Approches Flashcards
Wundt farther of psychology
First to be called a psychologist
Opened a psychology lab in Germany 1879
Explore human mind
Introspection
Means looking into
Examination of one’s thoughts
Presented with a problem to solve or memories and report back inner experiences
Should be obtained during task performance rather than after to avoid memory problems
AO3 introspection
Report may be distorted deliberately may pretend to have positive ones
Deley between concocoius experience and reporting the existence forget parts
Can’t be replicated not reliable
Scientific method in psychology
Emperical
Objective
Replicable
Controlled
Theory
AO3 introspection not particularly accurate
Lacks validity not very accurate
Argue human little knowledge of causes of their own behaviour so dosent have much value
So introspection as a method very vague difference to use in study’s
AO3 introspection Wunt method unreliable
Behaviourist criticised argue to unscientific
Report consciousness experiences but process themselves e.g memory considered unobservable lack emepericissm and reliability key element of scientific method
Strength of scientific approach to psychology
Relie on objective and systematic methods of observation better than just passive acceptance of facts
Can establish cause and effect behaviour method that are empirical
Weakness scientific approach to psychology
Very controlled create unrealistic environment tell us little how people act in real world
Subject matter in psychology unobservable can’t be measured accuracy it’s most inferential of all sciences
Main assumption psychodynamic approach
Sigmund Freud
Theories based on principle that unconscious drives have major influence on our lives how we behave
The conscious
The small amount of mental activity we know about
The pre conscious
Things we could be aware of if we wanted or tried
The unconscious
Things we are unaware of and can not become aware of
3 assumptions
Role of the unconscious
Tripartite model of personality
Psychosexual development
Assumption 1 role of the unconscious
Unconscious thoughts Sometimes reveal themselves through Freudian slips in creativity and neurotic symptoms
Unconscious extended its influence every part of our lives and sleep
Assumption 2 tripartite model of personality
ID - instincts (pleasure principle) innate from birth
Ego - reality principle develop 1 year old
Superego morality conscience develop around age 5
Personality development
ID and super ego conflict with eachotner
Ego manages the conflict
Depend on strength how well it does
Key to healthy personality good balance between the Id and superego
How does who strength develop
Naturally with age damage or enhanced life experiences
Child taught right and wrong have strong ego
Life experience important and relationship with parents
Assumption 3 psychosexual development
Libido driving force express sexual energy in development
Each stage person life force or lobido attached particular organ of the body
Oral stage 0-1
Libido focuses on mouth
Pleasure gained eating sucking
At this stage the Id In control
Anal stage 1-3
Libido focussed on the anus
Pleasure to or whithholding going the toilet
Ego beggins to develop
Phallic stage 3-6
Libido focused on the genitals
Exploration and interest in genitals
ID ego fully formed
Super ego created end of this stage resolution of the opedious or electra complexes
Opedious Complex
Boy develops sexual desires for mum posses mum get rid of dad if dad found out take what he loves most (penis) develop castration anxiety resolve problem imitating copying joining dad behaviour take on mate gender role
Electra complex
Girls believe don’t have a penis mum already castrated them turn to dad for love to regain penis
Suffer penis envy rest for lives resolve this by male baby male lover or career
Latency stage 6 - puperty
Girls friends girls boys friend sour boys
All earlier conflict repressed into unconscious
Genital stage puperty
Libido on genitals opposite sex
Adult personality set problem earlier stage return
Focus on development of independence
Fixation
Overindulge or frustrated in stages lead to issue as adult
Overindulge- reluctant to leave psychological benefit of a particular stage overly satisfied
Frustrated need of developing indervidual particular stage may not been adequately met
AO3 strength
Application to therapy
Assumption unconscious and childhood importan determine behaviour lead psychotherapies develop e.g dream therapy psychoanalysis well used treatment for issues demonstrates utility of approach improve lives
AO3 strength
Research support
Little hans phobia horses but displament phobia of dad and fear of castration experience Oedipus complex
Does have some supportive evidence but limited
Behaviourist main approach
All born blank slate
All we have at birth is the capacity to learn
All behaviour learned from the environment
Focus of the approach - observable behaviour
Classical conditioning
Learning by association
Classical conditioning method
Before conditioning :
food. Salvation
UCS - UNR
During condition :
Bell Food. Salvation
NS. - UCS. - UCR
after conditioning
bell Salvation
CS. - CR
Other important features of classical conditioning
Timing
Extinction
Spontaneous recovery
Stimulus generation
Timing
Timing of the pairing of the NS with the UCS needs to be right or conditioning may not take place
Extinction
The CR does not always become permanently established if the CS is presented a few times without the UCS then the behaviour disappears
Spontaneous recovery
If CS and UCS are paired quickly back together again then the link between them is made much more quickly
Stimulus generation
Once animal been conditioned will also respond to other stimuli that are similar to the CS
Operant conditioning
Learning through rewards and punishments
Positive reinforcement
Giving a reward for behaviour that encourages the behaviour to continue
Negative reinforcement
Taking away something negative to encourage a behaviour to continue
Rat in a Skinner box
Demonstrated pigeon or rat in a Skinner box randomly moves around box
Occasionally leads to accidentally pressing lever and food pellet being delivered
Rat soon learned through positive reinforcement continue pressing the lever show behaviour can be learnt
Other important features of operant conditioning
Schedule of reinforcement
Punishment
Schedules of reinforcement
Continuous reinforcement schedule most effective e.g good pellet given to ray when press lever
Punishment
Decrease behaviour be positive add something unpleasant ground child or negative taking away something pleasant fave toy
AO3 strength behaviourism
Been applied to therapies been created to treat phobias
E.g systematic desensitisation eliminate learned fear response replace with another matter demonstrates utility of behaviourist approach help improve lives of people with phobias
A03 strength behaviourist approach
Research support little Albert conditioned fear of white rats strike steel bar behind his head whne he reached for them so formed association of fear with white rats highlights behaviour term way we learn it e.g CC
One weakness of behaviourism
Over looks other factors e.g cognitions other rage could be a product way we think e.g stem from illness such as depression result faulty thinking so can’t offer complete explanation human behaviour
Humanistic approach main assumptions
Focus on conscious experience free will topic meaningful to humans strive personal growth/fulfilment
Make significant personal choices within the constraints imposed by these other factors (external influences)
Maslow theory
Interested not what went wrong but what went right with a person
Hierarchy of needs - personal growth/fulfilment
Movement in psychology- positive psychology happiness
Maslow hierarchy of needs
Self actualisation
Esteem needs
Love and belonging
Safety needs
Physiological needs
Hierarchy of needs summary
Basic needs at bottom most advanced at top
Each level fulfilled to reach self actualisation
More basic a need more powerfully is experienced more difficult to ignore
Self actualisation
People reach it share certain characteristics- creativity accepting accurate perception of world
Experience moment inspiration ecstasy leave behind fears
Focus on the self
How we regard ourselves as a person people got 2 basic needs
Positive regard- from others
Self worth
Develop during childhood parent and friend
Closer self concept and ideal self greater self worth and psychological health
Congruence
Similarity person idea self and how they perceive themselves to be in real life
Most people feel state of incongurence
Incongurnces
Difference between ideal self and actual self
Unconditional positive regard
Acceptance by others no matter what no condition of worth feel good no matter what
Conditional positive regard
Only accept based on what others want us to do develop conditions of worth
Where we precieve others expect of us can see positive light
strength of humanistic approach
Application to treatment of mental health issues e.g depression and anxiety
Led to development of counselling therapies that are utilised around the world treat mental health problems impacts r it has improved people’s lives such problems
Strength of humanistic approach
Research support back up concept with approach e.g Harter et al teens need to fulfil certain conditions meet parent approval end up not liking themselves create flase self lead to depression this shows good face validity and further demonstrate utility of approach
Social learning theory main assumption
Learning is primarily through observation
Observe role models learn about consequences of behaviour through indirect or vicarious reinforcement
Role models
Live role model - parent teacher or mate
Symbolic model - someone protrayed in media tv character
Identification
Extent person relate to role model feel similar
Children more likely identify model same sex
Identification make learning more effective
Vicarious reinforcement
Learning consequence of an action and adjusting behaviour accordingly
Try rewarded behaviour than punished
Don’t have to experience reward or punishment directly
Bandura 4 meditatioal processes
Attention how much behaviour we notice
Retention- how much we remember
Motor production- ability of person to perform behaviour
Motivation - was behaviour seen reward or punished
Imitation
What child learn is acquired imitation behaviour and attitude parents
Faster process than conditioning
Key factors
Characteristic of model
Ability to perform
Observe consequences
Direct reinforcement
Person after seeing an action be vicariously reinforced then decides imitate behaviour may be directly reinforced (operant conditioning link)
Potentially reinforce behaviour more
Bandora bobo doll study
Demonstrated theory how aggressiveness is learned through modelling
Observing someone else behave aggressively later imitating it
BOBO doll procedure
Half children exposed to adult interacting with agressove behaviour others non aggressive
Aggressive they display physical acts hitting throwing punching and verbal aggression (POW)
Findings of BOBO doll
Children exposed to agressove behaviour reproduced it and others virtually no aggression
Follow up study found chid who saw model rewarded for aggressive behaviour more lily show high level aggression in own play
strength of SLT
Principals have been use to understand behaviour
Probability someone engaging criminal behaviour increase whne identity with criminal model imitate behaviour they display help with early intervention stop negative influence change to more positive
This matters because can be applied not only explaining behaviour but changing it
Strength SLT
Research evidence bandura
Children exposed to aggressive behaviour themselves whne lkahing with Toys than those who weren’t exposed
Demonstrated utility of SLT explaining human behaviour
Weakness STL
overlooks other factors like biology assume all behaviour learnt observation role model that we imitate others argue from genetic predisposition born with don’t learn behaviour
Matters because can’t offer full explanation for behaviour
Main assumption cognitive approach
Explain behaviour terms of thoughts Beliefs and attitudes internal aspect of the mind
How people store manipulate interpret info study process like perception memory thinking and problem solving
Schema
Cognitive framework we use to to organise and interpret info in the brain
Effect of schemas
Take short cuts when interpreting huge amount of info deal with on daily basis
However can exclude info not conform to schema fill in gaps may not be true
Computer models
Using computer analogy we can argue info inputted through senses encoded in memory then compounds with previously stored info
Humans could be seen to be same as computers terms of mental processing
Theoretical models
Used to explain how memory (mental processes) might work
MSM WMM simplified representations based on current research evidence
Model of memory
Is a representation of memory help us to understand how our memory works and what our memory might look like
Emergence of cognitive neuroscience
Rapid advances latter 20th century in study of human brain
Non invasive neuron imaging techniques help to understand how different part of the brain is linked to cognitive activities and taks
FMRI
Measure brain activity person performs a task by measuring blood flow indicate neural activity in brain activity more oxygen means area more active so rescuers able to map which area involved in mental activity
EEG
Measure electrical activity in the brain
Electrode go on scalp detect electrical charges activity in brain cell graphed over period of time
Used to detect disorder like epilepsy
Spike on chart show epilepsy slow waves injuries or disease
Strength of cognitive approach
Application to treatment of depression
Internal mental processes increased understanding why people develop depression faulty thinking negative schema led to cognitive behavioural therapy matter as it is an effective treatment for depression improve lives
Strength of cognitive approach
Research by psychologists found patient with depression more likely have misinterpreted info negatively and feel hopeless about future matters as it support ideas cognitions involved in development behaviours
Biological approach main assumptions
Explain all behaviour in term of physical bodily processes e.g
Genetic basis behaviour passed generation to generation
Role of neuro chem and nervous system
Biological evolution
Assumption 1 influence of genes on our behaviour
Certain behaviours inherited by parents (nature )
Indervidual combo genetic instructions make personality intelligence about differ
Determine eye colour or create genetic predisposition behave certain way
More trait influenced by genes greater it’s hereditary
Genotype
Genetic code that is written in the DNA of an individual cell
Genotype influenced by environmental factors- trauma event in life unbringing
Phenotype
Way a person genes are expressed through physical behaviour psychological characteristics
RM twin study
Mz - identical 100% same DNA
Dz - non identical 50% DNA
Higher concordance rate more a behaviour likely inherited and if inherited concordance rate MZ twins higer than DZ
Concordance rate
Term used in stats and by genetics to describe the rate of probability two people shared genes develop same disease
Offending behaviour
Christians examined over 3,500 town pairs in Denmark and identified concordance rate of criminal behaviour
MZ - female 21 - male 35
DZ - female 8 - male 13
Finding of offending behaviour
Do indicate a degree of inheritance of offender behaviour
But concordance rate are low indicate environment still play large part criminal behaviour
Assumption 2 influence of biological structures (neuroanatomy ) on behaviour
Nervous system
Brain
2 divisions of the nervous system
Central nervous system
Pheripheral nervous system
Central nervous system
Brain and spinal cord
Pheripheral nervous system
Somatic NS.
Automatic NS
Sympathetic NS Parasympathetic NS
6 lobes of the Brain
Frontal - thinking planning organising emotions
Motor - movement
Sensory - sensations
Parietal - perception making sense of world spelling
Occipital - Vision
Temporal - memory understanding language
Clive wearing
Injured his brain
Our memory can be spilt into STM and LTM
he damages his STM but not LTM
Had an effect on his behaviour
Assumption 3 neurochemistry
Neurotransmitters
Excitatory
Trigger nerve impulses in the receiving neuron stimulate brain action e.g dopamine associated with drive or motivation
Inhibitory
These inhibit nerve impulses in order to calm the brain down and balance mood
Serotonin needs to be at the right level to maintain a stable mood
Assumption 5 Evolution and behaviour
Over time organism become adapted to their environment (bio evolution)
Called natural selection
Compete for resources
Those wihr adaptibe traits win comp more likely survive and reproduce
Trait passed onto off spring and become widespread in population
Criticism of Bio approach
Over looks other factors like learning that can explain behaviour
Bio assume all behaviour inherited or product of biology behaviourist argue it come form environment what we learn
Matters because bio not offer full explanation of human behaviour so it’s limited
Strength of biological approach
Evidence certain behaviour explain bio like schizophrenia
Twin studies provide support genetic explanation of schizophrenia conducted large scale family found higher concordance rate MZ 48% DZ 17%
Matters because it has high internal validity
Strength of biological approach
Application to treatment of illness such as OCD with drug therapy
Neurochem increased our understanding why people liners like OCD low levels of seretonin thought to be associated OCD SSRI increase level reduced symptom
Matters because help people with there mental health
