for survival and reproductive success. Males would be aggressive in order to gain higher status making them more desirable to females. A newer theory of aggression is hormones, suggesting that an imbalance can cause aggressive behaviour. If males have too much testosterone they are more likely to act of aggressive impulses
AO3 STRENGTH: Hormone levels can be measured scientifically giving the explanation high scientific credibility
AO3 WEAKNESS: reductionist theory, aggression is likely to be caused by a combination of all the theories as opposed to just one explanation
For social topic- ethics- strength and weakness
AO1: social studies on humans have become a lot more ethical compared to how they used to be conducted. Milgram’s study of obedience gave all ppts a real electric shock of 45 V, and broke ethical guidelines such as deception and protection from harm in his experiment. At the time these guidelines weren’t a thing but they were developed after the effect of unethical studies like this. Burger recreated Milgram’s study in a more ethical way by reminding ppts of their right to withdraw, having a psychologist on hand, 2 step screening process etc.
AO3 STRENGTH: This is a positive change for ppts involved in psychological research as of ensures they will leave the study the same way that they entered the study, and means ppts will happily continue to volunteer for research instead of being scared to be involved.
AO3 WEAKNESS: Having ethical guidelines means the true extent of theories can’t be tested as well because of the measures that are in place to protect the ppts. For example in Burger maximum shock voltage was 150V, but we don’t know if ppts would have continued to go above this like they did in Milgram because this was put as a maximum to minimise anxiety levels.
For social topic- applications- strength and weakness
AO1: Applications of obedience studies like Milgram helped to explain events such as world war 2 by explaining why German soilders committed some of the acts they did because they were under the presence of a legitimate authority figure. This has hardly changed over time and no other research has provided different applications to explain this
