Approaches Flashcards
What is meant by introspection?
This is the first systematic experimental attempt to study the mind by breaking up conscious awareness into basic thoughts, images and sensations
What did the participants have to do in wundts method of introspection?
They had to give standardised procedures where ppts were giving a ticking metronome and they would report their thoughts, sensations and images
What is the A03 for origins of psychology?
Strength - Wundts methods are scientific
Limitation - Some parts are not scientific (ppts had to report their own mental processes)
Strength - Modern psychology can claim to be scientific ( learning/cognitive/biological approach all rely on scientific methods)
What is the behaviourist approach?
An approach only concerned with behaviour that can be observed and measured in a controlled lab study experiemnt
What is classical conditioning (pavlovs research)?
This is where you learn through association
UCS (food) –> UCR (salivation)
NS (bell) –> NO RESPONSE
NS + UCS
CS (bell) –> CR (salivation)
What is operant conditioning (Skinners Research?)
This is where learning is an active process whereby humans and animals operate on their environment, so behaviour is shaped and maintained by consequences
- When a rat activated a lever –> rewarded with a food pellet
- Not pressing a lever –> electric shock
A desirable consequence led to behvaiour being repeated
What are the three types of consequences of behaviour?
Positive reinforcement - being rewarded when behaviour is performed
Negative reinforcement - when an animal or human produces behaviour that avoids something unpleasant
——– They both increase the likelihood that behaviour will be repeated ————
Punishment - An unpleasant consequence of behaviour
A03 Evaluation for the Learning Approach
STRENGTH - There is scientific credibility ( observable behaviour within controlled lab settings )
STRENGTH - There is real life application (token economy systems )
LIMITATION - There is a mechanistic view ( cant compare animals and humans as we have more mental events that occur during learning)
What is social learning theory?
Learning takes place in a social context through observation and imitation of others behaviour
What is vicarious reinforcement?
When behaviour is seen to be rewarded it is much more likely to be copied than behaviour that is punished
What are the 4 mediational processes? - slt
Attention - whether behaviour is noticed
Retention - whether behaviour is remembered
Motivation - the will to perform the behaviour
Motor Reproduction - Being able to do it
What is banduras research? - slt
— Children watched an adult behavie aggresively or nicely towards a bobo doll.
If they saw aggression they were more likely to be aggressive/
— Children saw an adult either be rewarded, punished or not rewarded/punished.
If they saw agression being rewarded they more more likely to be agressive themselves
A03 EVALUATIONS FOR SLT
LIMITATION : Relies too heavy on evidence from lab studies (demand characteristics)
LIMITATION : Underestimates the influence of biological factors ( boys showed more aggression eg testosterone)
STRENGTH : SLT can account for cultural differences in behaviour ( how children learn from those around them and how they imitate gender roles, so it can explain universal behaviours )
What is the cognitive approach and the role of infeernce ?
This is how mental processes affect behaviour
Study mental processes indirectly by making inferences on the basis of behaviour
What is theoretical models ( cognitive approach )
An information processing approach suggesting information flows through a sequence of stages that include input, storage and retrieval