Approaches In Psychology Evaluation Flashcards
The origins of psychology evaluation
A criticism of Wundt’s structuralist approach, mainly from behaviourists, was that this approach relied primarily on non-observable responses. Although ppts could report on their conscious experiences, the processes themselves were considered to be unobservable constructions. Wundt’s approach ultimately failed because of the lack of reliability of his methods. Introspective results were not reliably reproduced by other researchers in other labs.
Nisbett and Wilson claim that we have very little knowledge of the causes, and processes, underlying our behaviours and attitudes, a claim that would challenge the value of introspective reports. They found, for example, that ppts were remarkably unaware of factors that have been influential in the choice of a consumer item. This problem is particularly acute in the study of implicit attitudes i.e. stereotypes that are unknown to us. For example, a person may be implicitly racist which influences the way they react to members of a different ethnic group, yet because such attitudes exist outside of conscious awareness, introspection would not uncover them.
However there are strengths of a scientific approach to psychology. This is because of its reliance on objective and systematic methods of observation, knowledge required using the scientific method is more than just the passive acceptance of facts. Because scientific methods rely on a belief in determinism they are able to establish the causes of behaviour through the use of methods are both empirical and replicable.
Behaviourist approach evaluation
Strength of classical conditioning. It has led to the development of treatment for the reduction of anxiety associated with various phobias. Systematic desensitisation is a therapy based on classical conditioning, as it uses a counter-conditioning technique. This is a highly effective treatment.
Limitations of classical conditioning. Different species face different challenges to survive, so they have different capabilities to learn through the process of classical conditioning.
Strengths of operant conditioning. A particular strength of skinners research with his reliance on the experimental method, which uses controlled conditions in an attempt to discover a possible causal relationship between two or more variables. E.g. The Skinner box.
Limitations of operant conditioning. Skinners research has received some criticism because his experiments involve the study of animals rather than humans. Critics claim his reliance on rats and pigeons mean skinners studies can tell us a little about human behaviour. This is because they clean humans have free will rather than having their behaviour determined by positive and negative reinforcement. Skinner argued that free will is merely an illusion and what we believe the behaviours chosen through free will are actually the product of external influences that guide our behaviour.
Social learning theory evaluation.
Strengths.
Social learning theory has useful applications. The principles of social learning have been usefully applied to increase our understanding of many areas of human behaviour, including criminal behaviour. For example, Akers suggests that the probability of someone engaging in criminal behaviour increases when they are exposed to models who commit criminal behaviour, identify with these models and develop the expectation of positive consequences for their own criminal behaviour.
Research support for identification. Fox and Bailenson found evidence for this using computer generated virtual humans engaging in exercise or merely loitering. The models look either similar or dissimilar to the individual participants. Those who viewed their virtual model exercising engage in more exercise in the 24 hours following the experiment then participants who viewed the virtual model loitering or a dissimilar model exercising.
Limitations.
A major criticism of social learning theory explanations of deviant behaviour relates to its principal concept that increased association with deviant peers increases the likelihood that an individual will adopt the same values and behaviours. The problem with this is essentially a problem in determining causality. Siegal and McCormick suggest that young people who possess deviant attitudes and values are more likely to seek out peers with similar attitudes and behaviours.
Another issue is a problem of complexity. In real life, a child is exposed to many different influences all of them interacting in complex ways. These include genetic predisposition is, media betrayals, locus of control and so on. This is an issue because if virtually anything can have an influence on a specific behaviour, it becomes very difficult to show that one particular thing is the main causal factor.
Cognitive approach evaluation.
Strengths.
A strength of the cognitive approach is that it has been applied in many other areas of psychology. For example, the cognitive approach to psychopathology has been used to explain how much of the dysfunctional behaviour shown by people can be traced back to faulty thinking processes. This has led to the successful treatment of people suffering from illnesses such as depression and OCD using cognitive-based therapies.
Another strength of the cognitive approach is that it is highly scientific. The use of the experimental method provides researchers with a rigourous method of collecting and evaluating evidence in order to reach accurate conclusions about how the mind works.
Limitations.
One limitation of the cognitive approach is the use of computer models. For example, terms such as coding, storage and retrieval are borrowed directly from the field of computing. However there is the reported difference between the sort of information processing that takes place within a computer and the information-processing that takes place within the human mind. Computers do not make mistakes, nor do they ignore available information or forget anything that has been stored on the hard drives. Humans on the other hand do all of these things.
Another limitation is that ignores emotion and motivation. Although it can tell us how different cognitive processes take place, it fails to tell us why they do it.
May lack ecological validity.
The biological approach evaluation.
Strengths.
Uses scientific methods, particularly the use of experimental method as its main method of investigation. The experimental studies take place in highly controlled environments so that other researchers are able to replicate research studies under the same experimental conditions, giving the findings high internal validity. In early studies of brain functioning, clinical method with the main method of study, but they had many issues such as researcher bias and had lack of control. However, with the change in technology and more sophisticated imagery and recording techniques the precision and objectivity of experimental research in this area has vastly improved.
Another strength of the biological approach is that it is reductionist. Reductionism is the belief that behaviour can be explained by breaking it down into simpler components. Although this could be seen as a limitation, as critics argue that we cannot fully understand a behaviour without taking account of the other factors that influence it, it also has many advantages.The reductionist approach looks in detail at components that affect behaviour and by breaking down the behaviour into smaller parts it is easier to be tested scientifically. This empirical scientific testing leads to the biological approach having high scientific credibility. In addition, this approach has led to real-world advantages, for example if abnormality has not been reduced to a chemical level, certain drug treatments may not have been discovered.
Limitations.
However there are dangers of genetic explanations. Recent research suggesting a genetic basis of criminal behaviour has led to concerns about how it may be used. Critics claim this may lead to genetic screening of the population to identify those with the genetic susceptibility and subsequent discrimination against those may occur. It also creates a danger that genes might then be used as convenient explanation for complicated human behaviour, despite the fact that the connection between genes and behaviours such as criminality is far from simple. However other psychologists suggest that if an individual discovers they have a genetic predisposition for criminality, it gives them the opportunity to avoid environmental situations that would likely trigger this predisposition.
The psychodynamic approach evaluation.
Strengths.
The development of psychoanalysis as an explanation of human behaviour represented a huge shift in psychological thinking. It suggested new methodological procedures for gathering empirical evidence and the development of the approach was based on observations of behaviour rather than relying on introspection. From these observations Freud was able to demonstrate the potential of psychological rather than biological treatments for disorders such as depression and anxiety. This approach has led to successful treatments.
Critics of psychoanalysis off and playing there is no scientific evidence of psychoanalysis and that its claims are not testable or falsifiable. However many of the claims of psychoanalysis have been tested and many of them have been confirmed using scientific methodology. Fisher and Greenberg summarise some 2500 of these studies, concluding that experimental studies of psychoanalysis compare well with studies relevant to any other major area of psychology. In particular, they found support for the existence of unconscious motivations in human behaviour as well as for the defence mechanisms.
Limitations.
Gender biased. Freud’s views of women and female sexuality were less well-developed than his views of male sexuality. Despite the fact this theories were focused on sexual development, Freud seem content to remain ignorant of female sexuality and how it may differ from male sexuality. This led psychoanalysts such as Karen Horney, to criticise his work. Dismissing women and their sexuality in such a way is problematic, not only because he treated many female patients, but also because his theories are still so influential today.
Psychoanalysis is a culture biased approach. Sue and Sue argue that psychoanalysis has little relevance to people from non-western cultures. Psychoanalysts Believe that mental disorders are the result of traumatic memories being locked in their unconscious and that freeing them through therapy gives the individual the chance to deal with them in the supportive therapeutic environment. However many cultural groups do not value insight in the same way as western cultures do. For example in China, a person who is depressed avoids thoughts that cause distress rather than being willing to discuss them openly.
Humanistic psychology evaluation.
Strengths.
Maslow’s hierarchy is linked to economic development. Hagerty looked at the relationship between economic growth and measures of Maslow’s need levels in 88 countries over 34 year period.he found that countries in the early stages of economic development were characterised by lower level needs. Only in the advanced stages of economic development did esteem needs and self actualisation needs become important.
Research support for conditions of worth. Harter et al. discovered that teenagers who feel they have to fulfill certain conditions in order to gain their parents approval often end up disliking themselves. The researchers found that adolescents who created a ‘false self,’ pretending to be the kind of person his or her parents would love, and also more likely to develop depression and a tendency to lose touch with their own true self.
Limitations.
Evaluating the humanistic approach scientifically is difficult because most of the evidence used to support this approach fails to establish a causal relationship between variables. Rogers in particular was an advocate of non-experimental research methods, arguing that the requirements of experimental methods make it impossible to verify the results of counselling. However most psychologists would argue that without experimental evidence evaluation of the therapy becomes very difficult.
One key criticism of humanistic psychology is that it is unrealistic. It represents an overly idealised and unrealistic view of human nature. Critics argue that people are not as inherently good and growth orientated as humanistic theory suggests, and the approach does not adequately recognise peoples capacity for pessimism and self-destructive behaviour. It may also be that encouraging people to focus on their own self development rather than on situational forces may be neither realistic nor appropriate in modern society.
Comparison of approaches
- determinism vs free will.
- nature vs nature.
- scientific methodology.
- basic assumptions.
