Approaches Flashcards
biological approach key assumption 1
behaviour and thought processes have an innate biological basis
biological approach key assumption 2
all human behaviour is due to our genetic make-up, brain structures or chemical processes
biological approach key assumption 3
human genes have evolved to adapt behaviour to the environment
define genotype
genetic make up
define phenotype
observed/expressed traits caused by genotype and/or environment
define concordance rate
the probability that two people with shared genes will develop the same disorder
how do twin studies show that a trait has a biological basis
greater chance of developing same disorder with more shared genes (monozygotic)
how do twin studies show that a trait has a environmental basis
monozygotic twins share 100% of genes but there is not 100% concordance, differences must be due to other factors
how do family studies show that a trait has a biological basis
if a trait is present in all generations, there is a likelihood that the trait is genetic
how do family studies show that a trait has a environmental basis
if trait didn’t occur in every generation it could be due to environmental factors
how do adoption studies show that a trait has a biological basis
if a trait is present in the biological parent but not the adoptive and then in the child, it must be genetic
how do adoption studies show that a trait has a environmental basis
if the adoptive parent demonstrates a trait that is present in the child, it is likely learnt
issues with twin studies
never truly comprehend if the difference is biological or environment, monozygotic twins share 100% of genes but also a similar environment
issues with family studies
social learning theory states we learn by imitation of a role model, culture will also affect who raises a child
issues with adoption studies
results can be affected by when the child was adopted (confounding variable)
strength of biological approach
objective, scientific study, high validity as results are observable
weakness of biological approach (1)
implications may be dangerous, eugenics and gene manipulation may have negative impacts if taken too far
weakness of biological approach (2)
difficult to fully separate nature and nurture, we cannot be sure that anything is only down to genes
psychodynamic approach key assumption 1
unconscious processes of which we are unaware of determine our behaviour
psychodynamic approach key assumption 2
there are 3 parts to the personality- id, ego, superego
psychodynamic approach key assumption 3
childhood experiences determine adult personality
describe the id
pleasure principle, selfish, present from birth
describe the superego
morality principle, develops around age 5, identify with same sex parent
describe the ego
reality principle, decision maker, develops age 2-3
what is the conscious
the part of the mind we are aware of
what is the preconscious
thoughts, feelings and experiences that we are not aware of but can be accessed
what is the unconscious
the inaccessible parts of our mind, a series of biological drives
what is repression
the ego forces unacceptable thoughts out of consciousness into the unconscious involuntarily
what is displacement
diverting emotions onto someone else because emotions cannot be expressed to the person concerned or because accepting fault will cause anxiety
what is denial
blocking external events from awareness consciously, refusal to experience a situation
what is regression
responding to anxiety by acting childishly in ways that may have been effective in childhood
what are the 5 psychosexual stages in order
oral, anal, phallic, latency, genital
describe what happens in the oral phase
age 0-1, pleasure stems from putting things in the mouth to satisfy id demands, oral fixations can develop
describe what happens in the anal stage
age 2-3, pleasure stems from defecating, conflict between controlling own toilet behaviour and letting it be dictated by adults, anal retentive/expulsive can develop
describe what happens in the phallic stage
age 3-5, pleasure stems from the genitalia, identification with same sex parent as the child becomes aware of anatomical differences, oedipus/electra complex
describe what happens in the latency stage
age 6-11, libido is dormant and sexual impulses are repressed, children play with others of the same gender
describe what happens in the genital stage
age 12+, pleasure stems from heterosexual relationships and sexual experimentation, resolved by settling, fixation and conflict can result in sexual perversions
how does the oedipus complex develop and function
boys develop a desire for their mother, the father is seen as a rival and is wanted dead, boys also fear the father and develop castration anxiety (mother doesn’t have a penis), boys overcome this by identifying with their father, repressing the desire for mother into the unconscious
how does the electra complex develop and function
girls develop a desire for their father, girls have penis envy believing that their mothers have castrated them already, this is replaced by a desire to have a baby with their father, girls fear this will cause them to lose their mother’s love and so identify with mother, repressing the desire for father into the unconscious
results of the little hans case study
little hans’ fear of his father was projected onto horses, the blinkers and whiskers represented his father’s glasses and moustache, his finger being bitten represented castration anxiety, the horse falling over was desire for his father to die