Approaches Flashcards
Introspection
Means looking into
Ptps asked to reflect on cognitive processes and describe them
E.g., response to a metronome
Science
Attempted to study the mind in controlled conditions and standardise procedures
2 main assumptions: behaviour is 1. Determined 2. Predictable
4 goals: description, explanation, prediction and change
Methods are objective, systematic and replicable
Structuralism
Isolating the structure of consciousness
Wundt’s A breaks down behaviours into basic elements
Griffiths 1994
Used introspection to study the cognitive processes of fruit machine gamblers
Csikcentmilyi & Hunter 2003
Used introspection to study happiness
Positive A03 - Wundt
Not all psychs think human behaviour can be studied scientifically- Hunter
Used today to gain access to cognitive processes that = unobservable
Knowledge acquired using SA is more than the passive acceptance of facts
Behaviour causes can be established - empirical replicable methods
Scientific psychologists create artificial situations = artificial behaviour
Scientific knowledge is self corrective
Negative A03 - Wundt
Introspection produced data is subjective - varies per person - no gen principles established
Relies on non-observable responses to unable to comment on unconscious factors
Cannot be measured by any degree of accuracy = non observable
Unconscious
Controls our behaviour - psychic determinism - inborn and control behaviour
Conscious mind is unaware of what thoughts and emotions occur in the unconscious
Can have an effect on our conscious mind
Repressed ideas in dreams = latent and manifest content - how appears to dreamed
Free association encouraged to say what comes to mind
Psychosexual Stages
Oral 0-1
Anal 1-3
Phallic identify with same sex parent
Latent 6-11
Genital 12+
Must pass through each - failure = fixation
Tripartite Personality
Id - selfish part controlled by unconscious uses primary process to satisfy needs - pleasure principle
Superego - conscience and ego ideal opposes the develops during childhood
Ego - executive uses cognitive ability to control Id and superego = reality principle
Defence Mechanisms
Used by the ego to defend from id and superego
Repression = unconscious forgetting
Denial refusing to believe
Displacement - transferring feelings from to source to something else
Positive Evaluation - Freud
Emphasises NBance of unconscious factors in determining behaviour
Draws attention to the NBance of early childhood experiences
Provides insight into human behaviour - unconscious motivation
Useful applications in therapy
Negative Evaluation - Freud
Largely derived from the study of adults with emotional disorders = unrep
Case studies and techniques used = subjective & open to bias = ideographic
Unscientific and unfalsifiable = deterministic and pessimistic
Over emphasises the role of instinct
Psychotherapy is difficult to evaluate LT
Classical Conditioning
Learn through association
Operant Conditioning
Learn through consequences
Skinner suggested that learning is an active process in which animals and humans operate in environment
3 consequences: positive reinforcement receiving reward when certain behaviour is done, negative reinforcement doing something to avoid something, and punishment unpleasant consequences
Reinforcement increases behaviour punishment decrease
Skinner
Rats 1 = hungry 1 = full put in chamber with leaver when pressed releases food into pot
Hungry rat more active and accidentally presses finds food concentrates on that area
Eventually learns full one doesn’t
Pavlov
Found dogs salivated before given food - associated things with the food e.g., lab coat / door opening
Used bell to CC
Bell - no response food UCS - salivation UCR Bell NS + food UCS - salivation = UCR Bell CS - salivation CR
Scientific Credibility
Behaviourism able to bring some scientific language and methods from natural sciences - measured behaviour in controlled lab settings = increased credibility
Shows NBance of nurture and environment influence
Conducted in lab = replicable objective measurement & empirical research
Considered scientific and valid - strong support = little Albert
Real Life Application - Behaviourism
Principles = applied to range of real world behaviours & problems e.g., token economies & phobias
Mechanist view of behaviour
Sees humans and animals as passive & machine like - little/ no conscious insight into behaviour
Other approaches suggest we are more active in learning
Reductionist - Beh
Oversimplifies behaviour to object stimulus and response
Ignores other explanations & thinking
Lacks generalisability - Behaviourism
Research done on animals shouldn’t be generalised to humans
Hierarchy of Needs
Self Actualisation
Esteem
Love & Belonging
Safety
Physiological
Maslow - all levels must be met for SA
Self Actualisation
The desire to grow and develop to achieve full potential
Congruence
Healthy sense of well being = established if can maintain reasonable consistency between real & ideal self
The bigger the gap the higher the incongruence
Conditions of Worth
When a parent sets limits / boundaries on the love they have for their child
Can cause psychological problems
Unconditional Positive Regard
Positive no matter whatc