**L13 - Comparison of Approaches

Question 1

how do we COMPARE APPROACHES in PSYCHOLOGY? (STRUCTURE)

Answer 1

1) write a SENTENCE EXPLAINING HOW how the APPROACHES ARE SIMILAR/DIFFERENT
2) EXPLAIN the SIMILARITY or DIFFERENCE by referring to the ASSUMPTIONS/CONCEpTS of each approach
3) EXPLAIN the CONSEQUENCE /IMPLICATION of the SIMILARITY/DIFFERENCE

Question 2

comparing the BIOLOGICAL APPROACH and BEHAVIOURIST APPROACH - EXAMPLE

Answer 2

One SIMILARITY between the BIOLOGICAL APPROACH and BEHAVIOURIST APPROACH is that they BOTH USE NON HUMAN ANIMALS in their RESEARCH

E.g, behaviourists used rats in SKINNER’S BOX to investigate operant conditioning while biopsychologists have conducted neurosurgical studies on many species to investigate the nervous system.

However, the approaches use animal studies in DIFFERENT WAYS; behaviourists focus on how animals respond to changes in their external environment wheres biopsychologists focus on how animals respond to changes in their internal structure

In either case, a consequence of this is that critics have criticised both approaches because the findings they produce MAY NOT GENERALISE to humans who are considered more complex in both their internal structure and their responses to their environment

Question 3

what are the different CATEGORIES that you can use to COMPARE APPROACHES?

Answer 3

• FREE WILL VS DETERMINISM
• NATURE VS NURTURE
• REDUCTIONISM VS HOLISM
• IDIOGRAPHIC VS NOMOTHETIC
• SCIENTIFIC
• APPLICATIONS