Approaches - Wundt/Pavlov/Skinner/Bandura Flashcards

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1
Q

What is psychology?

A
  • the scientific study of the human mind and its functions; especially affecting behaviour in a given context
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2
Q

What is science?

A
  • a means of acquiring knowledge through systematic and objective investigation
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3
Q

Who is Wilhelm Wundt?

A
  • known as the “father of psychology”
  • opened the first experiments, psychological laboratory in Germany (helped shape psych as a science)
    • aided the scientific study of psychological inquiry using controlled conditions that help to replicate results
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4
Q

What is introspection?

A
  • a way of studying internal mental events
  • the first systematic and experimental attempt to study the mind/mental processes by breaking down conscious awareness into basic structures of reflections, thoughts, images and sensations
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5
Q

How did Wundt use introspection?

A
  • wanted to focus on perception and structuralism (theory of consciousness)
  • Wundt used scientific methods to investigate introspection (paved the way for psych to be seen as a science/helped develop cognitive psychology)
    • introspection was recorded under controlled conditions
    • ppts focused on present experiences
    • involves person saying everything that is going through their mind whilst doing an activity
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6
Q

What are the strengths of introspection and the emergence of psychology as a science?

A
  • helped to develop other approaches:
    • e.g. behaviourism, cognitive approach
    • has formed the basis of other models
  • extremely scientific:
    • shares the same qualities as subjects like chemistry, biology, and physics
    • high control of variables as all these subjects (including psych study behaviour in a lab setting)
  • able to establish what causes behaviour:
    • can be used to predict future behaviour which is useful in psychology
    • e.g. high dopamine levels can cause OCD (ensure the dopamine levels are regulated)
  • still used today in areas of therapy:
    • can be used in cognitive therapy to alter patient’s negative thinking
    • introspection can still be applied to contemporary therapy in modern society
  • Wundt supports idea of reductionism:
    • believed that consciousness can be broken down to its basic elements without sacrificing its properties as a whole
    • studied internal mental processes by deconstructing them down into measurable units (perception, senses, experiences)
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7
Q

What are the weaknesses of introspection and the emergence of psychology as a science?

A
  • Watson (1913) criticised this idea:
    • this produces subjective data which can vary from one individual to the next (not objective or reliable)
  • not scientific/accurate:
    • Wilson claimed that psychologists have little knowledge about some behaviours/attitudes that may exist outside of conscious awareness (e.g. racism)
  • fails to explain how the mind works:
    • psychologists cannot see how thoughts are generated and so introspection cannot be properly observed
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8
Q

What is the behavioural approach?

A
  • a way of explaining behaviour in terms of what is observed in terms of learning
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9
Q

What are the assumptions of the behavioural approach?

A
  • all behaviour is learnt and involves the same processes for animals and humans (classical/operant)
  • behaviourism maintains more control and objectivity within research/relies on lab experiments
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10
Q

What is classical conditioning?

A
  • learning by association
  • NS is repeatedly paired with an UCS
  • the NS then produces the same response that is produced by the UCR alone
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11
Q

What is Pavlov’s (1904) study?

A
  • dogs conditioned to salivate to the sound of a bell
    • bell sound is repeatedly presented with food
  • before conditioning:
    • the food (UCS) produces an unconditioned response (UCR) of the dog salivating
    • a bell (NS) is rung alone (no food) = no response
  • during conditioning:
    • the food is then repeatedly paired with the bell (UCS + NS) to produce salivation (UCR)
  • after conditioning:
    • when bell is presented alone (CS), the dog will begin to salivate (CR)
    • ** learning has taken place and an association has been established **
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12
Q

What are the principles of classical conditioning (Pavlov’s research)?

A
  • generalisation:
    • stimuli similar to the original CS (bell) will cause the CR (salivation)
  • discrimination:
    • stimuli similar to the CS (bell) will not produce the CR (salivation)
    • the individual is able to differentiate between the similar stimuli
  • extinction:
    • the CR (salivation) will not be produced because of the bell sound
    • this is because the CS (bell) is presented without the UCS (food)
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13
Q

What are the strengths of classical conditioning?

A
  • research evidence:
    • Pavlov’s study (dogs)
    • Little Albert study (by Watson and Rayner)
    • ** however, these are lab experiments and can lack ecological validity **
  • model can be easily tested/observed:
    • the behavioural model relies on observing behaviour that can be directly seen/measured in a highly controlled setting
    • aids objectivity and replication
  • helped to develop treatments of psychological disorders:
    • it has helped to form treatments like flooding and systematic desensitisation (based on classical conditioning/association)
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14
Q

What are the weaknesses of classical conditioning?

A
  • limited explanation:
    • can only explain how learning occurs in animals and young children (does not explain how adults learn new behaviours)
  • Menzies criticises the behavioural model:
    • he found that only 2% of his sample of hydrophobic people had a negative experience with water
    • 98% of the sample did not learn to be frightened of water
  • views animals/humans as passive recipients:
    • believes that they have “machine like” responses to stimuli in the environment
    • this minimises their free will
  • criticised by biological approach:
    • this model ignores factors like genes, hormones, evolution and neural mechanisms
    • there is strong research evidence that shows schizophrenia is determined by genes (implies that it is unlikely that someone would learn to be schizophrenic)
  • deterministic model:
    • ignores the role of free will in people’s behavioural responses
    • classical conditioning anticipates an individual will respond to a CS with no variation
    • people do have control over how they may respond to an association between two stimuli
    • incomplete/inconsistent model
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15
Q

What is operant conditioning?

A
  • a form of learning in which behaviour is shaped and maintained by consequences
  • punishment, positive/negative reinforcement
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16
Q

What is positive/negative reinforcement and punishment?

A
  • positive:
    • receiving something positive when completing a behaviour
    • e.g. getting a sticker for competing HW
  • negative:
    • competing a behaviour in order to avoid something unpleasure (continues in the future)
    • e.g. completing HW to avoid getting a detention
  • punishment:
    • an unpleasant consequence caused by completing a certain behaviour
    • e.g. teacher shouts at you for not completing HW (solution is negative reinforcement to avoid this)
17
Q

What is Skinner’s (1953) study?

A
  • used “the Skinner Box” to conduct research on pigeons/rats
    • one hungry rat would accidentally press the lever and be rewarded by a food pellet (positive reinforcement)
    • one rat would press the lever to avoid electric shock from the floor (negative reinforcement)
  • extinction:
    • rat presses lever but no longer receives a reward
    • so it then stops pressing the lever
  • spontaneous recovery:
    • (following extinction) if the rat does receive a food pellet after pressing lever, it will “spontaneously recover” what it had previously learnt
  • schedules of reinforcement: (different methods of reinforcement)
    • continuous reinforcement = every time rat presses the lever, it receives a food pellet
    • fixed interval = rat presses lever and only receives food pellet during fixed time only
    • fixed ratio = rat must press the lever a fixed no. of times to receive a food pellet
18
Q

What are the strengths of operant conditioning?

A
  • research evidence:
    • Paul and Lentz used token economy (rewarding appropriate behaviour) to treat schizophrenic patients and found that their behaviour had improved
  • Skinner research:
    • highly controlled conditions that helps to establish a clear cause and effect
  • nurture side of nature/nurture debate:
    • states learning occurs due to environmental factors and external stimuli
    • so manipulating factors in environment can effect learning and behaviour
19
Q

What are the weaknesses of operant conditioning?

A
  • Skinner Box criticised:
    • he ignores the concept of free will
    • suggests that past experiences involving operant conditioning will affect future behaviour
    • deterministic view of behaviour
  • ethical issues of Skinner Box:
    • animals were placed in stressful situations which can affect their psychological and physical health
    • there is also a problem with generalising the results rats/pigeons to humans (may not be applicable)
  • rooted in behaviourist approach and ignores biological approach:
    • bio approach states that behaviour cannot be learnt and that it is in fact heavily influenced by genetics, hormones, and neural mechanisms
    • other approaches in psychology must also be considered when examining influences upon behaviour
20
Q

What is social learning theory?

A
  • where new patterns of behaviour can be acquired/learnt by observing the behaviour of others
  • behaviour is learnt from the environment and also considers cognitive processes too
21
Q

What are the key points of the social learning theory?

A
  • modelling:
    • requires person to model/carry out behaviour that the observer can learn
    • this can be live, symbolic and can be learned by imitation
  • imitation:
    • children learn behaviours via imitation that are modelled by significant others
    • this process tends to be more rapid than classical/operant conditioning
    • characteristics
    • observers ability to perform the behaviour
    • observed consequence of behaviour
  • identification:
    • extent to which the observer relates to the model and feels that they could experience the same outcomes as the model (same sex, age)
  • vicarious reinforcement:
    • those who observed (aggressive) behaviour being rewarded are more likely to imitate the (aggressive) behaviour than those who observed the model being punished for it
    • this shows that individuals do not need to directly experience rewards/punishment to learn new behaviours
  • mediational processes:
    • attention = notice behaviour of model
    • retention = remember model’s behvaiour
    • motor reproduction = be able to perform model’s behaviour
    • motivation = willing to perform the behaviour in light of rewards
22
Q

What are the strengths of social learning theory?

A
  • great understanding of criminal behaviour:
    • Akers (1998) = found that criminals engage in more criminal activities when exposed to a model that they can highly identify with
  • more effective with similar model:
    • makes it easier for observer to visualise themselves in the place of the model (same experience)
    • Fox (2009) = when observer played computer game with similar looking model, they were more likely to engage in the same behaviours as the model
  • comprehensive view of human learning:
    • social learning theory recognised the importance of both behavioural and cognitive factors
23
Q

What are the weaknesses of social learning theory?

A
  • does not take into account cause and effect:
    • research has found that increased associations with peers can increase the likelihood of delinquent behaviour
    • however, other factors including poor and deviant attitudes can influence this
  • ignores other potential factors affecting behaviour:
    • ignores the role of biology/genetics which can cause people to behave in certain ways
    • e.g. Bandura found that boys were more aggressive than girls regardless of the experimental situation
  • sees behaviour as being determined by the environment (environmental determinism):
    • does not take into account that genetics/innate behaviour can play a huge factor in determining human behaviour
24
Q

What is Bandura’s (1961) study?

A
  • 36 male and 36 female children (37-69 months of age)
    • observed either aggressive/non-aggressive female/male model interacting with a bobo doll
    • one condition = aggressive behaviour towards bobo doll (children made to feel frustrated, not allowed to play with the toys given)
  • children were taken into the room one by one and were observed for 20 mins
    • those who observed the aggressive model reproduced the same aggressive behaviour
    • children who observed the non-aggressive model displayed no aggression
    • 33% = observed/heard verbal aggression, repeated what they had seen and heard
    • 0% of verbal aggression = children in non aggressive group
  • boys were more aggressive than girls
  • aggression was the greatest when the model was the same gender as the observer
25
Q

What are the strengths of Bandura’s social learning experiment?

A
  • lab study:
    • study was conducted in highly controlled conditions to ensure that the IV does in fact have an effect on the DV
    • increases its reliability and the results are likely to be replicated
  • good evidence to support social learning theory:
    • provides good evidence to support the idea that SLT is a powerful way for children to learn new behaviours
    • implies that we should be very aware of the role of media and how it can affect young children (easily influenced)
26
Q

What are the weaknesses of Bandura’s social learning of experiment?

A
  • conducted in highly controlled setting:
    • results obtained may not be generalised to the wider population due to the lack of ecological validity
    • observational research may have caused demand characteristics to take place (giving invalid results)
  • use of bobo doll has been criticised:
    • the use of this doll is to be aggressive towards it and it should be hit/thrown
    • results gained from the study does not tell us much about social learning behaviour
  • short term effects only:
    • only examines the ST effects of the social learning that is occurring
    • we do not know whether or not the children continue with aggressive behaviour in the future
    • so it does not show how powerful/influential SLT actually is
  • ethical issues:
    • children need to be protected from psychological harm and in this study they are being exposed to aggressive behaviour
    • if they continue to behave like this in real life, they may face negative consequences/punishment
    • they may also wish to inflict harm on others as they have observed a model do the same thing
    • ** children should have been debriefed to ensure they were told the real aim **