Approaches

Question 1

What are the origins of psych?

Answer 1

Roots in 17th and 18th century philosophy
Rene descartes and his Cartesian dualism (mind and body are separate) was stating point
Locke and concept of empiricism (sensory info studied scientifically)
Charles Darwin and evolution

Question 2

Who is Wilhelm Wundt?

Answer 2

Father of psychology
1873 published 1st psychology book
Contributed to psych as a science
1879 opened first psych lab in Germany

Question 3

What is introspection?

Answer 3

Mental processes can be studies systematically as they occurred
Eg participants shown object like metronome and asked to describe their inner processes
Stimulus is always the same and controlled

Question 4

Criticisms of introspection

Answer 4

not reliable- unobservable
researchers observed diff things
other psychologists already produced theories you can easily generalise
unreliable- participants unaware of factors influencing them

Question 5

how did psych emerge as a science?

Answer 5

watson criticized it as was subjective so behaviourism and scientific science came about

Question 6

what is empiricism?

Answer 6

all knowledge comes from observation and experience alone

Question 7

assumptions of scientific approach

Answer 7

behavior is seen as being caused (assumption of determinism)
if behavior is determined, should be able to predict it in diff conditions (assumption of predictability)

Question 8

What is the scientific method?

Answer 8

the use of investigative methods that are objective, systematic and replicable
dont let preconceived ideas influence
replicable and reliable
measurement of empirical data carried out accurately with consideration of other factors

Question 9

+ and - of scientific method

Answer 9

+
relies on objective and systematic methods
rely on belief in determinism so can establish causes through replicable methods
scientific theories dont fit facts anymore, can be refined /abandoned
-
objective and controlled so not very ecologically valid
lots of subject matter is unobservable so lack accuracy
not all psychologists think behaviorism can be studied scientifically

Question 10

Basic features of psych as a science

Answer 10

controlled, experimental conditions show cause and effect and test hypotheses
highly standardized- reliable
use of iv and dv
objective, systematic, replicable
build and refine and falsify theories

Question 11

what is behaviorism?

Answer 11

believes psych is study of behavior not mind
scientific as can study directly
all behavior is learnt through conditioning

Question 12

what is classical conditioning?who came up with it?

Answer 12

learning through association
pavlov started idea then developed by john watson

Question 13

Describe the study on classical conditioning- dogs

Answer 13

1902 pavlov’s dogs
dogs taught to associate bell with food so began to salivate
Ucs- object or event that produces reflexive action
ucr- response to ucs
ns- neutral stimulus doesnt produce response
cs- ns associated with ucs
cr- response to cs

Question 14

describe the study on classical conditioning- little albert

Answer 14

Watson and Rayner 1920 induced fear of white rats in little albert
before: ns is rat, ucs is bang, ucr is cry
during: ns+ucs=ucr
after: cs=cr

Question 15

+ and - of little albert study of classical conditioning

Answer 15

+
practical applications- devise treatment to maladaptive behavior
reliable- highly controlled
-
ethics- albert couldn’t consent or withdraw
generalizability- small sample
ecological validity- too controlled

Question 16

what is operant conditioning?who came up with/ dveloped it?

Answer 16

behaviour is shaped through reinforcement
developed by BF Skinner but based on Thorndike’s laws of effect

Question 17

positive reinforcement

Answer 17

strengthens behaviour (more likely to repeat) by providing rewarding consequence
skinner showed this by placing rat in skinner box with lever, rats bumped into it and food dropped. rats learned to go straight to lever

Question 18

negative reinforcement

Answer 18

strengthens behavior (more likely to repeat) by removing unpleasant reinforcer

skinner showed this by placing rat in box and giving it shock. as it bumped into lever, turned off so leant to go to it straight away. light just before shock-learned to press lever as shock was coming

Question 19

what is a neutral operant?

Answer 19

response from environment that neither increases or decreases probability of decreasing behaviour

Question 20

punishment

Answer 20

weakens behaviour (less likely to repeat)
can directly apply unpleasent stimulus or remove rewarding one

Question 21

problems with punishment

Answer 21

behaviour suppressed not forgotten-returns when punish goes
increased aggression- shows its coping mechanism
creates fear that can generalise eg dont want to go to school
doesnt guide to correct behaviour

Question 22

unpredictable reinforcement

Answer 22

gave rat pellet every 5 lever presses- more effective

Question 23

+ and - of operant conditioning

Answer 23

+
practical applications- treatments eg for phobias
scientific method- reliable and controlled
-
based on animals not humans-free will
reductionist- doesnt take nature into account

Question 24

what is social learning theory?who introduced it and when?

Answer 24

learning through imitation
introduced by bandura in 1960s and his bobo doll study

Question 25

describe banduras study

Answer 25

Children in groups with agressive or calm adult and a bobo doll
Children taken to room where can’t play with toys- annoys them
Then get to bobo doll and play
Agressive children more likely to be agressive and verbally agressive wherrr as no from calm group were verbally aggressive
Girls more likely to imitate girls etc
Repeated 4 months later and agressive group still agressive

Question 26

what are the 5 processes to learn behaviour?

Answer 26

Modelling- example of behaviour
Identification- how much they relate
Imitation- more rapid than conditioning
Vicarious reinforcement- see someone else being rewarded
Role of meditational processes-

Question 27

what are the 4 mediational processes?

Answer 27

Attention
Rétention
Reproduction
Motivation

Question 28

+ and - of SLT

Answer 28

+
Practical applications- study shows more likely to commit crime if exposed
Research support- bandura
-
Problems with causality
Reductionist- disregards genetics

Question 29

what is the cognitive approach?problem?

Answer 29

All behaviour is proceeded by a thjught which can be studied scientifically
Howver can only study through introspection and inference

Question 30

what is the computer analogy? criticisms?

Answer 30

Brain works in same way as computer
Info taken in from senses, processes and output is behaviour
Machine reductionist
Models are incomplete

Question 31

What is schéma theory?

Answer 31

All knowledge is organised into sub units
Help us organise and interpret info so allows shortcuts
Help us fill gaps but cause stereotypes

Question 32

Bartlett’s war of the ghosts showed participants distorted story in three ways

Answer 32

Assimilation-story became in line with participants cultural expectations
Levelling- story became shorter each retelling
Sharpening- changed story to make sense to them using diff terms etc

Question 33

According to Piaget:

Answer 33

We try to understand new and different things using pre existing schemas
During assimilation we try to fit new things into existing schemes
During accommodation we change schemas to fit characteristic of new object(learning)

Question 34

Why is cognitive neuroscience better than other methods?

Answer 34

Can look at healthy brains
Can accurately map function

Question 35

What are FMRI, PET scans, lesion studies?

Answer 35

FMRI- scanning technique pinpoints area of brain active
PET scans- radioactive drug in blood can see where goes- more active parts
Lesion studies- look at people with brain damage

Question 36

Practical applications of cognitive neuroscience

Answer 36

Study mental processes in people with depression ocd dyslexia
Help decide on rehabilitation programmes (woman with stroke now better)
Deeper knowledge of causes of disorders and treatments
Shows brain plasticity
Early identification for cognitive problems

Question 37

+ and - of cognitive approach

Answer 37

+
Practical appseg understanding behaviour
Scientific eg reliable
-
Limitations of computer model eg forgetting things
Lacks external validity- inferred, artificial stimuli

Question 38

Assumptions of biological approach

Answer 38

Views humans as biological organisms
All behaviour has a biological cause
Interested in genetic issues
Study role of hormonal and chem changes
Nature not nurture
Interested in Charles Darwin’s ideas

Question 39

What are mz and dz twins?
What are concordance rates?

Answer 39

Mz- 100% same genes
Dz- 50% same genes
Concordance rates- % of both twins displaying same characteristics

Question 40

Gottesman and shields study on twins

Answer 40

1972
58% concordance for mz and 12% for dz for schizophrenia
Higher for mz as share mkre but not 100% so other factors

Question 41

What are genotype and phenotype?

Answer 41

Genotypes- genetic code written into DNA
Phenotype-physical appearance of that
Don’t always coincide eg genotypes for blue eyes but have brown as dominant
Illness can also affect it
Mz have same genotype but environmental factors can affect phenotype

Question 42

Describe evolutionary theory
Examples
criticisms

Answer 42

Organisms become adapted over time through natural selection and survival of the fittest
Peppered moth
Bowlby- attachment to care giver for food
Buss- mate choices evolved for reproductive success
But
Why don’t all organisms evolve at same rate? Why to apes still exist

Question 43

+ and - of biological approach

Answer 43

+
Scientific so valid and reliable
Practical app eg treat hormones with drugs
-
Reductionist
Issues with evolutionary theory
Determinism- no free will and can’t control so crime become biological fault