5. APPROACHES (Comparison of approaches) Flashcards
How does the Biological Approach view development?
The Biological Approach emphasizes maturation during puberty, leading to sex differences between genders.
How does the Cognitive Approach view development?
The Cognitive Approach focuses on stage theories such as Piaget’s cognitive development theory and gender constancy, as well as schema theory.
How does the Behaviourist Approach view development?
The Behaviourist Approach sees development as continuous and occurring at any stage through learning via reinforcement and conditioning.
How does the Humanistic Approach view development?
The Humanistic Approach views the development of the self as ongoing throughout life, with relationships, especially with parents, being key to psychological health.
What is the stance of the Biological Approach on the Nature vs. Nurture debate?
The Biological Approach emphasizes nature, suggesting that behaviour is influenced by genetic factors like neuroanatomy and neurotransmitters.
What is the stance of the Cognitive Approach on the Nature vs. Nurture debate?
The Cognitive Approach sees both nature and nurture as important, with innate information processing systems that are refined by experience.
What is the stance of the Behaviourist Approach on the Nature vs. Nurture debate?
The Behaviourist Approach emphasizes nurture, suggesting that behaviour develops through association and direct reinforcement
What is the stance of the Psychodynamic Approach on the Nature vs. Nurture debate?
The Psychodynamic Approach acknowledges both innate biological forces (e.g., the unconscious) and the influence of parenting on behaviour.
What is the stance of the Humanistic Approach on the Nature vs. Nurture debate?
The Humanistic Approach suggests that the drive to self-actualize is innate, but problems achieving this stem from upbringing and life experiences.
How does the Biological Approach view reductionism?
The Biological Approach is highly reductionist, suggesting behaviour is caused by genetic influences, neurotransmitters, or hormones, ignoring external factors
How does the Cognitive Approach view reductionism?
The Cognitive Approach is criticized for machine reductionism, where humans are seen as information processing systems, ignoring the role of emotion.
How does the Behaviourist Approach view reductionism?
The Behaviourist Approach is reductionist as it breaks complex behaviour into basic stimulus-response systems, often using animal studies.
How does the Psychodynamic Approach view reductionism?
The Psychodynamic Approach is somewhat reductionist, reducing behaviour to basic sex drives and instincts, but also considers the interaction of personality structures.
How does the Humanistic Approach view reductionism?
The Humanistic Approach is holistic, viewing behaviour in terms of all aspects of an individual and how they engage with society.
What is the stance of the Biological Approach on determinism?
The Biological Approach follows genetic determinism, believing much of behaviour is predetermined by innate factors, with little free will (hard determinism).
What is the stance of the Cognitive Approach on determinism?
The Cognitive Approach supports soft determinism, arguing we are free to choose our thoughts and behaviours but within the constraints of our existing experiences.
What is the stance of the Behaviourist Approach on determinism?
The Behaviourist Approach is based on hard determinism, claiming behaviour is determined solely by environmental factors, with little to no free will.
What is the stance of the Social Learning Theory on determinism?
The Social Learning Theory supports reciprocal determinism, where behaviour is influenced by the environment, but individuals also exert some influence on their environment.
What is the stance of the Psychodynamic Approach on determinism?
The Psychodynamic Approach follows psychic determinism, where unconscious drives and past experiences dictate behaviour, and free will is seen as an illusion (hard determinism).
What is the stance of the Humanistic Approach on determinism?
The Humanistic Approach is unique in believing that humans have complete free will and are active agents who determine their own behaviour.
What is a practical treatment implication of the Biological Approach?
The Biological Approach has led to drug treatments for mental illnesses, such as SSRIs for depression and anxiety and antipsychotics for schizophrenia.
What is a practical treatment implication of the Cognitive Approach?
The Cognitive Approach has led to the development of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which is effective in treating depression, anxiety, and OCD by challenging faulty thinking.
What is a practical treatment implication of the Behaviourist Approach?
The Behaviourist Approach has led to the use of systematic desensitization for the treatment of phobias, where patients are gradually exposed to their fears.
What is a practical treatment implication of the Psychodynamic Approach?
The Psychodynamic Approach has led to psychoanalysis, the first talking therapy, which is successful for some conditions like neuroses, but not for others like schizophrenia.
What is a practical treatment implication of the Humanistic Approach?
The Humanistic Approach has led to counselling treatments, such as person-centered therapy, to help individuals close the gap between their actual self and ideal self and achieve self-actualization.
How does the Biological Approach utilize the scientific method?
The Biological Approach uses objective scientific methods, such as lab studies and imaging techniques, with results that can be replicated and generalized.
How does the Cognitive Approach utilize the scientific method?
The Cognitive Approach uses scientific methods to study mental processes, but it often relies on inferred data, which may lack objectivity.
How does the Behaviourist Approach utilize the scientific method?
The Behaviourist Approach is highly experimental, focusing on measurable behaviour and objective data collection in controlled environments.
How does the Psychodynamic Approach utilize the scientific method?
The Psychodynamic Approach has limited scientific application due to its reliance on case studies, subjective interpretations of dreams, and free association.
How does the Humanistic Approach utilize the scientific method?
The Humanistic Approach rejects the use of scientific methods, arguing they are inappropriate for studying the complexities of human consciousness and subjective experience.
