Approaches to AS psychology Flashcards
Who established the first psychology laboratory
Wilhelm Wundt (1875)
What is Wundt known as
the father of psychology
What is introspection
the examination of ones own thought processes to examine their feelings, emotions and sensations
What is the biological approach
behaviours are affected by:
1. genetics
2. the CNS
3. the chemistry of the body
What are hormones
chemicals secreted by the endocrine system into the blood and other bodily fluids
What is genotype
the genetic makeup of an individual
What is phenotype
the characteristics showed by an individual because of their genes and the environment
What is the CNS
- central nervous system
- the system is made up of the brain and spinal chord
What is the PNS
- peripheral nervous system
- the system which accompanies the CNS running throughout the body
What is a neuron
a nerve cell which transfers information throughout the nervous system
What is the endocrine system
the system which affects the transfer and secretion of hormones throughout the body
What are neurotransmitters
chemicals within the brain fluid that transfer signals
What is the role of the endocrine system
to maintain levels of hormones in the blood and other bodily fluids
What is the most important gland
Where is it located
- pituitary gland
- brain
What is the autonomic system
- part of PNS
- important for survival of the individual and affects the reaction to a threat and then brings the body back to homeostasis
What is the somatic system
- part of PNS
- comprises of muscles connected to the skeleton therefore allowing movement
What are assumptions on the behaviourist approach
- behaviour is learned through experience
- thought processes are subjective
- we are born a blank state so there’s no genetic influence on behaviour
What is classical conditioning
learning by association
What is some work of CC
- Watson and Rayner (1920)
- Little Albert
- highly unethical
- done by a presentation of an unconditioned stimulus of a loud noise at the same time as he touched a rat
- eventually little Albert cried when he was shown a rat
What CC study was the first to be documented
- Pavlov’s dogs
- Dogs would learn that the ringing of a bell would mean food so therefore they would begin to salivate
What is operant conditioning
learning by consequence
What are the three ways OC happens by
- positive reinforcement
- negative reinforcement
- punishment
How does Skinner’s research show OC
- electric shock to rat was punishment so rats wouldn’t repeat a behaviour
- the electrified floor is negative reinforcement so not to get electrified
- the food pellet is positive reinforcement for behaviours to be repeated
What are assumptions of social learning theory
- behaviour is learned from the environment
- behaviour is learned from observing others
What is research into social learning theory
- Bandura bobo doll experiment
- 36 male 36 female p’s with a mean age of 4
- they were split into 2 groups one saw an aggressive model one saw a non aggressive model
- results show the children acted similar to what they saw showing behaviours can happen through observation
What is vicarious reinforcement
when a person learns by the consequences of another persons behaviour
e.g. a child getting rewarded for doing work will likely make other children want to get the reward so would also do the work
What is a schema
a collection of ideas about a person or situation formed through experience which helps the individual to understand and predict the world around them
