approaches evaluation (AO3)

Question 1

strength of the behaviourist approach (practical application)

Answer 1

I: practical application in the development of therapies to treat disorders

E: systematic desensitisation- replace fear response with relaxation though re conditioning

C: can be used to improve lives in the real world

Question 2

strength of behaviourist approach (scientific)

Answer 2

I: it is scientific

E: relies on lab experiments like skinner box- controlled- manipulation on IV- objective and replicable

C: gives psychology more scientific credibility

Question 3

weakness of behaviourist approach (animal research)

Answer 3

I: based on animal research which has limitations

E: dogs and rats used- can’t be generalised to humans as we have free will and our behaviour isn’t solely based on association and reinforcement

C:may not provide a valid explanation of how humans learn behaviours

Question 4

weakness of behaviourist approach (issues and debates)

Answer 4

I: nurture side of nature nurture debate

E: classical and operant conditioning believe experiences shape behaviour not internal processes and we are born a tabula rasa

C:ignores important role of nature in development of behaviour

Question 5

strength of the social learning theory (practical application)

Answer 5

I: practical application in the development of therapies to treat disorders

E: modelling- clients watch non phobic model calmly interact with phobic object providing vicarious reinforcement and allowing the client to learn how to be less anxious

C: can be used to improve lives of people in the real world

Question 6

strength of the social learning theory (scientific)

Answer 6

I: it is scientific

E: Bobo doll study done in lab with standardised procedures and high levels of control and reliability- IVs manipulated (model observed) and DV measured

C: gives psychology more scientific credibility

Question 7

strength of the SLT (issues and debates )

Answer 7

I: less reductionist

E: Bandura doesn’t reduce complex behaviours to basic level as he considered interaction between environmental and cognitive factors such as meditational processes

C: more holistic

Question 8

weakness of the SLT (methodology)

Answer 8

I: criticised for methodology

E: Bobo doll experiment in lab so it was artificial and children could’ve been responding to demand characteristics like the fact that the doll was made to be hit

C: not valid explanation of how behaviours are learnt in the real world

Question 9

strength of the cognitive approach (practical application)

Answer 9

I: practical application in the development of therapies to treat disorders

E:cognitive behavioural therapy- treatments for depression by replacing irrational thoughts with more rational ones e.g meta analysis of 14 studies showed 80% adults with depression benefitted from the therapy

C: can be used to improve lives in the real world

Question 10

strength of the cognitive approach (scientific)

Answer 10

I: it is scientific

E: used brain scams e.g PET & FMRI to measure cognitive processes in brain- objective- lab experiments also used by tilting and pearlstone where IV was manipulated to measure effect on DV

C: gives psychology more scientific credibility

Question 11

weakness of the cognitive approach (methodology)

Answer 11

I: criticised for methodology

E: meaningless stimulus were used that lack mundane realism and don’t have emotional impact that could be present in real life

C: not valid explanation of how info is processed in real life

Question 12

weakness of cognitive approach (issues and debates)

Answer 12

I: considered reductionist

E: reduces complex ideas to basic level by using computer terms like inputs, responses and outputs without taking emotion into account

C:over simplifies may human behaviours so is considered machine reductionist

Question 13

strength of the biological approach (practical application)

Answer 13

I: practical application in the development of therapies to treat disorders

E:research into neurotransmitters show that depression is linked to an unbalance of serotonin which has led to the development of drug treatments designed to correct this- research by Keller suggests 50-60% patients find drug treatments useful

C: can be used to improve lives in the real world

Question 14

strength of the biological approach (scientific)

Answer 14

I:it is scientific

E: brain scanning used- highly objective and less biased as methods like case studies and can make accurate predictions about localised brain damage

C: gives psychology more scientific credibility

Question 15

weakness of the biological approach (methodology)

Answer 15

I: criticised for methodology

E: concordance rates are never 100% in MZ twins suggesting the environment has an effect on human behaviour as well as genes. the fact that MZ twins are often reared more similarly may be why their concordance rates are higher than DZ twins.

C: not a valid explanation of the role of genes in behaviour

Question 16

weakness of the biological approach (issues and debates)

Answer 16

I: considered reductionist

E: reduces down to genes and neurotransmitters ignoring environmental factors that affect behaviour for e.g. aggression and violence may be more likely due to childhood trauma

C:accused of biological reductionism as it over simplifies behaviours

Question 17

strength of the psycodyamic approach (practical application)

Answer 17

I: practical application in the development of therapies to treat disorders

E: assumes mental illnesses are caused by repressed childhood trauma which has led to psychoanalysis and techniques like hypnosis an dream interpretation to access memories from the clients unconscious mind.

C: can be used to improve lives in the real world

Question 18

weakness of the psychodynamic approach (scientific)

Answer 18

I: is not scientific

E: uses case studies like little has that are subjective and ideas like the oedipus complex that could be a result of Freud’s own interpretation. unconscious mind can’t be directly observed do ideas like id and ego aren’t falsifiable

C: reduces scientific credibility of psychology

Question 19

weakness of the psychodynamic approach (methodology)

Answer 19

I: the evidence can be criticised for its methodology

E: case study of little hans are not representative of all 5 year old males so not all children can be said to suffer the oedipus complex

C: may not be a reliable explanation of behaviour

Question 20

weakness of the psychodynamic approach (issues and debates)

Answer 20

I: deterministic

E: psychic determinism- focuses of biological drives and repressed unconscious conflicts and argues free will is an illusion

C: ignores the important role of free will

Question 21

strength of the humanistic approach (practical application)

Answer 21

I: practical application in the development of therapies to treat disorders

E:person centred therapy where the client is encouraged to take charge f their one recovery by understanding it and therapist makes the client feel valued and self actualised- helps treat anxiety and is used in education and health industries
in a sample of 14000 people PCT made a big difference to their well being and made them less likely to relapse and continued to develop on own after therapy

C: can be used to improve lives in the real world

Question 22

weakness of the humanistic approach (scientific)

Answer 22

I: is not scientific

E: focuses of abstract concepts like self actualisation and congruence and is not objective or easy to make predictions about

C: reduces scientific credibility of psychology

Question 23

weakness of the humanistic approach (issues and debates )

Answer 23

I: promotes free will but also focuses of determinism

E: says all humans have free will and choice to make own decisions and promotes a positive human condition but also suggests that self worth is determined by the way we are treated and conditions of worth imposed on us

C: somewhat inconsistent in terms of free will - determinism debate

Question 24

strength of the behaviourist approach (issues and debates)

Answer 24

I: ess reductionist

E: doesn’t reduce complex behaviours and focuses on whole person and how the body and mind work together and the influence of personal experiences

C: more holistic