Approaches - Comparison of approaches Flashcards
What is each approach’s view on internal mental processes?
Behaviourists: Ignore the role of conscious thought as
its unscientific
SLT: Internal mental processes (the mediational processes) are important in the generation of human
behaviour
Cognitive: Thoughts follow predictable systems that
can be displayed as models like the WMM
Biological: Thoughts are due to the complex interactions of neurones, this can be understood using
neuro science
Psychodynamic: There is a large role for unconscious mental processes dominated by the
Id/Superego and defence mechanisms
Humanists: Conscious mind is in control of actions and has free will
What is each approach’s view on disorders and treatments?
Behaviourists: Use techniques like flooding for phobias learnt via conditioning, part of the development of CBT
SLT: Use reward mechanisms such as token economies in institutions alongside vicarious reinforcement
Cognitive: Disorders are due to irrational thinking and an inaccurate perception of the world (Ellis ABC), CBT is used to correct this way of “Maladaptive” thinking
Biological: Due to imbalances of neurotransmitters, genes or brain structures, this is treated with drug
interventions
Psychodynamic: Due to childhood development, psychotherapy as a treatment, depends on the process of introspection
Humanists: Focus on the healthy human, not pathology unconditional positive regard to client centred therapy (showing complete support and acceptance of a person no matter what that person says or does)
What is each approach’s view on reductionism and holism?
Behaviourists: Environmentally reductionist, ignores mental processes and socio-cultural explanations
SLT: Less environmentally reductionist as it includes mental factors, however it still ignores factors that can influence behaviour (For example: Biological factors)
Cognitive: Machine reductionist, the mind is viewed as just a series of processes similar to software
Biological: Biologically reductionist, ignores learnt behaviours/socio-cultural explanations
Psychodynamic: Reductionist as it explains behaviour is due to drives, however it includes aspects of thought processing and learning
Humanists: Fully holistic, it states that the inly way to understand human behaviour is to consider all aspects/levels of humanity
What is each approach’s view on childhood development?
Behaviourists: Development based on environmentally conditioned behaviours learnt via association, reinforcement and punishment
SLT: Behaviours can be learnt socially during
development (vicariously)
Cognitive: Development by acquiring schemas about how to interpret the world
Biological: Development strongly influenced by genetic factors, inherited due to evolutionary pressure
Psychodynamic: Childhood experience/psychosexual stages are fundamental in the development of adult emotional disorders
Humanists: Healthy development requires unconditional positive regard and satisfying the hierarchy of needs
What is each approach’s view on the nature/nurture debate?
Behaviourists: Nurture, there is no role for instincts (Nature) as people are born as “blank slates” (Tabula rasa) and are then shaped by the environment
SLT: Nurture however also shaped by the observation of others experiences
Cognitive: Both, the interaction of the brain structure (from birth) and learnt experiences influence internal mental systems
Biological: Nature, behaviour is as a result of the interaction of pre-existing neurotransmitters, genes and the effects of a persons brain structure
Psychodynamic: Both, innate drives and the role of childhood experiences are responsible for shaping behaviour
Humanist: Experiences (nurture) is most important in shaping a person as it rejects science
What is each approach’s view on ideographic/
nomothetic research?
Behaviourists: Nomothetic, large (animal) experiments are used to provide general laws for human behaviour
SLT: Nomothetic, use of experimental method in determining general laws (Bandura)
Cognitive: Mainly nomothetic with the use of general mental models, however some case studies were used (idiographic research)
Biological: Nomothetic, large biological studies used to give general (medical/physiological) based laws
Psychodynamic: Ideographic, case studies were used however there was an attempt to generalise findings through the psychosexual stages which are nomothetic
Humanist: No attempt to make general laws, instead the approach is used for subjective and individual studies (Idiographic)
What is each approach’s view on the free will/ determinism debate?
Behaviourists: behaviour is environmentally determined, stimulus/response (Environmental
determinism)
SLT: Soft determinism learning and mediational processes determine behaviour, however role for
choice
Cognitive: Soft determinism, thoughts are affected by previous experience (schemas), but consciousness can override
Biological: Behaviour is biologically determined due to an interaction of neurotransmitters, genes and brain structure
Psychodynamic: Psychically deterministic, behaviour is caused by unconscious mental processes (For example: Defence mechanisms, ID)
Humanist: Humans express free will in their conscious decision making
