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Psychology Paper 2 > Approaches in psychology > Flashcards

Approaches in psychology Flashcards

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1
Q

Who established experimental psychology as a science?

A

Wilhelm Wundt

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2
Q

What is introspection?

A

A process by which a person gains knowledge about their mental and emotional state as a result of examination

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3
Q

What is empiricism?

A

Belief that all knowledge is derived from sensory experience

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4
Q

What are the two major assumptions?

A
  1. Behaviour is caused

2. If behaviour is determined, then we should be able to predict human behaviour

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5
Q

What is a scientific method?

A

Use of investigative methods, that are objective, systematic and replicable

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6
Q

What is the strength of the scientific approach ?

A

They are objective and systematic methods

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7
Q

What are the limitations of the scientific approach?

A

Wundt’s methods were unreliable, as they relied on nonobservable responses

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8
Q

What is the behaviourist approach?

A

Focused on observable events and the conditions under which learning would be most likely to occur

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9
Q

Why is the behaviourist approach also known as the learning theory?

A

It focuses on learning

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10
Q

What is Classical Conditioning?

A 
When a neutral stimulus is consistently paired with an unconditioned stimulus so that it eventually takes on the properties of this stimulus and is able to produce a conditioned response.
Ivan Pavlov
Salivation of dogs
NS+UCS=UCR
NS➡CS
CS➡CR
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11
Q

What is the advantages of classical conditioning?

A

It includes the development for reduction of anxiety in different phobias

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12
Q

What is the limitation of classical conditioning?

A

Different species have different capabilities to learn through classical conditioning.

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13
Q

What is Operant Conditioning?

A

Learning through reinforcement or punishment. If a behaviour is followed by a desirable consequence then that behaviour is more likely to occur again in the future.
Skinner
special cage to investigate operant conditioning in rats, through there being two levers, one for food and the other for an electric shock.
positive reinforcement = food=
negative reinforcement = electric shock

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14
Q

What is punishment?

A

adding an unpleasant consequence or removing a pleasant stimulus

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15
Q

Strength of a behaviourist approach

A

can rely on this method, as controlled conditions were used

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16
Q

Weakness of the behaviourist approach

A

humans have free will, no humans involved in this experiment only animals

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17
Q

What is Social Learning Theory?

A

learning through observing others and imitating behaviours which are rewarded

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18
Q

What did Albert Bandura want to find out?

A

he wanted to see if the same behaviour that was observed was produced

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19
Q

What was Albert Bandura’s experiment?

A

Children observed aggressive or non-aggressive adult models who were being aggressive to a Bobo doll
The children who observed aggression reproduced physical and verbal behaviour, whilst the children who observed the non-aggressive model showed no violence against the Bobo doll.

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20
Q

What is modelling?

A

learning a behaviour through observing others

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21
Q

What is imitation?

A

using someone as a model and copying their behaviour

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22
Q

What is identification?

A

a form of influence where individuals adopt someone else’s behaviour because they want to be a part of a certain group

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23
Q

What is vicarious reinforcement?

A

individuals learn through the consequence of the behaviour, and then adjust it

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24
Q

What is a strength of the social learning theory?

A

it increases the understanding of human behaviour, i.e. criminal behaviour

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25
Q

What is a limitation of the social learning theory?

A

the understanding of it is complex

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26
Q

What is the cognitive approach?

A

The study of mental internal processes of how people perceive, store, manipulate and interpret information.

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27
Q

What is a schema?

A

a cognitive framework that helps organise and interpret information in the brain

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28
Q

What is a consequence of a schema?

A

that we will develop stereotypes, even when faced with new and conflicting information

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29
Q

How are theoretical and computer models useful for us to help us understand the cognitive part of our brain?

A

they are simplified representations based on current evidence

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30
Q

How do computer models link to our mental processing?

A

it shows us how information is inputted through our senses, encoded into memory, etc.

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31
Q

What is neuroscience?

A

using neuroimaging techniques to study the brain
examples: PET and fMRI’s scans used to help psychologists understand how the brain supports different cognitive activities and emotions by showing what parts of the brain become active in specific circumstances

32
Q

An example of a study done to support the idea of cognitive neuroscience……

A

…….Burnett et al (2009) - found that when people feel guilty, several brain regions are active (medial prefrontal cortex, which is associated with social emotions)

33
Q

Name a positive of the cognitive approach.

A

1) led to successful treatments of people suffering from illnesses like depression and OCD using cognitive- based therapy
2) this approach is scientific, and this is the particular strength

34
Q

Name a negative/limitation of the cognitive approach.

A

1) computers do not make mistakes of forget things, human do both, therefore hard to compare humans with computers
2) ignores emotion, as it’s not a living thing and cannot make mistakes

35
Q

What is the biological approach?

A

it views humans as biological organisms and so provides biological explanations for all aspects of psychological functioning

36
Q

What is the purpose of the genes?

A

to carry instructions for a particular characteristic from one generation to the next

37
Q

Define genotype

A

genetic makeup of an individual

genetic code written in individual’s DNA

38
Q

Define phenotype

A

observable characteristic of an individual (interaction of the genotype with the environment)
physical manifestation of this inherited information

39
Q

The extent to which a psychological characteristic is determined by genes or environment is called the……

A

………nature vs nurture debate

40
Q

What is heredity?

A

passing of characteristics from one generation to the next through genes

41
Q

What is heritability?

A

the amount of variability in a trait within a population attributed to genetic differences between individuals within that population
Twin studies have shown variation in individual intelligence between 60%-80% due to genes

42
Q

What are the two nervous systems?

A

central nervous system(CNS) (brain and spinal cord)

peripheral nervous system(PNS) (somatic and autonomic nervous systems

43
Q

What’s the largest part of the brain called?

A

cerebrum

44
Q

What’s the outer surface of the cerebrum known as?

A

cerebral cortex

45
Q

Cerebrum is divided into what…..which is divided into what

A 
two hemispheres
four lobes ( frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, occipital lobe)
46
Q

What are the frontal lobes functions?

A

involved with speech, thought and learning

47
Q

What are the parietal lobes functions?

A

processes sensory information like touch, temperature and pain

48
Q

What are the temporal lobes functions?

A

involved with memory and hearing

49
Q

What are the occipital lobes functions?

A

processing visual information

50
Q

What is a neurotransmitter and what are the two types?

A

a chemical which is released when a nerve impulse reaches the end of one neuron
two types of neurotransmitters are inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitter

51
Q

What is the junction between neuron’s called?

A

a synapse

52
Q

What does the excitatory transmitter do and give an example?

A

it triggers nerve impulses in the receiving neuron and stimulates the brain into action
dopamine - associated with our ‘drive’ or motion

53
Q

What does the inhibitory transmitter do and give an example?

A

it inhibits nerve impulses in order to calm the brain and balance our mood
serotonin - necessary to maintain a stable mood

54
Q

What did Crockett et al (2008) found out?

A

when serotonin levels are low, people tend to display increased aggression

55
Q

Where are hormones produced?

A

in the endocrine glands, such as the pituitary gland, which together make up the endocrine system

56
Q

What is evolution?

A

Refers to the change over successive generations of the genetic make-up of particular population. The central proposition of an evolutionary perspective is that the genotype of a population is changeable rather than fixed, and that this change is likely to be caused by the process of natural selection.

57
Q

What is natural selection?

A

The process by which inherited characteristics that enhance an individual’s reproductive success (or fitness) are passed on to the next generation, and so become more widespread in the population over time.

58
Q

What is neurochemistry?

A

the study of chemical and neural processes associated with the nervous system

59
Q

What is the advantage of the biological approach?

A

1) This approach uses scientific methods and therefore makes replication easier
2) Provides clear predictions which can be tested

60
Q

What are the limitations of the biological approach?

A

1) Evolutionary explanations stress importance of biological evolution, but ignore the possibility of cultural evolution
2) The biological approach is reductionist, which is the belief that complex human behaviour can be explained by breaking it down into it’s smallest component parts, such as the action of genes, neurochemicals and hormones.

61
Q

What are the two nervous systems?

A

central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system, which is divided into the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system ( sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system)

62
Q

What does the CNS consist of?

A

spinal cord and the brain

63
Q

What are the four parts which the brain is divided into and what do they do?

A

cerebrum- largest part of the brain, divided into two hemispheres, which are divided into four lobes (frontal, temporal, occipital and temporal)

cerebellum - involved in controlling a person’s motor skills and balance, and coordinates the muscles to allow precise movements

diencephalon - thalamus acts as a relay station for nerve impulses coming from the senses and the hypothalamus regulates the body’s temperature, hunger and thirst and also provides a link between the endocrine system and the nervous system

brain stem - responsible for regulating the automatic functions that are essential for life i.e. breathing, heart beat and swallowing

the motor and sensory neurons travel through the brain stem, allowing impulses to pass between the brain and the spinal cord

64
Q

What is the peripheral nervous system?

A

a part of the nervous system that is outside the brain and spinal cord, the nerves are outside the CNS

65
Q

What are the two parts of the peripheral nervous system?

A

somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system

66
Q

What does the somatic nervous system do?

A

it has 12 pairs of cranial nerves and 31pairs of spinal nerves
the sensory neurons relay messages to the CNS and the motor neurons relay information from the CNS
it’s also involved in reflex actions, and without the CNS, the reflexes occur quicker

67
Q

What does the autonomic nervous system do?

A

it operates without conscious awareness, the actions are involuntary e.g. breathing and digestion

68
Q

What is the autonomic nervous system divided into and what are their jobs?

A

sympathetic nervous system - helps us deal with emergencies, it increases heart rate and blood pressure, pupils dilate and there is a production of sweat, slows down urination and digestion as they are less important in that moment ( FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE)

parasympathetic nervous system - slows the heartbeat down and reduces blood pressure after the threat has passed, it relaxes the body after an emergency and the body starts digesting again (REST AND DIGEST)

69
Q

What are the three types of neurons and what do they do?

A

sensory neuron- carries nerve impulses form the sensory receptors (eyes, ears, skin, mouth, nose)
relay neuron- allow communication between the sensory and motor neurons
motor neuron- forms synapses with muscles and controls their contractions

70
Q

What is a neuron made up of?

A

dendrites, cell body and an axon, nerves are surrounded by the myelin sheath, which allows for quicker transmission of impulses

71
Q

What is a synaptic transmission and what happens?

A

the process of transmitting messages from neuron to neuron
neurotransmitters (excitatory/inhibitory) are released from synaptic vesicles, into the synapse where the post-synaptic neuron converts them to electrical impulses

72
Q

What do the excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters do?

A

the excitatory neurotransmitter has a positive charge and it’s more likely to make the post-synaptic neuron fire e.g. noradrenaline
the inhibitory neurotransmitter has a negative charge and is less likely to make the post-synaptic neuron fire e.g. serotonin

73
Q

What is the endocrine system (regulated by feedback) made up of?

A

pituitary gland,reproductive gland and the adrenal gland

74
Q

How does the endocrine system work?

A

a signal is sent from the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland in the form of a releasing hormone, the pituitary gland produces a stimulating hormone which signals the target gland and it’s cells to secrete specific hormones

75
Q

What are the adrenal glands?

A 
adrenal cortex (outer layer) - produces hormones necessary for life i.e. cortisol for cardio vascular and anti inflammatory functions
adrenal medulla (inner layer) - needed in 'fight or flight'. Adrenaline increase blood flow and heart rate
76
Q

What happens in the fight or flight response?

A

the amygdala detects threat, which associates senses with emotion. It sends distress signals to the hypothalamus, which communicate with the rest of the body through the SNS, which has two mechanisms:

1) aute stressors (sudden) signal the adrenal medulla which releases adrenaline to prompt physical changes
- pupil dilation
- increased heart rate and blood pressure
- production of sweat

2)chronic stressors (ongoing)

If stressor passes, the PNS slows down heart beat, but if the stressor doesn’t pass, it stimulates the HPA axis (chronic stressor

Hypothalamus - releases CRH
Pituitary gland- releases ACTH
Adrenal cortex - produces cortisol (produces energy and reduces pain sensitivity)

Psychology Paper 2 (3 decks)

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