approaches Flashcards
what are the five approaches in psychology?
-biological
-learning
-cognitive
-psychodynamic
-humanistic
what is introspection?
the first systematic experimental attempt to study the mind by breaking up conscious awareness
who is wilhelm wundt?
a German psychologist and professor.
known today as ‘the father of philosophy’
what are the 4 goals of psychology?
-description
-explanation
-prediction
-change
what is the biological approach
hormones, brain psychology
what is the cognitive approach
thought processes and perception of the world
what is psychodynamic approach
unconscious mind
what is humanistic approach
need for fulfilment
structure of personality
id ego superego
what is the definition of psychology?
the scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behaviour
what is the definition of science?
a means of acquiring knowledge through systematic and objective investigation
when did wilhelm wundt open his first institute?
Leipzig in Germany, 1870s
what did wilhelm wundt do?
- promoted the use of introspection
- paved the way for later controlled research and the study of mental processes
- looked at sensations and emotional reactions
what were the four goals of his study?
- Description
- Explanation
- Prediction
- Change
who criticised introspection and why?
Watson, as he thought it was too subjective
Measuring concepts can’t be seen and varied among individuals
what did watson establish?
The behaviourist approach, and along with it the emergence of psychology as a science. Focused on a scientific process involving lab experiments
who founded the psychodynamic approach?
Sigmund Freud
what does Sigmund freud argue?
that behaviour is due to psychological factors
what drives our behaviour according to Freud?
the unconscious mind
what is the innate drive?
natural longing or instinct for something that drives our behaviour and personality
what does the iceberg model include?
- the conscious mind
- pre conscious mind
- unconscious mind
what is our unconscious mind thought to show through according to Freud?
dreams, Freudian slip, neurotic, symptoms, creativity
what does our unconscious mind also contain?
threatening and disturbing memories that have been repressed
what is the tripartite system?
three parts to our personality
what do all three parts of our personality demand?
gratification
what is the id?
•primitive part of our personality
•birth - 18 months
•operates on the pleasure principle
•entirely selfish and demands gratification of its needs
what is the ego?
•18 months - 3 years
•mediates between the id and superego
•tries to reduce conflict between if and superego
•does this through defence mechanisms
what is the superego?
•internalised sense of right and wrong
•3 - 6 years
•operates on the morality principle
•represents the moral standards of the child’s same sex parent
•strives for the ego ideal which determines by strict self parenting
what is the cognitive approach?
The term cognitive means mental processes. This approach is focused on how our mental processes such as thoughts,perceptions and attention impact behaviour.
what is internal mental processes?
Private operations of the mind such as perception and attention that mediate
between stimulus and response.
what is a schema?
A mental framework of beliefs and explanations that influence cognitive
processing. They are developed from experience.
what is inferences?
The process whereby cognitive psychologists draw conclusions about the way mental processes operate on the basis of observed behaviour .
what is cognitive neuroscience?
The scientific study of biological structures that underpin cognitive processes.
what two models are used in the cognitive approach?
•theoretical model
•computer model
what is the theoretical model?
Theoretical models, such as the information processing approach, suggest that information flows through a sequence of stages that include input, storage, and retrieval.
what is the computer model?
Computer models refer to programmes that can be run on a
computer to imitate the human mind – the mind is compared to a computer.
• For example, a computer uses ‘coding’ to store information, humans
use ‘coding’ to store memories in different formats such as semantic or acoustic
what does the biological approach believe about psychological behaviour?
everything psychological is biological first
what biological structure does the biological approach believe that we should be focusing on?
genes, neurotransmitters and the nervous system
what does the biological approach think explains our thoughts and behaviour?
the brain as the mind lives there
what are genes?
carry instructions for a particular characteristic
what are twin studies?
comparison of MZ and DZ twins in terms of a characteristic
what are concordance rates?
the extent to which both twins share the same characteristic
what % of DNA do MZ twins share?
100%
what % of DNA do DZ twins share?
50%
If MZ twins have a higher concordance rate that DZ twins, what does this suggest?
It suggests the characteristic being
investigated has a genetic basis
What is a genotype?
Genetic code in the DNA
What is a phenotype?
Physical appearance that results from
the inherited information (genotype +
environmental influence)
What do genotypes and phenotypes show about human behaviour?
Much of human behaviour depends
upon an interaction between
inherited factors (nature) and the environment (nurture)
What is evolution?
the change in the characteristics of a species
What is natural selection?
Genetically determined behaviour
that enhances an individual’s survival
and reproduction will continue in further generations
What happens as result of natural selection to genes that do not provide an advantage?
they “die”
