Comparison of approaches

Question 1

approaches

list

Answer 1

Behaviourist approach 
Social learning theory  
Cognitive approach 
Biological approach 
Psychodynamic approach  
Humanistic approach

Question 2

Views on development

Answer 2

Psychodynamic approach
└most coherent theory of child development
└ties concepts and processes to specific psychosexual stages determined by age
└only explains until teen years

Cognitive approach
└stage theories contribute to understanding on child development
└intellectual development
└form more complex scheme as they age

Biological approach
└maturation
└genetically determined changes in child’s psychological status influence psychological and behavioural characteristics

Humanistic approach
└development of self on going through one’s life
└child’s relationship with parent is key to psychological health

Behaviourist approach
└no coherent stages if development
└see processes that underpin learning ad continuous
└occur at any age

Social learning theory
└no coherent stages if development
└see processes that underpin learning ad continuous
└occur at any age

Question 3

Nature vs nurture

Answer 3

Biological
└behaviour a result of genetics we inherit

Psychodynamic
└biological drives and instincts
└relationships with parents key in development

Cognitive
└information processing abilities and schema are innate
└constantly refined through experience

Humanistic
└parents friends and wider society have impact on persons self-concept

Social learning theory
└blank slates at birth
└behaviour from learned associations
└observation and imitation

Behaviourist
└blank slates at birth
└behaviour from learned associations
└reinforcement

Question 4

Nature

definition

Answer 4

human behaviour more influenced by innate biological factors

Question 5

Nurture

definition

Answer 5

human behaviour more influenced by environment and experience

Question 6

Reductionism vs holism

Answer 6

Behaviourist
└breaks up complex behaviour into stimulus response units
└easy to test in the lab

Biological
└explains human behaviour and psychological states at level of gene/neuron

Psychodynamic
└influence of sexual drives and biological instincts
└ALTHOUGH his theory that personality is a dynamic interaction between the three parts can be viewed as holistic

Cognitive approach
└machine reductionism- ignores influence of emotion on behaviour

Social learning theory
└reduce complex learning to a few key processes e.g. imitation, modelling
└ALTHOUGH they place emphasis on cognitive actors that mediate learning, and how these interact with external influences

Humanistic
└holistic approach
└investigates all aspects of individual
└interaction with others and wider society

Question 7

Reductionism

definition

Answer 7

behaviour can be most effectively explained by breaking it down into its constituent parts

Question 8

Holism

definition

Answer 8

behaviour best understood by looking at the interaction of many different factors

Question 9

Determinism vs free will

Answer 9

Biological
└hard determinism
└genetic determinism
└behaviour directed by innate influences

Psychodynamic
└hard determinism
└psychic determinism
  └cannot know unconscious forces that drive our behaviour
    └rationalised by unconscious mind

Cognitive
└soft determinism
└choose won thoughts and behaviours
└can only choose what we have experienced

Social leaning theory
└soft determinism
└reciprocal determinism
└we are influenced on environment and we exert some influence upon It by our behaviours

Humanistic
└free will
└humans are active agents that determine their own development

Question 10

Determinism

definition

Answer 10

all behaviour has an internal or external cause and is thus predictable

Question 11

Explanation and treatment of abnormal/atypical behaviour

Answer 11

Behaviourist
└explanation: faulty learning as destructive patterns of behaviour have been reinforced
└treatments: behaviour therapies such as systematic desensitisation
└successfully teats phobias

Social learning theory
└explanation: modelling and observational learning explains negative behaviours e.g. aggression
└may be learned through influence of dysfunctional role models

Psychodynamic
└explanations: anxiety disorders emerge from unconscious conflict, childhood trauma and overuse of defence mechanisms
└treatments: psychoanalysis

Cognitive/behaviourist
└treatment: depression (CBT) identify and eradicate faulty thinking
└explanation: faulty thinking causes abnormal behaviour

Humanistic
└treatments: counselling based on Rodgers philosophy of closing the gap between self-concept and the ideal self will stimulate personal growth

Biological
└treatments: drug therapy treats mental disorders by regulating chemical imbalances in the brain