approaches questions last set exam Flashcards
What is inference
going beyond the immediate evidence to make assumptions about mental processes that cannot be directly observed.
What does repression involve?
Repression involves people choosing to forget unpleasant memories
What are the methods for introspection the principles behind it as well ?
Focus on being objective
* Reflection on sensations, feelings and images
* Wundt would ask people to focus on an everyday object and look inwards noticing sensations and feelings and images
* Breaking thoughts about an object down into separate elements
* Systematic reporting of an experience of object
* Specific examples eg use of metronome
Discuss two limitations of social learning theory.
difficulty demonstrating cause and effect – although Bandura research controlled variables and demonstrated behaviour was imitated it is difficult to show cause and effect in real life
*sees behaviour as environmentally determined whereas some behaviours may be innate
*mediating cognitive factors have to be inferred so cannot measure extent of their influence
*SLT does not explain cognitive processes, leaving this to cognitive psychologists
*can explain learning of outward behaviours, SLT is not so able to explain the learning of abstract notions, eg fairness, justice etc which cannot be observed directly
Two features and two limitations of the cognitive approach
Possible features:
*Behaviour is influenced by thoughts that can be both conscious and non-conscious – internal mental processes.
*Schema are the mental representation of experience and knowledge and understanding.
*Mental processes are information processing and the processing can be compared to that of a computer.
*Models can be used to provide testable theories about mental processing and these can be studied scientifically and inferences made.
*Cognition and biological processes can be integrated leading to cognitive neuroscience as a way forward to understanding human behaviour.
*Methodology - use of controlled experimentation – inference about mental processes on the basis of observed behaviour.
Possible Limitations:
*The approach can be seen as mechanical in regarding human thinking as processing like the computer leaving little room for the irrationality seen in emotional behaviours.
*The focus on detail of exactly what can be recalled by participants in controlled environments means an understanding of everyday use of memory, for example, is missing from explanations. This leads to issues of generalisation.
*The process of inference may be a ‘leap too far’ in explaining thinking.
*Issue of soft determinism and little room for processes other than internal mental events affecting behaviour such as biology.
*Research findings indicate factors other than internal mental events as cause of behaviour.
*Use of self-report as a method of data collection and the subsequent issues of reliability.
*The focus on individual mental processes such as attention, leaves little room for how these mental events work together.
Possible features: of cognitive approach
*Behaviour is influenced by thoughts that can be both conscious and non-conscious – internal mental processes.
*Schema are the mental representation of experience and knowledge and understanding.
*Mental processes are information processing and the processing can be compared to that of a computer.
*Models can be used to provide testable theories about mental processing and these can be studied scientifically and inferences made.
*Cognition and biological processes can be integrated leading to cognitive neuroscience as a way forward to understanding human behaviour.
*Methodology - use of controlled experimentation – inference about mental processes on the basis of observed behaviour.
Possible Limitations: of cognitive approach
The approach can be seen as mechanical in regarding human thinking as processing like the computer leaving little room for the irrationality seen in emotional behaviours.
*The focus on detail of exactly what can be recalled by participants in controlled environments means an understanding of everyday use of memory, for example, is missing from explanations. This leads to issues of generalisation.
*The process of inference may be a ‘leap too far’ in explaining thinking.
*Issue of soft determinism and little room for processes other than internal mental events affecting behaviour such as biology.
*Research findings indicate factors other than internal mental events as cause of behaviour.
*Use of self-report as a method of data collection and the subsequent issues of reliability.
*The focus on individual mental processes such as attention, leaves little room for how these mental events work together.
We use schema when we process information from the world around us.
Explain one reason why using schema might be useful when processing information from the world around us, and explain one reason why using schema might not be useful when processing information from the world around us.
Possible content:
* schema help us predict what will happen in our world based on our experiences
* schema enable us to process vast amounts of information rapidly
* schema prevent us from becoming overwhelmed by environmental stimuli.
Possible content:
* schema can distort our interpretation of sensory information
* schema lead to perceptual errors or inaccurate EWT / memories
* schema can cause biased recall / see what we expect
* negative / faulty schema may have a negative impact on mental health
Describe the role of defence mechanisms according to the psychodynamic approach.
help the ego manage the conflict between the id and the superego for example through repression, denial or displacement
Explain one assumption of the cognitive approach.
psychology should be the study of internal mental processes, eg memory, perception, etc
* the importance of the role of schema
* it is appropriate to make inferences about cognitive processes
* the use of models of explanation – theoretical and computer
* the possibility of combining cognitive processes and biological structures (cognitive neuroscience).
