paper 2 - A - approaches Flashcards
What’s the biological approach?
is the influence of genes, biological structures and neurochemistry on human behaviour.
What are the key assumptions of the biological approach?
- Everything psychological is first biological
2.To understand the human behaviour psychologists should look at the biological structures ( genes and the nervous system)
3.Damage to a part of the brain can cause a behaviour/characteristic change
4.The mind lives in the brain so all thoughts and feelings so they have a physical basis
Why are twin studies used to prove the biological approach?
1.They are used to see the likelihood of certain traits being genetic by comparing concordance rates.
2.If identical twins (monogynous) have a higher concordance rate than non identical twins (dizygotic) that would suggest the topic they are studying is genetic
What are concordance rates?
The extent of both twins sharing the same characteristics
What type of twins are identical?
monozygotic
What type of twins are unidentical?
dizygotic
What’s a genotype?
A persons genes ( genetic makeup)
What’s a phenotype?
The way genes are expressed physically and behaviourally.
As twins have the same genotype will they look alike?
Not always as of environmental factors .
EG. if they exercise, dyed hair
What’s natural selection?
Any genetical determined behaviours that enhances a species survival will be passed on when an organism reproduces.
Scientific methods of investigating the Biological approach?
fMRI’S and EEG’S and family/twin studies
meaning this approach is based on reliable data.
Strengths of the Biological Approach?
1.it led to the development of psychoactive drugs that treat mental illnesses like depression
Thus means that people can live relatively normal lives and not be hospitalised.
What’s a limitation of the Biological Approach? (mental illnesses)
- This approach explains mental illnesses in terms of the actions of neurotransmitters in the brain
2.This is though as a certain drug reduces symptoms of mental illnesses so they predicted the neurochemical in the drug causes the mental illness - Discovering a link between two factors doesnt mean its the cause
What’s a limitation of the Biological Approach? (legal system)
- This approach sees human behaviour as controlled by genetics, which we cannot control
2.A part of the law is that criminals are responsible for their actions
3.The Biological Approach complicates this as it suggests there is a “criminal gene”.
Assumptions of evolution in the Biological Approach?
-The brain has evolved to solve problems encountered by our ancestors
Weaknesses of the biological approach (evolution) ?
-isn’t empirical as we weren’t there at the start of time
Strengths of the biological approach? (evolution)
-field of medicine
-understanding relationships and mate selection between men and women
Whats classical conditioning?
learning through association
What are the assumption of the behaviourist approach?
- its only interested in studying behaviour that can be measured
2.They reject introspection
what is the behaviourist approach?
A way of explaining behaviour in terms of what is observable and in terms of learning.
Pavlov classical conditioning?
- classical conditioning is learning through association
2.He discovered dogs can salivate for food if you ring a bell each time they are given food
3.Soon they associate the sound with the food so salivate when hearing the sound
What’s operant conditioning?
A form of learning where behaviour is shaped and maintained by its consequences. EG. positive reinforcement and negative punishments.
What did Skinner think (operant conditioning)?
- He suggested that learning is an active process where humans and animals operate on their environment
- There are three types of consequences of behaviour:
- POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = receiving a reward when displaying a certain behaviour
- NEGATIVE REINFIRCEMENT= when and animal or human learns to avoid something unpleasant
5.PUNISHMENT= unpleasant consequence of a behaviour
Real life application of the behaviourist approach?
- operant conditioning is the basis of prisons and psychiatric wards. If they behave they get rewarded (token economy)
2.Classixal conditioning has been used for phobias
Weakness of SKinners thoughts ?
He thinks our behaviour is down to past eperiences and we have no free will and its not impacted by the environment.
skinners rat experiment 1932 aim?
Skinner wanted to measure the rate at which rats would press a lever when a food pellet was delivered after each lever-press
skinners rat experiment 1932 procedure?
- he places two rats in “skinner boxes”
- one was a starving rat and another was a normal rat that had been fed
3.when placed in the box the rats would walk around and accidentally hit the lever
4.this would cause the food pellets to come out - this taught the rats to go to the lever when placed in the box = positive reinforcement
what is extrinsic motivation?
engaging in behaviour to gain an external reward (praise/money) or avoid punishment
What’s intrinsic motivation?
engaging in behaviour for an internal reward (personal enjoyment)
What support is there for operant conditioning?
- Skinners rat study
2.practical applications= used in schools, prisons to improve behaviour (token economy).
Weaknesses of operant conditioning?
1.punishment doesn’t always work= some prisoners reoffend after being let out
2.extrapolation= skinners rat study= humans are more complex than rodants
What’s banduras social learning theory?
we learn through observation and limitations of a role model
What’s vicarious reinforcement?
The social learning theory believes if we see a role model being rewarded we are more likely to copy their behaviour. If they get punished we wouldn’t copy.
What are the four mediational processes?
What are mediational processes?
A- attention- behaviour has to gain our attention
R-retention- is the behaviour memorable
M-Motor reproduction- can we physically imitate their actions
M-motivation- the will to perform the behaviour
What’s identification in the social learning theory?
Adopting behaviours shown by role models as they have a quality the individual would like to possess or share similarities.
Strengths of the social learning theory?
- It takes into account and acknowledges thought processes and the role they play in deciding if a behaviour should be imitated,
- it has supporting evidence = Banduras et al bobo doll study
Weaknesses of the social learning theory?
1, a role model doesnt always have to be present for us to learn behaviours
- the theory is deterministic as it ignored free-will
3.it cannot account for how we develop a whole range of behaviours ( thoughts and feelings).
Aims of the bobo doll experiment?
to investigate if social behaviours can be acquired by observation/imitation
procedure of the bobo doll experiment?
- they tested 36 boys and 36 girls aged 3-6
2.they pr-tested the children’s aggressiveness by observing them - they used a lab experiment and manipulated the independent variable ( the type of model)
4.there were 3 models = aggressive model, non-aggressive model, no model shown - the aggressive model was a male or female hurting and attacking the doll
6.the non aggressive was calm to the doll
Findings of the bobo doll experiment?
- children shown the aggressive model were more aggressive
2.girls were more physically aggressive if the model was male and more verbally aggressive if female - boys were more physically aggressive than girls
conclusion of the bobo doll experiment?
children can learn behaviour through observation
What theory does the bobo doll experiment link to ?
social learning theory
Real-life application, social learning theory?
-jamie bulger
1. he was abducted and tortured by two 10 year olds
2. they both watched the movie child play 3 before committing the crime
What is the main assumption of the cognitive approach?
the cognitive approach suggests that all behaviour is preceded by a thought and that thought processes can/should be studied scientifically
What is computer analogy in the cognitive approach?
-computer analogy is used to explain behaviour by the brain and computer being similar
What is the information processing approach in the cognitive approach?
-info flows through the cognitive system in stages
-input, storage and retrieval
-humans taken in info through senses and computer take in info through mouses
What is a schema (cognitive approach)?
a mental frame work developed by past experiences ad it keeps developing
What do we have schemas for ?
-ages
-genders
-races
What can schemas lead to ?
stereotypes
false memories
Postman and Bruner (1947) experiment cognitive approach??
procedure
-participants shown a white and black man arguing
-white man was holding a knife
findings
-most participants wrongly recalled the black man holding the knife
=this is because schemas impact perception
Whats cognitive neuroscience?
the study of brain structures on mental processes
Examples of brain imaging techniques (cognitive approach)?
fmri
PET scans
Phineas Gage case study? (cognitive nueuroscience , cognitve approach)
- metal pole went through the front of his head
-chunk of brain lost
-personality changed
-frontal lobe lost
What was used before FRMI and PET scans?
case studies
Evaluation of the cognitive approach?
- strength= scientific credibility= highly controlled lab experiments , produces reliable data
2.weakness= lack external validity= studies of mental processes normally use artificial stimuli , does not represent everyday life
3.strength= less deterministic than other approaches= cognitive system can only operate from what we already know, but we are free to think before doing things
Assumptions of the psychodynamic approach?
= our behaviour is caused by unconscious forces
=childhood experiences impact behaviour
=mental disorders are from unresolved unconscious conflicts
The role of unconscious brain in the psychodynamic approach ?
= the unconcious mind is the largest part
= we know the most about the conscious mind
= the unconcious mind contains repressed traumatic memories
How are unconscious thoughts accessed?
1.free association
=patients had to say random words that came to them and these could mean something
2.dream analysis
= dreams have disguised meanings of the unconscious brain
Whats the psyche?
personality
What are the personality structures (psychodynamic approach) ?
Freud divided the personality into three structures
What are the three personality structures? in the psychodynamic approach.
The id
the ego
the superego
What is the Id? In the psychodynamic approach
= unconcious
=present at birth
=focuses on instant pleasure
Whats the ego? in the psychodynamic approach.
=mediates between the id and the superego
= develops around the age of two
=concious
=if it cannot mediate to reduce anxiety uses defence mechanisms
Whats the superego? in the psychodynamic approach.
=morality principle
=conscious
=develops at the age of 5
=senses whats right and whats wrong
Why are defence mechanisms used? psychodynamic approach.
when the ego cannot mediate between the id and superego . to reduce anxiety defence mechanisms are used
What are the four defence mechanisms?
denial
repression
displacement
projection
What is denial ? (the psychodynamic approach)
Denial is the refusal to accept the reality of an unpleasant situation as it reduces anxiety
What is repression? (the psychodynamic approach)
When unpleasant memories are pushed into the unconscious mind but it can affect behaviour
transferring feelings onto a substitute target
What is projection ? (the psychodynamic approach)
taking your own unacceptable qualities and ascribing them to others
eg. your cheating but blame/question your partner if theyre cheating
How many psychosexual stages are there?
five
- need to go through all stages but have to resolve the conflict of that stage or you will become fixated
What are the 5 psychosexual stages?
oral
anal
phallic
latency
genital
What is the oral stage?
the mouth is the focus of pleasure
age 0-1 yrs
What happens if you’re fixated at the oral stage?
smoking
biting nails
sucking thumb
What is the anal stage?
age 1-3 yrs
=focus of pleasure is the anus
=learns to control body fluids
What happens if youre fixated in the anal stage?
= perfectionist
=obsessive
What is the phallic stage?
=focus of pleasure in the genital areas
=child experiences oedipus / electra complex
What is the oedipus/ electra complex?
When a male child wants his mother as a primary love object and sees his father as a threat. He fears the father will castrate him so he copies the fathers behaviour
What happens if youre fixated on the phallic stage?
naracssitic
reckless
possibly homosexual
What happens in the latency stage?
5-12 years
when earlier conflicts are repressed mainly childhood experiences
What happens in the genital stage?
12+
sexual desires become present
puberty begins
What happens if you’re fixated in the genital stage?
difficulty forming relationships
Evaluation of the psychodynamic approach?
weakness = not scientific= the theory cannot be proved or disproved so is unfalsifiable and does not have a scientifc criteria.
=the id cannot be tested as its unconcious so validity cannot be tested
strength= has research support= shows childhood experiences do affect behaviour =bentall observed that children who suffered abuse were 3 x more likely to develop mental health conditions
=shows trauma can be repressed and cause issues later on in life
weakness= based mainly on case studies by freud= little hans and rat man =studies were in great detail but there were not many participants and it cannot be generalised as frueds interpretations would not have been the dame as other psychologists
What are the key assumptions of the humanistic approach?
=known as the third force in psychology
=rogers believed freud looked at the “sick half” of psychology so he looked at the healthy growth in individuals
Free will in the humanistic approach?
all approaches have been deterministic but this one
humanistic approach believes we have free will
= we can still be affected by external and internal forces
What is Maslows hierarchy of needs?
5 levels that you have to work through to reach the top to be the best individual they can be
What are the levels in Maslows hierarchy of needs?
1- physiological needs = breathing,food,water,sex,sleep
2-safety=
security of the body,employment,family,health,property
3-love/belonging=
friendship,family,sexual intamicy
4-esteem=
self-esteem,confidence,respect of others
5-self-actulisation=
morality,creativity,problem solving
Why will everyone not reach self-actualisation?
there may be barries in the way
What did rogers believe the self,congruence/conditions of worth?
that for personal growth to happen an individuals concept of themseleves must be equal to their ideal self
What decreases the gap between the self-concept and ideal self (humanistic approach) ?
CCT= client centred therapy
What is client centred therapy (humanistic approach) ?
= issues stem from experiences in childhood and can be explained by a lack of unconditional positive regard from parents
= a parent that sets limits on their love creates psychological issues
=therapists provide patients with unconditional positive regard
Evaluation of the Humanistic approach?
strength= real- life applicatipn
=maslows hierarchy of needs in a school setting
=Rashford petitioned for free school meals so that their physiological needs are met and then they can self-actualise
=high ecological validity
=rashford was also given free school meals and he self-actualised
strength= supporting evidence
=harter et al
discovered teens that have to fulfill certain conditions to gain their parents apporval mostly hate themselves and are likely to have depression
=low self-esteem as of childhood experieneces
lack of uncondtional positive regard
weakness=cannot be generalised
=based on one culture
=focuses on western culture and individual development but eastern culture belives in helpung communities and not focusing on yourself
