Approaches in Psychology - Chapter 5 Flashcards
What did James believe? (1842 - 1910)
He disagreed with Wundt.
Thought basic parts were irrelevant.
What approaches did James use? (1842 - 1910)
Functionalism.
What was the theory behind functionalism?
What really mattered was the function of thoughts and behaviours.
What did Wundt believe? (1832 - 1920)
The human mind can be explained by science.
What approaches did Wundt use? (1832 - 1920)
Structuralism.
Introspection.
What did Wundt believe introspection would do?
Uncover our minds inner workings.
Define ‘empiricism.’
The belief that all knowledge should be gained via sensory experience.
Define ‘determinism.’
The idea that all events and behaviours have causes.
Define ‘objective.’
Without bias or preconceived ideas.
Define ‘mental processes.’
Things people can do / experience with their minds.
Define ‘systematically’
With a clear system and ordered method.
Define ‘theories.’
proposed and testable conditions.
Define ‘knowledge’
facts / information, gained through experience or education
Define ‘perception’
The process of extracting meaning from what we see, hear touch etc.
Define ‘introspection’
A person gaining knowledge about their mental states by examining their conscious thoughts and feelings.
What 4 things is Freud most known for? (1856 - 1939)
dream analysis
hypnotism
‘The Couch’
psychosexual stages.
What approaches did Freud use? (1856 - 1939)
Empiricism
determinism.
List the 5 psychosexual stages.
fixation and adult personality oral anal phallic latency genital
Define ‘reblicable’
are able to be repeated exactly by other researchers to determine whether the same results can be obtained.
Fill the gaps:
Theory –> 2 –> 3 –> 4
2 - prediction
3 - experiment
4 - observation
What do we label the approach that both skinner and pavlov both used in their experiments?
The behaviourist approach.
What was Skinner’s rat experiment an example of?
Operant conditioning in the form of positive and negative reinforcement
At first, what happened if the rats found / pressed a button in the box? - Skinner
They were rewarded with food.
What is the rat receiving a treat after pressing a button an example of in Skinners rat experiment?
positive reinforcement
What was the second step in Skinner’s experiment - in regards to the rat?
the box gave an electric shock, if the rats pressed the button it stopped
What is the rat being able to stop an electric shock after pressing a button an example of in Skinners rat experiment?
negative reinforcement
What did Skinner do in the third and final portion of his rat experiment?
he reversed the button, the rats were shocked for pressing it.
Third and finally what did the button do if the rat pressed it? - Skinner
it gave them a shock
Why did the rat eventually stop pressing the button after being shocked for pressing it in Skinner’s experiment?
Due to the punishment recieved
What was Pavlov’s dog experiment an example of?
Classical conditioning
What did Pavlov observe in his dog?
his dog would salivate when presented with food.
What did Pavlov state that food was to the dog?
a natural unconditioned stimulus
What happened when Pavlov presented his dog with food? Why?
salivate
an unconditioned response to the stimulus of food
Why does the dog not respond to the neutral stimulus of a bell? - Pavlov
without conditioning the dog will not respond to the bell
What did Pavlov observe after repeating his experiment several times? - He presents the dog with food and rings a bell at the same time
his dog would salivate at the sound of the bell, even in the absence of food
What were the final observations from Pavlov’s experiment, in regards to his dog?
Salivation became a conditioned response to the bell which is now a conditioned stimulus.
How did the cognitive approach come about? Why?
Behaviourism started to decline in the 1960s
Computers were starting to become more complex
Explain the purpose of the following diagram.
Input –> Processing –> Output
|–> Storage
Theoretical computer models were used to explain cognition
Explain the idea behind the schema theory?
A schema is a mental ‘plan’ consisting of expectations. We use it to make decisions and make sense of the world.
Recent advances in scanning have led to us being able to do what?
What does this mean?
See the physical ‘modules’ in the brain.
They are no longer just theoretical boxes in a diagram.
Define PET.
How much does it cost per scan?
Positron Emission Tomography
£2000
Define fMRI.
How much does it cost per scan?
functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
£500
Define classical conditioning?
The process of learning through behaviour.
We learn that certain things lead to certain results, creating an association.
Define operant conditioning?
Changing the conditioning relationship through reinforcement or punishment.
What is social learning theory or SLT?
The theory that other people can influence our behaviour.
Define the process of modelling?
The process of basing behaviour, style, attitude, etc. On someone we admire and want to emulate.
Define vicarious reinforcement?
The strengthening of behaviour by learning from watching other people and their consequences
Define observational learning?
Learning by watching others.
Define positive reinforcement?
The learning effect of a desirable consequence on behaviour.
What makes someone a ‘role model’?
A person who we admire and are inspired to copy their behaviour.
Define negative reinforcement?
The learning effect of a behaviour removing something unpleasant.
Define a unconditioned stimulus?
A stimulus that automatically leads to a particular response.
Define a conditioned stimulus?
A neutral stimulus that we have learned to pair with a response that is not the original unconditioned stimulus.
Who/what inspired the biological approach in psychology?
Charles Darwin.
Behaviour can be explained by evolution and biology
Genotype.
The ‘information’ in DNA
Phenotype
The traits your DNA gives you, e.g. hair colour
When is cortisol released?
In response to stress and low blood-glucose concentration
Where is cortisol released from?
The adrenal glands
To put it simply, how are all of our moods/feelings created?
Neurotransmitters, they carry signals between synapses all over the body
What are the 4 types of tropic hormones?
Oxytocin
serotonin
dopamine
cortisol
When is oxytocin released? What is oxytocin known as?
During skin-to-skin contact.
Known as the bonding chemical and allows us to bond to other people
What is serotonin known as? When is it released?
The satisfied hormone.
Stops you eating, often used in the treatment of depression as it makes you feel calm and content.
Related to the production of melatonin which helps put you to sleep.
What common food is serotonin found in?
Wine
Chocolate
white meat
When is dopamine released?
Sport, sex etc
What is dopamine know as?
A steroid hormone. reward hormone
What effect does dopamine have on the body?
Makes you excited, dopamine is addictive as a ‘reward’ hormone. Makes activities addictive, making you more likely to repeat the activity.
Too much dopamine causes symptoms of a schizophrenic nature.
What can dopamine be used as a treatment for?
Parkinson disease
What is cortisol known as?
Stress hormone
What effect does cortisol have on the body?
Causes your cells to release energy.
What are the strengths considered when using biology to explain psychology?
Application in treatment using drugs.
Replicable, objective results. scientific
What are the weaknesses considered when using biology to explain psychology?
Ethics, can we state that ‘your biological makeup determines who you are’? Is this too broad a statement to make?
Determinist, what about the environment(upbringing) etc…
