APPROACHES Flashcards
Origins of psychology
- Wundt 1879 opened an Institute for experimental psychology in Leipzig, G to separate psychology as a science from philosophy
- his approach included breaking down behaviour into basic components (structuralism)
- his method to do this was introspection (Individuals, analyse their own thoughts/feelings after experiencing stimulus n reporting them)
- he believed sensations n feelings was key components making up human mind n to fully understand it researchers need to do more than label structures of mind n rather look at processes that occur as ppl experience world around em
Experiment:
•controlled n repeated several times w same p(s), instructions n stimulus (a ticking metronome).
•p(s) asked to describe their mental experiences n reactions were recorded
•he n his colleagues also broke down their own conscious thoughts into thoughts,images, sensations
• using introspection, he established psychology as a science by using the scientific method and his ideas later led to diff psychological approaches eg behavioural, bio, cog
Evaluate origins of psychology
Pro:
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scientific:
method was systematic n well-controlled
controlled env so no EVs
procedures standardised so all p(s) experienced same thing
suggests research can be considered forerunner to later psych approaches
Cons:
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Unscientific today:
he relied on p(s) self-reporting so woulda produced subjective data n p(s) may’ve hidden some thoughts
hard to establish meaningful ‘laws of behaviour’ from such data
suggests efforts in studying mind flawed n wouldn’t meet criteria of scientific enquiry
Psychology as a science
features making suin a science:
• objectivity (obos should be recorded w/o bias n not influenced by other factors)
• control (obos gotta take place in controlled env)
• predictability (results should be able to predict future behaviour)
• hypothesis testing (theories should generate hypotheses which could be tested)
• replicability (experiments should be ez replicable so ppl can have confidence in the results)
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Behaviourist 1900s
watson critical of introspection n said it prod subjective data n proposed truly scientific psych should only study things that are observable/measurable (led to behaviourist approach). Watson n Skinner used controlled lab experiments for this reason -
Cog 1950s
following cog revolution, cog psychs likened mind to computer n this ensured studying the mind was seen as a scientific part of psych -
Bio 1980s
Makes sense of experimental data. advances in tech meant can study physiological processes as they happen eg fMRI studying ‘live activity’ in brain
Evaluate emergence of psych as a science
Pros:
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modern psych can claim to be scientific
psych has same aims as natural sciences:
to describe, understand, control, n predict behaviour
cog n bio approach use scientific methods eg lab experiments to study theories w control n without bias
Suggests from 20th century, psych established itself as a scientific discipline
Cons:
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subjective data:
not all approaches use objective methods
eg humanistic focus on individual/subjective experiences
psychodynamic relies on case study method which doesn’t use representative samples
suggest that scientific methods not always possible in studying human behaviour
Learning approaches: behaviourist
Assumptions:
•behaviour learnt from experience
•only behaviour that’s measurable/observable is scientific n should only be studied as studying thought processes is subjective
•believe valid to study animals behaviour as we have same ‘learning process’ n we’re both born as blank slates
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Classical conditioning:
behaviour learnt via association and was first displayed by Pavlov who showed dogs can be conditioned to salivate at the sound of a bell:
food= UCS
Saliva= UCS
bell= NS n is rung when given food eventually dog associated it w food n salivates at sound of bell
bell now= CS
saliva= CR -
Operant conditioning
behaviour learnt via consequences
pos reinforcement= rewarded so behaviour is likely repeated
neg reinforcement= neg consequence avoided so behaviour likely repeated
punishment= neg consequence so behaviour less likely repeated
Skinner conducted research on rats n pigeons to show this. Placed in boxes called Skinners boxes:
Pos reinforcement: rat activate lever/pigeon peck disc n rewarded w food pellet. their behaviour kept repeating then on
neg reinforcement: same thing to avoid shock so behaviour kept repeating
Evaluate behaviourist approach
Pros:
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Scientific research support:
research done in lab so EVs controlled so cause n effect can be est’d
eg Skinner showed animal behaviour was due to pos n neg reinforcement -
Research support for CC
Watson n Rayner 1920- lil albert
white rat= NS
Noise= UCS
fear= UCR
eventually rat was associated w noise n he got scared of rat so rat now CS and noise CR
shows CC can explain human behaviour but counter w lab so low eco validity
CONS:
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Ethics
Albert faced distress
Skinner rats faced shocks
questions if p(s) should be treated like that in psych research
counter w justified cos knowledge gained -
env reductionist
assumes all behaviour cos of past conditioning
when suin happens we think “i chose to do that” but Skinner stated our past experiences determine the outcome
This is extreme n doesn’t acknowledge that our free will can impact behaviour
so weakens behaviour approach in explaining behaviour -
relies on Animal studies
can say despite behaviourists stating humans n animals have same learning process,
can argue humans more complex n we have more factors affecting behaviour etc
so weakens behaviourist approach further
Learning approach: Social learning theory
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Assumptions
Bandura agreed behaviour is learnt from past experiences(CC n OP) n also stated learnt from observing n imitating others -
Vicarious reinforcement
reinforcement indirectly experienced thru observing someone else behaviour. Learner may imitate, depending on if behaviour is punished/rewarded (consequences are key)
Bandura: kids watched adult behave aggro to Bobo doll (hit w hammer n abuse). They were then given toys to play w n found they’re more aggro w bobo n toys compared to control grp who saw non-aggro
Bandura n Walters: Kids watched vid of adult behave aggro to bobo doll
grp1 saw adult praised
g2 saw punished
g3 saw consequence
found that when playing w bobo grp1 most aggro then 3 then 2
shows behaviour learnt thru vicarious reinforcement
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Role of mediational processes
where SLT focuses on how cog factors are involved w learning. these factors determine if new response is acquired. B identified 4 key mediational processes in learning:
Attention- extent to which we notice behaviours
Retention-how well we rmbr behaviours
Motor reproduction- ability of observer to perform behaviour
Motivation- will to perform behaviour (depends on if behaviour was punished/rewarded)
1st 2 linked to learning behaviour n last 2 linked to performing it
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Identification
ppl like to imitate those they identify with
modelling= process of imitating role model
person becomes role model if they seen to posses similar characteristics to person observing them &/ if they’re attractive n have high status
role model doesn’t need to be present in env (important implications for influence of media on behaviour)
Evaluate SLT
Pros:
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Irl app
SLT can explain cultural differences in behaviour. SLT principles eg imitation or modelling can account for his children learn from those around em n media
this can explain how cultural norms are transmitted thru particular societies
this increases value of SLT as can account for irl behaviour -
research support is scientific:
Bandura research meets principles of objectivity
he created behavioural categories to determine if kids learnt aggro behaviour eg hitting
behavioural categories precise n not open to interpretations so objective
also cos lab control of EVs
this increases credibility of psychology as science n increases value of SLT cos can be tested for replicability
Cons:
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Demand characteristics
evidence for SLT from lab n lab criticised of demand characteristics
eg in B research, point of bobo doll to strike it n children may’ve assumed that’s what B wanted
this raises questions about reliability of research n weakens credibility of SLT in explaining behaviour -
Ignores bio factors:
despite B acknowledged bio differences influence our learning processes, he still claimed learning is determined only by env
so failed to acknowledge some behaviour maybe innate
eg child naturally seeks mums attention
shows SLT undermines bio influences on behaviour so weakens credibility
