Approaches In Psychology

Question 1

Introspection

Answer 1

The process by which a person gains knowledge about his or her own mental and emotional states as a result of the examination or observation of their conscious thoughts or feelings

Question 2

Reductionism

Answer 2

Big things broken down to small things

Question 3

Empiricism

Answer 3

The belief that all knowledge is derived from sensory experience it is generally characterised by the use of the scientific method in psychology

Question 4

Scientific method

Answer 4

Refers to the use of investigative methods that are objective systematic and replicable and the formulation,testing and modification of hypothesis based on these methods

Question 5

Behaviourists

Answer 5

People who believe human behaviour can be explained in terms of conditioning without the need to consider thoughts or feelings

Question 6

Classical conditioning

Answer 6

When a neutral stimulus is constantly pair with a unconditioned stimulus so that it eventually takes on the properties of this stimulus and is able to produce a conditioned response

Question 7

Operant conditioning

Answer 7

Learning through reinforcement or punishment if a behaviour is followed by a desirable consequence the behaviour is more likely to happen again

Question 8

Reinforcement

Answer 8

Anything that strengthens a response and increases that likelihood it will occur again

Question 9

Punishment

Answer 9

Involves the application of an unpleasant consequence following a behaviour is less likely to occur again in the future

Question 10

Social learning theory

Answer 10

Learning through observing others and imitating behaviours that are rewarded

Question 11

Imitation

Answer 11

The action of using someone or something as a model and copying their behaviour

Question 12

Identification

Answer 12

A form of influence where an individual adopts an attitude or behaviour because they want to be associated with a particular group

Question 13

Vicarious reinforcement

Answer 13

Learning that is not a result of direct reinforcement of behaviour but through observing something else being reinforced for that behaviour

Question 14

Mediation processes

Answer 14

Refer to the internal mental processes that exist between environmental stimuli and the responses made by an individual to those stimuli

Question 15

Cognitive

Answer 15

Relates to the mental processes such as perception memory and reasoning

Question 16

Inference

Answer 16

Reaching a logical conclusion on the basis is of evidence and reasoning

Question 17

Schema

Answer 17

A cognitive framework that helps to organise and interpret information in the brain schemas help an individual to make sense of new information

Question 18

Theoretical model

Answer 18

In Cognitive psychology models are simplified usually pictorial representations of a particular mental process based on current resurch evidence

Question 19

Computer model

Answer 19

Refers to the process of using computer analogies as representation of human cognition

Question 20

Biological approach

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Neurochemistry

Answer 21

Study of chemical and neural processes associated with the nervous system

Question 22

Evolution

Answer 22

Refers to the change over successive generations of genetic makeup of particular populations the central propositions of an evolutionary perspective is that genotype of a population is changeable rather than fixed and that this change is likely to caused by natural selection

Question 23

Gene

Answer 23

A part of the chromosome of an organism that carries information as DNA

Question 24

Genotype

Answer 24

The genetic makeup of an individual the genotype is a collection of inherited genetic material that passed from generation to generation

Question 25

Phenotype

Answer 25

The observable characteristics of an individual this is a consequence of the reaction of a genotype with the environmental