approaches Flashcards
Origins: what is introspection?
studying the mind by breaking up thoughts and feelings into thoughts images and sensations
Origins: what is psychology?
the scientific study of the mind, behaviour and experience
Origins: what is science?
A means of acquiring knowledge through systematic and objective investigation to discover general laws
origins: When and where was Wundt’s lab?
Leipzig, Germany 1879
origins: what was Wundt’s method?
he showed participants images/ objects and had them record their thoughts and feelings
Origins: Evaluate
+ It was scientific and well controlled
> high internal validity
+ He standardised his procedures
> reliability
+ separated psychology from philosophy
- considered unscientific by todays standards because ‘thoughts, feelings and images’ are subjective
Psychodynamic: who came up with it?
Sigmund Freud
Psychodynamic: what are the main assumptions?
- we have unconscious and preconscious. unconscious influences behaviour
- early childhood experiences affect behaviour
- defence mechanism enables adaptive behaviours
- psycho sexual stages influence later behaviour
- our personality is split into Id, Ego and superego
- common research methods: case studies
- treating mental illness through psychoanalysis
Psychodynamic: what is the role of the unconscious?
- Its a store house of biological drives and instincts -> influences behaviour
- contains repressed memories which can be accessed though slip of the tongue or dreams
- there is also the preconscious containing thoughts and memories we aren’t aware of but can access if we want
Psychodynamic: what is id, ego, superego?
id: pleasure principle, unconscious drives and impulses
- present at birth
ego: mediates
- reality principle
- employs defence mechanisms
- presents at about 2 yrs
superego: morality principle
- works through guilt
- presents at the end of the phallic stage
Psychodynamic: what are the psycho sexual stages?
- oral: 0-1 yrs
>focus of pleasure is mouth
> consequence: smoking, nail biting, sarcastic, critical - anal: 1-3 yrs
> focus of pleasure is anus
> consequence:
explosive: thoughtless, messy
retentive: perfectionist, obsessive - phallic: 3-6 yrs
> focus of pleasure is genitalia
>consequence: narcissistic, reckless - latency: earlier conflicts are repressed
- genital: sexual desires become conscious alongside onset of puberty
Psychodynamic: what are defence mechanisms?
- ego struggles to mediate between Id and superego
- prevents us from becoming overwhelmed by temporary threats or traumas
- can involve distortion of reality and shouldn’t be a long term solution
- denial, displacement, repression
Psychodynamic: what is the Oedipus/Electra complex?
when a child has a crush on their opposite gender parents and sees the same gender parent as competition so hates them (Oedipus=m, Electra=f)
Psychodynamic: evaluate
+ real world application
> brought in psychoanalysis as a new form of therapy
> first attempt to treat mental illness
> forerunner for modern ‘talking therapies’ e.g. counselling
- unusable or even harmful for more serious mental illness e.g. schizophrenia
- untestable. doesn’t meet scientific standards
Behaviourist: what are the key assumptions?
- we are born with a ‘blank state’. out behaviour is nurture
- only observable behaviour should be investigated
- ignores investigation into mental process/ inner thought
- behaviour is a result of learned association (cc) and consequence (oc) between responses and stimuli
- humans and animals learn the same. animal tests are valid
- behaviour is learned so can be unlearned
Behaviourist: what is classical conditioning?
learning through association:
an unconditional stimuli (e.g. food) causes an unconditioned response (e.g. salivating), a neutral stimuli (e.g. a bell) causes no response, the neutral and unconditioned stimuli are paired and associated, the neutral stimuli becomes the conditioned stimuli causing a conditioned response (salivating)
Behaviourist: who researched CC?
Pavlov
Behaviourist: what is operant conditioning?
behaviour is shaped by consequence:
> positive reinforcement: doing a behaviour to get a reward
>negative reinforcement: not doing a behaviour to avoid punishment
> punishment: negative consequence to bad behaviour
Behaviourist: what was skinners box experiment?
- every time a rat in a box activated a lever it got rewarded
- the same was done with electric shocks for not pulling the lever
Behaviourist: evaluate
+ based on well controlled research
> high validity and scientific credibility
+ real world application
> token economy in prisons
- oversimplifies the learning process
- suggests we don’t have free will
- many unethical experiments (little albert)
SLT: what are the key assumptions?
- people learn through observation
- reinforcement and punishments have indirect affects on behaviour
- cognitive factors/ mediational apply to behaviour
- learning does not always mean change
SLT: what is vicarious reinforcement?
observing behaviour and consequence and only imitate rewarded behaviour
SLT: what is the mediational process?
how cognitive factors are involved in learning:
- Attention: to what extent do we notice certain behaviours
- retention: how well behaviours are remembered
- motor reproduction: ability to replicate behaviours
- motivation: will to perform behaviour often down to the consequences
SLT: what is identification?
an observer is more likely to imitate behaviour if they share characteristics
SLT: what is modelling?
the model displaying a certain behaviour or the act of imitating it
SLT: what was banduras study?
there were 3 groups of children:
- group 1 saw adults abusing the doll and being rewarded
- group 2 saw the adults being punished
- group 3 saw no consequence at all
they then were told to play with the dolls, group 1 were the most violent towards them, then group 3 then 1
SLT: what was the conclusion of banduras study?
We learn through observation
SLT: Evaluate
+ recognises cognitive factors as important
> higher applicability
CA: makes too little reference to biological factors
+ real world application
> cultural differences
- Evidence based off of lab studies
> banduras study
> lower external validity
cognitive: what are the main assumptions?
- our minds are like computers
- input > process > output
- mental process should be inferred
- studies behaviour scientifically
cognitive: what is the schema?
‘packages’ of information and ideas based on experience. Its acts as the frame work for interpretation and a short cut for processing information. It can cause bias.
cognitive: what are the theoretical and computer models?
- theoretical and computer models but:
> theoretical: abstract e.g. MSM
>computer: more concrete
>useful in developing AI
cognitive: what is cognitive neuroscience?
- scientific study of the influence of the brain structures on mental process
- scientists systematically study this through MRIs and FMRIs and describe the neurological basis of mental process e.g. Tulving’s 3 types of memory
cognitive: Evaluate
+ uses scientific method
> use of lab studies
> validity, applicability
+ real world application
> dominant approach used in psychology today
> AI, EWT reliability
± soft determinism
> we can exert free will but we are determined
- relies of inference
> lower validity
- supporting studies
> artificial stimuli
>external validity
- machine reductionism
> oversimplifies our behaviour and ignores emotion
humanistic: what are the key assumptions?
- humans are unique and non-comparable
- people have free will
humans work through Maslow’s hierarchy of needs at different paces - focus is on growth and potential not past experiences
- humans should be treated using client centred therapy
humanistic: what is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?
- Physiological
- safety
- belonging and love
- esteem
- cognitive
- aesthetic
- self-actualisation
humanistic: what is self-actualisation?
- most people desire to reach their full potential
- all lower levels must be met
- not the same for everyone
humanistic: what is Rodgers counselling?
- client centred therapy
- client is the expert in their own mental health and guides the session
- therapist provides genuineness, empathy and unconditional positive regard in a warm, non-judgemental atmosphere
- focus on congruence, your ideal self and perceived self align
Humanistic: evaluate
+ not reductionist
> holistic
CA: not scientific
+ optimistic
- culturally bias
> based off of individualist culture
biological: what are the key assumptions?
- everything psychological is first biological
- investigates how biological structures and processes within the body impact behaviour
- much of behaviour has a physiological cause. may be genetically or environmentally altered
- genes influence behaviour and psychological differences in people. evolutionary psychology considers genetic influences
- psychologists should study the brain nervous system and other biological systems e.g. hormones
- the mind lives in the brain
biological: what is neurochemistry?
refers to how our thoughts and behaviours rely on chemical transmissions in the brain through neurotransmitters. an imbalance can cause mental illness:
- too much dopamine causes schizophrenia
- too little serotonin causes OCD
Biological: what is the genetic basis of behaviour?
- psychological characteristics e.g. intelligence are inherited
- twin studies were conducted to test this
> monozygotic (identical) twins should have the same characteristics unless brought up in different environments
Biological: what is genotype?
your genetic makeup
Biological: what is phenotype?
the combination of your genetic makeup and environment
Biological: what is evolution and behavior?
theory of natural selection: some behaviours are more desirable so more likely to be passed on.
Biological: evaluate
+ real world application
>psychoactive drugs to treat mental illness
>antidepressants used to treat depression
CA: antidepressants don’t work for everyone
> suggests behaviour is due to more than chemicals
+ use of scientific method
> use of precise and highly objective method e.g. FMRI and EEGs
- biological determinism
> suggests we have no free will
> ignores environmental mediating factors
> could be unethical (could you excuse crime because of genetics)
- It’s not possible to prove the theory of natural selection as you cant show evolution happening
Biopsychology: what is the nervous system?
consists of the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system
communicates using electrical signals
main functions:
- collect, process and respond to information in the environment
- coordinate the working of different organs and cells in the body
Biopsychology: what is the central nervous system?
- made up of the brain and spinal cord
brain - centre of all conscious awareness
- outer layer (cerebral cortex) is only 3mm thick and only found in mammals
- divided into two hemispheres
spinal cord - extension of the brain
- passes messages from the brain
- connects nerves to the PNS
- responsible for reflex actions
Biopsychology: what is the peripheral nervous system?
- transmits messages via neurons too and from the CNS
subdivided into: - Autonomic nervous system: governs vital bodily functions e.g. breathing
- somatic nervous system: governs muscle movement and receives information from sensory receptors
Biopsychology: what is the endocrine system?
instructs glands to release hormones directly into the bloodstream. these hormones are carried to organs in the body.
communicates via chemicals
