Approaches AO1 Flashcards
What must a psychologist use in order to be scientific?
The hypothetico-deductive model of reasoning
What are the processes of the hypothetico-deductive model of reasoning?
Theory- about why behaviour is occurring
Hypothesis- to explain behaviour in line with theory, predict results of new observations
Empirical data- conduct empirical tests of predictions
Interpretation- verify findings to support/modify/throw out the theory
Who was Wundt?
Known as the ‘father of psychology’
Began studying humans in philosophical ways but moved towards more controlled research
Promoted use of introspection as a way of studying mental processes
What is introspection?
The systematic analysis of your own present conscious experience of a stimulus
What are the 2 sections in which an experience is analysed?
Physical sensations
Emotional feelings
What is structuralism?
Isolating the structure of consciousness
What did Wundt have in his labs?
Highly trained observers
Controlled and standardised sensory events
Individuals asked to describe mental experiences of events
Observations repeated numerous times
What did Wundt believe his observers had to be during his experiments?
High state of attention to the stimulus
In control of the situation
What does the behaviourist approach state about behaviour?
All behaviour is learnt and determined by the environment
Experiences after birth shape behaviour (nothing is innate)
Laws developed to explain all human behaviour and make predictions
How does the behaviourist approach state learning occurs?
Via classical conditioning or operant conditioning
What is classical conditioning?
Learning through association
Emphasises importance of association in causing behaviours
What is operant conditioning?
Based on learning via consequences of punishment and reinforcement
Emphasises importance of consequences
Behaviour that is reinforced is likely to be repeated and vice versa with punishment
What are the key terms linked to classical conditioning?
Unconditioned stimulus
Unconditioned response
Neutral stimulus
Association
Conditioned stimulus
Conditioned response
What is positive reinforcement?
Adding a desirable consequence to a behaviour to increase the chances of the behaviour being repeated
What is a primary reinforcer?
Something that in itself is directly rewarding
What is a secondary reinforcer?
Not directly rewarding but a token that will eventually lead to a primary reinforcer
What is an example of positive reinforcement?
Sweet for answering a question right
Sweet = primary reinforcer
Teacher = secondary reinforcer
What is negative reinforcement?
Taking away of something bad to increase the chances of the behaviour being repeated
What is an example of negative reinforcement?
Taking away chores for being good
What is punishment?
Causing an unpleasant outcome in response to a behaviour in order to make sure it is not repeated
Positive punishment- adding something bad
Negative punishment- taking away something good
What is an assumption about the psychodynamic approach?
Behaviour is determined more by internal psychological factors than by biological factors or environmental reinforcement
What did Freud say the personality is made up of?
Id- basic instincts and needs, sexual and aggressive
Ego- developing an appreciation of reality
Superego- morals
What does the psychodynamic approach say behaviour is determined by?
The unconscious mind and early childhood experiences
What is the unconscious mind?
Vast storehouse of basic drives and instincts, unresolved conflicts and unpleasant events/memories