Approaches: Comparison of approaches Flashcards
What is determinism?
Behaviour is determined by external factors or internal factors acting upon an individual.
What is nature?
Behaviour is seen to be a product of innate (biological or genetic) factors.
What is nurture?
Behaviour is a product of environmental influences.
What is science?
A systematic approach to creating knowledge. The method used to gain scientific knowledge is referred to as the scientific method.
Behaviourist approach:
The consequences of our behaviour, which determines the likelihood of a behaviour reoccurring. Behaviorists such as Skinner emphasise the importance of external forces in the environment in shaping our behaviour. (environmental determinism)
Behaviourist approach is nurture, as it is a consequence of our interactions with the environment as the consequences of our behaviour within that environment.
Positively committed to the scientific method, as the behavioural approach is highly objective and experimentally based. By focusing only on responses that can be accurately measured, it aligns itself with the rigour of the scientific method more than most approaches. This also allows for a high degree of replication, which is an important part of the scientific process.
SLT approach:
Observations of others (vicarious reinforcement) and so behaviour is largely a product of our experience. However, although the learning process provides the tools to conduct a particular behaviour, it is up to the individual how and when to apply these tools (i.e. free will).
Primarily nurture in that people learn as a result of observing others. However, it is generally assumed that the capacity to learn from an observation of others has some adaptive value, therefore is likely to be innate.
Positively committed to the scientific method, as its research investigations are reliable and allow inferences, about cause and effect to be drawn. However, this does mean that research tends to be carried out in an artificial setting, so can lack validity in terms of real-life behaviour,.
Cognitive approach:
Our own thought processes, which determine our behaviour. Therefore, the individual has some degree of control over his or her behaviour.
Both nature and nurture, as though processes may be a product of innate factors or our experiences. We all share the same means of cognitive processing (nature), but problems may arise when people develop irrational thoughts and beliefs as a result of their experiences. (nurture)
Positive commitment to the scientific method to a degree, as most propositions can be easily tested. However, because mental processes are largely unobservable, a great deal of inference is necessary to develop models of cognitive processing.
Biological approach:
Physiological factors and/or inherited factors, both of which are outside of our control.
Primarily nature. Biological systems such as the CNS and the endocrine system are the product of innate factors (nature). However, experiences may modify these symptoms, e.g. Maguire et al (2000) taxi study.
Positively committed to the scientific method, as it lends itself to experimental study. For example, the influence of neurotransmitters in a behaviour can be investigated by administering drugs which change the levels of a particular neurotransmitter in the brain and then measuring any change in that behaviour.
Psychodynamic approach:
Unconscious factors, which are largely unknown to us and therefore beyond our conscious control. Freud believed that even trivial phenomena such as Freudian slips are caused by unconscious factors operating within individuals motivational system.
Both nature and nurture. It focuses on the nature side of human behaviour in the unconscious forces and conflicts that we must all deal with. However, how we cope with these is in a large way a product of our upbringing (nurture).
Mixed commitment to the scientific method. Although, some aspects of this approach are open to scientific investigation, there tends to be much greater reliance on case studies and subjective interpretation.
Humanistic approach:
Our own free will. Humanistic psychologists such as Maslow and Carl Rogers believed that people exercise choice in their behaviour, rather than being at the mercy of outside forces such as biological predispositions or reinforcement history.
Both nature and nurture. Makes various assumptions about human nature e.g. our drive to self actualisation (nature). However, it also acknowledges the problems in achieving self actualisation that arise from our experiences and upbringing e.g. our experience of conditional positive regard and conditions of worth (nurture).
Largely negative in the scientific method. Humanistic psychologists argue that scientific research methods are derived from and suited for the natural sciences, but are not appropriate for studying the complexities of human consciousness and experience.
