Unit 319- Psychology and humam behaviours Flashcards
What is Psychology?
the study of the mind. Psychology is the scientific study of human behaviour and mental processes
there are 6 different psychological approaches name them
- The biological approach
- Social learning theory approach
- Psychodynamic approach
- Humanistic approach
- Behaviourist approach
- Cognitive approach
Whats the main focus for each one of the psychological approaches
-The Biological Approach
- Social Learning theory
- The Behaviourist Approach
- The Cognitive Approach/developmental psychology
- The Psychodynamic Approach
- The Humanistic Approach.
=Behavioural Psychology – Learnt behaviour; Phobias, Aggression
=Cognitive/Developmental Psychology – Perception/Cognitive Development
=Biological psychology – genetic influences, twin studies
=Social Learning Theory – How we learn from role models
=Humanistic psychology –Self Esteem and Self Worth
=Psychodynamic Psychology – The influence of the unconscious mind and child hood experiences
The behaviourist approach- name the theorist and what its about
developed by pavlov and Skinner, all behaviour is learnt by either classical or Operant conditioning.
- Classical conditioning- automatic learning (animals produce saliva in response to food)
This theory stems from the work of Pavlov who studied animal behavior, and was able to condition a dog to associate the ringing of a bell with food. Pavlovian conditioning is known as classical conditioning. - Operant conditioning- Learning is due to punishments and rewards. Skinner introduced the theory of operant conditioning a behavior followed by a punishment is weakened or suppressed in the future).
The Cognitive Approach- what is it about?
This approach developed out of the behavioural approach.
The cognitive approach is concerned with the thought process that we have and how these influence our behaviour.
The cognitive approach argues that mental disorders are caused by distorted and irrational thinking.
The Psychodynamic Approach- name a theorist and what is it about?
Developed by Sigmund Freud (1915), who argued that mental illnesses arise out of unresolved unconscious conflicts that form in early childhood.
Stressed the significance of the:
Conscious mind: What we are currently thinking
Unconscious mind: Locked and we only gain access to it in our dreams.
The humanistic Approach- name theorist and what is it about?
Devised by Rogers and Maslow (1959), who felt that we all try to achieve self-actualisation (self-fulfilment)
According to this theory psychological development takes place when a child receives unconditional positive regard from its parents, which leads to high self-esteem.
The Biological approach- what is it about?
The biological approach looks at psychology from a biological perspective.
All behaviour is explained in terms of
-Genetics
-Chemicals (Endocrine system, releasing hormones).
-Neuroanatomy (nervous system)
Social learning theory- what is about name a theorist
Developed by Albert Bandura
-Examines the way we learn behaviour in social groups
- Identifies the significance of influential role modelssuch as parents or teachers
What is developmental psychology?
Developmental psychology is a field of study that attempts to describe and explain the changes in human cognitive, emotional and behavioral capabilities and functioning over the entire life span, from infancy through to older age.
What is Behavioural psychology?
This theory is based on the idea that all behaviours are acquired through conditioning.
Conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment.
Behaviourists believe that our responses to environmental stimuli shape our actions.
Therefore, when we are born our mind is a blank slate
Strict behaviourists believe that any person can potentially be trained to perform any task, regardless of genetic background, personality traits, and internal thoughts (within the limits of their physical capabilities). It only requires the right conditioning.
What is the nature and nurture dabate?
Nature refers to how genetics influence an individual’s personality, whereas nurture refers to how their environment (including relationships and experiences) impacts their development.
what is continuity vs. Discontinuity?
Normative development is typically viewed as a continual and cumulative process. The continuity view says that change is gradual. Children become more skillful in thinking, talking or acting much the same way as they get taller.
The discontinuity view sees development as more abrupt-a succession of changes that produce different behaviors in different age-specific life periods called stages. Biological changes provide the potential for these changes.
Behavioural psychology applied to children and adults strategies
Behaviour Modification
- Based on Skinner’s ideas of Operant Conditioning
-Reinforcement and Punishment to encourage and discourage certain behaviours sometimes referred to as ‘shaping’ behaviour
- Often used with children
Token Economy
- A reward system
-Mainly used for children
-Gives children an incentive to behave in a certain way
-Can trade “tokens” for something else
-Can be seen as bribery
Systematic desensitisation (behaviour therapy)
-Based on Pavlov’s idea of Classical Conditioning
-People may be exposed to the thing that is causing them distress, but in a safe way. It is hoped that over time they will learn not to associate that thing with fear/panic etc
E.g. A person who has a phobia of dogs may be asked to look at a picture of a dog for a certain amount of time. They then might have to play with a small, friendly dog.
Over time the negative association should minimise
Idiographic vs. nomothetic
idiographic describes the study of a group, seen as an entity, with specific properties that set it apart from other groups. Nomothetic refers to the use of generalization rather than specific properties in the same context.
Idiographic-
The idiographic view assumes that each person has a unique psychological structure and that some traits are possessed by only one person; and that there are times when it is impossible to compare one person with others. It tends to use case studies for information gathering.
nomothetic-
The nomothetic view, on the other hand, emphasizes comparability among individuals. This viewpoint sees traits as having the same psychological meaning in everyone.
