AP - Comparison of approaches Flashcards
In what 3 ways can we compare the approaches in psychology?
- Determinism: the causes of behaviour.
- Nature and nurture: the role of innate and experimental factors.
- Psychology as a science.
What is determinism?
Refers to the belief that behaviour is determined by forces other than the individual’s will to do something.
Behaviour is determined by external or internal factors acting upon the individual.
Compare the approaches: Determinism: the causes of behaviour.
Behaviour is determined by:
Behaviourist - External forces in the environment (e.g. rewards and punishment) shape our behaviour.
SLT - Observations of others.
Cognitive - Our own thought processes so we have some degree of control over our behaviour.
Biological - Physiological (e.g. hormonal/neurochemical) factors and/or inherited (genetic) factors outside of our control.
Psychodynamic - Unconscious factors beyond our conscious control.
Humanistic - Our own free will under our conscious control.
Compare the approaches: Nature and nurture: the role of innate and experimental factors.
The origin of behaviour is:
Behaviourist - Nurture.
SLT - Primarily nurture.
Cognitive - Both nature and nurture.
Biological - Primarily nature.
Psychodynamic - Both nature and nurture.
Humanistic - Both nature and nurture.
Compare the approaches: Psychology as a science.
Its commitment to the scientific method is:
Behaviourist - Positive as it is highly objective and experimentally based.
SLT - Positive as its research investigations are reliable and allow inferences about cause and effect to be drawn but research can lack validity.
Cognitive - Positive to a degree as most propositions can be easily tested.
Biological - Positive as it lends itself to experimental study.
Psychodynamic - Mixed as some aspects are open to scientific investigation but there tends to be much greater reliance on case studies and subjective interpretation.
Humanistic - Largely negative as it says that scientific research methods are not appropriate for studying the complexities of human consciousness and experience.
What is nature?
Behaviour is seen to be a product of innate (biological or genetic) factors.
What is nurture?
Behaviour is a product of environmental influences.
What is science?
A systematic approach to creating knowledge. The method used to gain scientific knowledge is referred to as the scientific method.
