Approaches

Question 1

Behaviourist: AO1.

Answer 1

Classical conditioning: Pavlov: UCS>UCR, NS>NR, UCS+NS>UCR, CS>CR. Timing, extinction, spontaneous recovery, stimulus generalisation.
Operant conditioning: Skinner: positive reinforcement encourages a behaviour, negative reinforcement discourages a behaviour. Punishment decreases a behaviour.

Question 2

Behaviourist: AO3.

Answer 2

Classical conditioning has led to the development of treatments. Different capabilities to learn. Operant conditioning relies on controlled conditions. Uses animal studies. Ignores importance of emotions.

Question 3

Social Learning Theory: AO1.

Answer 3

Bandura: children observed aggressive or non-aggressive adult models and a control condition. Children taken to a room and not allowed to play with toys. When put with a bobo doll, the aggressive condition led to aggressive behaviour. Modelling and imitation. Identification with role model. Vicarious reinforcement. Mediational processes, role of a schema.

Question 4

Social Learning Theory: AO3.

Answer 4

Useful applications in criminal behaviour.
More identification with a similar model.
Difficult to assess causality.
Complexity.

Question 5

Cognitive: AO1.

Answer 5

Compares human mind to a compute. Input > process > output. Inference: assumption without proof. Use of schemas.

Cognitive neuroscience: fMRIs and PET scans.

Question 6

Cognitive: AO3.

Answer 6

Applications in psychopathology.
Empirical, objective.
Computers do not make mistakes or ignore or forget information, whereas humans do.
Ignores emotion and motivation.
Lacks ecological validity.

Question 7

Biological: AO1.

Answer 7

Genes carried across from parents. 
Genotype: genetic code.
Phenotype: physical appearance.
Twin studies. 
Neurons.
Hormones/neurotransmitters.

Question 8

Biological: AO3.

Answer 8

Importance of science. Applications. Reductionist. Patterns of human behaviour may be rooted in cultural tradition rather than evolution.

Question 9

Psychodynamic: AO1.

Answer 9

Behaviour is controlled in the unconscious.
Id: operates in the unconscious, pleasure principle.
Ego: mediates between id impulses and reality principle.
Superego: internalisation of societal rules.
Psychosexual stages: oral, anal, phallic, latent, genital.
Defence mechanisms: repression, denial, displacement.

Question 10

Psychodynamic: AO3.

Answer 10

Suggests new methodological procedures. Gender and cultural biases: male focus, Sue and Sue, little relevance for non-Western cultures. Psychoanalysis can be applied out of psychology.

Question 11

Humanistic: AO1.

Answer 11

Use of free will. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: self actualisation/esteem, love/belonging, safety, physiological.
Self-concept: Rogers: conditions of worthy: need to be worthy of positive regard. A parent setting boundaries on their love for their child leads to psychological problems.
Congruence: real and ideal self.
Defence mechanisms: distortion, denial, blocking.
Gestalt therapy: helps client become whole again.
Q sort: Stephenson: card sort into two sets, real and ideal selves.

Question 12

Humanistic: AO3.

Answer 12

Linked to economical development.
Harter et al: teenagers feel as though they have to fulfill criteria for parents approval, leads to not liking themselves.
Difficult to research. Unrealistic. Cultural differences, some cultures prioritise different levels.

Question 13

Origins.

Answer 13

Wundt: introspection: looking into own emotional/mental state.
Scientific method: objective, quantitative, empiricism.
Unreliable, subjective, inaccurate. Deterministic. Ignores natural environments. Useful applications.