Approaches In Psychology

Question 1

Assumptions of the Behaviourist approach

Answer 1

• All behaviours are learnt form our environment
• Focus on observable behaviour
• Animals and humans learn in the same ways so behaviourists carry out experiments on animals and extrapolate the results to humans
• Laboratory experiments are mainly used

Question 2

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 2

Learning behaviour through association

Question 3

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 3

Learning behaviour by consequences

Question 4

Name the four types of operant conditioning

Answer 4

Positive reinforcement
Positive punishment
Negative reinforcement
Negative punishment

Question 5

What is it meant by reinforcement

Answer 5

A consequence of behaviour that encourages the repetition of that same behaviour

Question 6

What is it meant by punishment

Answer 6

A negative consequence of a behaviour that discourages the repetition of the same behaviour

Question 7

Jerry watches as his brother James is given sweets for cleaning their pet hamsters cage. The next day Jerry’s mum finding Jerry cleaning out the hamster cage.
How can Jerry’s behaviour be explained?

Answer 7

Social Learning theory
Identification
Jerry noted the reward received by the model. This acted as vicarious reinforcement and he decided to imitate Jame’s behaviour.

Question 8

Name the four mediational processes

Answer 8

Attention
Retention
Motor Reproduction
Motivation

Question 9

Who established the first psychology lab?

Answer 9

Wundt

Question 10

Genotype

Answer 10

The genetic makeup of an individual

Question 11

Phenotype

Answer 11

The set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting form the interaction of its genotype with the environment

Question 12

Strengths of the behaviourist approach

Answer 12

Scientific: observable, measurable, replicable
Applications: Schools & prisons (token economy) & treatments e.g. systematic desensitisation with phobias

Question 13

Weaknesses of the behaviourist approach

Answer 13

Deterministic: emphasis on past experience and environment which reduces free will
Nature Vs Nurture: does not consider the biological or cognitive approaches that could explain behaviour e.g. Kagan temperament hyp.
Reductionist
Nomothetic approach: it views all behaviour governed by the same laws of conditioning. However, it does account for individual differences and explain them in terms of difference of history of conditioning.
Animals vs Humans: difference in EQ, language difference, conscious thought. Can they really be treated as the same?

Question 14

SLT strengths

Answer 14

Applications: crime & can explain cultural variations

Support for identification: Fox and Bailenson (2009) - more exercise when shown a computer character ‘model’

Question 15

SLT weaknesses

Answer 15

Cause and Effect: are deviant kids copying other deviant kids or do they associate with deviant others because they are deviant
Over reliance on lab studies: demand characteristics
Underestimate biological factors: more complex than just watching others. Boys more aggressive than girls- why? Testosterone?

Question 16

Attention

Answer 16

The individual needs to pay attention to the behaviour and its consequences and form a mental representation of the behaviour

Question 17

Retention

Answer 17

Storing the observed behaviour in LTM where it can stay for a long period of time. Initiation is not always immediate.

Question 18

Motor Reproduction

Answer 18

The individual must be able (have the ability or skill set) to reproduce the observed behaviour

Question 19

Motivation

Answer 19

Individuals must expect to receive the same positive reinforcements (vicarious reinforcement) for imitating the observed behaviour that they have seen the model receiving.

Question 20

Vicarious reinforcement

Answer 20

When imitation occurs because the model is positively reinforced.

Question 21

Identification (SLT)

Answer 21

When the model is seen to share characteristics with the individual e.g. gender, age, social status etc. Imitation is more likely to occur if the individual identifies with the model

Question 22

Applications of SLT

Answer 22

-Influence of media on behaviour e.g. video games, films etc.

Question 23

Cognitive approach assumptions

Answer 23

Information received from our senses is processed by the brain and that this processing directs how we behave
The internal process cannot be observed directly but cognitive psychologists can infer what a person is thinking based on how they act.

Question 24

Schema

Answer 24

Mental packets/framework based on past experience that help organise and interpret information.

Question 25

Research methods used by the cognitive approach

Answer 25

Laboratory e.g. car crash study
Case studies e.g. Clive Wearing, HM
Scans e.g. fMRI, PET

Question 26

Applications of Cognitive approach

Answer 26

• The study of memory has lead to the development of the cognitive interview which has decreased the accuracy of eyewitness accounts
• Helps understand the causes of depression and the approach proposes a therapy (CBT) which has shown to be effective for a range of mental disorders and unlike drugs has no side effects

Question 27

Cognitive approach strengths and weaknesses

Answer 27

The use of the scientific method e.g. research into memory and lab exp. However, artificial environment means lack of mundane realism and ecological validity.
Soft determinism: we are free to choose our thoughts but the way we process information is determined by our past experience (schemas). But CBT argues that we can change the way we think
Interactionist approach: takes into account nature and nurture
Machine reductionist: Differences between computers and humans ignored. Forgetting, ignoring information and mistakes more common in humans. Emotion and motivation ignored.
-Poor external validity
-Nomothetic: does not account for individual difference in cognition e.g. different brain organisation in Left handers, dyslexia etc. But theories made to be able to explain the majority of peoples behaviour.
Measures non-observable behaviours therefore it could be argued that it is not as scientific as the behaviourist approach

Question 28

Biological approach assumptions

Answer 28

Our thinking and behaviour are strongly determined by biological factors: structure and functioning of the nervous system. This in turn is influenced by genetic and evolutionary factors.