Assessment 1 APPROACHES

Question 1

Origins of psychology

Answer 1

1

Question 2

Who opened the first psychology lab and where?

Answer 2

Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) founded the first psychology lab in in Leipzig, Germany.

Question 3

Why is Wundt famous?

Answer 3

Wundt, who distinguished psychology as a science from philosophy and biology, was the first person ever to call himself a psychologist. He is widely regarded as the “father of experimental psychology”

Question 4

What technique did Wundt use to study the structure of the human mind?

What was his approach called?

Answer 4

Wundt technique was the technique of introspection.

His approach is called structuralism.

Question 5

What is introspection?

Answer 5

The observation/examination of your own mental processes (conscious thoughts and feelings) in order to gain understanding.
Wundt attempted to break down thoughts into basic structures like feelings, sensations and perception.

Question 6

Give an example of how Wundt used introspection?

Answer 6

In Wundt’s studies of perception, ppts would be presented with carefully controlled stimuli (visual/auditory tones).
Then they would be asked to provide a description of the inner processes they were experiencing as they looked at the image.
Then compared ppts’ reports in response to the same stimuli to establish general theories.

Question 7

The emergence of psychology as a science.

What do empiricists believe?

Answer 7

Empiricists believe that knowledge comes from observation and experience alone.

Question 8

What 2 major assumptions was this new ‘scientific’ approach to psychology based on?
The technique used to explore these assumptions became known as a scientific method.

Answer 8

• All behaviour is caused (assumption of determinism).
• If behaviour is determined then it should be possible to predict how human beings would behave in different conditions (assumption of predictability).

Question 9

What are 3 scientific methods in psychology?

Answer 9

• Objective
• Systematic
• Replicable

Question 10

What is the scientific method objectivity to do with?
Why is it systematic?
Why is it replicable?

Answer 10

• Researchers do not let preconceived ideas or biases influence the collection of their data.
• Systematic that observations or experiments are carried out in an orderly way.
• Replicable in that observations can be repeated, then if they are not replicable they can be not accepted as being universally true.

Question 11

Why are Wundt’s methods unreliable?

Eval point.

Answer 11

A criticism of Wundt’s structuralist approach is that this approach relied primarily on ‘nonobservable’ responses.
Ppts could report on conscious experiences but the processes (memory/perception) were considered to be unobservable constructions.
Wundt’s approach ultimately failed because of the lack of reliability of his methods.

Question 12

A scientific approach is not always appropriate (origins of psychology)
Eval point.

Answer 12

By focusing on objectivity mid control - situations may not replicate natural environments.
Much subject matter is unobservable and cannot be measured with complete accuracy.

Question 13

Strength of Wundt’s scientific approach.

Answer 13

• Reliance on objective and systematic methods means knowledge acquired through it is reliable.
• If scientific theories no longer fit the facts, they can be altered - self-corrective.

Question 14

Social learning theory

Answer 14

1

Question 15

What is the social learning theory?

Answer 15

Learning through observing others and imitating behaviours that are rewarded.

Question 16

What is modelling in the social learning theory?

Answer 16

A form a learning where an individual learns a particular behaviour by observing another individual performing that behaviour.

Question 17

What is imitation in the social learning theory?

Answer 17

Action of using someone/something as a model and copying their behaviour based on observed consequences.

Question 18

What is identification in the social learning theory?

Answer 18

Form of influence where an individual adapts attitudes or beliefs because they work in association with a group. Shutts et al. (2010) suggests children are more likely to identify with models who are similar to them eg: sex.

Question 19

What is vicarious reinforcement in the SLT?

Answer 19

Learning that is not a result of direct reinforcement of behaviour, but through watching someone else being reinforced for that behaviour.

Question 20

What is the role of mediational processes?

Answer 20

Refers to the internal mental processes that exist between environmental stimuli and the response made by an individual to those stimuli.

Question 21

What was Bandura et al. (1961) key study PROCEDURE into SLT?

Answer 21

• Involving children who observed aggressive or non-aggressive adult models and were then tested for imitative learning in the absence of the model.
• Half of the children were exposed to adult models interacting aggressively with a life-sized bobo doll - other half exposed to non-aggressive models.

Question 22

What was Bandura et al. (1961) key study FINDINGS into SLT?

Answer 22

• Children who observed the aggressive model reproduced a good deal of physically/verbally aggressive behaviour resembling that of the model.
• Children who observed the non-aggressive model exhibited virtually no aggression toward the Bobo doll.
• 1/3 children who observed the aggressive model repeated the model’s verbal responses while none of the children who observed the non-aggressive model made verbally aggressive remarks.

Question 23

Strength of the social learning theory.

Eval point

Answer 23

Useful applications as it has been applied to increase our understanding of human behaviour and criminal behaviour.

• Akers (1998) suggests criminal behaviour increases when exposed to criminal models; develop the expectation for positive consequences for their own criminal behaviour.
• Fox and Bailenson (2009) found greater identification with models that were similar to the self. Used computer generated models that looked similar/dissimilar to ppts.

Question 24

What is a limitation of the social learning theory.

Eval point

Answer 24

Problem of establishing causality - being associated with deviant peers increases the likelihood that an individual will adopt same values and behaviours.
Seigel and McCormick (2006) suggest that young people who possess deviant attitudes and values (low self-control) seek peers with similar attitudes. May not be social learning theory, but prior possession of deviant attitudes - What comes first?

Question 25

What is the problem of complexity in the social learning theory.
Eval point.

Answer 25

SLT simplify behaviour learning when there are other factors such as genetic predispositions, media portrayals. Therefore hard to determine SLT as a sole cause.

Question 26

Cognitive approach

Answer 26

1

Question 27

What is the cognitive approach?

Answer 27

Relates to mental processes such as perception memory and reasoning.

Question 28

What are the studies of information processing about?

Answer 28

Ways in which we extract, store and retrieve information that helps guide our behaviour - uses inference through observing behaviour and builds theories based on it.

Question 29

What is the role of schemas in the cognitive approach?

Answer 29

Schemas are a cognitive framework that helps to organise and interpret information in the brain. They help an individual to make sense of the new information.

• They tell us what to expect and how to act accordingly.
• We may develop stereotypes that are hard to disconfirm.

Question 30

What is the role of theoretical (technological) models in the cognitive approach?

Answer 30

In cognitive psychology models are simplified, usually pictorial representations of particular mental processes based on current research processes.
-For example the working memory model.

Question 31

What is the emergence of cognitive neuroscience in the cognitive approach?

Answer 31

Cognitive neuroscience has had rapid advances in ways of studying the brain in the late 20th Century.
For example fMRI scans
Dedicated to the underlying neural bases of cognitive bases.

Question 32

Strength of the cognitive approach (applications)

Eval point.

Answer 32

Applications,

• has helped psychologists better understand how we form impressions of other people.
• Can be used to help explain dysfunctional behaviour - traced back to faulty cognitions.

Question 33

Strength of the cognitive approach (scientific)

Eval point.

Answer 33

Conclusions on how the mind works are based on scientific experimental methods, as opposed to introspection - Strength over the origins of psychology - it reaches accurate conclusions

Question 34

Limitations of computer models.

Eval point.

Answer 34

Words such as ‘encoding’ and ‘storage’ are taken from the field of computing. However, computers do not make mistakes, nor forget timings like humans do.

Question 35

What is studies may lack ecological validity about?

Eval point.

Answer 35

Many studies of cognitive psychology tend to use tasks that have little in common with ppts’ natural experiences.
For example, artificial memory tests that are meaningless for everyday activity eg: random word recollection.

Question 36

Biological approach.

Answer 36

1

Question 37

What is the biological approach?

Answer 37

Views humans as biological organisms and so provides biological explanations for all aspects of psychological functioning.

Question 38

What is the influence of genes on behaviour in the biological approach?

Answer 38

Mechanisms of heredity, genes carry the instructions for a particular characteristic (eg: intelligence) characteristics develop through the genes interactions with other genes and also the environment.

Question 39

What is the genotype in the biological approach?

Answer 39

Genetic makeup of an individual, collection of inherited genetic material.

Question 40

What is the phenotype in the biological approach?

Answer 40

The observable characteristics of an individual. Consequence of interaction of genotype with environment.

Question 41

What is the genetic basis of behaviour in the biological approach?

Answer 41

The term heritability refers to the amount of variability in a trait within a population that can be attributed to genetic differences.

Question 42

What are the influence of biological structures on behaviour in the biological approach?

Answer 42

Neurons and the nervous system

• CNS comprises brain and spinal cord.
• PNS somatic and autonomic nervous systems, carries messages with neurons-controls behaviour.

Question 43

What is the research of the brain in the biological approach?

Answer 43

Cerebrum, making up 85% of brain mass. outer surface of cerebrum called cerebral cortex responsible for thought/language, Divides into 2 hemispheres and 4 lobes.

Question 44

What is the influence of neurochemistry on behaviour in the biological approach?

Answer 44

Nerve impulses reach the end of neurons and neurotransmitters travel across the synapse.
Neurotransmitters that trigger nerve impulses on the receiving neurons are called excitatory. Those that inhibit the nerve impulse in order to calm it down are inhibitory
Dopamine - Excitatory
Serotonin - Inhibitory

Question 45

What are the hormones in the biological approach?

Answer 45

Hormones are chemicals that are produced by endocrine glands such as the pituitary gland, which together make up the endocrine system.
Presence of hormone causes psychological reaction in the cell, altering its activity.
Carre et al (2006) studied a Canadian ice hockey team over the course of the season. Found evidence of a surge in levels of hormone testosterone whenever the team played in their home stadium - hormone energised players to defend their home territory.

Question 46

What is the importance of the scientific method in the biological approach?
Eval point.

Answer 46

Research is highly controlled so that it is replicable - sophisticated imaging and recording has increased procision - validity.

Question 47

Strength of biological approach applications.

Eval point.

Answer 47

Provides clear predictions, neurochemical research has led to effective drug treatments.
Further demonstrates the value of adopting the biological approach to the study of human behaviour.

Question 48

Weakness of the biological approach - being reductionist.

Eval point.

Answer 48

Complex behaviour cannot be broken down into genes and hormones because it does not take into account the cognitive, cultural and emotional aspects which have to be considered.

Question 49

What are the problems with the evolutionary explanations?

Eval point.

Answer 49

Because human behaviours can evolve through either genetic or cultural routes. Critics argue that many patterns of human behaviour have purely cultural reasons with no obvious survival value. Cultural evolution can change more rapidly - change in public attitudes towards girls.

Question 50

What are the dangers of genetic explanations?

Eval point.

Answer 50

Some argue genetic screening of people could lead to discrimination.
Eg: people genetically more likely to be criminals. However, this may have positive consequences because genetic predisposition for criminality can lead to people to alter environmental factors that could trigger this predisposition.