Approaches Flashcards
What is the Humanistic approach?
Free will determines our behaviour
What is the Social Learning Theory?
Copying behaviours from role models
What is the Biological approach?
Biological make up of the body determines behaviour
What is the Cognitive approach?
Our thought processes influence our behaviour
What is the Psychodynamic approach?
Past experiences and unconscious urges influence the way we behave.
What is the Behaviourist approach?
Learning through rewards and punishment
What is Introspection?
First experimental attempt to study the mind by breaking up conscious awareness into basic structures (thoughts, images, sensations) - Wilhelm Wundt
Evaluate Wundt’s work
+ Methods used were well controlled and systematic, so scientific
- Using today’s criteria, the research would not be considered scientific (e.g self report methods)
What are classed as the two learning approaches?
- Behaviourism
- Social Learning
What are the 4 steps in Pavlov’s ‘Classical Conditioning’?
(Behaviourism)
- Unconditioned Stimulus >
Unconditioned response - Neutral Stimulus > No response
- Neutral + Unconditioned > Unconditioned Response
- Conditioned Stimulus > Conditioned Response
What does Watson’s ‘Little Albert experiment’ support?
Pavlov’s classical conditioning: made little Albert associate fur with being scared.
What are the two types of conditioning in behaviourism?
Classical: association
Operant: consequences
Skinner believed learning was an active process- he introduced ‘operant conditioning’, what are the 3 types?
- Positive reinforcement
- Negative reinforcement
- Punishment
Define positive reinforcement
A reward is given for a desired behaviour
Define negative reinforcement
A negative consequence is removed after desired behaviour
Define punishment
A negative consequence is given for undesired behaviour
What did Skinners experiment involve ?
Used pigeons and rats in a box, had to press things, consequence may be an electric shock.
Evaluate Behaviourism
+ Scientific, controlled observed behaviour, based on experiments
- Doesn’t take free will into account, environmental determinism (of the dogs, baby, pigeons, rats)
Describe identification in terms of Bandura’s social learning theory
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.
What are the Meditational Processes?
(ARMM)
1. Attention
2. Retention
3. Motor Reproduction
4. Motivation
1-2 is observation
3-4 is carrying out
Define attention
refers to the extent to which we notice certain behaviour
Define Retention
Refers to how well the noticed behaviours are remembered
Define Motor Reproduction
Ability of the observer to perform the behaviour that has been observed.
Define motivation
An individuals will to perform the behaviour, often determined by reward/punishment
What is Vicarious Reinforcement?
Imitation only occurs when the behaviour is seen as being rewarded.
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.
What are the 4 areas involved in The Cognitive Approach?
- Assumptions
- Schemas
- Computer models
- Cognitive neuroscience
Explain schemas in relation to the cognitive approach
-A mental framework of information and expectations
- A mental shortcut to prevent form being overwhelmed by the environment
- Get more detailed as we get older
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
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
Explain cognitive neuroscience in relation to the cognitive approach
- Scientific study of biological structures relating to cognition
- Use PET and fMRI scans for brain activity
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.
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
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.
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
Explain genotype and phenotype in terms of the biological approach
Genotype- unique genetic makeup that codes for phenotypes
Phenotypes- Genes are expressed physically
Biological psychologists accept both nature and nurture.
Evaluate the Biological Approach
+ Real world application, use knowledge to understand disorders
- Our behaviour is shaped by biology, biological determinism, which ignores free will, excuses behaviour
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.
What is a concordance rate?
The proportion of pairs of individuals that share a particular attribute
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.
What is ‘Psychic determinism’?
Unconscious forces and drives that are inborn, control or determine behaviour
What are the 3 parts of personality outlined in the psychodynamic approach and explain them?
- Id: Primitive years, gets what it wants, unconscious drives.
- Ego: Develops at age 2, sense of reality, aware of others feelings, defence mechanisms.
- Super Ego: Age 5, sense of right and wrong, develops moral standards of the same sex parent.
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
What are Freud’s 5 psychosexual stages that children have to go through.
-Oral stage
-Anal stage
-Phallic stage
-Latency stage
-Genital stage
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
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
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
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.
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
Define ‘libido’ in relation to the psychosexual stages
A sexual drive or desire
Define ‘erogenous zone’ in relation to Freud
A sensitive area on the body that causes sexual arousal
Briefly describe the ‘Oedipus complex’ in stages
- Boy desires mother, wants sex
- Father is rival, wants to kill him
- Fears father will find out and castrate him
- In state of conflict, identifies with father instead
- Development of superego, now has desire for other women
Briefly describe the ‘Electra complex’ in stages
- Girl sexually desires father
- Develops penis envy, blames mum for removing penis
- Mother is a sexual rival for dad
- Girl identifies with mother so she can have dad
- Superego develops, replaces penis envy for a desire for a baby
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.
Evaluate the Psychodynamic Approach
+ Real world application: psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, develpoed into many therapies like dram analysis and counselling, new approaches to treatment
+Explanatory power: ability to explain human behavior, used to explain many phenommena such as prsonality development and draws attention to childhood experiences.
- Untestable concepts: not open to empirical testing, and occur at an uncnscious level which we cannot test.
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.
What are the key points of the Humanistic Approach?
-All humans are unique
-We determine our own development
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
Outline Rogers in the humanistic approach
- Personal growth is determined by our concept of actual self and if that is congruent with ideal self.
- 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 - Therapists repeat what clients have said and give them unconditional positive regard
Evaluate the Humanistic Approach
+Real world applications
+Positive approach
+Free will
-Subjective
-Difficult to apply
What are the arguments we can compare the approaches on?
Nature vs Nurture
Determinism vs Free will
Reductionism vs Holism
Idiographic vs Nomothetic
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
Explain what Idiographic means?
Focus on the individual, personal experiences using case studies
Explain what it means if something is Nomothetic
General laws, study of large groups, statistical techniques
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
Explain Holism
Behaviour is viewed as a whole experience, not separate.
Assumption of behaviourist approach
all behaviour is acquired and maintained through classical and operant conditioning
Assumptions of social learning theory
Role models, identification, vicarious reinforcement, mediational processes
Assumptions of cognitive approach
Mental processes separate form the brain, based on observations.
Assumptions of the biological approach
All thoughts ideas and cognitive processes should be of biological origin
Assumptions of the psychodynamic approach
Behaviour is determined by unconscious internal conflicts
Assumptions of the humanistic approach
Have free will and a heirarchy of needs
Outline wundt and introspection
-Opened first ever lab
-Marks the beginning of scientific psychology
-Analyses human consciousness
Standard procedures-
Divided observations into thoughts, images and sensations.
Structuralism-
isolating the structure of consciousness
same structure and procedures were used for all participants.
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
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
Evaluate the emergence of psychology as a science
+Modern psychology: scientific, lab studies used.
-Subjective data: don’t use objective methods, e.g. humanistic rejects scientific methods. Respond to demand characteristics
