Comparison Of Appraoches Flashcards
Which approach(es) have the most coherent theory of development? Why?
Both the psychodynamic and the cognitive approach have a coherent theory of development. For example the psychodynamic approach explains development through the psychosexual stages: oral stage, anal stage, phallic stage, latency, and genial stage. The cognitive approaches explains development through Piaget’s stages of cognitive + intellectual development = schemas increasing in complexity with age.
Which two theories do not offer a coherent theory of development? Why is this a limitation?
Both behaviourism and social learning theory as they see behaviour development as continuous.
What is maturation and which approach is it relevant to?
Maturation is process of progressing towards adulthood through genetically determined changes in physical states and behaviours. For the biological approach.
Which approach suggests that our behaviour is completed influenced by our nature? Explain how this is a strength or weakness
The biological approaches beliefs only our nature influences our behaviour this is a limitation as it reduces our behaviour to only being decided by our genetics, this means doesn’t give it a holistic view of behaviour as only considers genetic, neurochemistry, neuroanatomy and evaluation as factors affecting behaviour.
Which approaches suggest our behaviour is completely influenced by our nurture? Explain how this is a strength or weakness.
Behaviourism and social learning theory both agree nurture is what influences our behaviour. This is a limitation as they only consider factors from our environment e.g. classical conditioning, reinforcement, modelling etc. This means may lack explanation for human behaviour.
Why is the cognitive approach the most balanced in terms of the extent to which our behaviour is determined by nature or nurture? Why is this a strength?
This is a strength as it suggest it has a fuller explanation of human behaviour as it takes more factors into account e.g schema are present from birth but as always developing through our environment.
What is machine reduction? Why is this a limitation of the cognitive approach?
Machine reductionism suggests are thought processes are very much like a computer and lack emotions e.g input -> processing -> output. This is a limitation as lacks detail when explaining human behaviour and it is not well liked.
Which approach is holistic? Why is this a strength?
Humanistic is holistic as it take a subjective and specific view of an individuals human behaviour. This a strength as it doesn’t say our behaviour is specific to one thing it has multiple factors affecting it.
How reductionist social learning theory? Why can this be a strength and weakness?
It’s partially reductionist as it reduces complex thought processes down to 4 meditational processes but also exert some influence on the environment due to the behaviour we choose to do. This is a strength compared to behaviourism, biological and cognitive as they are all extreme weaknesses as they are reductionists. However compared to humanism this is a limitation.
What is genetic determinism? Why is this limitation of the biological approach?
Genetic determinism is no free will as our behaviour is decided by innate drives and biological structure. This is a limitation as it not liked and lacks explanation.
What is reciprocal determinism and which approach?
Social learning theory - we are determined by our environment but also exert some influence on the environment due to the behaviours we choose to do.
What is psych determinism? Why is this a limitation of the psychodynamic approach?
Determined by unconscious conflict from our childhood. Even parapaxes are not accidental and have a deeper meanings. This is a very extreme view of behaviour.
Which approach has soft determinism?
The cognitive approach has soft determinism - we choose our own thoughts and behaviours but only in the confines of our experiences.
Which approach suggests we have complete free will?
Humanist approach this is a strength of the approach as it looks at human behaviour positively and we are self-determining.
What treatment/ practical application does behaviourism have?
Exposure therapies -> systematic desensitisation and flooding.
