Approaches Flashcards
(89 cards)
1
Q
What is the Humanistic approach?
A
Free will determines our behaviour
2
Q
What is the Social Learning Theory?
A
Copying behaviours from role models
3
Q
What is the Biological approach?
A
Biological make up of the body determines behaviour
4
Q
What is the Cognitive approach?
A
Our thought processes influence our behaviour
5
Q
What is the Psychodynamic approach?
A
Past experiences and unconscious urges influence the way we behave.
6
Q
What is the Behaviourist approach?
A
Learning through rewards and punishment
7
Q
What is Introspection?
A
First experimental attempt to study the mind by breaking up conscious awareness into basic structures (thoughts, images, sensations) - Wilhelm Wundt
8
Q
What are classed as the two learning approaches?
A
- Behaviourism
- Social Learning
9
Q
What are the 4 steps in Pavlov’s ‘Classical Conditioning’?
(Behaviourism)
A
- Unconditioned Stimulus >
Unconditioned response - Neutral Stimulus > No response
- Neutral + Unconditioned > Unconditioned Response
- Conditioned Stimulus > Conditioned Response
10
Q
What does Watson’s ‘Little Albert experiment’ support?
A
Pavlov’s classical conditioning: made little Albert associate fur with being scared.
11
Q
What are the two types of conditioning in behaviourism?
A
Classical: association
Operant: consequences
12
Q
Skinner believed learning was an active process- he introduced ‘operant conditioning’, what are the 3 types? and what is it?
A
- Positive reinforcement
- Negative reinforcement
- Punishment
Learning behaviour is shaped and maintained through consequences
13
Q
Define positive reinforcement
A
A reward is given for a desired behaviour
14
Q
Define negative reinforcement
A
A negative consequence is removed after desired behaviour
15
Q
Define punishment
A
A negative consequence is given for undesired behaviour
16
Q
What did Skinners experiment involve ?
A
Used pigeons and rats in a box
-Activated a lever which opened a box and had a food pellet in it
-Or would give them an electric shock
17
Q
Evaluate Behaviourism
A
+ Scientific, controlled observed behaviour, based on experiments
+ Real world application: operant conditioning is the basis of token economy systems, rewarding appropriate behaviour. Or for phobias.
- Doesn’t take free will into account, environmental determinism (of the dogs, baby, pigeons, rats)
18
Q
Describe identification in terms of Bandura’s social learning theory
A
If a person has the same qualities as you e.g sex, age, interests, they are more likely to be a model and be imitated.
Children are more likely to imitate a role model (modelling behaviour)
19
Q
What are the Meditational Processes within the social learning theory?
A
(ARMM)
1. Attention
2. Retention
3. Motor Reproduction
4. Motivation
1-2 is observation
3-4 is carrying out
20
Q
Define attention
A
refers to the extent to which we notice certain behaviour
21
Q
Define Retention
A
Refers to how well the noticed behaviours are remembered
22
Q
Define Motor Reproduction
A
Ability of the observer to perform the behaviour that has been observed.
23
Q
Define motivation
A
An individuals will to perform the behaviour, often determined by reward/punishment
24
Q
What is Vicarious Reinforcement?
(social learning theory)
A
Imitation only occurs when the behaviour is seen as being rewarded.
You see someone else be reinforced
25
Evaluate Bandura’s Social Learning Theory
+ Real world applications: explains cultural differences, children learn from the people around them, so gain their own social norms of their culture.
- Evidence was lab study based: Bandura observed children in a lab setting, may have responded to demand characteristics, has low ecological validity.
+ Recognises importance of cognitive factors: just operant and classical conditioning would not make an adequate account for learning on their own, but includes mediational processes, provides a more comprehensive explanation.
26
What are the 4 areas involved in The Cognitive Approach?
- Assumptions
- Schemas
- Computer models
- Cognitive neuroscience
27
Explain schemas in relation to the cognitive approach
-A mental framework of information and expectations, developed through experience
- A mental shortcut to prevent form being overwhelmed by the environment
- Get more detailed as we get older
-Package of info
28
Explain Assumptions in relation to the cognitive approach
- Internal mental processes should be studied scientifically
- Cognition is studied indirectly by making inferences about what is happening in people’s minds based on behaviour
-Look at memory, perception, and thinking
29
Explain ‘computer models’ in relation to the cognitive approach
- Suggests the brain works in much the same way as a computer
- We perform the same functions of interpreting, receiving, and responding
e.g. working memory model
30
Explain cognitive neuroscience in relation to the cognitive approach
- Scientific study of biological structures relating to mental processes
- Use PET and fMRI scans for brain activity
31
Evaluate the Cognitive Approach
+ Highly scientific: by the use of brain scans and lab experiments in cognitive neuroscience, highly controlled methods, credible scientific basis.
+ Real world application: important contributions to AI and development of thinking machines.
-Machine reductionism: ignores influence if human emotion and motivation that affect our ability to process information.
32
Explain ‘evolution’ in terms of the biological approach
-Based off of Darwin's theory of natural selection, where the best survival characteristics are passed on to the offspring.
-The most desirable genes are chosen and they breed to produce better offspring
33
Explain neurochemistry in relation to the biological approach
It's thought that all of our thoughts and behaviour relies on chemical transmissions in the brain across a synapse using neurotransmitters.
34
Describe ‘genetic basis’ in terms of the biological approach
Believed that psychological characteristics are inherited just like eye colour would be.
- Tested by twin and adoption studies
35
Explain genotype and phenotype in terms of the biological approach
Genotype- unique genetic makeup that codes for phenotypes, set of genes
Phenotypes- Genes are expressed physically, environment may be involved
Biological psychologists accept both nature and nurture, believe characteristics are a result of both (interactionist)
36
Evaluate the Biological Approach
+ Real world application, use knowledge to understand disorders, such as neurotransmitters in OCD.
- Our behaviour is shaped by biology, biological determinism, which ignores free will, excuses behaviour (bad for things like crime)
+Uses scientific methods to investigate: highly objective methods like fMRI and EEGs
37
Briefly outline the twin and adoption studies within the biological approach
Twin- seeing the concordance rate of monozygotic and dizygotic twins with having disorders such as anorexia and schizophrenia
Adoption- seeing if adopted children have the same trait of crime as their biological parent with a criminal record, with never having met them.
38
What is a concordance rate?
The proportion of pairs of individuals that share a particular attribute
39
What are the 3 levels of consciousness within the 'Psychodynamic approach'?
- The Conscious: the small amount of mental activity we know about.
- The Preconscious: the things we could be aware of if we tried.
- The Unconscious:things we are unaware of (e.g instincts) that have an effect on our conscious mind.
40
What is 'Psychic determinism'?
Unconscious forces and drives that are inborn, control or determine behaviour
41
What are the 3 parts of personality outlined in the psychodynamic approach and explain them?
1. Id: Primitive years, gets what it wants, unconscious drives, pleasure principle.
2. Ego: Develops at age 2, sense of reality, aware of others feelings, defence mechanisms, reality principle. Reduces conflict between Id and superego.
3. Super Ego: Age 5, sense of right and wrong, develops moral standards of the same sex parent, morality principle.
42
Name and describe the 3 defence mechanisms within the psychodynamic approach
- Repression: forcing a distressing memory out of the conscious mind e.g forgetting a pets death
- Denial: refusing to acknowledge some aspect of reality e.g going to work although fired
- Displacement: transferring feelings of distress onto a substitute target e.g slamming the door out of anger from your girlfriend
Prevents us from being overwhelmed
43
What are Freud's 5 psychosexual stages that children have to go through.
-Oral stage
-Anal stage
-Phallic stage
-Latency stage
-Genital stage
44
Outline the oral stage of Freud's psychosexual stages
Years: 0-1
Erogenous Zone: mouth
Fixation: Sucking, over or under fed
Oral passive: (underfed) trusting, dependency
Oral aggressive: (over fed) aggressive, dominating
Generally sarcastic, critical
45
Outline the anal stage of Freud's psychosexual stages
Years: 1-3
Erogenous Zone: anus
Fixation: toilet training too harsh or lax
Anally retentive: tidy, stubborn, control
Anally expulsive: thoughtless, messy
46
Outline the phallic stage of Freud's psychosexual stages
Years: 3-6
Erogenous Zone: Genitals
Fixation: Not identifying with the same sex parent
Phallic personality: narcissistic, reckless, possibly homosexual, envy
Oedipus and Electra complex occur
47
Outline the latency stage of Freud's psychosexual stages
Years: 6-puberty
Erogenous Zone: none
Fixation: none
-A calm period where the desires are suppressed, no further psychosexual development occurs
-However, if the child lacks (socially, academically, etc) in this stage it may effect them as an adult.
48
Outline the genital stage of Freud's psychosexual stages
Years: puberty-maturity
Erogenous Zone: the opposite sex
Fixation: settling into a relationship
Becomes mature, sexual instincts, able to love
49
Define 'libido' in relation to the psychosexual stages
A sexual drive or desire
50
Define 'erogenous zone' in relation to Freud
A sensitive area on the body that causes sexual arousal
51
Briefly describe the 'Oedipus complex' in stages
1. Boy desires mother, wants sex
2. Father is rival, wants to kill him
3. Fears father will find out and castrate him
4. In state of conflict, identifies with father instead
5. Development of superego, now has desire for other women
52
Briefly describe the 'Electra complex' in stages
1. Girl sexually desires father
2. Develops penis envy, blames mum for removing penis
3. Mother is a sexual rival for dad
4. Girl identifies with mother so she can have dad
5. Superego develops, replaces penis envy for a desire for a baby
53
What is Freud's theory of psychosexual stages in terms of the fixation?
He believed that as children we have to overcome conflicts (stages), other wise we become fixated in this stage (stuck) and cannot progress, leading to certain characteristics as adults.
54
Evaluate the Psychodynamic Approach
+ Real world application: psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, developed into many therapies like dram analysis and counselling, new approaches to treatment
+Explanatory power: ability to explain human behaviour, used to explain many phenommena such as personality development and draws attention to childhood experiences.
- Untestable concepts: not open to empirical testing, and occur at an unconscious level which we cannot test, falsification.
55
Outline the ‘Little Hans’ case study by Freud (psychodynamic)
-Had dreams about imaginary children of his own, with the mother being his mum, wants sex with her
-Dreams of a plumber removing penis and replacing with a bigger one, castration anxiety.
-Fear of horses, representing his dad, moustache and big penis.
56
What are the key points of the Humanistic Approach?
-All humans are unique
-We determine our own development
57
Outline Maslow’s ‘Hierarchy of Needs’
Psychological Needs- food, water, sex
Safety Needs- protection
Belonging and love needs- family
Self esteem Needs- achievement
Cognitive Needs- think for ourselves
Aesthetic Needs- beauty
Self actualisation- personal growth
- made for employers
58
Outline Rogers in the humanistic approach (self, congruence, and conditions of worth)
1. Personal growth is determined by our concept of actual self and if that is congruent with ideal self.
2. If too big a gap between these, self-actualisation is impossible due to negative feelings of the incongruence.
3.To reduce the gap, Client-centred therapy is used to battle the low self esteem due to conditions of worth from childhood
4. Therapists repeat what clients have said and give them unconditional positive regard
59
Evaluate the Humanistic Approach
+Not reductionist:
advocate holism unlike the rest of the approaches, the subjective experience can only be understood by considering the whole person.
+Positive approach:
Brings the person back into psychology promoting a positive image, good people who are free to work towards achievement and are in control of their own life
- Culture bias:
many of the ideas like freedom, autonomy, and personal growth are associated with individualist countries and the ideas of humanistic psychology may not be as important in collectivist cultures.
60
What are the arguments we can compare the approaches on?
Nature vs Nurture
Determinism vs Free will
Reductionism vs Holism
Idiographic vs Nomothetic
61
Explain determinism and the different types
Free will is an illusion and we have no control.
-Biological: determined by genes
-Environmental: forces outside the individual
-Psychic: result of childhood experiences and innate drives
Can be hard or soft
62
Explain what Idiographic means?
Focus on the individual, personal experiences using case studies
63
Explain what it means if something is Nomothetic
General laws, study of large groups, statistical techniques
64
Explain Reductionism and the 2 types
Behaviour explained by breaking it down into simpler components.
-Biological: physical level e.g the brain
-Environmental: simple building blocks of stimulus response accosiation
65
Explain Holism
Behaviour is viewed as a whole experience, not separate.
66
Assumption of behaviourist approach
all behaviour is acquired and maintained through classical and operant conditioning, born with a blank slate
-learnt
-lab studies
67
Assumptions of social learning theory
-behaviour is learned through experience, but through imitation
68
Assumptions of cognitive approach
Internal mental processes should be studied scientifically, make inferences on behaviour
69
Assumptions of the biological approach
All thoughts ideas and cognitive processes should be of biological origin, they all first come from biology
70
Assumptions of the psychodynamic approach
Behaviour is determined by unconscious internal conflicts
71
Assumptions of the humanistic approach
We are self-determining and have free will, active agents in our own development
72
Outline wundt and introspection
-Opened first ever lab
-Marks the beginning of scientific psychology
-Analyses human consciousness
-This attempt is know as 'introspection'
Standardised procedures-
Divided observations into thoughts, images and sensations.
Structuralism-
isolating the structure of consciousness
same structure and procedures were used for all participants.
73
Evaluate wundt and introspection
+Scientific: methods were systematic and well controlled (lab setting) standardised procedures
-Subjective data: considered unscientific today. Used self report methods, data is subjective, ps may have lied.
74
Outline the emergence of psychology as a science
1900s Behaviourists:
-Introspection was questioned due to subjective data
-Skinner and Watson wanted to study objectively, focusing on behaviours they could see
-Scientific methods
1950s Cognitive:
-Digital revolution gave the computer metaphor
-Tested using experiments
1980s Biological:
-Advancements in technology
-Scanning techniques such as fMRI
75
Evaluate the emergence of psychology as a science
+Modern psychology: scientific, lab studies used, more controlled unbiased way of testing.
-Subjective data: don't use objective methods, e.g. humanistic rejects scientific methods. Humans have to be in the research, they respond to demand characteristics
76
Outline Bandura’s research (social learning theory)
-Children matched on pre-existing aggression levels and allocated either into aggressive or non-aggressive model
-Aggressive: observed adult hitting Bobo doll with hammer and verbally abusing
-Non-aggressive: adult played quietly and ignored bobo doll
-Children placed in room for 20 mins with various toys
-Observed behaviour through one way mirror
77
What order did the approaches emerge in?
1st:
Wundt
Psychodynamic
Behaviourist
Humanistic
Cognitive
Social Learning Theory
Biological
Cognitive neuroscience
William Prefers Bee Hives Compared (to) Single Bees
78
Define Psychology
The scientific study of the mind, behaviour and experience
79
Define science
A means of acquiring knowledge through systematic and objective investigation.
80
What is self-actualisation?
The desire to grow psychologically and fulfil ones full potential- becoming what you are capable of.
81
Outline 'Free will' within the humanistic approach
Humans are self-determining and have free will, a person-centred approach
-we are active agents who can determine our own development
82
What are the approaches? Nature vs Nurture
Behaviourism:
nurture- born as a blank slate and behaviour is learnt through conditioning
SLT:
nurture- learnt through observation of role models
Cognitive:
Nature and nurture- born with schemas, but develop some from the environment
Biological:
nature- innate bio factors
Humanistic:
nurture- shaped by environment as we strive to achieve self-actualisation
Psychodynamic:
nurture and nature- innate drives but shaped by childhood experiences
83
What are the approaches? Free will vs determinism
Behaviourism: environmental determinism- result of stimulus-response conditioning
SLT:
soft determinism- controlled by environmental forces, yet we have personal responsibility
Cognitive:
soft determinism- controlled by mediational processes, yet we choose what to attend to
Biological:
biological determinism- caused by internal bio factors like genes and hormones
Humanistic:
free will- control our own environment and are capable of change
Psychodynamic:
Psychic determinism- determined by unconscious drives, and early childhood experiences
84
What are the approaches? Holism vs reductionism
Behaviourism: environmental reductionism- explained through terms of simple stimulus and response
SLT:
Reductionism- can be explained by conditioning and reinforcement
Cognitive:
reductionism- explained in terms in terms of influence by schemas
Biological:
bio reductionism- actions of genes, hormones, neurotransmitters and structures
Humanistic:
holism- the whole human experience, all aspects of behaviour and interaction.
Psychodynamic:
Both: reduced to innate drives, and stages, but also takes into account multiple aspects of human behaviour.
85
What 2 approaches focus on learning?
-The behaviourist approach
-The social learning theory
86
What are the approaches? Idiographic vs Nomothetic
Biological:
Nomothetic- universal laws as humans share similar physiologies
Behaviourism:
Nomothetic- universal laws as behaviour is a result of stimulus-response associations
SLT:
Nomothetic- establishes general laws of behaviour e.g vicarious reinforcement
Cognitive:
Nomothetic- General laws of cognitive processing
Psychodynamic:
Both- general laws of innate drives, but unique childhood experiences
Humanistic:
Idiographic- focuses on subjective human experience
87
What are the approaches? scientific
Biological:
Scientific- promotes scientific methods and investigation
Behaviourism:
Scientific- methods, lab
SLT:
mostly scientific- scientific methods, but also mediational processes
Cognitive:
Mostly scientific- investigation, but unable to directly observe
Psychodynamic:
Not- cannot be empirically tested, subjective
Humanistic:
Not- rejects scientific methods, no empirical evidence
88
What year did Wundt open the lab?
1879
89
Outline the key parts of the bio approach?
Genetic basis: genotype...
Structure and function, localisation
Neurotransmitters and hormones
Evolution
Human nervous system
