Approaches Flashcards
ORIGINS OF PSYCHOLOGY
Fill in the blanks:
In 1979, Wilhelm ______ opened the first ever ____ dedicated to ______________ _________ in a little town called Leipzig in __________. His work was significant because it marked the beginning of _________ _____________, separating it from its broader roots of _____________ ____________. His aim was to try and analyse the nature of human _______________, and thus represented the first systematic attempt to study the _____ under __________ conditions. His pioneering method became known as _____________.
In 1979, Wilhelm WUNDT opened the first ever LAB dedicated to PSYCHOLOGICAL ENQUIRY in a little town called Leipzig in GERMANY. His work was significant because it marked the beginning of SCIENTIFIC PSYCHOLOGY, separating it from its broader roots of EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY. His aim was to try and analyse the nature of human CONSCIOUSNESS, and thus represented the first systematic attempt to study the MIND under CONTROLLED conditions. His pioneering method became known as INTROSPECTION.
ORIGINS OF PSYCHOLOGY
What is introspection and how did Wundt do it?
Introspection is the first systematic experimental attempt to study the mind by breaking up conscious awareness into basic structures of thoughts, images and sensations
- he and his co-workers recorded their experiences of different objects (ticking metronome) or sounds, and divided them into thoughts, images and sensations
- structuralism: isolating the structure of conscious awareness by always being presented in the same order and the same instruction were given to all ptps
ORIGINS OF PSYCHOLOGY
Evaluate (one strength, one weakness) Wundt’s contribution to psychology
STRENGTH: scientific
- systematic methods, well-controlled, i.e. scientific
- all introspections done in the controlled lab environment
- => extraneous variables controlled for
- procedures standardised (everyone tested in the same way)
~~> Wundt’s research can be considered a forerunner to later scientific approaches
LIMITATION: subjective data
- considered unscientific today
- self-report = subjective data, some ptps may have hidden some of their thoughts
- difficult to establish meaningful ‘laws of behaviour’ from subjective data: general laws are useful to predict future behaviours which is an aim of science
~~> Wundt’s early efforts to study the mind were flawed and wouldn’t meet the criteria of scientific enquiry
ORIGINS OF PSYCHOLOGY
Outline the emergence of psychology as a science, referencing 1900s, 1950s and 1980s
1900s Behaviourists
- value of introspection was questioned by many (because of the subjective data and difficulty to establish general laws) including Watson
- Watson and Skinner: truly scientific psychology should only study phenomena that can be observed objectively and measured
- behaviourists dominated for next 50yrs
1950s Cognitive Approach
- digital revolution => metaphor for studying the mind
- said the mind was “like a computer” (like multi-store model)
- tested predictions about memory and attention using experiments
- ensured study of mind was legitimate and highly scientific
1980s Biological Approach
- taken advantage of advances in technology to investigate psychological processes (live) as they happen, e.g. brain scans
- genetic testing => better understanding of relationship between genes and behaviour
ORIGINS OF PSYCHOLOGY
Evaluate (one strength, one limitation) the emergence of psychology as a science
STRENGTH: modern psychology is scientific
- same aims as natural sciences: to describe, understand, predict and control behaviour
- learning, cognitive and biological approaches use scientific methods (lab studies)
~~> throughout 20th century and beyond, psychology has established itself as a scientific discipline
LEARNING APPROACHES: THE BEHAVIOURIST APPROACH
Outline the 3 assumptions of the behaviourist approach
- studying observable behaviour
- aim for more control and objectivity (therefore lab studies are ideal)
- basic processes of learning are the same in all species (therefore we can use animals as subjects in experiments)
- all behaviour is learned, as babies we are ‘blank slates’
LEARNING APPROACHES: THE BEHAVIOURIST APPROACH
Outline the 2 key theories of the behaviour approach, determined by Pavlov and Skinner
classical conditoning
operant conditioning
LEARNING APPROACHES: THE BEHAVIOURIST APPROACH
Evaluate the behaviourist approach
STRENGTH: well-controlled research
- focus on measurement of observable behaviour with highly controlled lab settings
- breaking down behaviour into basic stimulus-response units => extraneous variables removed => cause and effect relationship
- Skinner was able to clearly demonstrate how reinforcement influences an animal’s behaviour
~~> behaviourist experiments have scientific credibility
————–> COUNTERPOINT: oversimplified the learning process
- reductionist => ignored other cognitive factors that cognitive approach and SLT have considered
~~> learning is more complex than observable behaviours alone, private mental processes are also essential
STRENGTH: real-world application
- operant conditioning is the basis of token economy systems, successful in institutions such as prisons and psychiatric wards (i.e. rewarding desirable behaviour)
- classical conditioning effective in treating phobias
~~> increases value of approach because it has widespread application
LIMITATION: environmental determinism
- Skinner suggested that everything we do is the sum total of our reinforcement history
- ignores influence of free will on behaviour (Skinner said free will is an illusion)
~~> extreme position and ignores influence of conscious decision-making processes on behaviour (as suggested by cognitive approach)
LEARNING APPROACHES: SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
Outline the assumptions of Social Learning Theory (SLT) as determined by Bandura
- we learn through observation and imitation of others
- learning occurs directly, i.e. CC and OC, but also indirectly
LEARNING APPROACHES: SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
Outline the 3 key theories of SLT, as determined by Bandura
VICARIOUS REINFORCEMENT:
- imitation occurs if the behaviour of another individual is seen to be rewarded rather than punished
MEDIATIONAL PROCESSES:
1) attention: noticing behaviours
2) retention: remembering behaviours
3) motor reproduction: ability of observer to perform the behaviour
4) motivation: the will to perform the behaviour, often determined by whether the behaviour was rewarded or punished
IDENTIFICATION:
- people (esp children) are more likely to imitate people that they identify with (role models)
- role model: same gender, attractive, higher status
- process of imitating a role OR the role model demonstrating a behaviour is called modelling
- role models can be live (in person) or symbolic (via tv etc.)
LEARNING APPROACHES: SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
Describe Bandura’s (1961) original/first bobo doll study
children observed adult hit a bobo doll with a hammer and shout abuse at it
children later behaved more aggressively towards the bobo doll than those who had observed a non-aggressive adult
LEARNING APPROACHES: SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
Describe Bandura and Walters’ (1963) second bobo doll study
- showed videos to children of adults behaving aggressively towards bobo doll
- group 1 saw adults praised for their behaviour (told “well done”)
- group 2 saw adult punished for aggression (told off)
- control group: saw aggression with no consequence
- when given own bobo doll to play with, group 1 showed most aggression, then control group, then group 2
LEARNING APPROACHES: SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
Evaluate SLT
STRENGTH: recognises cognitive factors
- CC and OC alone don’t offer an adequate explanation of learning
- humans and animals store info about behaviour of others and use this to make judgements about when it is appropriate to perform certain actions
- Bandura: “learning would be hazardous if we relied solely on the consequence of our own actions”
~~> SLT provides a more comprehensive explanation of human learning by recognising the role of mediational processes
——————–> COUNTERPOINT: not enough reference to biological factors
- Bandura: “biological differences influence our learning potential, but learning itself is governed by the environment”
- however research suggests that observational learning may be the result of mirror neurons in the brain which allow us to empathise with and imitate other people
~~> biological influences on social learning were under-emphasised in SLT
LIMITATION: contrived (artificial/strained/obviously planned) lab studies
- many of Bandura’s ideas were developed through observation of young children’s behaviour in the lab
- contrived nature has been criticised => demand characteristics
- regarding bobo doll study: could be argued that the main purpose of the doll was to strike it so the children were simply behaving in a way they thought was expected
~~> research may tell us little about how children actually learn aggression in everyday life
STRENGTH: real-world application
- explains cultural differences in behaviour; modelling, imitation and reinforcement can account for how many children learn from others around them/in the media => explains how norms are transmitted through societies
~~> increases value of approach; accounts for real-world behaviour
COGNITIVE APPROACH
Outline the 3 assumptions of the cognitive approach
- internal processes can and should be studied scientifically
- investigates private and unobservable processes that were neglected by behaviourists (e.g. memory perception and thinking)
- studying these indirectly by making inferences about the mind based on behaviour
COGNITIVE APPROACH
Outline the theory of schemas in the cognitive approach
SCHEMA: a mental framework of beliefs and expectations that influence cognitive processing, developed from experience
- “packages” of ideas and info learned from experience
- e.g. schema for a chair: 4 legs, you can sit on it
- schemas help you respond appropriately to a stimulus
- babies are born with simple motor schema for innate behaviours (grasping, sucking)
- schemas become more detailed and complex as we get older
- they help us to process lots of info quickly; helpful as a mental shortcut that prevents us from being overwhelmed by environmental stimuli
BUT schemas can distort our interpretation of sensory info => perceptual errors
