approaches Flashcards
classical conditioning def
learning through association
a neutral stimulus begins to elicit a conditional response
eg Pavlovs dog
operant conditioning def
we learn depending on the consequences
eg Skinners rats
vicarious reinforcement def
if we observe someone being reinforced for their behaviour we are more likely to imitate it
identification: if we see ourselves like that person, we think we are capable of imitating
inference def
make an assumption about the processing based on the behaviour you see
mediational processes
(cognitive processes)
attention
retention
motor reproduction
motivation
schema def
(cognitive)
package of info and knowledge developed through experience
(we have schemas about items like chairs or events like weddings
help us process info quickly, simplify complex situations and predict what might happen
can distort our interpretation of sensory info and lead to perceptual errors
trigger a behaviour (surrender, overcompensation, avoidance)
Bugelski and Alampay 1962
(cognitive approach)
students shown either drawings or faces or animals
asked to say what they thought the final picture was (same for both groups, was ambiguous)
those who had been previously shown faces were more likely to say ‘man’
those who had been previously shown animals were more likely to say ‘rat’
- less determinist than other approaches (have some free will)
+ improved understanding of a number of psychological abnormalities (depression and phobias)
+ contributed to therapies like CBT that helped a number of people to treat psychological disorders
- lacks ecological validity - little diagrams (artificial stimuli) doesn’t reflect real life situations
genotype def
genetic profile of an individual ie genes they carry
phenotype def
an organisms physical manifestation of their genotype
neurotransmitter def
chemical messengers that carry from a neurone to the next target cell
behaviourist approach
learning from experience by classical/operant conditioning
Pavlov’s dog study
classical conditioning
(behaviourist approach)
before: unconditioned stimulus (food) elicits unconditioned response (salivation)
- neutral stimulus (bell) elicits no conditioned response (no salivation)
during: bell and food together elicits unconditioned response (salivation)
after: conditioned stimulus (bell) elicits conditioned response (salivation)
Skinners study
operant conditioning
(behaviourist approach)
rats put in a Skinner box
whenever they pressed a lever they would receive food
OR they had constant electric shocks and pressing the lever would stop them
L: research based on animals, may not correlate to humans
S: controlled conditions so high internal validity
S: applies to real life, we use punishment to stop bad behaviour in prisons and schools
L: determinist, ignores free will
reinforcement
(behaviourist)
increases behaviour
positive reinforcement - adding something to increase behaviour
negative reinforcement - remove something to increase behaviour
punishment
(behaviourist)
decreases behaviour
positive punishment - add something to decrease behaviour
negative punishment - remove something to decrease behaviour
social learning theory def
behaviour is learned through observation and imitation
- observing consequences and whether to carry out in future or not
Bandura’s research
(social learning theory)
bobo doll study - 72 children
found that children imitate adults
emergence of cognitive neuroscience
looks at biological basis to thought processes
- study of influence of different brain structures on mental processes
- brain imaging techniques have developed (fMRI and PET scans)
patients undergo cognitive tasks, brain activity is shown and gives understanding of which areas are involved in that task
evaluation point on cognitive approach
(machine reductionism)
doesn’t take emotions into account, if we are thought about like a computer
Nestadt et al 2010
biological approach
reviewed previous twin studies of OCD
- 100 pairs monozygotic where one had OCD, 68% both had OCD
- 100 pairs dizygotic where one had OCD, 31% both had OCD
supports theory but not completely as the mz twin is not 100%, so phenotype is not completely down to genes
mz could have higher concordance rates because they are treated more similarly
psychodynamic approach
about your unconscious
behaviour reflects the interactions between the conscious and unconscious mind
- emphasis on early childhood
psychodynamic: structure of personality
3 elements always in conflict with each other
Id = driven by pleasure principle, present from birth, wants everything now and has no morals
ego = conscious self, driven by reality principle, present from about 2 years, tries to balance demands of id and superego
superego = our conscience, driven by morality principle, from about 5 years, opposite to id, when we identify with the moral attitudes of our same sex parent
evaluating superego
superego = if same sex parent is not present, superego (morals) won’t develop properly. however not all people who grow up without same sex parent becomes a criminal
ego defence mechanisms
aim to protect our conscious self of the unconscious conflict between id and superego
if we are unsuccessful, anxiety caused by the conflict could manifest as a clinical disorder (anxiety or phobias)
repression = pushing unwanted memories/emotions into the unconscious mind
denial = refusing to accept the truth
displacement = feeling expressed towards a substitute rather than the initial target as it is unacceptable to have that feeling towards the initial target