approaches in psychology. Flashcards
What is imitation?
Copying the behaviour of others.
What is identification?
When an observer associates themselves with a role model and wants to be like them.
What are examples of role models?
teachers.
siblings.
parents symbolic models.
celebrities.
What is modelling?
The imitation of behaviour of the role model from an observer’s perspective.
What is vicarious reinforcement?
Not directly experienced but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced for their behaviour.
What are mediational processes?
Cognitive factors that influence learning a behaviour and come between stimulus and response.
[key factor of imitation]
What must there be for modelling to occur?
attention.
retention.
motor reproduction.
motivation.
What is meant by the term attention?
The extent to which we notice certain behaviours.
What is meant by the term retention?
How well the behaviour is remembered.
What is meant by the term motor reproduction?
The ability of the observer to perform the behaviour.
What is meant by the term motivation?
The will to perform the behaviour which is often determined by whether they are rewarded or punished.
What is the cognitive approach?
Focuses on how mental processes affect behaviour.
> thinking causes behaviour.
> the mind actively processes information from our senses such as touch, taste and so on.
What are internal mental processes?
Perception and attention which are private operations of the mind that mediate between stimulus and response.
What is the complex definition of schema?
‘A mental framework of beliefs and expectations that influence cognitive processes which are developed by experience. Act as a mental framework for the interpretation of incoming information received by cognitive system.’
What is the basic definition of schema?
A mental shortcut of beliefs and expectations developed from experience.
What are the strengths of schema?
enable us to process a lot of information quickly and reduces cognitive overload.
we don’t have to rethink the same ideas - mental shortcut.
help us remember.
What are the weaknesses of schema?
can lead to phobias such as exams causing panic attacks.
can lead to prejudice and racism.
lead to perceptual errors as they distort the interpretation of sensory information.
What is inference?
The process whereby cognitive psychologists draw conclusions about the way mental processes operate on the basis of observed behaviour.
What is cognitive neuroscience?
The scientific study of biological structures that underpin cognitive processes.
What is the biological approach?
Where all behaviour is seen as rooted from our biological structure and everything psychological has a biological basis.
What three biological factors may affect behaviour?
❶ genes
↳ specific genes and combination of genes will have an influence on both the physical and psychological aspects of people. Beneficial genes are passed onto the next generations for survival.
❷ biological structure
↳ the behaviour of an individual is controlled and coordinated by the brain and the nervous system.
❸ chemistry of the body
↳ hormones in the body and neurotransmitters in the brain have an impact on behaviour.
What is a genotype?
A particular set of genes that a person possesses.
What are genes?
Made of DNA which codes physical and psychological features of an organism that are inherited.
What is the biological structure?
An arrangement or organisation of parts to form an organ, system or living thing.
What is evolution?
The changes in inherited characteristics in a biological population over successive generations.
What is a phenotype?
Characteristics of an individual determined by both genes and the environment.
What is neurochemistry?
Relating to chemicals in the brain that regulate psychological functioning.
What is the psychodynamic approach?
Where behaviour is influenced by early childhood experiences.
What instincts does the psychodynamic approach believe behaviour is motivated by?
sex.
life.
What is meant by the term the unconscious?
The part of the mind that we are unaware of but which continues to direct our behaviour.
What is meant by the term the conscious?
The part of out mind we are aware of on a daily basis which can be influenced by the unconscious.
What is meant by the term id?
Made up of selfish aggressive instincts that demand immediate gratification and is entirely unconscious.