Approaches in Psychology Flashcards

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1
Q

What did Wundt do?

A

First lab dedicated to psychology (beginning of scientific psychology).

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2
Q

What is introspection

A

The first systematic experimental attempt to study the mind by breaking up conscious awareness into basic structures of thoughts, images and sensations.

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3
Q

How was introspection by Wundt done

A

Him and his coworkers recorded their experiences of various stimuli they were presented with, such as different objects or sounds and they would divide their observations into: thoughts, images and sensations.

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4
Q

What is structuralism- Wundt

A

The stimuli that Wundt and his co-workers experienced were all presented in the same order and same instructions were issued to all participants.

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5
Q

What is the behaviourist approach

A

A way of explaining behaviour in terms of what is observable and learning.

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6
Q

What approach believes in a ‘blank slate’

A

-Behaviourist approach

Babies are a blank slate at birth

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7
Q

What did John B.Watson say about introspection?

A

Introspection involved too many concepts and was too vague and difficult to measure.
(He believed in behaviourist approach)

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8
Q

What are the main forms of learning (Behaviourist approach)

A
  • Classical conditioning

- Operant conditioning

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9
Q

Explain what is meant by classical conditioning- Pavlov

A

Pavlov
Learning through association.
Pavlovs dogs associated a response with a stimuli.

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10
Q

Explain what is meant by operant conditioning- Skinner

A
  • Positive reinforcement ;praise/ got a pellet every time a lever was pulled
  • Negative reinforcement ;scold/ unpleasant shocks to stop a certain behaviour
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11
Q

Learning approaches: The behaviourist approach- EVAL

A
  • Behaviourist approach based on well-controlled research. Highly controlled lab setting. Easily break down into stimulus and response.
  • May be too simplistic and ignores private mental processes
  • Real-world application; token system
  • Sees all behaviour as previously learned. However, some behaviour may be due to free will ir personal decision making processes
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12
Q

Who created the social learning theory

A

Bandura

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13
Q

What did Bandura agree on with the behaviourist approach and what did he disagree with?

A

-Behaviour is learned through experience

But also
-Imitation of others, directly and indirectly

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14
Q

What is vicarious reinforcement

A

Reinforcement which is not directly experiences but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced behaviour. Key factor is imitation.

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15
Q

What is the meditational processes

A

Cognitive factors that influence learning and come between stimulus and response.

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16
Q

The 4 mediational processes in learning (by Bandura)

A
  • Attention (extent to which we notice certain behaviours)
  • Retention (how well behaviour is remembered)
  • Motor reproduction (ability of the observer to perform the behaviour)
  • Motivation (the will to perform the behaviour)
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17
Q

Difference between attention, retention and motor reproduction,motivation

A

First two are about learning the behaviour

Other two are for the performance of the behaviour

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18
Q

What is identification

A

People (especially children) will imitate people of whom they identity with (their role model)
A person becomes a role model if they are seen as high status

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19
Q

Learning approaches: Social Learning Theory- EVAL

A
  • Recognises the importance of cognitive factors, classical and operant do not offer an adequate account. More comprehensive explanation
  • SLT has been criticised for making little reference to biological. Biological differences is only ability for learning.
  • SLT studies only in lab studies, may be demand characteristics- such as for bobo dolls experiment
  • SLT real-life, explains cultural differences in behaviour. Passed through societies- explains how children know gender roles
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20
Q

What was Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment

A

Saw videos of adults behaving aggressively towards a bobo doll
-Group 1: saw adults praised
-Group 2: saw adults scolded
First group showed less aggression to the other

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21
Q

What is the behaviourist approach briefly

A

Behaviour is learned through life

John B. Watson said that introspection was too vague.

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22
Q

What is the SLT briefly

A

Bandura behaviour is learned through direct and indirect reinforcement.
Operant classical conditioning, mediational process, vicarious reinforcement, identification

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23
Q

What is the cognitive approach briefly

A

How our mental processes affect behaviour. (e.g thoughts, behaviour, perception and retention)

  • role of the schema
  • theoretical and computer models
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24
Q

How can cognitive approach be observed

A

Indirectly. opposite to behaviourist approach, inferences must be made

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25
Q

What is the role of the schema

A

A mental framework of beliefs and expectations that influence cognitive processing. Developed through experience.

26
Q

What schema are babies born with

A

Motor schema for innate behaviours such as sucking and grasping. This changes w age

27
Q

Why is a schema helpful?

And why not?

A
  • Helps us process information quickly and useful as a shortcut
  • Distort our interpretations of sensory information, leading to perceptual errors
28
Q

What is meant by theoretical and computer models (cognitive approach)

A

Informational process approach flows through the cognitive system in the sequence of stages
Like a computer humans can be programmed

29
Q

What is the biological approach briefly

A

A perspective that influences the importance of physical processes in the body such a genetic inheritance and neural function.

  • Neurochemistry
  • Genes
  • Genotype and phenotype
  • Evolution
30
Q

What is the exact opposite of the biological approach

A

Cognitive because it is about mental processes compared to genetics.

31
Q

Neurochemical basis of behaviour

The biological approach

A

Neurotransmitters, imbalance can cause mental illnesses.

Overproduction of dopamine in schizophrenia

32
Q

Genetic basis of behaviour

The biological approach

A

Twin studies, to investigate genetic basis.
Analysing concordance rate (extent to which they share)
-monozygotic / 100%
-dizygotic / 50%

33
Q

Genotype vs phenotype

A

Genotype:
Actual genetic makeup
Phenotype:
The way in which genes are expressed

34
Q

Evolution

The biological approach

A

Natural selection.

Those with genetic advancements enhances individuals survivor.

35
Q

Biopsychology what is the nervous system?

A

Consists if the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. Communicates using electrical signals.

36
Q

2 main functions of the nervous system

A
  • To collect, process and respond to information in the environment
  • To co-ordinate the working of different organs in the cell body
37
Q

Difference between CNS and PNS

A

CNS- brain and spinal cord

PNS- Autonomic nervous system (sympathetic + parasympathetic), somatic nervous system

38
Q

Biopsychology what is the endocrine system?

A

Glands within the body produces and releases hormones as a means of communication.

39
Q

Where are hormones released from.

A

hypothalamus

40
Q

What is the resting state

A

Parasympathetic

41
Q

What does adrenaline trigger

A

fight or flight

42
Q

What does the parasympathetic /sympathetic do?

A

antagonistic
Sympathetic is the arousal
Parasympathetic is the ‘brake’ and reduces the activities of the body that were induced due to the sympathetic branch

43
Q

What is a gland

A

An organ in the body that synthesises substances such as hormones

44
Q

Fight or flight response definition

A

The way an animal responds when stressed. The body becomes physiologically aroused in readiness to fight an aggressor

45
Q

What are the 3 types of nerves

A
  • Sensory (From receptor sites) PNS-CNS
  • Relay (connects sensory and motor) CNS
  • Motor (sends messages to effector) CNS-PNS
46
Q

What is an action potential

A

Neuron is negatively charged

Positively charged for a split second causing an action potential- electrical impulse is created

47
Q

Synaptic transmission

Chemical or electrical

A

Signals within neurone electrically

Signals between neurone chemically

48
Q

Difference between excitation and inhibition

A

Excitation: adrenaline, causes excitation of the postsynaptic neuron by increasing its positive charge, making it more likely to fire
Inhibitory: serotonin, less likely in the receiving neuron, more negative less likely to fire

49
Q

What is summation

A

Sum of signals,

50
Q

What is the psycho dynamic approach briefly

A

A perspective that describes the different dynamics, most of which are unconscious, that operate on the mind and direct human behaviour and experience.

  • Role of the unconscious
  • Structure of personality
  • Pshychosexual stages
  • Defence mechanisms
51
Q

What is meant by the role of the unconscious, the psycho dynamic approach?

A

We know most about the top of our conscious mind.
Most of our brain is made of the unconscious which we know little about. This part contains repressed memories and parapraxes (split of the tongue).
On the surface is the preconscious which contains thoughts and memories which are not currently consciously aware but can be accessed when desired.

52
Q

What is the structure of personality, the psychodynamic approach?

A

Id- pleasure principle, what we demand
Ego- mediator between id and superego (reality principle)
Superego- formed at the end of the phalic stage (age 5) and is our morality principle. Punishes ego for wrongdoing

53
Q

What are the psychosexual stages with age and what happens when fixated on each?
Oedipus complex and Electra complex?

A

Oral (0-1) - oral fixation (sarcastic)
Anal (1-3)- Anal retention (obsessive) /expulsion (messy)
Phallic (3-6)- phallic personality (narcissistic/ homo)
Latency - earlier repressed
Genital - issues forming heterosexual relations

Oedipus- fear of castration, incestous feelings towards mother
Electra- penis envy

54
Q

What is a defence mechanism

A

Unconcious strategies that the Ego uses to manage the conflict between the id and superego to avoid trauma.

55
Q

What is a defence mechanism

A

Unconscious strategies that the Ego uses to manage the conflict between the id and superego to avoid trauma.

56
Q

The psychodynamic approach - EVAL

A
  • Psychotherapy, treat mental disorders psychologically not physically. Helps clients to bring their repressed emotions into their conscious mind so it is dealt with. Forerunner of many therapies now such as councelling (real world/ new approach to treatment)
  • Can be harmful (those w mild neuroses) as they cannot articulate their real reality
  • Freud’s theory draws upon childhood, a different approach
  • It is untestable, does not meet criteria of falsification and not open to testing (to be proved wrong). Much is unconscious so difficult to make universal claims.
57
Q

What is the humanistic approach briefly

A

Behaviour is emphasised through the importance of subjective experience and each person’s capacity for self determinism

  • Free will
  • Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
  • Self-actualisation
  • The self, congruence and conditions of worth
58
Q

What is meant by free will in terms of the humanistic approach

A

All approaches previous have a degree of determinism. (even cognitive that says there is free will to a degree (limitations of our cognition)).
‘person-centred’ approach in psychology. Rogers and Maslow- reject scientific. explanation

59
Q

What is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, in terms of the humanistic approach?
Draw it

A

What motivates people- hierarchy of needs in order to achieve self-actualisation (fulfil ones potential).

  • Self-actualisation
  • Self-esteem
  • Love and belongingness
  • Safety and security
  • Physiological needs
60
Q

What is self-actualisation, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?

A

People have innate desire to reach their full potential.

All lower levels must be met before an individual can reach this ‘personal growth’.

61
Q

What is meant by the self,congruence and conditions of worth

A

Rogers said for personal growth, self must be similar (have congruence) to ideal self.
In order to reduce the gap between the two, Rogers developed client-centred therapy. He said the issues we experience as adults have roots in childhood. Can often be explained by a lack on unconditional positive regard and conditions of worth by parent. He provides clients with unconditional positive regard- to make up for childhood

62
Q

The humanistic approach- EVAL

A
  • Humanistic does not attempt to break behaviour down into smaller parts. Behaviour can only be explained by understanding the person (Hollism / subjective experiences);. More validity
  • But reductionist more scientific, little concept of independent and dependent variables.
  • It is optimistic, sees people as free and as people (compared to others- stuck w past)
  • Culturally biased, personal growth is more desired in individualist cultures. In collectivist cultures, working as a group is more favoured. So self-actualisation difficult to be valid worldwide.