Approaches key terms Flashcards
definitions
Empiricism
The belief that all knowledge is derived from sensory experience. It is generally characterised by the use of the scientific method in psychology
Introspection
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 and feelings
Scientific method
Refers to the use of investigative methods that are objective, systematic and replicable, and the formulation, testing and modification of hypotheses based on these methods
Determinism
All behaviour is seen as being caused
Predictability
It is possible to predict how human beings behave in different conditions
Behaviourist
People who believe that human behaviour can be explained in terms of conditioning, without the need to consider thoughts or feelings
Classical Conditioning
When a neutral stimulus is consistently paired with an unconditioned stimulus so that it eventually takes on the properties of this stimulus and is able to produce a conditioned response
Punishment
Involves the application of an unpleasant consequence following a behaviour, with the result that the behaviour is likely to occur again in the future
Reinforcement
A term used in psychology to refer to anything that strengthens a response and increases the likelihood that it will occur again in the future
Positive reinforcement
Occurs when behaviour produces a consequence that is satisfying or pleasant e.g. food to a hungry animal or praise give to a child after they do something well
Negative reinforcement
They remove something unpleasant and so restore the organism to the pre aversive state e.g. hitting an off button on an alarm clock allows a person to escape from the unpleasant ringing and restores the restful state before the alarm
Identification
Is a form of influence where an individual adopts an attitude or behaviour because they want to be associated with a particular person or group
Imitation
The action of using someone or something as a model and copying their behaviour
Meditational process
Refer to the internal processes that exist between environment stimuli and the response made by an individual to those stimuli
Social Learning Theory
Learning through observing others and imitating behaviours that are rewarded
Vicarious reinforcement
Learning that is not a result of direct reinforcement of behaviour, but through observing someone else being reinforced for that behaviour
Cognitive
Relates to mental processes such as perception, memory and reasoning