Approaches

Question 1

Role of defence mechanisms

Answer 1

Help ego manage conflicts between superego and I’d. Done via denial, displacement and repression - give eg

Question 2

Psychodynamic approache strength and limitation

Answer 2

Limitation - fryers theories on unconscious/ conscious mind are falsifiable -> cannot be tested or observed - lacks scientific credibility and therefore internal validity of psychodynamic approach is low.

Strength- psychotherapy applied to treating mental health disorders -> understand thought behind depressions

Question 3

Skinners research into operant conditioning 1930

Answer 3

• rats/ pigeons into skinners box -> anytime pressed a leaver they were rewarded with food - overtime behaviour was learnt if wanted food
• concluded behaviours are learnt via reinforcement or punishment
• positive reinforcement - adding something pleasant to increase behaviour
• negative reinforcement - taking away something unpleasant to increase behaviour
• positive punishment - adding something unpleasant to decrease behaviour eg:
• negative punishment - taking away something pleasant to decrease behaviour eg:

Question 4

Evaluate skinners research

Answer 4

• used animals - not same biological basis as humans - human thoughts are more complex including more emotion and thought behind behaviours - can’t be generalised
• controlled environment - Carried out in lab setting - high control over extraneous variables (eg: environment in box - light to prevent distractions) - high internal validity
• issues of reductionism