Approaches

Question 1

Explain the emergence of psychology

Answer 1

-Wundt, father of Psychology
- Created first ever lab
- Tried to document and describe the nature of human consciousness
- Used standardised procedures for all participants

Question 2

Evaluate the emergence of psychology

Answer 2

• Subjective data
• Methods used today, standardised procedures that allow for replication
• Focused an scientific methods of experiments

Question 3

Outline the behaviourist approach

Answer 3

• Focuses on how behaviour is observed and then replicated
• Learn through classical conditioning (association)
• Also learn through operant conditioning (reinforcement)

Question 4

Evaluate the behaviourist approach

Answer 4

• Real world application - token systems (operant)
• Reductionist
• Deterministic
• Used in therapies - phobias, systematic desensitisation

Question 5

Outline the SLT

Answer 5

• Indirect learning
• Seen as bridge between cognition and behaviourism
• Vicarious reinforcement
• Mediational processes
• Must be form of role model to then imitate

Question 6

Evaluate the SLT

Answer 6

• Recognises cognitive element
• Explains cultural differences in behaviour
• Bobo Doll experiment
• Reductionist - no biological factors

Question 7

Outline the cognitive approach

Answer 7

• All behaviour is due to internal mental processes
• Uses computer models - input, storage, retrieval
• Schema - packages of knowledge helping us experience new things

Question 8

Evaluate the cognitive approach

Answer 8

• Machine reductionism
• Soft determinism
• Scientific methods are used to study cognition
• Cognitive Neuroscience was a result of this

Question 9

Outline the biological approach

Answer 9

• Assumes all behaviour is down to genes, neurochemistry and the NS
• Imbalance of certain neurotransmitters causes a mental disorder
• Uses twin and adoption studies - monozygotic etc
• Genotype and phenotype

Question 10

Evaluate the biological approach

Answer 10

• Real world - drugs in treatments
• Deterministic - biological predisposition = disorder
• (should use diathesis stress model)
• Reductionist
• Scientific methods are used

Question 11

Outline the psychodynamic approach

Answer 11

• Freud
• Suggested most of mind is unconscious
• Behaviour is down to drives and instincts
• Disturbing memories are repressed or denied (defence)
• Id - pleasure, Superego - morality, Ego - reality, mediator
• Stages:
  0-2 Oral
  2-4 Anal
  4-5 Phallic - Oedipus (boys), Electra (girls)
  (fixations at any of these means you’ll carry behaviour and conflict into adulthood)

Question 12

Evaluate the psychodynamic approach

Answer 12

• Unfalsifiable concepts - not testable
• Led to new form of therapy - psychotherapy (therapist based) - others are better, client based
• Draws significance of parent behaviour and our connections on later life
• Determinism

Question 13

Outline the humanistic approach

Answer 13

• Free will - active agents, but still int/ext influences
• Maslow - psychological needs, safety and security, main goal is self-actualisation
• Rogers - congruent between ideal and actual self - if too big a gap, self-actualisation won’t be possible

Question 14

Evaluate the humanistic approach

Answer 14

• Helped develop client-based therapy
• Cultural bias - collectivists won’t care about self-actualisation
• Holistic approach - rejects breaking up behaviour and experience into smaller components
• Positive approach - doesn’t mean its helpful tho