approaches in psychology

Question 1

describe Wundt and the origins of psychology - what did he want to find

Answer 1

• Wundt was the pioneer of modern psychological study, moving the study from philosophical talk to scientific study
• document the nature of the human consciousness
• using the method of introspection - asked to report feelings, sensations and images attached to the item
• he used standardised instructions and the same stimulus each time

Question 2

describe the work of Watson and the early behaviourists

Answer 2

• behaviourists aimed to fix the flaws of introspection
• Watson and Skinner used lab experiments to observe learned behaviours IE classical conditioning
• they wanted observable and measurable activity
• wanted to move psychology into a science

Question 3

what are the assumptions of the behaviourist approach

Answer 3

All behaviour is learned from the environment
Psychology should be seen as a science
Concerned with observable behaviour as opposed to internal events
Little difference between humans and animals
Behaviour is result of stimulus response

Question 4

describe the study of Pavlov’s dog

Answer 4

food = UCS - creates salvation = UCR
bell = NS - creates no response
UCS + NS = UCR
bell is now CS - creates salivation = CR

Question 5

positive reinforcement

Answer 5

rewarding a behaviour

Question 6

negative reinforcement

Answer 6

reward for avoiding a negative situation

Question 7

punishment

Answer 7

unpleasant consequence of particular behaviour

Question 8

describe Skinner’s box

Answer 8

Skinner (1948) studied operant conditioning by conducting experiments using animals which he placed in a ‘Skinner Box’. Every time a rat pulled a lever it released a food pellet (positive reinforcement.)

Skinner also conditioned them to avoid negative scenarios (negative reinforcement) like an electric shock. When put in the box an electric current would flow: the only way to stop the current was to knock a lever. After a few times the rat would go immediately to the lever.

Question 9

evaluation of behaviourism

Answer 9

Brought the language and methods and science ito psychology - Created the idea that it is a disciplined science - Gave validity and credibility to the findings

real life application EG token system

Ignores mental effort in learning behaviour - we are more complex

Free will is an illusion

ethical and practical animal study issues

Question 10

describe social learning theory

Answer 10

a way of explaining behaviour using both direct and indirect reinforcement. combines learning theory with cognitive factors.

Question 11

key assumptions of SLT

Answer 11

Learning through experience
Learning through observing and learning from others around us
Happens both directly and indirectly

Question 12

vicarious reinforcement

Answer 12

we are more likely to imitate a behaviour if we see it being rewarded

Question 13

mediational processes

Answer 13

the conscious thought that we put into imitating behaviour:
attention
retention
motor reproduction
motivation

Question 14

identification

Answer 14

Happens with people of similar characteristics and/or are higher than us
We see them as a role model and therefore want to copy them
Do not have to be present at time of behaviour imitation

Question 15

describe the bobo doll study

Answer 15

A group of children was shown adults acting aggressively towards a bobo doll
When later observed the kids who witnessed an aggressive adult were also aggressive to their doll
Kids who witnessed no aggression showed very little signs of anger as well

Question 16

evaluation of SLT

Answer 16

By recognising the importance of mediational processes SLT provides a more comprehensive view of behaviours as it emphasises the role of cognition

Bandura conducted and observed many lab based studies of children: they are often criticised for their contrived nature - kids could have been playing as they expected they should have

We cannot fully trust findings because Bandura completely ignored biological influence - boys have more testosterone; testosterone is linked to higher aggression; boys were the most aggressive.

SLT can explain the differences across cultures.

The role of mediational processes proves that we have more free will with SLT because their is a conscious decision to do something

Question 17

what is the cognitive approach

Answer 17

how our mental processes affect behaviour

Question 18

what are the assumptions of the cognitive approach

Answer 18

Internal mental processes should be studied specifically
Make inferences on mental processes
Thought influences behaviour. Thought acts as mediational processes between stimulus and behavioural response
Humans are information processors

Question 19

describe theoretical models

Answer 19

Theoretical models are used to study internal processes

Question 20

what is the informational processing approach

Answer 20

Info flows through cognitive sequence in a series of stages, including input, storage and retrieval

Question 21

what is a computer model

Answer 21

Mind is likened to a computer
Uses concepts of a central processing unit and the concept of coding
Such concepts have helped developed AI’s and robots ETC

Question 22

describe the role of schemas in the cognitive approach

Answer 22

Schema is a mental framework of beliefs and expectations that influence cognitive processing. Developed from experience
They allow us to process info quickly - mental shortcut
They may also distort our interpretations of mental information, leading to perceptual errors

Question 23

outline the emergence of cognitive neuroscience

Answer 23

Cognitive neuroscience is the scientific study of biological structures that underpin cognitive processes

Advances in technology like FMRI and PET scans have allowed scientists and psychologists to observe the neurological basis of mental processes

Question 24

evaluations for the cognitive approach

Answer 24

they use scientific and objective methods

machine reductionism - computer model too simplistic

too theoretical - inferences mean they lack external validity

has real life application EG artificial intelligence

less determinist because of free will and schemas

Question 25

Biological approach assumptions

Answer 25

Everything psychological is first biological
Thoughts feelings and behaviour has physical basis
To understand behaviour we need to investigate biological structures and processes in the body

Question 26

outline genetic basis of behaviour

Answer 26

twin studies used to establish a genetic basis for something. This is because MZ twins share 100% of genetics and so a high concordance rate may suggest a genetic basis

Question 27

what is genotype and phenotype

Answer 27

genotype = genetic amkeup
phenotype = genotype + environment

Question 28

why is genotype and phenotype important

Answer 28

psychologists argue that much behaviour is influenced through environment and not genes
For example MZ twins may look different, despite being identical, because one exercises more or has dyed their hair - this is phenotype.
therefore, human behaviour can be explained by both nature and nurture

Question 29

outline the role of evolution in behaviour

Answer 29

Darwin proposed that all behaviour is based on the primitive thought process of survival and reproduction
IE any physical trait which enhances an individual’s chances of survival or reproduction will remain due to natural selection

Question 30

evaluation of the biological approach

Answer 30

Uses scientific methods which improve reliability and validity

Has led to the development of psychoactive drugs to help with mental illness

The determinist view of the biological approach creates faults in our law making system as it suggests that individual are not responsible for their actions

The fact there is no separation of nature VS nurture means we cannot be sure whether behaviours are influenced by environment or genes.

Question 31

outline the psychodynamic approach

Answer 31

Freud, the leader of the psychodynamic approach, argued that the part of the mind we are aware of - the conscious mind - is merely a starting point. The unconscious mind is the part of the mind we are unaware of but drives most of our behaviours

Question 32

The ID

Answer 32

Operates on pleasure principle
Is selfish and wants instant gratification
Entirely unconscious

Question 33

the EGO

Answer 33

reality principle

Has the job of balancing between ID and SUPEREGO

Question 34

the SUPEREGO

Answer 34

Works on morality principle
Wants to help and is the moral part of mind
Operates same as same sex parent
Punishes the ID through guilt

Question 35

oral stage

Answer 35

from birth till 2 years
pleasure focuses on mouth IE sucking
fixation develops on mouth EG smoking

Question 36

anal stage

Answer 36

15 months to 3 years
pleasure on anus
fixation either anal expulsive (messy) or anal retentive (uptight)

Question 37

phallic stage

Answer 37

3 - 6 years
focus on genital
oedipus/electra complex
fixation results in sexual deviancy

Question 38

latent stage

Answer 38

6 years to puberty
sexual desires withheld. focus on itellectual and social development
can result in low confidence if not developed properly

Question 39

genital stage

Answer 39

puberty to adulthood
sexual desires renewed
earlier problems from other stages now surface

Question 40

the oedipus complex

Answer 40

In the young boy, the Oedipus complex or more correctly, conflict, arises because the boy develops sexual (pleasurable) desires for his mother. He wants to possess his mother exclusively and get rid of his father to enable him to do so. Irrationally, the boy thinks that if his father were to find out about all this, his father would take away what he loves the most - his penis.

Question 41

the electra complex

Answer 41

For girls, the Oedipus or Electra complex is less than satisfactory. Briefly, the girl desires the father, but realizes that she does not have a penis. This leads to the development of penis envy and the wish to be a boy.

Question 42

evaluation of the psychodynamic approach

Answer 42

Has good explanatory power - Has explained a wide range of phenomena, such as, personality development, abnormal behaviour, moral development and gender.

Case study method - These are bad and should not be used as they lack validity

Untestable concepts - merely lots of theories

Is very good in the application if mild neurological diseases. However, does not work for serious mental disorders

Everything is determinism - freud believed that every behaviour is due to forces and processes we know little to nothing about, even slips of the tongue. Free will is an illusion.

Question 43

outline the humanistic approach

Answer 43

An approach to human behaviour which emphasises effect of subjective experiences and an individual’s capacity for self determination

Question 44

describe the role of free will in the humanistic approach

Answer 44

states that we have complete control in our lives I.E. we are active agents in our life with the ability to do what we want when we want to

Question 45

describe self actualisation and what we must do to achieve it

Answer 45

The desire to grow psychologically and achieve all that you aim to be
It is the uppermost level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
All levels of the pyramid must be achieved before reaching self actualisation
Not everyone will achieve self actualisation, sometimes due to psychological barriers

Question 46

describe the idea of the self and congruence

Answer 46

If ideal self and your actual self are bridged by too big a gap you will experience incongruence
The negative feelings of self worth arising from incongruence limit an individual’s ability to grow and achieve self actualisation

Question 47

describe conditions of worth

Answer 47

these are when parents or loved ones place conditions of love on children IE only love you if …
they can make children grow up to harbour feelings of resentment and can develop low confidence leading to incongruence.

Question 48

describe Rogers therapy

Answer 48

Rogers believed that damaging ideas of self worth stem from childhood and having conditions of worth put on them - limits/boundaries of love.
With client centered therapy, Rogers aimed to fix these ideas of self worth by focusing on the present not on the past and mending psychological barriers

Question 49

evaluate the humanistic approach

Answer 49

This approach is not reductionist.

It has limited application because its basis is mainly just theories and concepts.

Has been praised for having a positive approach and bringing the person back into psychology.

The humanistic approach includes a number of vague ideas which prove difficult to test and justify.

The ideas in the humanistic approach are much more suited for western cultures and may not be applicable in other cultures with less autonomy