Approaches Flashcards
How is having some systematic and controlled methods a strength of Wundt’s work?
P - some methods are standardised and controlled
Ev - standardised instructions
Ex - results can be compared and repeated
L - psychology is a science
How is heavy reliance on introspection a limitation of Wundt’s work?
P - Wundt’s work heavily relied on introspection
Ev - Wundt asked ppts to self-report their mental processes, such as describing their own thoughts and feelings
Ex - data was subjective and unobservable, making it difficult to verify and reproduce findings
L - method lacks scientific rigor compared to later approaches, like behaviourism
How is Wundt’s work being scientific a strength of modern psychology?
P - can claim to be scientific
Ev - uses systematic methods like controlled experiments and brain imaging techniques
Ex - research is based on empirical evidence, increasing objectivity and credibility
L - psychology shares the same aims as natural sciences such as prediction and explanation
What are the evaluation points for Wundt’s work?
+) Scientific
-) relies heavily on introspection
+) some systematic and controlled methods
How is being based on lab studies a strength of behaviourism?
P - based on lab studies
Ev - they only focus in observable behaviour, experiments are well-controlled, variables are manipulated systematically
Ex - the results are reliable
L - results are considered justified
What are the evaluation points for the behaviourist approach?
+) lab study
-) uses animal studies
-) mistreatment of animals
How is the use of animal studies a limitation of the behaviourist approach?
P - Pavlov and Skinners used animal studies
Ev - Pavlov and skinner’s work was conducted in dogs, rats, pigeons
Ex - human’s brains are more complex than animal brains so the results will not be justified
C.P - Watson used a 9 month old in his little Albert experiment
How is Watson using a human in his study a counter for animal studies as a limitation of Behaviourism?
Used little Albert
How is the mistreatment of animals a limitation of the behaviourist approach?
P - mistreatment of animals
Ev - Pavlov - dogs , Skinner -rats and pigeons
involved distressing procedures such as food deprivation or electronic shocks
Ex - ethical treatment of animals in compromised, raising concerns about whether such studies should be conducted at all
L - findings of behaviourist studies may be considered unjustified due to unethical treatment of animals
What are the evaluation point for Cognitive approach?
+) Scientific methods
-) contrived experiments
-) machine reductionist
How is the use of scientific methods a strength of the cognitive approach?
P - scientific methods
Ev - brain scans, CT scans, PET scans
Ex - accurate explanation of human behaviour
L - can explain behaviour IAPIAPATT
How is a contrived experiment a limitation of the cognitive approach?
P - contrived experiment
Ev - research studies of mental processes often arried out on artificial stimuli like word tests
Ex - lacks mundane realism
L - may not explain behaviour IAPIAPATT
How is machine reductionism a limitation of the cognitive appraoch?
P -Machine-reductionist
Ev - we are more complicated, sociable and have more emotions than a computer model
Ex - not an accurate comparison, over-simplified
L; - may not expain behaviour IAPIAPATT
What are the evaluation points of the biological approach?
-) reductionist
+) RWA
-) determinist
How is being reductionist a limitation of the biological approach?
P - reductionist
Ev - reduces complex human behaviour down to genetics
Ex - approach fails to take SLT into account and the effects of the environement on our social circles
L - not all bhevaiour can be explained by the biological approach
How is real; world application a strength of the biological approach?
P - RWA
Ev - the development of drug therapy to treat disorders like Schiophrenia
Ex - the approach is not only credible but can be used to benefit society
L - useful and valuable IAPIAPATT
How is being deterministic a limitation of the biological approach?
P - determinsistic
Ev - all behaviour is governed by biological factors, we cannot choose our biology
Ex - approach assumes we have no free will, discouraging for those with mental illnesses and disproves the criminal justice system
L- Biological approach can lead to people not taking ownership of their crimes and feeling hopeless regarding recovery from mental illness
What is the cognitive approach?
believes mental processes should be studied e.g perception and memory
What is the role of inference?
cognitive psychologists make assumptions about what is going on in people’s minds on the basis of their behaviour as mental processes are private and cannot be observed
What is a schema?
packages of information developed through experience
that acts as a framework for the interpretation of incoming information recieived by the cognitive system
schema becomes more detailed and sophisticated with age
What are theoretical models ?
suggests information flows through a sequence of stages that include input, storage and retrieval
What are computer models?
refers to programmes that can be run on a computer to imitate the human mind
by running the programme =, psychologists can test their ideas about information processing
What is the emergence of cognitive neuroscience?
scientific study of influence of brain structures in mental processes
advances in brain scanning, scientists can describe neurological basis of mental processing
e.g Tulving research in memory gas linked episodic and semantic memories to opposite sides of the PFC in the brain
What is the biological approach?
believes we must look to biological structures and processes within the body like genes and neurochemistry
What is neurochemistry?
the action of chemicals in the brain
neurotransmitters transmitting messages
imbalance of neurotransmitters may cause some mental disorders
What is the genetic basis of behaviour?
psychological characterisitcs are inherited
twin studies are used to investigate genetic influence
MZ 100% same
DZ 50% same
What is genotype?
Genetic make-up
What is phenotype?
the way these genes are expressed through physical, behaviourial, psychological characteristics
influenced by environment
What is the theory of evolution?
Darwin proposed theory of natural selection
any genetically determined behaviour that enhances survival and reproduction will be passed onto future generations
Such genes are described as adaptive and give the professor and their offspring advantages
What is the mind made up of?
Conscious - What we are aware of
Preconscious thoughts we may become aware if through dreams
Unconscious - vast storehouse of biologically drives and instincts that influence our behaviour
What is the tripartite structure of personality?
Id - primitive part operates on pleasure principle and demands immediate gratification
Ego - reality principle, mediator between Id and Superego
Superego - internalised sense of right and wrong, morality principle, punishes ego through guilt, age 5
What are the 5 psychosexual stages?
oral
anal
phallic
latency
genital
each stage has a different conflict that the child must resolve to move on to next.
Unresolved conflicts lead to fixation where child becomes stuck and carries behaviours associated with the stage through to adult life
What is the Oral stage?
0-1 years
pleasure focus - mouth, the mother’s breast is object of desireW
What is the anal stage?
1-3 years
pleasure focus is anus, child gains pleasure from witholding and eliminating faeces
What is the Phallic stage?
3-6 years
pleasure focus is the genital area
What is the latency stage?
earlier conflicts are repressed
What is the genital stage?
sexual desires become conscious
What is the oedipus complex?
girls have penis envy
boys develop incestuous feelings towards their mother, identify with their father and take on gender role and moral values
