comparing approaches

Question 1

Psychodynamic V Humanism

Answer 1

• The Psychodynamic approach focuses on what is ‘wrong’ with people, whereas humanism focuses on growth and healthy self-development.
• The Psychodynamic approach is culturally biased. It is based on patients from one area. The humanistic approach is also culturally biased. Some value cultural actualisation, not self-actualisation.
• Psychodynamic approaches attempt to establish general laws of behaviour (nomothetic), yet Humanistic approaches do not, instead favouring idiographic attempts to understand the whole person

Question 2

Behaviourist V Social Learning Theory

Answer 2

• Behaviourism states that people learn behaviour through direct experience, whereas SLT claims we can learn indirectly, through vicarious learning.
• Behaviourism research is focused on animals (E.g. Skinners Rats) whereas SLT focuses on using humans in research (E.g. Bobo Doll study).
• Both approaches favour the role of nurture, claiming that all behaviour is learned through experience, rather than caused by nature.

Question 3

Humanism V Behaviourism

Answer 3

• Humanism focuses on the whole person, whilst behaviourism reduces behaviour down to stimulus-response processes.
• Both approaches consider our life experiences to be influential on our development.
• There is a wealth of research support for behaviourism (e.g. Little Albert) but less so for Humanism.

Question 4

Biological V Cognitive

Answer 4

• The biological approach relies on experimental research and scans to establish cause and effect however, the cognitive approach only draws inferences from research.
• Both approaches helped to establish the field of cognitive neuroscience, which has helped advance A.I. and the use of brain scans to understand human behaviour.
• Biological research uses both human and animal studies, however cognitive studies generally focus on humans.

Question 5

Biological V Psychodynamic

Answer 5

• The biological approach uses objective research methods, such as brain scans, whereas the psychodynamic approach uses subjective case studies.
• The biological approach has led to medical interventions for depression, such as SSRI medication. In contrast, the psychodynamic approach led to talking therapy and dream analysis.
• The biological approach is falsifiable. In contrast, psychodynamic ideas are conceptual and non-falsifiable.

Question 6

Biological V Social Learning Theory

Answer 6

• The biological approach is focused on the influence of nature predominantly, yet SLT is focused on the role of nurture.
• The biological approach is criticised for biological reductionism, and SLT is criticised for environmental reductionism.
• Both approaches are supported by a wealth of empirical evidence.