basic assumptions

Question 1

behaviourist approach basic assumption 1
john locke

Answer 1

the philosopher john locke 1960 described the mind as a tabula rasa(blank slate). The behaviourist approach is based on this view, believing that all behaviours are learnt, through experiences in our environment

Question 2

behaviourist approach basic assumption 2

Answer 2

some behaviours are learn through classical conditioning which means learning through association

Question 3

behaviourist approach basic assumption 3

Answer 3

some behaviours are learnt through operant conditioning which means learning through the consequences of our behaviour, which can either reinforce a behaviour or make a behaviour less likely to happen again

Question 4

behaviourist approach basic assumption 4

Answer 4

the behaviourist approach believes that pysch should be scientific and objective and we should therefore only study observable behaviour not internal mental processes

Question 5

positive reinforcement definition

Answer 5

when something desired is given in response to a desired behaviour. this leads to a desirable behaviour being repeated

Question 6

negative reinforcement definition

Answer 6

when a response or behaviour is strengthened by stopping, removing, avoiding a negative outcome. this increases the likelihood of the desired behaviour

Question 7

punishment definition

Answer 7

doing something unpleasant to stop an undesirable behaviour. this makes the behaviour less likely to happen again but does not achieve a desired behaviour

Question 8

primary reinforcer

Answer 8

the reward is a basic need for example food

Question 9

secondary reinforcer

Answer 9

the reward is something that can satisfy a basic need but isn’t a basic need for example money

Question 10

slt basic assumption 1

Answer 10

slts share many assumptions with behaviourists, particularly the belief that people are shaped by their environment through learning processes. however slt focuses on observational learning

Question 11

slt basic assumption 2

Answer 11

slt proposed we observe the behaviour of those we identify with, known as role models then we imitate their behaviour

Question 12

slt basic assumption 3

Answer 12

whether we imitate an observed behaviour we partly depend upon the observed consequences of thar behaviour a process known as vicarious reinforcement

Question 13

slt basic assumption 4

Answer 13

slt differs from the behaviourist approach by arguing that mediational processes play a role in learning

Question 14

mediational processes definition

Answer 14

internal mental processes

Question 15

cognitive approach basic assumption 1(mediational)

Answer 15

it believes that internal mental processes mediate between stimulus and response and these should be studied scientifically. therefore cognitive psychs have studied language, attention, problem solving etc these can not be directly observed so they makes inferences abt what is going on in peoples minds based on their behaviour

Question 16

cognitive approach basic assumption 2

Answer 16

people are info processors. we do not just passively respond to stimulus in the environment. this means the human mind actively organises and manipulates info which is taken in from the environment via the senses

Question 17

cognitive approach basic assumption 3

Answer 17

it proposes that the human mind operates the same way as a computer as both of them code store and output info. the computer analogy has been useful in helping us to understand how the mind processes info

Question 18

cognitive approach basic assumption 4

Answer 18

each individual will respond differently to stimuli in the environment depending on how they make sense of the situation. we make sense of the world through our schemas which help us to organise the info into groups

Question 19

psychodynamic approach basic assumption 1

Answer 19

it believes that behaviour is determined by unconscious mental conflict. Freud suggested that free will is therefore an illusion

Question 20

psychodynamic approach basic assumption 2

Answer 20

he also proposed the tripartite structure of personality, consisting of the ego which has to balance out the opposing demands of the id and superego

Question 21

psychodynamic approach basic assumption 3

Answer 21

when the ego becomes overwhelmed by the conflict between the id and the superego it sometimes uses defence mechanisms eg denial to prevent the unconscious conflict entering the conscious mind

Question 22

psychodynamic approach basic assumption 4

Answer 22

freud placed huge importance on the role of childhood experiences and said that childhood development takes place through 5 psychosexual stages of development, the way in which conflict is dealt with in each stage influences our adult personality

Question 23

humanistic approach basic assumption 1

Answer 23

it emphasizes the study of the whole person therefore it is a holistic approach to explaining human behaviour

Question 24

humanistic approach basic assumption 2

Answer 24

it is a person centred approach which views each individual as being unique therefore it values the study of subjective experiences through methods such as unstructured interviews

Question 25

humanistic approach basic assumption 3

Answer 25

it sees people as being active in their own development. therefore is it an approach which advocated free will and believes that people are self determining

Question 26

humanistic approach basic assumption 4

Answer 26

it also regards personal growth and fulfillment in life as a basic human motive, it proposes that each person has an innate tendency to achieve their full potential sometimes known as self actualisation

Question 27

biological approach basic assumption 1

Answer 27

it is thought that certain behaviours have evolutionary explanations

Question 28

biological approach basic assumption 2

Answer 28

human behaviour is strongly influenced by our genetic make up and genetic inheritance

Question 29

biological approach basic assumption 3

Answer 29

the central nervous system especially the brain is essential for thought and behaviour to take place, an understanding of brain structures and their functions can explain both thought and behaviour

Question 30

biological approach basic assumption 4

Answer 30

chemical processes in the brain are responsible for psychological functioning and an imbalance of chemicals in the brain may cause certain types of mental disorders