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A Level Psychology > Approaches - Booklet 1 > Flashcards

Approaches - Booklet 1 Flashcards

Origins of Psychology, Behaviourist Approach, Social Learning Theory, Cognitive Approach (67 cards)

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1
Q

why is wilhelm wundt considered the father of psychology

A

-he separated psychology from biology and philosophy
-he opened the first psychology lab

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2
Q

what was the significance of wundt establishing the first psychology lab

A

-it allowed researchers to systematically study mental processes in a controlled environment

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3
Q

define structuralism

A

-an approach that analyses the components of consciousness
-breaks down mental components into basic elements like sensations and perceptions

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4
Q

define introspection

A

-reporting conscious thoughts and experiences

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5
Q

describe the method of introspection

A

-a systematic analysis of ones own conscious experience
-experiences are analysed in terms of their component parts
-these parts are elements like sensations, emotions and reactions
-people are trained to do this analysis so the data os objective
-people presented with standardised sensory events like a ticking metronome and reported their reactions

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6
Q

evidence for wundt using systematic and well controlled methods

A

-he carried out his research in a lab environment
-so sustained high levels of control
-and controlled possible extraneous variables
-standardised procedures

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7
Q

evidence for some of wundts work being considered unscientific

A

-self reporting mental processes results in subjective data
-participants may have hidden thoughts they didn’t want to share
-so it is difficult to establish meaningful laws of behaviour

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8
Q

evidence for introspection not being able to be used to study different aspects of behaviour

A

-children have limited vocabulary and an inability to express feelings
-animals have an inability to express thoughts, and lack higher mental processes such as emotion
-so application of introspection is limited

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9
Q

A03 points for wundt and introspection

A

-systematic and well controlled methods
-other elements would be considered unscientific today
-can not be used to study all aspects of behaviour

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10
Q

what are the assumptions of the behaviourist approach

A

-psychology should only study observable, quantifiable behaviour
-humans are only animals and are not more complex
-subject matter of psychology should be classical and operant conditioning

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11
Q

outline how pavlov studied classical conditioning

A

-he strapped a dog into a harness with an apparatus that allowed precise measurement of amount of saliva produced
-a bell would be rung and the amount of saliva was measured
-food would be presented and the mount of saliva measured
-bell and food were presented at the same time and amount of saliva measured
-repeated a set number of times
-bell rung without presentation of food and saliva measured to test strength of the conditioned response

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12
Q

what was the unconditioned stimulus in pavlovs research

A

food

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13
Q

what was the unconditioned response in pavlovs research

A

salivating at food

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14
Q

what was the neutral stimulus in pavlovs research

A

bell

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15
Q

what was the conditioned stimulus in pavlovs research

A

-the bell
-after the bell and food were presented together

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16
Q

what was the conditioned response in pavlovs research

A

salivating at bell

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17
Q

define operant conditioning

A

-learning through reinforcement and punishment

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18
Q

define positive reinforcement

A

-receiving a reward for a behaviour

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19
Q

define negative reinforcement

A

-the removal/avoidance of something unpleasant

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20
Q

define punishment

A

-an unpleasant consequence for behaviour

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21
Q

how does positive reinforcement affect behaviour

A

-increases the chance the behaviour is repeated

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22
Q

how does negative reinforcement affect behaviour

A

-increases the chance the behaviour is repeated

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23
Q

how do punishments affect behaviour

A

-decreases the likelihood the behaviour is repeated

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24
Q

outline skinners research into operant conditioning

A

-set up an operant conditioning chamber (Skinner box)
-taught rats to push a lever which was unnatural, so operant conditioning with positive and negative reinforcement was performed
-positive reinforcement was where the rat was rewarded with food when he pressed the lever
-negative reinforcement was when the rat could turn off electric shocks produced by the floor by pressing the lever

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25
A03 points about behaviourist approach
-experimental support -relies on animal studies -real life application -biological factors
26
evidence for experimental support for the behaviourist approach
-skinners experiment using operant conditioning to teach a rat -little albert experiment which used classical conditioning to create a phobia -lab experiments -variables controlled -so can be replicated, meaning they are reliable
27
evidence for animal studies limiting the behaviourist approach
-relies on animal studies -skinner used rats -pavlov used dogs -animals biologically and cognitively different to humans -cannot extrapolate results to human behaviour as may not be valid
28
evidence for real life application supporting the behaviourist approach
-operant conditioning is the basis of token economy systems used in institutions such as prisons and schools -rewards of tokens that can be exchanged for privileges -classical conditioning applied to treating phobias eg systematic desensitisation and flooding which require less effort and insight than talking therapies
29
evidence for biological factors limiting the behaviourist approach
-does not take into account the influence of biological factors -such as dopamine level or genetic factors -it is environmentally reductionist and does not take into account other influences -behaviourist approach only a partial explanation for behaviour
30
assumptions of social learning theory
-bandura agreed with behaviourists that we learn from experience -people learn through observation and imitation of others -social learning -learning occurs directly through classical and operant conditioning -but also occurs indirectly
31
define social learning theory
-a way of explaining behaviour that includes both direct and indirect reinforcement, combining learning theory with the role of cognitive factors
32
define imitation
-copying the behaviour of others
33
define identification
-when an observer associates themselves with a role model and wants to be like the role model
34
define modelling
-from the observers perspective = imitating the behaviours of a role model -from the models perspective= the precise demonstration of a specific behaviour
35
define vicarious reinforcement
-reinforcement which is not directly experienced -but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced for a behaviour -key factor in imitation
36
define mediational processes
-cognitive factors that influence learning and come between stimulus and response
37
who are we most likely to imitate
-same sex -same age or older -higher status -as become role models due to being perceived as successful leading to identification
38
what are the mediational processes
-attention -retention -motor reproduction -motivation
39
define attention
-the extent to which we notice certain behaviours
40
define retention
-how well the behaviour is remembered
41
define motor reproduction
-the ability of the observer to perform the behaviour
42
define motivation
-the will to perform the behaviour, which is often determined by whether the behaviour was rewarded or punished
43
what was the aim of banduras bobo doll experiment
-investigate whether children learn aggression through observation and imitation -specifically whether they would imitate an adults aggressive behaviour
44
what was the procedure for banduras bobo doll experiment
-controlled, lab experiment -children divided into 3 groups 1- observed an adult behaving aggressively towards a bobo doll 2- observed a non aggressive adult 3- control group with no model -children later placed in a room with a bobo doll and other toys and their behaviour was observed
45
results of the bobo doll experiment
-children exposed to the aggressive model were more likely to imitate the aggressive actions and verbal remarks -especially if the model was of the same gender -non aggressive and control group showed significantly less aggression
46
conclusion of the bobo doll experiment
-demonstrated that aggression can be learned through observation and imitation -supports banduras social learning theory -emphasises role of modelling in learning behaviours
47
A03 points for social learning theory
-research support -reliant on evidence from lab studies -doesn't reference the impact of biological factors
48
evidence for research support for social learning theory
-bobo doll experiment took place in a lab environment -highly controlled -influence of extraneous variables reduced -cause and effect clearly demonstrated -so adds validity to SLT
49
evidence for reliance on lab studies limiting SLT
-participants may respond to demand characteristics -main purpose of the bobo doll is to strike it, so children would behave in a way they thought was expected
50
evidence for a lack of reference to biological factors limiting SLT
-in bobo doll experiment boys were more aggressive than girls regardless of the environment -explained by hormones such as testosterone -which SLT doesn't involve
51
assumptions in the cognitive approach
-we can study internal mental processes indirectly -we make inferences on internal processes based on observable behaviour -our brains work like a computer as we process information in the same way
52
define cognitive approach
-the term cognitive has come to mean mental processes, so this approach is focused on how our mental processes affect behaviour
53
define internal mental processes
-private operations of the mind such as perception and attention that mediate between stimulus and response
54
define schema
-a mental framework of beliefs and expectations that influence cognitive processing -they are developed through experience
55
define inference
-the process whereby cognitive psychologists draw conclusions about the way mental processes operate on the basis of observed behaviour
56
define cognitive neuroscience
-the scientific study of biological structures that underpin cognitive processes
57
example of an investigation into internal mental processes in the cognitive approach
-comparing abilities of groups to memorise a list of words -presented verbally or visually to infer which type of sensory information is easiest to process -investigate whether or not this changes with different word types or individuals
58
describe the role of theoretical and computer models
-attempt to explain and infer information and draw conclusions about mental processes
59
describe the information processing model
-the mind is described like a computer -input is encoding of sensory information -processing is information manipulation -output is behaviour/ emotion
60
explain the impacts of schemas
-can distort eyewitness testimony -negative self schemas in depression
61
AO3- benefit of scientific and objective methods in the cognitive approach
-highly controlled and rigorous methods to enable researchers to infer cognitive processes -lab experiments produce objective and reliable data
62
AO3 - machine reductionism limiting the cognitive approach
-machine reductionism ignores the influence of how human emotion and motivation on ability to process information -memory may be affected by emotional factors such as anxiety in ewt
63
AO3 - real life applications of cognitive approach
-evidence from real world applications -cognitive research into memory and the effects of misleading information -has reduced the use of ewt in court -reformed police procedures -helped treatment of depression through cbt -contributions to modern society and developed professional understanding
64
describe cognitive neuroscience
-how brain structures and biology affect mental processes -specific brain areas are associated with particular actions, moods and emotions -brain areas are tested through brain scanning
65
AO3- issues with technology used for cognitive neuroscience
-MRI scans used to identify the activity in different brain regions are not fully reliable -user error can occur in calibration, temperature and noise interference -so may lack validity
66
AO3 - strength of real life application of cognitive neuroscience
-used in medicine when different brains areas are studied using brain scans like MRI and PET scans -so technology increases reliability and validity
67
AO3- machine reductionism as a limitation of cognitive neuroscience
-doesn’t take into account the impact of human emotions on behaviour and that humans are complex and unpredictable -cognitive neuroscience can’t be used to fully explain human behaviour

A Level Psychology (15 decks)

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