Approaches In Psychology Flashcards
Assumptions of the Behaviourist approach
- 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
What is classical conditioning?
Learning behaviour through association
What is operant conditioning?
Learning behaviour by consequences
Name the four types of operant conditioning
Positive reinforcement
Positive punishment
Negative reinforcement
Negative punishment
What is it meant by reinforcement
A consequence of behaviour that encourages the repetition of that same behaviour
What is it meant by punishment
A negative consequence of a behaviour that discourages the repetition of the same behaviour
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?
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.
Name the four mediational processes
Attention
Retention
Motor Reproduction
Motivation
Who established the first psychology lab?
Wundt
Genotype
The genetic makeup of an individual
Phenotype
The set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting form the interaction of its genotype with the environment
Strengths of the behaviourist approach
Scientific: observable, measurable, replicable
Applications: Schools & prisons (token economy) & treatments e.g. systematic desensitisation with phobias
Weaknesses of the behaviourist approach
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?
SLT strengths
Applications: crime & can explain cultural variations
Support for identification: Fox and Bailenson (2009) - more exercise when shown a computer character ‘model’
SLT weaknesses
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?
Attention
The individual needs to pay attention to the behaviour and its consequences and form a mental representation of the behaviour
Retention
Storing the observed behaviour in LTM where it can stay for a long period of time. Initiation is not always immediate.
Motor Reproduction
The individual must be able (have the ability or skill set) to reproduce the observed behaviour
Motivation
Individuals must expect to receive the same positive reinforcements (vicarious reinforcement) for imitating the observed behaviour that they have seen the model receiving.
Vicarious reinforcement
When imitation occurs because the model is positively reinforced.
Identification (SLT)
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
Applications of SLT
-Influence of media on behaviour e.g. video games, films etc.
Cognitive approach assumptions
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.
Schema
Mental packets/framework based on past experience that help organise and interpret information.
Research methods used by the cognitive approach
Laboratory e.g. car crash study
Case studies e.g. Clive Wearing, HM
Scans e.g. fMRI, PET
Applications of Cognitive approach
- 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
Cognitive approach strengths and weaknesses
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
Biological approach assumptions
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.
