Approaches

Question 1

What is Wundt’s theory of introspection?

Answer 1

• when the individual examines and reports on their own mental processes
• highly trained observers would study and report the content of their own thoughts and emotions in carefully controlled environments

Question 2

Evaluate Wundt’s introspection

Answer 2

• introduced scientific principles that focused on precise measures

–relies on non-observable responses and can’t comment on unconscious factors. data is subjective and can’t establish principle

Question 3

What are the assumptions of behaviourism

Answer 3

• all behaviour is learnt and determined through the environment (nurture)
• basic processes of learning are the same in all species
• only interested in study behaviour which can observed and measured in controlled scientific conditions - NOT concerned with studying mental processes which cant be seen

Question 4

Outline Pavlov’s Classical Conditioning

Answer 4

-we learn via association and are 3 stages
1) before conditioning an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) produces an unconditioned response response (UCR). A neutral stimulus produces no response

2) during conditioning the NS is paired with UCS and results in unconditioned response UCR. This needs to happens several times

3) after conditioning the NS has become asssociaited with controlled stimulus, resulting in the conditioned response CR

Question 5

What are the additional features of classical conditioning?

Answer 5

One trial learning- new behaviour is learned through one pairing of the NS and UCS because the response was so severe and failing to learn could be fatal

Extinction and spontaneous recovery- is the CS is repeatdley presented in the absence of the UCS the strength of the CR gradually declines and becomes extinct
Generalisation- stimuli which are similar to the CS can also trigger the CR

Question 5

What is the first piece of supporting evidence for Classical Conditioning

Answer 5

Pavlov’s Dogs -
- before the experiment dogs with salivate in response to the food but not when a bell was rung

-during conditioning the bell was rung when there was food present

• after many trials the dogs would salivate to the sound of the bell alone- the bell had become associated with the food, resulting is salviation

Question 5

What is another piece of supporting evidence for Classical conditioning?

Answer 5

Watson and Rayner 1920
- 11 month old Albert was given a white rat to play with, intially not scared of it.

• as he reached out to play with the rat a metal bar was suddenly clanged to scare him. this was repeated 3 times a day for 3 months
• eventually when Albert saw the rat he would cry and run away. this response was generalised to a white rabbit, white fur coat and Santa’s beard

Question 6

Evaluate Classical Conditioning

Answer 6

+ Pavlov’s research was carried out in tightly controlled conditions and ensured there was no extraneous variables. Dogs were kept in social isolation - improves validity of study and study can be easily replicated to test reliability

• his research broke several ethical guidelines. dogs had a saliometer inserted in their throat meaning they could never actually swallow any food and many dogs died as a result
• may not be able to generalise his findings to humans - human brain is more complex than dogs

Question 6

What is operant conditioning

Answer 6

Skinner, believed we learn via the consequences of our actions
- reinforcers are responses from the environment that increase the probablity of a behaviour being repeated - can either be positive or negative

Question 6

Outline what positive and negative reinforcement is. and punishment

Answer 6

Positive reinforcement - when a behaviour is followed by a pleasent consequence the frequency of the behaviour increases as we are motivated to repeat the behaviour

Negative reinforcement- when a behaviour leads to something unpleasent the likelehood of the behaviour being repeated is slim

Punishment - unpleasent consequence for frequency of behaviour decreases

Question 7

What is some ssupporting evidence for Skinner

Answer 7

Skinner’s box - controlled environment where an animal can be placed. there was a lever which delivers food pelllet if it is presses/pecked. The lever can also be connected to an electrified grid which turns on when the lever is pressed or can be removed once pressed

Question 7

Evaluate Skinner

Answer 7

+ his research was carried out under tightly controlled conditions and no extraneous variables. rats were kept isolated so they were not able to learn/ press the lever. this means the were not able to learn. can be replicated

• ethical concerns

Question 8

Evaluate the Behaviourist approach

Answer 8

+ research to support the evidence of the approach
+ the theories of classical conditioning and operant conditioning are used to explain everyday human interaction like token economies
+ also has siginifcant science credibility. the objectivity and control means that studies carried out by behaviourists are very reliable

-incomplete observation as doesn’t explain the origins of behaviour and focuses on nurture and can be criticised for ignoring biologicial processes and internal mental processes

Question 8

What is the behaviourism link to Issues and debates

Answer 8

Free will Vs determinism - behaviourist Skinner considered free will to be an illusion and our behvaiour is governed by complex conditioning experiences
- Skinner argued that choices reflect previous associations and reinforcements and therefore the approach os extremely deterministic and ignores possible influecne of choice and free will

Question 9

What are the assumptions of SLT

Answer 9

-similar to behaviourism, all behaviour is learnt from the environment
- learning takes place through observation and imitation in a social context
- often known as the bridge between traditional learning theory and cognitive apporach as it foucuses on the role of internal processes play in whether a behaviour is being imitated

Question 9

What are the factors affecting imitation

Answer 9

• models are more likely to be imitated if the child or adult identifies with them in some way, most likely if the model is similar age or sex
• more likely to imitate someone we have seen rewarded for their behaviour (Vicarious reinforcement)
• before imitation goes we have to undergo mediational processes to asses whether we can properly imitate

Question 10

What are the 4 mediational processes- ARRM

Answer 10

A- attention must be paid to the person we want to imitation

R- retention - indiviual must notice behaviour and be aware of it

R- reproduction- individual should have the skills to successfully imitate

M-motivation - individual should want to imitate in the first place , may be because of a reward

Question 10

Bandura - supporting evidence for SLT

Answer 10

• nursey school observed aggressive/non-agressive adult models and were then tested for imitative learning in the absence of models.
• agressive models showed distinct physical aggressive acts towards the doll. aftet exposure to the model, children were left frustrated aas they weren’t able to play with the dolls
  FOUND
• children who observed the aggressive model imitated the physical aggression they had seen. 1/3 also repeated verbal aggression they had heard
• children who observed non-agressive model showed vitually no physical aggression and none made any aggressive remarks
• children were more likely to imitate a model of the same sex

Question 10

Evaluate SLT

Answer 10

+ Bandura’s study has practical application in considering tv age ratings and violence shown to young children
+ highly scientific an retestable means increases the reliabilitity of the approach

• is an incomplete explanation as it ignores biological processes

Question 11

Link SLT to and I&d topic

Answer 11

Nature -Nurture - SLT would emphasise importance of nurture a d would favour this side in suggesting that all behaviour is influenced by the environment

Free will determininsm - considers the role of choice - suggest we have some free will and Bandura stressed the importance of reciporcal determinisim which suggests we are not simply products of our environment but can exert some influence on it regarding our behaviour that we perform

Question 11

What are the assumptions of the Cognitive Approach

Answer 11

• focuses on studying internal mental processes and believe they should be studied scientifically
• believe focus should be on how people process information and how this affects behaviour
• prefer objective controllled scientific methods and use the results to make inferences about mental processes
• believe humans are inforomation processes and the mind words like a computer

Question 11

What is the Role of Schemas

Answer 11

• schemas are a cognitive framework that helps organise and interpret info containing beliefs and expectations
• they are formed through experience and act as a mental framework for the interpretation of incoming information
• we can distort our interpretation of information leading to preceptual errors

Question 12

What is research evidence for the role of schemas

Answer 12

• Allport and Postman- pt were shown a picture of 2 men talking to each other. A black man wearing a suit was talking to a white man weearing overalls, holding a razor. They were asked to describe it to another pt and found that white pt tended to reverse their appearances and some described the black man as holding the knife
• this study shows that expectations based on sterotypical schemas can distort memory

Question 12

What is the use of theoretical and computer models

Answer 12

Theoretical models - this is the information processing approach which suggests that info flows through the cognitive system in a sequence of stages like the MSM

Computer models- makes inferences about internal mental processes and compare the mind to a computer - similarities in the way the info is processed

Question 13

What is cognitive neuroscience

Answer 13

• study of the influence of the brain structure in mental processes
• brain imaging techniques have allowed researchers to understand how the brain supports different cognitive activites. Tulving was able to demonstrate different types of LTM