approaches in psychology (mocks) Flashcards
what are the biological approaches assumptions
- everything psychological is at first biological
- behavior is the result of nature
- behavior is influenced by genetics, hormones, neurochemistry, brain structure and evolution
- the mind lives in the brain and therefore all thought, feeling and behaviors have a physical bases
define phenotype
the characteristics of an individual determined by both genes and the environment
define genotype
the particular set of genes that a person processes
what are influence of genes (genotype and phenotype) - biological approach
genes are passed from one generation to the next - carry information in the form of DNA
genotypes - a person genetic makeup
phenotype- is the expression of their genes in observable characteristics
some behaviors are more heritability level than others
Monozygotic twins - 100% same DNA and a increased concordance rate of developing schizophrenia.
Genes indirectly influence behavior through aspects of our biology eg. neurotransmitters
define concordance rate
the probability that a pair of individuals will both have a certain characteristic
biological approach - evolution and behavior
natural selection ensures that characteristics with an evolutionary advantage are passed onto the next generation whilst others don’t. (change genetic makeup)
natural and sexual selection evolve genes - nature = survival and sexual = reproduction
survival of the fittest describes how those best adapted to their environment are most likely to survive - allow unsuccessful genes to die out
the influence of biological structures
structure of organs, central nervous system, peripheral system and the endocrine system determine our behavior.
nervous system transmit message through neurons - control behaviors such as eating/ breathing
different lobes are linked with different general behaviors
the brain lobes and their roles
frontal lobe - behavior, emotions and impulses, memory and attention, problem solving, planning and organizing
parietal lobe - which way is up and sensory information
occipital lobe - receiving and processing visual information
temporal lobe - recognizing and processing sound, understanding speech and parts of memory
brain stem - breathing, heart rate, swallowing, blood pressure
cerebellum - balance, movement and coordination
Phineas cage
demonstrates how the effect of damage to the brain
loss ability to inhibit antisocial behavior after an iron bar through his head and destroyed a large proportion of his frontal lobe
also shows the influence of a biological structure on behavior
the influence of neurochemistry
role of chemicals in determining behavior
in the synapse neurotransmitters are sent between the neurons
imbalance in neurotransmitters = atypical behavior
eg. low serotonin, high dopamine = schizophrenia
other chemicals = hormones that are produced in the glands and released into the bloodstream
psychodynamic approach assumptions - Freud
- people are born with basic instincts and needs
- our behavior/ feelings are rooted in childhood experiences
- all behavior is determined
- personality/psyche has a discernible structure
- personality us develop through the psychosexual stage through infancy and adolescence
6 conflict in the psyche are mediated with defense mechanisms - study human behavior by analyzing dreams, irrational behavior and what patients say in therapy
the role of the unconscious
the unconscious takes up a larger proportion of the human mind that we cant accesses and the conscious is only the tip of the iceberg
traumatic events from childhood are repressed into the unconscious mind and hidden from the consciousness - can be explored through psychoanalysis as memories are never lost
the structure of the personality
ID = erotic energy, governed by pleasure principle, what instant gratification, part of the personality that is present at birth. - located in the unconscious
EGO = governed by reality principle, task to tame ID and balance the superego, no present at birth and develops to control the others during anal stage of development
SUPEREGO= governed by morality principle, inner voice telling us when we cross a boundary, internalized parent that develops at around 5 year old
defence mechanisms
repression - internal - occurs when a traumatic or distressing memory is forced out of the conscious awareness and into the unconscious
denial - external - refusal to accept the truth or reality of a situation, acting as though nothing happened
displacement - is when the feelings towards a target individual cannot be expressed directly and are therefore transferred onto someone/something else
psychosexual stages
Old Age Pensioners Love Guineans oral :0-2 - mouth anal: 2-3 - anus phallic: 3-6 - gentiles latent: 6- puberty - hidden genital: puberty+ - heterosexual relationships
oral - psychosexual stage
infant experiences pleasure through their mouth - sucking and biting
oral fixation - engage in behaviors like smoking, nail biting etc.
anal - psychosexual stage
child become aware of reality principle imposed by parents. - ego develops
undergo potty training - control bowel movement
anal fixation: anal fixation = obsessive perfectionist or anal expulsive: messy and thoughtless
- caused by potty training being to strict or relax
phallic - psychosexual stage
Oedipus complex - infant boys have to overcome their unconscious sexual desire to their mother by identify with their fathers - superego develops - fear of losing their penis
Electra complex for girls
phallic fixation/ personality - manifest itself in reckless and narcissistic behavior
latent - psychosexual stage
sexual energy from pervious stages now because latent - this allows the individual to be able to focus on the world around them and forming relationships
no fixation
genital - psychosexual stage
psychosexual energy is taking residence in the genitals and is directed towards forming adult relationships
genital fixation - led to individual struggling to form heterosexual relationships
operant conditioning - learning approach
skinner suggests that behavior is the result of learning through the consequences of our actions
- experiment on rats where if they pressed a lever they would receive food (positive reinforcement) or the lever would stop an electric shock (negative reinforcement) leading to them repeating the behavior
positive reinforcement = desirable consequence after the behavior
negative reinforcement = removal of an adverse consequence
punishment = behavior is followed by an unpleasant consequence
social learning theory - assumptions
- behavior should be studied using scientific methods
- all behavior is learnt directly learnt from the environment through observation
- human imitate the behavior of their role models
- mediational processes intervene between observation and imitation
imitation and identification - social learning theory
if a role model models a behavior an individual will imitate the behavior to be able to identify with them.
This is identification - involves associating with qualities, characteristics and views of a role model to become more like them.
if the observed behavior is rewarded imitation is more likely - bandura - vicarious reinforcement
mediational processes
observational learning could not occur unless cognitive processes were at work.
this lack of imitation is because of mediational processes
- attention = the extent the behavior is noticed
- retention = how well the behavior is remembered
- reproduction = does the observer have the ability to retreat the behavior
- motivation = the desire to preform the behavior
