Paper 2 Approaches

Question 1

Outline and evaluate the behavioural approach in psychology (16)

Answer 1

Classical conditioning: Pavlovs dogs
= Pavlov demonstrated that repeated exposure to an event leads to a learned and uncontrollable behaviour.
Operant conditioning: Skinner
= behaviours the result of learning through the consequences of our actions
- Positive reinforcement
- Negative reinforcement
- Punishment

Strength = scientific credibility
- measurement of observable behaviour within highly controlled laboratory settings = objectivity and replication

Strength = encouraging the use of animals as research subjects
- humans and animals similar = pavlov/ skinner
- control over variables without demand characteristics or individual differences
BUT = humans have social and moral environmental factors - behave different and hard to generalise to humans

Limitation = environmentally deterministic
- Skinner: behaviours are determined by past experiences that had been conditioned
- ignores possibility of free will have on on behaviour

Question 2

Outline and evaluate the cognitive approach in psychology (16)

Question 2

Outline and evaluate the social learning approach in psychology (16)

Answer 2

Learning occurs through the
observation and imitation of behaviour performed by role models, who model behaviour in a
social environment
- it also considers cognitive processes

Modelling and identification

Question 3

Outline and evaluate the biological approach in psychology (16)

Question 4

Outline and evaluate the psychodynamic approach in psychology (16)

Question 5

Outline and evaluate the humanist approach in psychology (16)

Question 6

comparison of approaches - scientific methodology

Answer 6

behaviourism
= highly scientific
- focus entirely on observable stimuli and responses
- pavlov and skinner
- large samples and controlled conditions = replication

social learning theorists
- experimental methods and large samples = modelling, vicarious reinforcement and meditational processes
- BUT internal mental processes can’t be directly observed but inferred
= inferences could be mistaken which reduces scientific credibility

cognitive psychologists
= not fully scientific
- controlled experiments supporting theories: working memory model
- BUT model represents internal mental processes = cant be directly observed only inferred from behaviour

Biological psychologists
= highly scientific
- direct observable physical processes: brain activity
- object measuring: fMRI scanners, DNA sequencers and blood tests
- large scale placebo controlled trials to test drugs

psychodynamics
= not scientifically studied
- freud theories on case studies: introspection report on internal state of mind
- potential bias in researchers interpretation
- superego not operationally defined

Humanistic
= reject scientific method completely
- human behaviour is too complex to be reduced to simple variables measured scientifically
- reject cause and effect
- humanistic psychology lacks empirical evidence to support claims

Question 7

comparison of approaches - determinism

Answer 7

behaviourism
= hard environmental determinists
- behaviour results from environment
- rewarding behaviour more likely repeated
- free will has no role = hard determinists

social learning theorists
= environmentally deterministic
- Bandura: reciprocal determinism = behaviour determines environment/ behaviour caused by environment

cognitive psychologists
= soft determinists
- schema learned through experience = acts as automatic template for behaviour
- BUT also conscious effort (free will), maladaptive automatic internal mental processes can be modified

biological psychology
= hard determinists
- behaviour caused by physical nature: brain, hormones, neurotransmitters and genes
- aggression and mental health disorders = imbalance of neurotransmitters - inheritance of dysfunctional genes

psychodynamics
= psychic determinism
- unconscious thoughts, drives and repressed memories shape our conscious behaviours
- uncurious forces formed in childhood and influence adult behaviour

Humanistic
- free will = agency
- moral responsibility

Question 8

comparison of approaches -nature nurture debate

Answer 8

behaviourism
= nurture with little role of nature
- influences on behaviour are environmental factors
- innate reflex actions: dogs doesn’t learn to drool

social learning theorists
= nurture
- direct stimulus response mechanism of behaviours and social experience
- observing models and vicarious reinforcement

cognitive psychologists
= nature and closer to nurture
- internal mental processes run on physical biological hardware of brain
- schemas formed through experiences of the world

biological psychologist
= nature: hereditary
- inheritance of DNA, biological processes such as neurotransmitter transport in brain, imbalances in system leading to aggression/ mental health conditions

psychodynamics
= nature and nurture
- psychosexual stages are biological processes all children experience
- experience through these stages shape personality as an adult

humanistic
= holists
- explanation of behaviour has to include wide range of factors
- genes =nature
- environmental influences from direct experiences to wider culture = nurture