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Psychology AS Level > Approaches > Flashcards

Approaches Flashcards

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1
Q

Give 5 key assumptions of the biological approach

A
  • genes can explain behaviour (we are a product of our genes )
  • behaviour has evolved through the process of evolutionary adaptations
  • animals can help us understand our behaviour
  • the brain is the main focus when explaining behaviour
  • neurotransmitters and hormones are important, different levels of these affects behaviour
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2
Q

What is meant by heredity?

A

Passing on of characteristics from one generation to the next. It is the reason why offspring look like their parents

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3
Q

Explain how genes are involved in the influence of behaviour?

A

23 pairs of chromosomes
23 from mum
23 from dad
-makes offspring 100% like parents

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4
Q

What is a genotype?

A

Set of genes in our DNA which is responsible for a particular trait. The genetic make up of a person

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5
Q

What is a phenotype?

A

Physical expression or characteristic is that trait, the characteristic shown by a person that have occurred because of their genes and environment

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6
Q

What is a MZ twin?

A

Monozygotic twin pair

  • identical
  • they share 100% genetic similarities
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7
Q

What are DZ twins?

A

Dizygotic twin pair

  • non identical
  • roughly they share 50% of genetic similarities
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8
Q

What is meant by concordance rate?

A

Used in genetics, means the presence of the same trait in both members of a pair of twins

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9
Q

Briefly outline what is meant by the endocrine system

A

The endocrine system is the collection of glands that produce hormones that regulate metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, sexual function, reproduction and mood among other things

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10
Q

Where are hormones released from?

A

Endocrine glands

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11
Q

How do hormones travel around the body?

A

Bloodstream

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12
Q

What does CNS stand for?

A

Central nervous system

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13
Q

What does PNS stand for?

A

Peripheral nervous system

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14
Q

What does the CNS consist of?

A
  • Brain and spinal chord
  • key in transferring messages to and from the environment
  • acts as a centre from which all physiology is controlled - the brain is the main centre for behaviour
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15
Q

What does the PNS consist of?

A

-sends and receives messages to/from the CNS and to limbs/torso, which collect informs from the environment in terms of temp, pain, threat etc

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16
Q

What does the frontal lobe in the brain do?

A

Higher mental functions such as appropriate social behaviour makes and controlling emotions

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17
Q

What is the partial lobe in the brains function?

A

Sensory processing and spatial reasoning

E.g. The manipulation of objects, numbers and their relationships

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18
Q

What is the function of the temporal lobe in the Brain?

A

Audio processing

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19
Q

What is the function of the occipital lobe in the brain?

A

Visual processing

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20
Q

What is a neuron?

A

A nerve cell that transfers information between the nervous system. There are billions within the human body and they may vary according to their job (sensory, motor and relay neuron)

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21
Q

What is meant by neurochemistry?

A

The bio chemistry of the CNS -particularly the brain involves the transmission of chemicals via the cerebral fluid

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22
Q

What is meant by neurotransmitters?

A

When an electrical impulse reaches the end of a neuron, it cannot pass the gap to the next one, so the electrical signal is turned into a chemical signal called a NEUROTRANSMITTER, that floats across the synaptic gap via the cerebal fluid and transmits the message to the next neuron

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23
Q

Give an example of how neurotransmitters may be involved in mental illness?

A
  • depression- neurotransmitter SEROTONIN (low levels)
  • schizophrenia-neurotransmitter DOPLEMINE (high levels)
  • OCD
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24
Q

Give 2 strengths of the biological approach

A
  • scientific approach- it uses objective measures (e.g. Measuring levels of hormones)
  • it supports the nature view
  • it strongly promotes genetics as a key influence of behaviour
  • it has practical applications (e.g. Helps people with mental illness)
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25
Q

Give 2 weaknesses of the biological approach

A
  • it is a reductionist approach as it suggests we are a product of biology. It ignore the environment and social factors that play a part in shaping our behaviour
  • it is deterministic- this means your present and future behaviour is already fixed because of your genes and the neurotransmitters in your brain
  • plays down or even ignore ‘free will’
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26
Q

What would happen if we conclusively discovered a genetic basis for criminal behaviour?

A

Study and locate the gene responsible for the criminal behaviour and mutilate it so that there will be no genetic criminal behaviour passed on to the offspring

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27
Q

Define objective behaviour

A

Studying phenomena that can be observed and measured

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28
Q

Define systematic behaviour

A

Standardised- this means that methods are clearly laid out and can be easily repeated

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29
Q

Define replicable

A

The results of research should be replicated- this means that other researchers find the same results

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30
Q

Who was the first person to call himself a psychologist? And what did he use?

A

Wilhelm Wundt
Introspection to examine his subjects thoughts - he believed that he could train people to observe their own mental processes

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31
Q

Why might Wundt’s methods be considered to be unreliable?

A

Wundt’s method can be consider unreliable. This is because the same results cannot be replicated by other researchers, therefore may be a fluke and as such, cannot necessarily be trusted

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32
Q

do you think we can be aware of everything that occurs in our minds?

A

Perhaps there are thoughts in our conscious mind that we are unaware of - these would not be identified through introspection but could still be relevant- limits the accuracy of the method

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33
Q

By using controlled environments to ensure accuracy and replicability this may reduce the ecological validity of findings, explain what this means

A

The means that because the research was done in a controlled (therefore artificial) setting, the findings might not actually apply to real life

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34
Q

What are the key assumptions of the behaviourist approach?

A
  • behaviour is learned from experience
  • only observable behaviour should be studied
  • animals be be studied because they share the same principles of learning as humans
  • we are born a blank slate, we learn from the environment
  • thoughts cannot be measured
  • genetic influence is not important to behaviourists
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35
Q

What is a UCS?

A

Unconditioned stimulus

-a natural stimulus

36
Q

What is the UCR?

A

Unconditioned response

-a natural response

37
Q

What is a NS?

A

Neutral stimulus

-does not produce a response

38
Q

What is a CS?

A

Conditioned stimulus

-neutral stimulus is now a conditioned stimulus

39
Q

What is a CR?

A

Conditioned response

-conditioned stimulus now produce a conditioned response

40
Q

Who did a study on dogs? (Classical conditioning)

A

Pavlov (1927)

41
Q

What was Pavlov investigating?

A

He research was initially focused on the digestive system of dogs

42
Q

Describe the procedure of Pavlov’s study

A

-in his experiments, Pavlov used a bell as the neutral stimulus.
He rang the bell whenever the dogs were given food, so that the sound of the bell became associated with the food.

43
Q

What happened when Pavlov rang the bell on its own?

A

The bell was enough to elicit a salivary response in the dogs, even if no food was present

44
Q

Did the tone, timing and pitch have an impact on the research?

A

Tone and pitch- as long as they are roughly similar, the dog will still respond

Timing- USC and NS must be presented at the same time or around the same time(too much of a gap = no association)

45
Q

Give 2 strengths of classical conditioning

A
  • emphasises learning from the environment
  • supports nurture over nature
  • based on scientific, empirical evidence
  • complex behaviour broken down into smaller stimulus- response units of behaviour
  • improve or control undesirable behaviours
46
Q

Give 2 weaknesses of classical conditioning

A
  • all responses must involve a reflex- what can be learnt is limited
  • difficult to condition Infants on their emotions
  • does not allow for free will in individuals
  • underestimates uniqueness of human beings
  • may lack validity
  • listing in describing behaviour in terms of nature or nurture; likely interaction of both
47
Q

Define reinforcement (operant)

A

something in the environment that reinforces/ strengthens behaviour

48
Q

Define positive reinforcement

A

Consequences are satisfying/ pleasant

49
Q

Define negative reinforcement

A

Removes something unpleasant

50
Q

Define punishment

A

Behaviour is followed by unpleasant consequences- punishment decreases behaviour

51
Q

Who did a study involving operant conditioning?

A

Skinner (1948)

52
Q

Explain briefly how skinner carried out this study

A

Using skinners box, he investigated operant conditioning in rats and pigeons.
Rats move round a cage, and when it presses the lever, a pellet of food drops

53
Q

Explain how skinner could have reinforced the rats behaviour using continuous reinforcement

A

Reinforcement is given every time the animal gives the desired response

54
Q

Explain how skinner could have reinforced the rats behaviour using partial reinforcement

A

Reinforcing a rat for every 3rd lever press (fixed ratio) or every 30 seconds (fixed interval)

55
Q

Explain how skinner could have reinforced the rats behaviour using random reinforcement

A

Reinforcing a rat every 3rd, 5th, 2nd lever press (variable ratio) or every 30, 10, or 20 seconds (variable interval)

Variable schedules are most resistant to extinction

56
Q

Give 2 strengths operant conditioning

A
  • he developed some key ideas that are widely used today
  • he changed the way people look at things that are observable
  • people are more aware of how to control behaviour which has become very important in parenting techniques
  • skinner really worked towards making psychology as scientific as possible, and tried not to bias research
  • skinner make behaviour liam more widely known
57
Q

Give 2 weaknesses of operant conditioning

A
  • enforced that people stick to experimental observations but in beyond freedom and dignity he used assumptions, not just what he observed
  • some have thought that skinners theories treat people as if they were animals that he began studying. Some also say he treats them like object to be controlled
  • does not always work
  • he was a radical behaviourist
58
Q

Who discovered social learning theory?

A

Albert Bandura

59
Q

What are 3 assumptions of social learning theory?

A
  • behaviour is learned from the environment with no genetic influence
  • behaviour is learned from observing others and the reinforcement or punishment they receive
  • behaviour that is rewarded, is imitated
60
Q

Define modelling in slt

A

A form of learning-> individuals learn a particular behaviour by observing another individual performing that behaviour and then imitating it

61
Q

Define imitation in SLT

A

The action of observing a behaviour from a role model and copying it

62
Q

Define identification in SLT

A

The extent to which an individual relates to a model and feels that he/she is similar or wished to be like them
Identification -> more likely to imitate behaviour

63
Q

Define vicarious reinforcement SLT

A

Learning that is not a result of direct reinforcement but by observing the consequences of a models behaviour

64
Q

Define the role of mediational processes SLT

A
  • attention
  • retention
  • Reproduction
  • motivation

Internal mental processes that exist between observing a behaviour (stimulus) and imitating it or not(response)

65
Q

What was the aim of Bandura et al. (1961) (SLT)

A

To examine the role of a model on influencing aggressive behaviour in children to examine if The sex of the model influence same sex and opposite sex children to a differing degree

66
Q

What was the procedure of Bandura et al. SLT

A

STAGE 1- MODELLING = 1/2 of children observed an aggressive role model. Adult attacked Bobo doll in distinctive manner I.e. Hitting it with a hammer and throwing it whilst shouting “pow!”
STAGE 2= MILD AGGRESSION AROUSAL = children were shown attractive toys that they were not allowed to play with
STAGE 3= TEST FOR DELAYED IMITATION = children were taken into a room with a range of toys, including the bobo doll. Behaviour was observed for 20 minutes and rated for the extent that they imitated the adult

67
Q

What did Bandura et al. Find in his experiment?

A
  1. Children who observed the aggressive model made for more imitative aggressive responses than children in non-aggressive condition
  2. Boys acted more aggressively than girls
  3. There was a greater level of imitation if the role model was the same gender as a child
68
Q

Give 2 strengths of SLT

A
  • it takes thought processes into account and acknowledges their role in deciding whether to imitate or not
  • explain successfully the imitation of certain behaviours
  • The principle of social learning has been applied to increase our understanding of human behaviours i.e. Criminal behaviour
69
Q

Give 2 weaknesses of SLT

A
  • it is not a full explanation for all behaviours - what happens if there is no apparent role model to imitate?
  • there is a causality problem with SLT explanations of deviant behaviour
  • the cause of delinquency may not be a result of exposure to deviant role models. rather, young people who possess deviant values, attitudes would seek out peers with similar attitudes/ behaviours
70
Q

What are the key assumptions of the cognitive approach?

A
  • thought processes can be studied scientifically. Well controlled laboratory studies can investigate what we are thinking
  • The mind works like a computer in that it has a input from our senses which it then processes and produces an output such as language or a behaviour
  • stimulus and response is appropriate but only if the thought processes that occur between the stimulus and response are acknowledged
71
Q

What does the cognitive approach study?

A

Studies information processing, this means the way in which we deal with information from our environment or experiences

This can include selecting information called attention, using information to solve problems (thinking) or storing and retrieving information (memory)

72
Q

Define schemas

A

A collection of ideas about a thing, person or situation formed through experience which then helps the individual to understand and predict the world around them

73
Q

Give an example of how a schema might be used

A

How to behave in a particular situation such as a job interview or in a restaurant

74
Q

How are schemas useful to us? (Cognitive)

A

They can help us take short cuts when interpreting the huge amounts of information we have got to deal with daily living

75
Q

How might schemas lead to distortion me in perception or memory? (Cognitive)

A

May happen due to stereotypes - when we don’t have enough information about a person, event or thing, then our schemas may ‘fill in the gaps’

76
Q

Who did a study on the cognitive approach? What was the aim?

A

Brewer and Treyens (1981)

Aim- to study the effects of pre-existing schemas on memory

77
Q

What was the procedure of Brewer and Treyens study on the cognitive approach?

A

Participants were shown into a room they believed was the experimenters office and told to wait (around 30-50 seconds)
-once they left the office, they were asked to write down everything they could remember about the room

78
Q

What were the findings of Brewer and Treyens study on the cognitive approach?

A
  • most of the participants remember the schematic objects (items that were in keeping with their pre-existing schema e.g. Typewriter)
  • mainly recalled items that were not in the keeping with their schemas (unexpected items e.g. A skull)
  • some also recalled things that were not in the room but should of been (e.g. Books, telephone)
79
Q

What were the conclusions of Brewer and Treyens study on the cognitive approach?

A

-schemas can affect the things we remember and can distort our memory if what we see is not in keeping with the schema

80
Q

What are the evaluations of Brewer and Treyens study on the cognitive approach?

A

:)- scientific and objective methods are used

  • replicable
  • controlled conditions

:(- ecological validity (suggests people can make mistakes - not realistic)

81
Q

What is the role of theoretical models?

A
  • theoretical models are simplified representations of the mental processes occurring during certain task (e.g. Remembering or forgetting information)
  • they usually take the form of diagrams with boxes to indicate parts of the mind and arrows indicating the flow of information between these parts
82
Q

What are the similarities and differences between mind and a computer?

A

Similarities =

  • processed information
  • input(data/senses)
  • output (printout/behaviour)
  • memory
Differences =
-computer = metallic/ plastic 
=limited memory 
-mind = organic 
-unlimited memory
83
Q

What is the main focus of cognitive neuroscience?

A

To look for a biological basis for thought processes that might have been outlined by theoretical / computer models

84
Q

Outline 2 methods that can be used to investigate cognitive neuroscience?

A

PET - position emission tomography
-looks at the structure and functioning of the brain. Active brain areas are highlighted

fMRI- functional magnetic resonance imaging
-looks at blood flow in the brain. Measures activity. It gives rapid pictures moment by moment. It it very detailed compared to PET scans

85
Q

Give 2 strengths of the cognitive approach?

A
  • the focus of the cognitive approach is in thought processes. These processes are important in understanding human behaviour
  • it uses experimental methods, which means the research has scientific rigour
  • the approach has produced some good descriptions of mental processes. This has also helped in developing psychological treatments for conditions such as depression
86
Q

Give 2 weaknesses of the cognitive approach

A
  • The use of laboratory experiments means that the researcher lacks validity as the thought processes measured could be argued to be artificial due to the context (e.g.lab) and tasks performed
  • the use of ‘models’ can be seen as oversimplifying complex mental processes, for example, the role of emotion is sometimes overlooked
  • The approach is criticised for its comparison of people to computers, seeing people as mechanistic and lacking free will. The mind is a lot more sophisticated than a computer

Psychology AS Level (5 decks)

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