unit 1 mock Flashcards
Using examples from psychology, describe two assumptions of the psychodynamic approach. [4 + 4]
influence of childhood experiences:
-freud believed that experiences during childhood share our adult personality. Proposing that psychological development in childhood takes place in a series of developmental stages called psychosexual stages each representing the fixation of libido on a diff area of the body.
There are 5 psychosexual stages; oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital. Problems at any stage of development can result in the child getting fixated at the body part associated with that stage, having a long term effect on personality. Fixation at any of these stages can occur through frustration, or overindulgence.
Tripartite personality:
- freud believed that the adult personalty is structured into 3 parts that develop at different stages in our lives. e.g. the ID = impulsive (=unconscious) part of personality, present at birth. It demands immediate satisfaction referred to as the pleasure participle. ID main aim = gain pleasure and gratification at any cost
Ego=conscious, rational part of the mind developing at around age of 2 yrs. function = work out realistic ways of balancing the demands of the id in a socially acceptable way. Governed by the reality principle.
Superego= last part of mind to develop. Forming around age of 4yrs. Embodies the child’s sense of right and wrong as well as their ideal self. Superego seeks to perfect and civilise our behav. Learned through identification with parents and others.
id + superego = often in conflict (battle of right snd wrong). Thus, the ego acts as a referee to resolve the conflict considering the consequences of a persons actions. Although described as a structural model, these 3 parts are symbolic processes.
Describe the procedures of Watson and Rayner’s (1920) research ‘Conditioned emotional reactions’. (8)
responses were recorded with motion picture camera.
emotional tests on his response to certain objects; white rat, rabbit, dog, monkey, mask with hair + without, cotton wool, e.t.c (different times) - it was first time seeing these objects
then tested with loud sound (hammer on steel bar). length=2m, diameter = 2cm
one experiment got al’s attention, the other created the sound.
Establishing a CER (stage 1): white rat presented to 11M, 3D y/o Al who started to reach for it, as the sound came simultaneously.
Testing the CER (stage 2): 11M, 10D y/o Al shown rat with no sound to see if stage 1 affected his behav.
He was exposed to joint stimulation 5 times.
Stage 3: Generalisation
11M 15D y/o Al variously presented with rat, wooden blocks, rabbit, dog, seal fear coat, cotton wool, & Watsons hair to see if his learned feared link generalised to other objects
Changing the environment: (stage 4)
11M 20D y/o Al’s CER was ‘freshened’ using some j.s.
then taken to a new environment = large well-lit lecture room with 4 ppl + placed on the table in the centre
The effect of time (stage 5):
12M 21D y/o Al at the lab in the interim but no emotional tests conducted. Final test involved Santa mask, fur coat, rat, rabbit, dog, and the blocks.
Identify and explain two strengths of the biological approach. (4+4)
scientific
B.A. = explained in terms of brain, neurotransmitters, and localisation of brain function meaning B explanations have clear variables that can be measured, tracked, + examined. This enables psychologists to conduct scientific research studying these variables. E.g. research on drug therapy has investigated the links between psychoactive drugs + the production of certain neurotransmitters + linked to this behaviour.
Raine et al made use of PET scans to compare 14 areas of the brain in NGRI with non murderers. These are scientific insofar as they fulfil the aims of scientific research - to conduct objective, well-controlled studies + to demonstrate causal relationships. A strength of B.A. is that it lends itself to scientific research that can then be used to support biological explanations.
succesful applications:
B.A. has led to many successful applications like research into the relationship between abnormal levels of neurotransmitters + criminal behav. has implications for offering pharmalogical treatments to criminals, leading to decreases in recidivism rates + safer societies. e.g. Cherek et al 2002 = males with conduct disorder + criminal behaviour has low levels of aggression + impulsivity after a 21 day course of a SSRI antidepressant compound to a control group taking placebo. Shows how B.A explanations lead to treatments that are scientific, easily administrated, and widely successful.
Compare and contrast the behaviourist and psychodynamic approaches in terms of their similarities and differences. [10]
successfully applied: similarity
psychodynamic - this approach highlights that childhood is a critical period in development; meaning who we are + become is greatly influenced by childhood experiences. Freud was the first to recognise that psychological factors could be used to explain physical symptoms like paralysis. Psychoanalysis was influenced by F, widely used to ppl overcome psychological problems (needs evidence to support). Generally this approach is useful for helping understand mental health problems e.g. it can be caused by childhood trauma +/or UC conflicts.
behaviourist - behav. principles have been applied in real world, most notably - treating mental disorders + in education. E.g. classical conditioning principles have been applied in aversion therapy to help ppl with additions + in S.D. to help ppl with phobias. In education, operant conditioning underlines successful learning strategies like reinforcement to help shape behav.
reductionist + over simplified:
psychodynamic - accused of ‘mechanic reductionism’ as it simplifies complex human behav to the mechanics of the mind and early childhood experiences. So, it ignores other important influences on behav. like biochem + genetics. E.g. during 50s/60s, a main explanation for autism = some mothers were very distant from their children (‘refrigerator mum’) + autism was a withdrawl from lack of involvement. This was an oversimplification of autism. Therefore, a weakness of this approach = oversimplification + ignorance over other important factors.
scientific approach:
Behaviourist - behaviourism = 1st introduced ed by John.b Watson, recognising that Parlov’s work on conditioned reflexes could be used to create a really objective, + therefore scientific, psychology. Behaviourism embodies the truly scientific approach, seeking to study behav that’s observable + operationalised in terms of stimulus and response behav. Behaviourists believe we can analyse, quantify + compare behav. through the use of science.
influence of childhood experiences:
freud believed that experiences during childhood share our adult personality. Proposing that psychological development in childhood takes place in a series of developmental stages called psychosexual stages each representing the fixation of libido on a diff area of the body.
There are 5 psychosexual stages; oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital. Problems at any stage of development can result in the child getting fixated at the body part associated with that stage, having a long term effect on personality. Fixation at any of these stages can occur through frustration, or overindulgence.
Tripartite personality:
freud believed that the adult personalty is structured into 3 parts that develop at different stages in our lives. e.g. the ID = impulsive (=unconscious) part of personality, present at birth. It demands immediate satisfaction referred to as the pleasure participle. ID main aim = gain pleasure and gratification at any cost
Ego=conscious, rational part of the mind developing at around age of 2 yrs. function = work out realistic ways of balancing the demands of the id in a socially acceptable way. Governed by the reality principle.
Superego= last part of mind to develop. Forming around age of 4yrs. Embodies the child’s sense of right and wrong as well as their ideal self. Superego seeks to perfect and civilise our behav. Learned through identification with parents and others.
id + superego = often in conflict (battle of right snd wrong). Thus, the ego acts as a referee to resolve the conflict considering the consequences of a persons actions. Although described as a structural model, these 3 parts are symbolic processes.
