Approaches to Psychology Flashcards
1
Q
Wundt
A
- ‘father of experimental psychology’
- distinguished psychology as a science from philosophy and biology
- first person to call himself a psychologist
2
Q
introspection
A
- the attempt to study the mind by breaking up conscious awareness into basic structures of thoughts, images and sensations
3
Q
emergence of psychology as a science
A
- Wundt founded the first formal laboratory for psychological research
- University of Leipzig, 1879
4
Q
psychology
A
- the scientific study of the human mind & its functions, especially those that affect behaviour in a given context
5
Q
behaviourist approach
A
- all behaviour is learned through conditioning, not mental processes
6
Q
classical conditioning
A
- type of learning
- one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events
- connects a neutral stimuli with a positive one
7
Q
operant conditioning
A
- type of learning
- behaviour is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer
- behaviour is diminished if followed by a punisher
- uses rewards and punishment to modify behaviour
8
Q
Pavlov’s research
A
- Pavlov’s dog
- demonstrated salivation in dogs through a series of experiments
- paired the sound of a bell with the presentation of food
9
Q
types of reinforcement / punishment
A
- postive reinforcer
- positive punishment
- negative reinforcer
- negative punishment
10
Q
example of positive reinforcer
A
- food
- money
- praise
11
Q
example of positive punishment
A
- physical punishment
- embarassment
- shouting / yelled at
12
Q
example of negative reinforcer
A
- fire alarm
- stops shouting
- removal of chores
13
Q
example of negative punishment
A
- detentions
- no devices
- removing child from social interactions
14
Q
Skinner’s research
A
- ‘Skinner box’ experiment with rats
- a hungry rat would be placed in the box with a lever that would dispense food for the rat, when pressed
- the rat soon learned that pressing the lever would result in a reward
- the rat continued to display the new behaviour, and had been positively reinforced
15
Q
social learning theory
A
- based on behavourism
- people learn by observing others
- people are active, not passive in seeking knowledge
16
Q
modelling
A
- process of observing and imitating a specific behaviour
17
Q
identification
A
- remembering the behaviour because the person is worth remembering
- due to status or similarity
18
Q
imitation
A
- practising the new behaviour themselves mentally or physically
19
Q
vicarious reinforcement
A
- motivation by observing consequences
- seeing others getting rewarded or punished
20
Q
mediation processes
A
- cognitive factors that determine whether a new behaviour is acquired
- attention, retention, reproduction and motivation
21
Q
attention
(mediational processes)
A
- the observer must pay attention to the model
22
Q
retention
(mediational processes)
A
- the observer must be able to remember the behaviour
23
Q
reproduction
(mediational processes)
A
- the ability to replicate the behaviour that the model has demonstrated
24
Q
motivation
(mediational processes)
A
- learners must be given a reason to demonstrate what behaviours they have learned
25
Bandura's research
* the Bobo doll experiment
* new patterns of behaviour could only be learned by observing the behaviour of others
* children witnessed aggressive or not behaviour towards a model, and were then tested for imitative learning, without the models
26
Bandura's research
(findings)
* the Bobo doll experiment
* aggressive behaviour observed: mirrored the model with shouting and physical and verbal aggression to the doll
* non-aggressive behaviour observed: showed virtually no aggression towards the doll
27
Bandura's research
(strengths)
* reliable
* same effect was found in another repeated study
28
# [](http://)[](http://)
Bandura's research
(limitations)
* kids may naturally be more aggressive
* kids might have behavioural issues
29
cognitive approach
* an approach focused on how our mental processes affect behaviour
30
internal mental processes
* operations of the mind
* stimulus
* thinking
* response
31
schema
* a package of beliefs and expectations on a topic that come from prior experiences
* not a physcial, tangible thing
* developed through experience
32
role of schema
* oragnises information
* affects behaviour
* allows us to take shortcuts in thinking
* can lead to faulty conclusions and unhelpful behaviour
33
information processing model
* used by cognitive psychologists to explain and describe process of the human brain
* information flows in a sequence of stages
* input to thinking / attention to output
34
information processing model
(strengths)
* influential in cognitive development
* provides a framework for researchers
35
information processing model
(limitations)
* restriction to learning and attention
* ignores emotion and creativity
36
computer model
* CPU - brain
* coding - turns information into a usable format
* stores - to hold different chunks of information
* brain processes information like a computer would
37
computer model
(strengths)
* scientific
* based on evidence
* reliable, objective
38
computer model
(limitations)
* ignores emotion and motivation (machine reductionist)
* assumes no free will (determinist)
39
emergence of cognitive neuroscience
* between 1950s and 1960s
* occurred due to advances in brain imaging techniques
* Michael Gazzaniga is the 'father'
40
cognitive neuroscience
* the scientific study of biological brain structures that underpin mental and cognitive processes
