Key schools of thought for psychology

Question 1

Behaviourism

Answer 1

Theory that all behaviours are acquired through conditioning and conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment.

Stimulus-response behaviours.

Question 2

Ivan Pavlov

Answer 2

Classical conditioning - learning

Question 3

BF Skinner

Answer 3

Learning is a function of change in overt behaviour. Changes in behaviour are the result of an individual’s response to events (stimuli) that occur in the environment.

Question 4

What is classical conditioning

Answer 4

Classical conditioning is a learning process governed by associations between an environmental stimulus and another stimulus which occurs naturally.

Question 5

According to behaviourists, behaviour is modified in which three ways

Answer 5

1. Classical conditioning
2. Operant conditioning
3. Social learning theory

Question 6

Bandura - social learning theory

Answer 6

Emphasises the importance of observing, modelling, and imitating the behaviours, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. Social learning theory considers how both environmental and cognitive factors interact to influence human learning and behaviour.

Question 7

What is classical conditioning acquired and maintained by?

Answer 7

Acquired by association and maintained through reinforcement.

Question 8

What is operant conditioning

Answer 8

Behaviours learned to obtain rewards through reinforcement and avoid punishments.

Question 9

What is the psychodynamic approach

Answer 9

States that events in our childhood have a great influence on our adult lives, shaping our personality

Question 10

What did Freud believe

Answer 10

That our personality is controlled by our subconscious thoughts and our experiences.

Question 11

What 3 types of treatment did Freud do

Answer 11

Talking therapy, hypnosis and free association

Question 12

What are the 3 levels of awareness that control our behaviour according to Freud

Answer 12

Conscious
Preconscious
Unconscious

Question 13

What is the ID, EGO and SUPEREGO

Answer 13

The id is the primitive and instinctual part of the mind that contains sexual and aggressive drives and hidden memories, the super-ego operates as a moral conscience, and the ego is the realistic part that mediates between the desires of the id and the super-ego.

Question 14

What are the stages of personality development according to Freud (psychosexual development)

Answer 14

Oral (birth - 1) 
Anal (1-3) 
Phallic (3-6)
Latent (6-puberty) 
Genital (puberty to adult)

Question 15

What was Alfred Adler’s theory

Answer 15

Adler’s theory suggested that every person has a sense of inferiority. From childhood, people work toward overcoming this inferiority by “striving for superiority.” Adler believed that this drive was the motivating force behind human behaviours, emotions, and thoughts.

Question 16

What is the birth order theory

Answer 16

The order in which a child is born will determine their personality.

Question 17

What are the 8 stages of Erikson’s psycho-social development theory

Answer 17

1. basic trust vs mistrust
2. autonomy vs shame and doubt
3. initiative vs guilt
4. industry vs inferiority
5. identity vs role confusion
6. intimacy vs isolation
7. generativity vs stagnation
8. ego integrity vs despair

Question 18

What is the cognitive approach

Answer 18

Focuses on how humans process information and how this processing leads to behaviour

scientific study of the mind as a human processor

Question 19

what are the cognitive processes

Answer 19

perception, attention, language, memory, thought

Question 20

What is Noam Chomsky’s theory of cognitive development

Answer 20

All languages contain similar structures and rules (a universal grammar), and the fact that children everywhere acquire language the same way, and without much effort, seems to indicate that we’re born wired with the basics already present in our brains

Question 21

What is Eysenck’s personality theory

Answer 21

Personality is based on biological factors, individuals inherit a type of nervous system that affects their ability to learn and adapt to the environment.

Question 22

What are the two dimensions personality can be measure across according to Eysenck?

Answer 22

Extraversion - introversion.

Neurotic - stable.

Question 23

What are Piaget’s 4 stages of cognitive development

Answer 23

Sensorimotor (birth-2)
Pre-operational (2-7)
Concrete-operational (7-11)
Formal-operational (12 up)

Question 24

What is the humanistic approach to psychology

Answer 24

The humanistic approach emphasises the personal worth of the individual, the centrality of human values, and the creative, active nature of human beings.

Question 25

Who developed the humanistic approach as a result of a reaction to psychoanalysis being considered too pessimistic

Answer 25

Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers

Question 26

What are Maslow’s heirachy of needs (from bottom to top)

Answer 26

Physiological needs 
Safety needs 
Belongingness and love needs 
Esteem needs 
actualisation

Question 27

What are the 4 elements of Rogerian counselling

Answer 27

Empathy
Respect
Genuineness
Unconditional positive regard