Approaches Flashcards
(16 cards)
Origins of psychology
Wundt was known as the father of psychology
- moved psych from a phislosiphacal approach to a more scientific through the use of controlled research
- paved the way to more scientific approaches such as the cognitive approach
- created his first lab in germany 1879 dedicated to psychological inquiry
- aimed to describe the human mind in a more controlled and scientific way
- promoted use of introspection to study these mental processes
- first systematic experimental method which works by breaking down the brains conscious awareness into thoughts, images and sensations
- ppts received the same standardised instructions and stimuli
- they were asked to record their thoughts images and sensations in response to a specific stimuli such as a metronome trick
- used structuralism which is isolating the structure of conscious
Origins of Psychology
- Evaluation
- subjective data
- wundt relied on ppts reporting their own thoughts images and sensations in response to stimuli to study the mind
- this creates subjective data
- some ppts may have hidden their thoughts or not reported them
- therefore it lacks scientific credibility - scientific
- wundt used a controlled lab condition
- gave ppts all the same standardised instructions and procedure
- valid and credible to an extent - contribution
- psych as a science and helped pave the way for development of new approaches
- these approaches then led to development of explanations and treatments for them
- even if he used flawed methods he still has a massive contribution
Emergence of Psychology as a science
- rejected
- behaviourists in 1900’s rejected wundt because they thought ntrospection wa subjective
- for psychology to be scientific it must be studied in observable and measurable ways - behaviourists
- focused on how behaviour is learnt
- used controlled lab settings
- dominated psych in 1930’s - cognitive
- study of mental processes became more legitimate in psych in 1950’s
- cognitive psychologists likened the mind to a computer and tested their predictions about the mind using experiments - biological
- 1980’s - biological psychologist took advantage of advancements in psych such as brain scanning techniques and genetic research to investigate the biological basis of behaviour
Emergence of Psych as a science
- Evaluation
- modern psychology
- learning cognitive and biological approaches now use scientific methods such as lab studies
- thee have high control and don’t include bias
- psychological findings now have more scientific credibility - paradigm
- kuhn suggested that every science must have a paradigm
- these are a set of assumptions or methods which everyone in that subject agree on
- however psych has many different approaches with many different assumptions so it does not have a paradigm
- as a result it makes us question psych as a science
Learning approach : behavioural
- knowledge
assumptions :
- not concerned with the study of mental processes
- believe we should study behaviour which is observable and measurable
- rejected idea of introspection because its too vague
- believe behaviour is learnt through experience such as operant and classical conditioning
- used lab studies which maintained control and objectivity
- believe that the mental processes which underlie behaviour are the same in all species
- used animals in replacement of humans as experimental subjects
classical conditioning :
- learnt something through association
- pavlov conditned a dog to salivate when they heard a bell ring
before : ucs of food produced the ucr of salivating and ns the bell produced no response from dog
during : ucs food was paired w ns bell and produced ucr of salivating
after : bell became a cs and cr response of salivating from dog
- shows how dog can be conditioned to do so
operant conditoning :
- behaviour is maintained through its consequences
1. positive reinforcement - receive reward for something good so behaviour repeated
2. negative reinforcement - avoid something unpleasant when specific behaviour performed so behaviour repeated
3. punishments - negative consequence - decreases behaviour being repeated
skinners study :
condition 1 : rat was placed in skinners box, hungry, pressed lever and food pellet dropped, desirable consequence so behaviour repeated
condition 2 : floor of cage gave electric shocks , pressed lever electric shock avoided , negative consequence avoided so rats pressed lever and behaviour repeated
Learning approach : behavioural
- evaluation
- controlled research
- behaviourists argue that we should study behaviour in observable and measurable ways and they do this in a lab
- reduces any extraneous variables
- cause and effect between relationships can be determined
- increases scientific credibility on results
counterpoint : ignores influence of human mind on behaviour
- banter a suggested there are 5 mediational prccess that occur during learning
- cannot be explained by behaviourist approach
- reductionist and over simplistic - real world application
- token economy systems encourage good behaviour to be repeated in prisons and is successful and based of the principles of operant conditoning
- increases validity - environmental determinism
- skinner suggested that everything we do is a result of our reinforcement history
- ignores influence of free will on our behaviour
- extreme position and can encourage violent or negative behaviour as people will believe they are not in control of their own behaviour
Learning approach : Social Learning Theory
- knowledge
assumptions :
- similar to behaviourist approach that behaviour is leant through experinece - operant and classical conditioning
- also believe that beheaviour is learnt indirectly through observation and imitation
ideas :
- vicarious reinforcement - people observe others and take notes
- behaviour which is rewarded rather than punished is more likely to be imitated
- identification - people are more likely to imitate behaviour of people they identify with
- they identify with people based on their similar characteristics , if they find them attractive and if they have a higher status
- the person they identify with is the role model
- the process of imitating this role model is known as modelling
mediation processes - suggested by bandura and are 4 congnitive factors which influence whether a behaviour which is learnt is observed or not
1. attention - noticed or not
2. retention - remembered or not
3. motor reproduction - if observer has ability to reproduce that behaviour themselves
4. motivation - if they have the will to repeat the behaviour , determined by whether the behaviour was rewarded or punished
albert bandura’s bobodoll study - combined 2 in one
study 1 :
- C in group 1 saw adult behaving more agressively with a bobodoll
- C in group 2 saw adult behaving non agresively to bobodoll
- then given bobodoll to play with themselves
- found that those in group 1 were more likely to be aggressive w B - shows how C are more likely to commit acts of violence if they observe these in adult role models
study 2 :
- C in group 1 saw adult recieve reward for acting aggressively with B
- C in group 2 saw adult recieve punishment for acting aggressively with B
- C in group 3 saw adult recieve no consequence
- then given bobodoll to play w
- found that C in group 1 were more likely to be aggressive w bobodoll themselves
- modelling aggressive behaviour is more likely when behaviour is rewarded so vicarious reinforcement
Learning approach : Social Learning Theory
- evaluation
- cognitive factors :
- bandura identified 4 mediational processes and combined this with behavioural explanations such as vicarious reinforcement and modelling to help explain behaviour
- suggests SLT is a more comprehensive approach than the behaviourst one
counterpoint : ignores biological processes as bandura suggests that our behaviour is determined by the environment around us however new research shows that observational learning is a result of mirror neurons in our brain which allow us to imitate others - real world app - cultural differences :
- explains cultural differences in behaviour
- principles of SLT suggest a child learns from those around them
- explains how cultural norms such as gender roles are transmitted through society - over - reliance on lab studies :
- environment is artificial and so does not reflect real world
- ppts may have been responding to demand c
- example is the aim of B study was to hit the doll so children may have done this because the thought its how they are meant to act and not a result of imitation
Biological approach
- knowledge
assumptions :
- everything physiological was at first biological
- we need to understand biological structures such as genes and neurochemistry to explain behaviour
- biological psychologists argue that the mind lives within the brain and so thoughts feeling and behaviour have a biological basis
- neurochmeistry - action of chemicals in the brain such as neurotransmitters regulate biological and physiological functioning
- imbalance of these neurotransmitters can cause mental disorders in people
- lower levels of serotonin in people with ocd
twin studies :
- MZ twins - identical - share 100% of their genotype
- DZ twins - non - identical - share 50% of their genotype
- concordance rate : extent to which twins share the same characteristic
- twin studies can be used to investigate the genetic basis of psychological characteristics
- genetic basis : whether a specific behaviour is a result of the presence of a specific gene
- can do this by finding concordance rate between twins
- if its higher for a particular characteristic in MZ twins than DZ twins, we can assume that there is a biological basis for it
genotype - particular set of genes that a person possesses
phenotype - the way these genes are expressed through behavioural, psychological and physiological characteristics
phenotype influenced by genes and environment
natural selection by charles darwin explains behaviour
- genetically determined behaviour which enhances survival and reproduction is passed on for generations
- the genes responsible for this advantageous behaviour are known as adaptive genes
Biological approach
- evaluation
- scientific methods of investigation:
- uses brain scanning techniques such as fmri’s and eegs
- more objective and reliable observations so conclusions can be made
- gives more scientific credibility - real world application
- increases understanding of neuroshcmeical basis of behaviour
- led to the development of drugs such as SSRI’s to treat depression
- increases levels of serotonin in synapse and hep reduce symptoms, improve quality of life
counterpoint : recent study shows how antidepressants may not be most effective, compared 21 AD and found varying effectiveness and was concluded that the have mainly modest effects
- suggests that neurochmeisty alone cannot account for all cases of depression in this example - determinist view
- suggests that all of our actions are governed by internal biological factors that we cannot control
- but if you think about the legal system and wider society how are we able to say that criminals are morally and legally responsible for their own actions - shouldn’t there be a criminal gene ?
The cognitive approach
- knowledge
assumptions :
- internal mental processes can and should be studied
- explain how internal mental processes affect our behaviour
- the cannot be observed directly so are studied by making inferences
schemas :
- packages of ideas and information which are derived from experience
- they act as a mental framework for the interpretation of incoming info
- they become more detailed as we grow up
- babies are born with simple motor schemas such as innate behaviours such as grasping or sucking
theoretical models :
- help us understand and explain mental processes
- abstract representation of internal mental processs
- example includes MSM - informational processing approach that info flows through the cognitive system in a sequence of stages
computer models :
- help us to understand and explain mental processes
- concrete representation of internal mental processes and use actual computer programming
- test instructions derived from theoretical models such to test if they produce a human like output
- if the computer mimics a human response we can suggest that similar processes are going on in the human mind
emergence of cognitive neuroscience :
- scientific study of how brain structures influence mental processes
- developed because of advancements in brain scanning techniques such as fmri and pet scans
- help us to know location of episodic and semantic memories in prefrontal cortex , role of parahippocampul gyrus in ocd and computer models can read the mind - mind mapping techniques such as brain fingerprinting
The cognitive approach
- evaluation
- objective
- uses highly controlled lab studies and brain scanning techniques to make inferences
- Therefore the data is more reliable and objective
- This gives the approach scientific credibility
counterpoint : cannot directly observe internal mental processes and relies on inference
- results can be too abstract and theoretical
- many studies into mental processes also use artificial stimuli
- not representative of everyday life - real world app
- has contributions into fields of ai, robots, treatments for disorders, improving eyewitness testimony
- eg. rebt is a cognitive approach to treating depression - machine reductionism
- computer tries to represent a human mind
- does not account for the impact of human emotions on our ability to process information and breaks down the very complex human mind into simple robotic components
- evidence also shows how our emotions can impact us such as the effect of anxiety on ewt recall
Psychodynamic approach
- knowledge
- structure of mind
- freud suggests that the mind is made up of the conscious and unconscious mind which is a vast storage for biological drives and instincts which have significant influence on our personality and behaviour
conscious : what we are aware of
preconscious : what we could become aware of through dreams and tongue slips ( parapraxes )
unconscious : storage of memories that we are not aware influences our behaviour ( trauma ) - tripartite personality - dynamic interaction between the 3 parts of our personality
ID - innate, based on the pleasure principle, selfish and demands gratification
EGO - based on reality principle, mediator between id and superego
SUPEREGO - based on the morality principle, wants to do what’s right, develops at age of 5, based on what we learnt to be right and wrong, punishes ego through guilt - psychosexual stages - develop adult personality, all stages have different conflicts which unresolved can lead to an affect on our behaviour as adults
- oral stage - 0-1 years - pleasure focus is mouth and object of desire is mothers breast, unresolved will lead to oral fixation such as smoking or nail biting
- anal stage - 1-3 years - pleasure focus is anal, child gains pleasure by eliminating or withholding faeces, unresolved leads to being anal retentive ( perfectionist and obsessive ) or anal expuslive ( messy and thoughtless )
- phallic stage - 3-6 years - pleasure focus is genital area , child experiences oedipus or electra complex, if unresolved can lead to phallic personality ( narcissist or reckless )
- latency - earlier conflicts repressed
- genital stage - puberty age - sexual desires become conscious, if unresolved they struggle to form heterosexual rls
- oedipus complex - when a young boy has incestuous behaviour towards mother and hatred to father, later these feelings for mother are repressed and boy identifies w father and his gender role and moral values
- defence mechanism - cognitive coping methods of the ego
repression - force the distressing memories out the conscious mind
denial - refuse to acknowledge
displacement - moving emotion away from true source to neutral source
humanistic approach
- knowledge
- assumptions
- see humans have free will
- believe psychology should concern itself with subjective experience rather than general laws as we are all unique ( person-centered approach )
- less deterministic as people are active agents to determine their own choices and development even if there are external influences - maslows hierarchy of needs
- the needs that motivate us
physiological needs are at the bottom, safety, love and belonging, self-esteem, cognitive needs, aesthetic needs and self actualisation at the top of the hierarchy
- the lower levels of the heirachy must be met before moving up and eventually self actualising
- innate tendency to achieve full potential and be the best we can be - rogers theory of self actualisation
- for personal growth to occur our ideal self and self need to be congruent with eachother and if the gap between the self and ideal self is too large the person will experience incongurence and self actualisation cannot happen
- self is who we are now, ideal self is who we want to be in the future - rogers conditions of worth
- psychological problems like low self esteem have roots in childhood
- caused by a lack of unconditional positive regard by the parents
- the parent gives conditions of worth such as “ill only love you if…”which creates psychological problems within the child and prevents personal growth - rogers client centered therapy
- non directive as he identified them as clients not patients because they know their own condition the most
- encourages them to find own solutions and journey but in a therapeutic, supportive and non judgemental environment
- provides the client w 3 things : - unconditional positive regard
- empathy
- genuiness
- therapist finds the clients self and ideal self and identifies any conditions of worth placed on the child
- aim is to increase self worth and reduce incongruence between self and ideal self
- influenced many counselling techniques
humanistic approach
- evaluation
- optimistic
- promotes a positive image of the human condition and shows how humans have control over their own lives and the freedom to change
- people have free will
- more refreshing approach to others which are quite reductionist
counterpoint : there’s no empirical evidence to back up this approach
- relies on subjective experience rather than scientific research
- concepts like self actualisation cannot be objectively measured and so cannot be empirically tested and falsified
- questions scientific credibility of this approach - holistic
- rogers client centered therapy focuses on individual as a whole
- focuses on the subjective experiences of the individuals in order to help them achieve their ideal self
- more comprenhnsive approach
- greater validity - culture bias
- many aspects of this approach such as self actualisation are based on values such as autonomy , individual freedom and personal growth
- these values ate associated with individualistic cultures
- collectivist cultures emphasise more the needs of the group and society as a whole so may not identify with the concepts of humanistic approach
- not a universal approach
psychodynamic approach
- evaluation
- unfalisfiable
- id and oedipus complex are at the unconscious level
- they are impossible to be empirically tested and so can’t be unfalsifibale
- freud also basis universal theories off subjective individuals which is wrong
- psychodynamic approach is based on pseudoscientific concepts - real world application
- in psychotherapies which treat mental disorders psychologically and freuds psychoanalysis was the first attempt of treating disorders this way
- helps patients access their unconscious such as dream analysis ( bring repressed thoughts into conscious )
- led to development of modern day therapies and counselling
counterpoint : they may not be appropriate for people with mental disorders such as people with schizophrenia as it can be harmful and requires careful articulation of thoughts and feelings - deterministic
- freud suggested that behaviour is determined by unconscious conflicts
- suggests we have no free will or control over our behaviour
- may influence bad violent behaviour as people will believe they are not responsible for their actions
