Unit 1 Flashcards
Cognitive Approach
Looks at how the mind deals with information. It assumes behaviour is influenced by how we process said information from the world around us.
Cognitive Approach Assumption One
The mind is an information processor with features similar to that of a computer—hence why they call this the computer analogy. Computers can input, process and output data in the form of writing and printing out documents, just as the human mind can take in data from any of our five senses and convert them into something more useful. A sensation, a sound, a sight. It is assumed this affects how we behave.
Cognitive Approach Assumption Two
Taking Assumption One further, you can see how all your behaviour is therefore a product of how you process information. The way you think about something will determine how you feel about it, which will then affect how your behave towards it.
Cognitive Approach Evaluation (Positive 1)
The cognitive approach has worth as it is useful to understand how our information processing affects our behaviour. This means it has useful applications to many areas of life, as almost everything we do involves cognitive processing. For example, it is used in therapy for mental health disorders in the form of cognitive behavioural therapy
Cognitive Approach Evaluation (Positive 2)
Furthermore, it has worth because it uses the scientific method in order to test its ideas. There is value and trust in science because its ideas are supported by evidence.
Cognitive Approach Evaluation (Negative)
However, unlike some area of science, it is not possible to actually see a physical thing at work when you process information. For example, when you describe how memory works you are basing this on assumptions that fit the data from experiments, and not from what you can actually see happening when you remember something.
Social Approach
Behaviour occurs in a social context. Therefore, your behaviour is influenced by what is going on within the situation in which you find yourself. Humans are social creatures by nature. Part of the reason we’ve been able to thrive so is due to us being able to come together in groups and form societies. As such, humans can be quite sensitive to information concerning themselves and others.
Social Approach Assumption One
Behaviour is influenced by the real or imagined presence of other people. There is a tendency to do what seems right in order to fit in with others.
Social Approach Assumption Two
Behaviour is affected by the norms and culture in which it is situated. From birth, you are socialised to learn the rules of behaviour for your culture and your society. These help you exist in a group: the world would be chaotic if everyone just did what they wanted without regard for the rules, customs or traditions of the groups.
Some of these rules are formal and have in fact become laws in society as a whole, for example you do not take another’s property without permission. Other rules are informal and apply only to smaller groups and cultures. These are social or cultural norms, which are the unwritten rules of behaviour that affect how people act. Different cultures and societies have different norms, therefore behaviour changes according to the culture and society in which it is displayed.
Fuck that’s a long one. Good luck memorising it.
Social Approach Evaluation (Positive)
This approach has given many useful insights to how people actually behave in society. This is of value because if you understand how context affects behaviour, then the context can be changed in order to support a preferred behaviour.
Social Approach Evaluation (Negative 1)
Although the approach uses the scientific method to test its ideas, the studies tend to be done in less controlled contexts than a laboratory. This means the data is often inconclusive, allowing challenges about whether the theories are useful or even valid.
Social Approach Evaluation (Negative 2)
Furthermore, many of the studies that test the theories from this approach are regarded as unethical because of the way they manipulate people’s beliefs and behaviour
Learning Approach
This approach forms the nature part of the nature vs. nurture debate, which examines whether you are born with behavioural characteristics or whether you learn them.
Learning Approach Assumption One
All behaviour results from direct environmental experience. All animals are conditioned by their environment to behave in specific ways. So, if you experience something bad in a specific environmental situation, you will learn that the situation is to be avoided in the future.
Learning Approach Assumption Two
You also learn behaviour from observing and imitating other people. Humans (and some animals) do not always need direct experience in order to learn behaviour; they learn from observing what happens to others when they do something. Babies show an early preference for watching other people in the environment than objects. This is called social learning.
Learning Approach Evaluation (Positive 1)
This approach takes a very scientific approach to the development of theories, focusing only on what can be directly observed. This approach has theoretical value because it’s supported greatly by evidence.
Learning Approach Evaluation (Positive 2)
This approach has contributed many useful techniques which have benefits for society such as setting up systems of rewards in classrooms to help young children develop good behaviour in class.
Learning Approach Evaluation (Negative)
However, this approach ignores the role of nature in its theories which means that it lacks the ability to explain many aspects of human behaviour.
Biological Approach
This approach takes the nature side of the nature vs. nurture debate and assumes that most of our behaviour is innate, meaning that it occurs without learning.
Biological Approach Assumption One
Much of your behaviour is influenced by physical aspects of yourself including your central nervous system, genes and neurochemistry. You inherit your genes and they shape the structure and chemistry of your central nervous system. The brain controls our behaviour so behaviour is directly influenced by how our brains are structured.
Biological Approach Assumption Two
Your genetic makeup (and therefore your physiological makeup) is a product of evolution. Evolution is a slow process of genetic change in response to environmental pressures. Genes that program the brain to make some behaviour or trait more likely will be passed onto the next generation if that behaviour made the person more successful. As genes change slowly over generations, modern humans still have genes suited to the environment we were successful in in prehistoric times. This is called genome lag.
Biological Approach Evaluation (Positive 1)
This approach is very scientific as it examines physical data as the structure of brains, the chemicals present and your genetic makeup and investigates how changes in these can be used to explain changes in our behaviour.
Biological Approach Evaluation (Positive 2)
It provides many useful applications based on an understanding of how your brain works, for example using drugs to change the chemistry of the brain to help treat mental disorders. These drugs have helped benefit many people.
Biological Approach Evaluation (Negative)
However, this approach minimises the influence of free will in human behaviour and makes it seem as if everything you do is caused by biological changes beyond your control. This suggests that behaviour, whether good or bad, is not chosen by the person displaying the behaviour but is in fact beyond their control. In most cases this is simply not true.
Societies
Large groups of people living together with shared laws, values and traditions
