Approaches Flashcards
Schools of psychology
Biological, Psychodynamic, Behaviourist, Humanistic, Cognitive, social learning theory
Why are there different approaches in psychology ?
Each approach looks at human behaviour from a different perspective. They all contribute to our understanding in a different way.
Willhelm Wundt
His approach was to study the structure of the human mind by breaking down behaviours into their basic elements (structuralism)
Structuralism
Isolating the structure of the consciousness. The stimuli that Wundt was presented with was in the same order and the instructions were issued the same.
Introspection
A systematic experimental attempt to study the mind by breaking up conscious awareness into basic structures of thoughts, images and sensations
Discuss Wundt’s role in the emergence of psychology as a science.
-first to open a laboratory designated to the scientific study of psychological enquiry under controlled conditions
- focus was on trying to understand psychological processes of perception (structuralism)
- introspection still used today in areas such as therapy and studying emotional states
origins of psychology limitations (Subjective)
- relies primarily on non-observable responses and although participants can report conscious experiences they can’t comment on unconscious factors.
- produces data that was subjective (varied) so it became very difficult to establish general principles, so experimental results are not reliably produced.
Origins of psychology strengths (scientific)
-some of his methods were systematic and well-controlled
-recorded in controlled lab environment
-extraneous variables were not a factor
-standardised procedure
- can be considered a forerunner for later scientific approaches
Describe Wundt’s role in the development of psychology.(6 marks)
- Wundt known as ‘the father of psychology’
-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
Outline Wundt’s method of introspection.
-introspection is a systematic analysis of one’s own conscious experience
-experiences are analysed in terms of their component parts/reference to ‘structuralism’
-These parts are elements like sensation, emotional reactions etc
Assumptions of the behaviourist approach
-we are born as blank slates
-All we have at birth is the capacity to learn
-All behaviour is leant from the environment
-Focus of the approach: observable behaviour
Classical conditioning
learning through association
Involves the formation of learned associations between the stimuli in the environment and an organism’s response.
extinction
The CR does not become permanently established as a response
(if the bell is rung and good never appears the salivation stops)
spontaneous recovery
following extinction if the CS and UCS are paired together once again, the association will be made together much more quickly
stimulus generalisation
pavlov discovered that once an animal has been conditioned they will also respond to another stimulus that are similar to the CS.
Operant conditioning
Leaning by consequences
What do consequences include ?
- Positive reinforcement
-Negative reinforcement
-punishment
Reinforcement
A consequence of a behaviour that increases the likelihood of the behaviour happening again
punishment
A consequence that decreases the likelihood of that behaviour happening again
positive reinforcement
involves receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed
negative reinforcement
animal/human avoids something unpleasant
continuous reinforcement
providing a food pellet for every lever pressed
partial reinforcement
Providing food for every 3rd (or 10th) lever pressed
Variable ratio reinforcement
food was given after an unpredictable amount of times
What is a strength of the behaviourist approach (real world application)
-principles of conditioning have been applied to real-world behaviours
-E.g token economy systems
-This is where a token is given for a certain behaviour and this can be exchanged for privileges
-This increases the value of the approach because it has widespread application
What is a limitation of the behaviourist approach (Environmental determinism)
-Sees behaviour as being conditioned by past conditioning experiences
-Skinner suggested that everything we do is the sum total of our reinforcement history
-This ignores any possible influence of free will
-This is an extreme position and ignores the influence of conscious decision making processes.
What did Bandura believe
-Behaviour is learnt from experience
-Proposed learning occurred from observing others and imitating them
Theory of social learning theory
We learn through modelling, which involves learning through the observation of other people, which may lead to imitation of the behaviour
Role model
People who have qualities we would like to have and we identify with
Identification
A desire to be associated with a particular person or group
Imitation
Copying the behaviour of others, only tends to occur if model is rewarded
Modelling
From an observer’s perspective, imitating the behaviour of a role model.
From the role model’s perspective, the precise demonstration of a specific behaviour that may then be imitated by an observer
Direct reinforcement
A human/animal receives the reward themselves. Think positive/negative reinforcement.
Vicarious reinforcement
Reinforcement which is not directly experienced but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced for a behaviour. This is a key factor in imitation.
The role of mediational processes
These are cognitive factors involved in learning. These mental factors mediate in the learning process to determine whether a new response is acquired.
Attention
The individual notices someone in their environment
Retention
The individual remembers what they have observed
