approaches knowledge gaps Flashcards
behaviorist approach AO1 points (5)
- focus on observable measurable bahviour
- controlled lab studies used
- classical conditioning
- operant conditioning
- punishment + positive and negative reinforcement
which type of behaviour does the behaviourist approach study ? (1)
observable behaviour only
describe the research done by Pavlov (3)
before classical conditioning:
food (UCS) = salivation (UCR)
bell (NS) = no response
during:
food (UCS) + bell (NS) = salivation (UCR)
After
bell (CS) = salivation (CR)
what is the main principle of operant conditioning ? (1)
behaviour is maintained by it’s concequences
state and explain the 3 types of concequences to behavior (3)
- positive reinforcement - recieving a reward when specific behavior is done, encourages behavior to be repeated
- negative reinforcement - avoiding something unpleasent when behaviour is performed, encourages behaviour to be repeated
- punishment - unpleasent concequence of behaviour, decreases likelihood of behavior being repeated
which studies are usually conducted by behaviourists ? (1)
Lab studies
social learning theory AO1 points
- how learning occurs
- vicarious reinforcement
- role mediational processes in learning
- identification
- bandura’s bobo doll study
what are the main assumptions of the social learning theory (3)
- learning occurs indirectly through observation and imitation of other’s behaviour
- vicarious reinforcement: behaviour that is seen to be rewarded is more likely to be copied
- identification: we are more likely to observe behaviour of model we identify with, attractive, high status + similar to observer
describe Bandura and Walters Bobo Doll study (3)
procedure:
children saw adult behaving aggressively towards Bobo doll or non aggressively towards Bobo doll
they also saw adult being punished, rewarded or no consequence
findings:
children who saw aggression rewarded were much more aggressive themselves
conclusion:
if a models violent behaviour is rewarded it is more likely to be imitated
describe Bandura’s bobo doll study (3)
procedure:
children saw adult behaving aggressively towards Bobo doll or non aggressively towards Bobo doll
findings:
children who had seen aggressive behaviour were much more aggressive with their own bobo doll
conclusion:
children are more likely to imitate violent behaviour if they observe these in an adult role model
what are the 4 meditational processes in learning (SLT) (4)
- attention - if behaviour is noticed or not
- retention - where behaviour is remembered
- motor reproduction - being able to do it
- motivation - the will to perform the behaviour
what are the three evaluation points for the social learning theory (3)
✅ takes into account meditational (cognitive) processes as well as behavioural view point - complete comprehensive explanation
❌ conclusions from lab studies - demand characteristics - the point of a bobo doll is to hit them - children could have acted how they thought they were expected to
❌ makes too little reference to biological factors - research has shown mirror neurones controls observational learning - allows us to empathise w and imitate others
what are the 3 evaluation points for the behaviourist approach (3)
❌ skinners rats - unethical - crampe, underweight to be hungry, electric shocks
✅ development of systematic desensitisation - counterconditioning - aim to associate phobic stem (CS) w relaxation (new CR)
✅ uses well controlled lab studies + observable behaviour measured - scientific credibility
cognitive approach AO1 points
- mental processes should be studied
- inferences
- schemas
- theoretical models
- computer models
- emergence of cognitive neruoscience
what is the main assumption of the cognitive approach ? (1)
mental processes should be studied
inferences (3)
- mental processes can’t be observed directly
- so they are indirectly studied by making inferences (assumptions)
- assumptions on what is going on inside peoples heads based on their behaviour
schema’s (3)
- package of info and assumptions developed through experience
- act as mental frameworkfor incoming info
- babies are born w simple motor schemas for innate behaviours eg grasping, sucking
Theoretical models to explain mental processes (1)
information processing approach suggests info flows through a sequence of stages that include input, storage and retrieveal as in multi store model
computer models to explain mental processes (3)
- in both computers and the brain info in input, this info is processed and stored to create an output
- input (senses) and output (behaviour) can be directly observed in humans
- but processing can’t so we make inferences based on the observed input and output
the emergence of cognitive neuroscience (4)
- the scientific study of the influence of brain structure on mental processing
- due to advances in brain scanning technology scientists have been able to describe neurological basis of mental processing eg fMRI, PEt scans etc…
- eg episodic and semantic memories linked to opposite sides of prefrontal cortex
- impared parahippocampal gyrus linked with OCD
what are the 3 evaluation points for the cognitive approach (3)
✅ scientific + controlled + objective methods used - lab studies + cognitive neuroscience brain scans
❌ machine reductionism - computer model analogy criticised - emotion and motivation have shown to infuence accuracy on recall - reduces validity of approach
✅ real world application - impaired left prefrontal cortex + parahippocampal gyrus linked with OCD - can develop specific treatments
biological approach AO1 points (6)
- all psychological behavior has a biological basis - caused by genes + neurochemistry
- neurochemical basis of behavior
- genetic basis of behavior - twin studies
- concordance rates
- genotype and phenotype
- using the theory of evolution to explain behavior
what is the main assumption of the biological approach (2)
- everything psychological is at first biological
- behavior has a genetic basis and neurochemical basis
neurochemical basis of behavior (3)
- neurochemistry: action of chemicals eg neurotransmitters in the brain
- imbalance of neurotransmitters may cause mental disorders
- eg low lvls of serotonin = OCD
genetic basis of behavior - twin studies (3)
- twin studies use to investigate genetic basis of behavior
- work out concordance rates between twins
- higher concordance rates between MZ twins than DZ twins shows behavior has a genetic basis
concordance rates (1)
- extent to which twins share same characteristics
genotype and phenotype (4)
- genotype: genetic makeup
- phenotype: how the genes are expressses through physical, behavioural and psychological characteristics
- phenotype affected by genes and env
- shows that human behavior caused by interaction between nature and nurture
theory of evolution to explain behavior (5)
- Darwin - proposed theory of natural selection
- any genetically determined behavior which increases chances of survival + reproduction passed on to offspring
- frequency of that characteristic increases over future generations
- genes that are passed on = adaptive genes
- give selective advantage
what are the 3 evaluation points for the biological approach (3)
✅ real world application - understanding neurochemical basis of behavior - treatment development - eg understand low lvls of serotonin linked w depression + OCD - SSRI’s developed + prescribed
✅ uses scientific + objective + controlled methods - scanning techniques to study genetic + neurochemical basis of behavior - no bias
❌ biological explanations are determinist - human behavior governed by internal genetic factors which we have no control over
humanistic approach AO1 points (5)
- main assumptions
- Maslows heirarchy of needs / theory
- rogers theory - self and ideal self
- Rogers theory - conditions of worth
- Roger’s client centred therapy
HUMANISTiC: main assumption (3)
- humans as having free will
- believe that to explain behavior we should focus with subjective experience rather than general laws
- person centred approach
Maslows heirarchy of needs / theory (4)
level 1:pysiological needs - food, sleep
level 2: safety - shelter
level 3: Love and belonging
level 4: self esteem
level 5: cognitive needs (later added)
level 6: aesthetic needs (later added)
level 7: self actualisation
- each lower level needs to be met in order to move up the heirarchy and self actualise
- self actualisation: achieveing our full potential and becoming our best self
- we have an innate tendancy to self actualise
Roger’s theory: self and ideal self
- added to maslows theory
- for personal growth to occur the self must be congruent (in line) with the ideal self
- if gap between self and ideal self is too large person will experience incongruence and self actualisation isnt possible
self: who you are now
ideal self: who you aspire to be in the future
Rogers theory: conditions of worth (4)
- parents who impose conditions of worth
- lack of positive unconditional regard from parents
- parent who sets boundaries on their love
- prevents personal growth - causes psychological problems
Roger’s client centred therapy (3)
therapisy provides patient with:
- unconditional positive regard
- empathy
- genuiness
find out what patient’s self and ideal self are and identify any conditions of worth placed on patient
aim: increase feelings of self worth and reduce incongruence between self and ideal self
what are the evaluation points for the humanistic approach (3)
✅ holistic - doesnt break up behavior into smaller components - consider the whole person to explain behavior - more valid than other approaches - not reductionist
❌ unfalsifyable - self, actual self, congruence, incongruence - cant be observed or empirically tested, can be self reported but that is subjective - pseudoscience
✅ positive approach - based on free will - people are in control of their lives and have power to change - freud saw humans as prisoners od their past
psychodynamic approach AO1 points
- mind as an iceberg
- tripartite structure of personality
- psychosexual stages
- oedipus complex
- defence mechanisms
structure of the mind according to sigmund freud (3)
- concious - what we are aware of (iceberg tip)
- preconcious - thoughts we may become aware of through dreams and slips of tongue
- unconcious - store of memories we will never know that influence our behavior eg traumatic mems, biological drives
Tripartite structure of personality (3)
- Id - innate, works on pleasure principle, demands instant gradification, selfish
- Ego - works on reality principle, mediator between Id and superego
- superego - works on morality principle, wants to do right thing, developed at age 5, based on learning what is right and wrong
psychosexual stages (8)
- Oral (0.1 yr) - pleasure focus = mouth, object of desire = mothers breasts
- Anal (1-3 yrs) - pleasure focus = anus, child gains pleasure by holding and eliminating faeces
- Phallic (3-6 yrs) - pleasure focus = genital area
- Latency - earlier conflicts are repressed
- Genital (puberty) - sexual desires become concious
- each stage marked by a conflict that must be resolved before moving onto next one
- any unresolved conflict leads to fixation where child become stuck and carries behaviors associated w that stage through to adult life
- unresolved conflicts = over or under indulgence eg sucking too much or too little in oral stage
oedipus complex (3)
- psychosexual conflict at phallic stage
- boys develop incestous feelings towards mother and murderous hatred towards father
- boys repress feelings for mother and identify w father taking on his gender role + moral values
defence mechanisms (4)
- unconcious strategy used by Ego to reduce anxiety
- displacement: direct emotion away from true source to a neutral source
- repression: forcing distressing memory into unconcious mind
- denial: refusing to acknowledge reality
evaluation points for the psychodynamic approach (3)
✅ introduced psychotherapy- psychoanalysis helps access uncocnious mind of client through hypnosis so unresolved conflicts can be resolved - less ppl miss work - boost economy
❌ based on unflasifyable concepts - imposible to observe or test unconcious mind, no one knows i unconcious concenpts eg Id, Superego, defence mechanisms, conflicts at psychosexual stages are actually present or taking place - cant be empirically tested- lacks** scientific credibility** - pseudoscience
✅ interactionist approach - sheds light on both nature + nurture side of debate - nature = innate Id, nurture = superego developed through what we learn - gives a more complete explanation that other approaches eg biological which focuses on 1 aspect only
