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Psychology year 12 > Approaches > Flashcards

Approaches Flashcards

1
Q

what is the behaviourist approach?

A

A way of explaining behaviour in terms of what is observable and in terms of learning.

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2
Q

What is classical conditioning?

A

Learning by association
Occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired together- uncontrolled and neutral.
the neutral stimulus eventually produces the same response as the uncontrolled stimulus.

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3
Q

What experiment represents classical conditioning?

A

Pavlovs dogs;
conditioned to salivate to the sound of a bell.
if the bell was repeatedly presented at the same time as the food, the dogs would learn to associate the sound of the bell (neutral stimulus) with the food (unconditioned stimulus).

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4
Q

What is operant conditioning?

A

Learning in which behaviour is shaped by its consequences.

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5
Q

What is positive reinforcement?

A

Receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed e.g.. praise from a teacher for answering a question correctly .

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6
Q

What is negative reinforcement?

A

Avoiding a certain action that can result in a negative punishment.

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7
Q

What experiment represents operant conditioning?

A

Skinners rats:
When the rats push a lever in a box, they are rewarded with food, they continue this action as they know they are being rewarded ( positive reinforcement)
If they avoid this they are punished with an electric shock, they know to continue to push the lever to avoid this shock ( negative reinforcement)

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8
Q

Strength of the behaviourist approach?

A
  • well controlled research
  • real world application
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9
Q

Limitations of the behaviourist approach?

A
  • environmental determinism
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10
Q

What is the social learning theory?

A

A way of explaining behaviour that includes both direct and indirect reinforcement, combining learning theory with cognitive factors

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11
Q

What is imitation?

A

Copying the behaviour of others

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12
Q

What is identification?

A

The desire to be associated with a particular person or group often because the person or group possesses desirable characteristics

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13
Q

What is vicarious reinforcement?

A

Reinforcement that is not directly experienced but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced by that behaviour. This is a key factor of imitation

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14
Q

What are mediational processes?

A

Cognitive factors that influence learning and come between stimulus are response.

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15
Q

What are the four mediational processes?

A
  1. Attention- extent to which we notice behaviour
  2. Retention - How well the behaviour is remembered
  3. Motor reproduction - ability to perform the behaviour
  4. Motivation - the will to perform the behaviour, whether the behaviour is punished or rewarded.
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16
Q

What did SLT scientists believe behaviour was formed by

A

Observation and imitation

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17
Q

Strength of the SLT

A
  • takes into account the importance of cognitive processes
    -neither classical nor operant conditioning , Humans and animal store information about behaviour of others and use this to make judgements about when it is appropriate to make actions. This show that the SLT provides a more complete explanation of human learning recognising the roles of mediational processes
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18
Q

Limitation of the SLT

A
  • Control of lab studies, Banduras ideas were developed through observations of children’s behaviour in lab settings which raises problems for demand characteristics. The main aim was to hit the Bobo doll but in this case children may have acted how they thought was expected. Thus the research may tell us little about how children learn aggression in everyday life.
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19
Q

What is the cognitive approach?

A

Focuses on how mental processes affect behaviour e.g. studying perception and memory

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20
Q

What are internal mediational processes?

A

Private operations of the mind such as perception and attention that mediate between stimulus and response

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21
Q

What is a ‘schema’?

A

A mental framework of beliefs and expectations that influence cognitive processing, developed from experience

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22
Q

What is the role of a schema?

A

Enables us to process lots of information quickly and this is useful as a sort of mental shortcut preventing us from being overwhelmed by environmental stimuli

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23
Q

What is inference?

A

The process whereby cognitive psychologists draw conclusions about the way mental processes operate on the basis of observed behaviour

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24
Q

What is cognitive neuroscience?

A

The scientific study of those biological structures that underpin cognitive processes.

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25
What are the assumptions of the cognitive approach?
That internal mental processes should be studied scientifically
26
What is the proposed thought of theoretical models to explain mental processes?
Information processing approach suggests that information flows through a sequence of stages that include; input , storage and retrieval
27
What is the proposed thought of the computer models to explain mental processes?
Computer models refer to programmes that can be run on a computer to imitate the human mind. By running such programme psychologists can test their ideas about information processing
28
One strength is the cognitive approach uses scientific and objective methods...
Cognitive psychologists have always employed controlled and rigorous methods of study. In addition the two fields of biology and cognitive psychology come together to enhance the scientific basis of study. This means that the study of the mind has established a credible, scientific basis
29
Another strength of the approach is the application to everyday life...
The cognitive approach is dominant in psychology today for instance AI and the development of of robots, the treatment of depression and improving eye whiteness testimony. This supports the value of the cognitive approach
30
One limitation of the cognitive approach is that it is based machine reductionism...
The computer analogy has been criticised, for instance, emotion and motivation have been shown to influence accuracy of recall yet these factors are not considered within the computer analogy. This suggests that machine reductionism may weaken the validity of the cognitive approach
31
What is the biological approach?
Perspective that emphasises the importance of physical processes in the body such as genetic inheritance and neural functions
32
What are genes?
Make up chromosomes and consist of DNA which codes for specific features of an organism
33
What are the assumptions of this biological approach?
All that is psychological if first biological
34
What is the biological structure?
An arrangement or organisation of parts to form an organ, system or living thing.
35
What is the genetic basis of behaviour?
Characteristics such as intelligence are inherited the same way that eye colour or height is inherited.
36
What is concordance rate?
The extent to which twins share the same characteristics expressed as a %
37
What are monozygotic twins?
Twins that share 100% of the same genes
38
What are dizygotic twins
Non identical - share 50% of the same genes
39
What is a genotype?
Actual genetic make-up, particular set of genes
40
What is phenotype?
The way in which the genes are expressed determined by the environment
41
What does discoveries into genotype and phenotype suggest?
That much of human behaviour depends on interactions between inherited factors (Nature) or the environment (nurture)
42
What is evolution?
the changes in inherited characteristics in biological population
43
One strength of the biological approach it it's real-world application...
Understanding of neurochemical processes in the brain has lead to the use of psychoactive drugs to treat serious mental disorders. For example, drugs that treat clinical depression increases levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin at the synapse and reduces depressive symptoms. This means that people with depression are able to manage their condition and live a relatively normal life.
44
Another strength of the biological approach is that it uses scientific methods...
In order to investigate both genetic and neurochemical factors, the bio approach makes us of a range of precise and objective methods. These include scanning techniques meaning that the approach is based on objective and reliable data
45
One limitation of the biological approach is is that explanations are determinist...
Biological explanations tend to d=be determinist in that they see human behaviour as governed by internal genetic causes in which have no control, however the way phenotype is expressed is heavily influenced by the environment this suggests that the biological view is too simplistic and ignores the mediating effects of environment
46
What is meant by determinist?
The view that an individuals behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces rather than ones will to do something
47
When did Wundt release his origins of psychology?
1879
48
What did Wundts discoveries show?
It separated psychology from its philosophical roots. Was the first systematic attempt to study the mind under controlled conditions It analyses the nature of human consciousness
49
What is one strength of Wundts investigations?
They were well controlled All introspections were recorded in a controlled environment removing any extraneous variables. Well standardised- all ppts received the same information and same testing
50
What is structuralism used in Wundts research?
Isolating the structure of consciousness. Wundt and his co workers all received the same stimulus and instructions
51
What is a limitation of Wundts research?
It is unscientific He relied on the participants to record their own mental processes Participants may have had hidden thoughts influencing their data This suggests his efforts were flawed and would not meet the criteria of modern scientific enquires
52
What is introspection?
The first systematic and scientific way of studying the mind, breaking down its conscious into its basic components
53
Describe Wundt’s role in the development of psychology.
Wundt known as ‘the father of psychology’ – moved from philosophical roots to controlled research. • Set up the first psychology laboratory in Liepzig, Germany in 1870s. • Promoted the use of introspection as a way of studying mental processes. • Introspection – systematic analysis of own conscious experience of a stimulus. • An experience was analysed in terms of its component parts e.g. sensations, emotional reaction etc. • His work paved the way for later controlled research and the study of mental processes e.g. by cognitive psychologists.
54
what are the assumptions of the behaviourist approach?
Only concerned with behaviour that is observable and measurable. It does not take into account mental processes as they are seen as irrelevant
55
What is a strength about Behaviourist approach ( well- controlled research)
The research takes place is lab settings, by breaking down behaviour into its basic stimulus response, all extraneous variables were removed. Skinner was able to clearly demonstrate how reinforcement has influenced animals behaviour therefore it has scientific credibility.
56
What is the real world application strength of the behaviourist approach?
Operant conditioning has been successfully used in prisons and psychiatric wards. Work by rewarding appropriate behaviour with tokens that can be exchanged for privileges ( token economy system) This increases the value of the approach as it has widespread application.
57
Why is ethical issues a negative of the behaviourist approach?
A high degree of control has been questioned about the ethics of conducting such experiments. Animals were housed in harsh cramped conditions and deliberately kept below natural weight so they were always hungry.
58
What does the social learning theory suggest?
Behaviour is learnt through observations and imitation of others.
59
What are the roles of the 4 mediational processes?
they mediate in the learning process to determine whether a new response is acquired
60
What is identification?
when people are more likely to imitate people they identify with?
61
One strength of the SLT?
Recognises the importance or cognitive factors
62
What is a strength of the cognitive approach? - cognitive neuroscience
+ Scientific Methods and Rigour = The emergence of cognitive neuroscience has substantially increased the scientific credibility of psychology, bringing it closer to that of biology, physics etc. This is due to the emphasis on objectively collecting reliable data through direct observation of the neural processes underlying cognition, as seen in PET, CT, MRI and fMRI scans.
63
What is a disadvantage to the cognitive approach? - Abstract
Cognitive psychology makes extensive use of schemas and analogies as ways of indirectly studying and inferring the cognitive basis of behaviour. However, this reliance of inference means that some ideas in cognitive psychology may seem too abstract and not have enough supporting empirical evidence of such mechanisms being observed. Therefore, this reduces the potential practical applications of cognitive research, as it remains mainly theoretical.
64
What are the assumptions of the psychodynamic approach?
This is the idea that all behaviour is caused by unconscious internal conflicts, over which we have no control.
65
3 levels of consciousness
The conscious, preconscious and unconscious.
66
What does the psychodynamic approach assume?
All behaviour is from our unconscious and we have no control
67
What are the three levels of consciousness?
Unconscious preconscious conscious
68
what is the role of our unconscious?
stores our biological drives and instincts as well as upsetting and disrupting thoughts repressed from the conscious
69
What is the role of our preconscious?
Know its there but only revealed through accident i.e. the slip of a tongue or during dreams
70
What is the role of the id?
operates on the pleasure principle and demands gratification. Conflicts with the superego
71
What is the role of the ego?
Operates on the reality principle and helps to resolve the conflict between id and superego. conflict resolved through defence mechanisms
72
what are the three defence mechanisms proposed by the ego?
Repression denial displacement
73
What is the role of the superego?
Operates on mortality principle and developed through the phallic stage Constant conflict with the id
74
What are the psychosexual stages and their ages
Oral - 0-1 Anal 1-3 Phallic 3-6 Latency 6-12 Genital 12+
75
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77
what are the 5 psychosexual stages determining adult personality?
Oral Anal Phallic Latency Genital
78
What are the 3 defence mechanisms used by the ego
Repression- forgetting a bad memory Denial - refusing to acknowledge reality Displacement

Psychology year 12 (6 decks)

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