Approaches Flashcards
Outline Introspection
- Self observation method.
- Pps trained to report immediate observations.
- Asked to focus on everyday objects-look inwards, noticing physical sensations & emotional feelings and images.
- Didn’t want them to analyse feelings, just report them.
- Asked to break thoughts down into: images, sensations, feelings.
- Used same stimulus for all pps.
How did Wundt make psychology a science?
- 1st lab controlled environment.
- Focus on being objective (no researcher bias).
- Systematic reporting of experience of object.
- Replicable- standardised instructions-test validity-compare findings.
- Standardised procedures-pps trained, same, instructions.
Evaluate introspection
+Established psychology as a science-used today to gain access to cognitive processes- Griffiths=cognitive processes of fruit machine gamblers- asked ‘think aloud’.
- Behaviourists criticized for being unreliable & unscientific- unreliable methods-produced subjective data-asking pps to report sensations made it ‘non observable’- can’t me scientific.
- Impossible to reproduce introspective ‘experimental’ results.
- Not particularly accurate-were often unaware of causes and processes underlying behaviour and attitudes-can’t be accurate when asked to report on sensations and perceptions.
What does the biological approach suggest causes behaviours?
Physical factors:
- Genes, brain structure, neurotransmitters, hormones.
- Mind & brain are same thing- all thoughts, feelings & behaviours have a physical basis.
What methods does the Biological approach use?
- Brain scans: FMRI & PET to measure brain activity.
- Twin studies: to determine likelihood of traits having genetic basis-comparison of concordance rates between pairs of twins- If concordance rates higher for MZ than DZ-suggests characteristic is genetic.
- Blood saliva samples- measure hormone levels e.g. testosterone.
Outline the geno-environment interaction
- Genotype: genetic makeup.
- Phenotype: How genes are expressed, consequence of interaction of genotype & environment.
- Adult identical twins often look different than child identical twins-environment had more time to impact them.
- PKU-rare genetic disorder-if left unchecked can cause brain damage-if detected early, children put on restricted diet will develop normally without any complications.
How does the nervous system help explain certain behaviours?
Neurotransmitters: low levels of serotonin=depression, high levels of dopamine=sz.
Excitatory & inhibitory transmitters stimulate or inhibit a receiving nerve cell=calm or stimulating effect.
Hormones: endocrine system: hormones travel to ‘target cells’-stimulate receptors on surface or inside cell=physiological reaction in cell-altering activity.
Evaluate the biological approach
+Scientific methods: high control, sophisticated unbiased imaging & recording techniques- easily to replicate, adds validity to original findings if reproduced.
+Reductionist: Research of neurochemical imbalances led to development of drug treatments=SSRI’s- correct imbalances.
-Overly reductionist: Ignores higher level explanations-other factors contribute to depression: long term unemployment, abusive relationships.
-Deterministic: Sees human behaviour governed by internal factors-have no control over-implications for legal system-identification of particular gene takes responsibility away.
Outline the role of mediational processes in SLT
Cognitive factors: influence learning and come between stimulus and response.
Attention: noticing behaviour.
Retention: remembering behaviour.
Reproduction: has to be physically possible.
Motivation: must be a reason to want to copy the role-model.
Outline SLT
- Proposed by Albert Bandura.
- Development of behaviourist approach.
- Argued CC and OC couldn’t account for all human learning.
- Important mental processes lie between stimulus and response.
- Combines principles from both behaviourist and cognitive approaches.
- Concerned with human rather than animal behaviour.
- Learning occurs indirectly in a social context through observation of role models.
What are the two types of models as part of SLT
Living (e.g. teachers, parents, peers), symbolic models (e.g. celebrities).
What is meant by modelling in SLT?
Imitating behaviour of role model or demonstrating a specific behaviour.
What is meant by identification in SLT?
Association with model-wants to be like them.
What is meant by imitation in SLT?
Copying behaviour of others-whether we do, depends on mediational processes we go through.
Define vicarious reinforcement in SLT?
Learning behaviour through observing someone else being reinforced for that behaviour-motivated to copy behaviour- vicarious punishment=less motivated to copy behaviour.
