APPROACHES Flashcards
(12 cards)
2 strengths of the psychodynamic approach
1) Introduced psychotherapy: first attempt to treat mental issues psychologically, not physically. Forerunner to modern “talking therapies” e.g. counselling. HOWEVER does not help all disorders e.g. Schizophrenia
2) Explanatory power: can explain Freudian slips (parapaxes) and some phobias, also first to link early experiences with personality + behaviour
2 weaknesses of the psychodynamic approach
1) Theory not falsifiable: Popper argued it is pseudoscience, as psychodynamic cannot be disproved as it is impossible to test unconscious
2) Psychic determinism: extreme view suggests no free will due to power of unconscious forces, even a slip of the tongue is not an “accident”
2 strengths of social learning theory approach
1) Recognises cognition in learning: SLT recognises people observe others and preserve this information, provides a more comprehensive explanation of human learning HOWEVER lacks biological factors e.g. mirror neurons
2) Real-world application: SLT can explain cultural difference in behaviour, and how children learn from others (in media?) and shows how cultural norms are transmitted through society e.g. gender roles
Weakness of social learning theory approach
Use of lab studies: Bandura’s ppts. may have been responding to demand characteristics, as they may have thought the main purpose of the doll was to strike it, not imitating an adult just acting as they perceived was normal
2 strengths of the behaviourist (conditioning) approach
1) Well-controlled research: Behaviourist studies have scientific credibility as they are in highly controlled labs, with stimulus and response the only variables HOWEVER reductionist, ignores role of others or cognition
2) Real-world application: operant conditioning is used in token economies e.g. prisons, where work is rewarded with secondary reinforcers that lead to privileges
2 weaknesses of the behaviourist approach
1) Environmental determinism: sees behaviour as conditioned by past experiences, rather than free will and choice. “Free will is an illusion” - Skinner
2) Reductionism: extreme position that ignores role of decision-making processes on behaviour (cognitive)
2 strengths of cognitive approach
1) Scientific methods: highly controlled lab studies allow for inferences (not direct observation). Cognitive neuroscience enhances scientific basis of studies.
2) Real-world application: can be applied to thinking machines, ie artificial intelligence
weakness of cognitive approach
Machine reductionism: mind is similar to a machine, but cognitive approach ignores roles of emotion and motivation, e.g. anxiety affecting eyewitness testimony
2 strengths of humanistic approach
1) Real-world application: client-centred therapy, Rogers said provides a client with genuineness, empathy and unconditional positive regard. It is used to increase feelings of self-worth
2) Not reductionist: acknowledges life is different for all people therefore subjective experience can only be understood by considering the whole person, not only their genes only etc
weakness of humanistic approach
Culturally biased: ideas such as achieving personal potential are more attractive in individualist cultures e.g. the US, rather than collectivist cultures where a final goal may be group achievement.
2 strengths of the biological approach
1) Real-life application: neurochemical basis is used in effective OCD treatments, e.g. SSRIs (with a 70% efficacy rate)
2) Scientific methods: uses scanning techniques e.g. fMRI and PET scan
2 weaknesses of the biological approach
1) Hard biological determinism: sees behaviour as caused by genetics over which we have no control
2) Issues with biological reductionism: ignores role of cognitive and environmental factors, this approach is contradicted by phenotypes being different to genotypes
