APPROACHES - COMPARING APPROACHES Flashcards
1
Q
What is reductionism?
A
The view that behaviour should be studied by breaking down the individual into its smaller components
2
Q
Define Holism
A
The idea that human behaviour should be viewed as a whole integrated experience, and not as separate parts
3
Q
Define idiographic
A
In terms of approaches, focusing on the individual and emphasising the unique personal experience of human nature
4
Q
Define nomothetic
A
In psychology, the concern with general laws, based on the study of large groups of people
5
Q
What approaches believe in free will?
A
Humanistic
6
Q
What approaches are deterministic?
A
- Biological approach
- Behaviourist approach
- Social Learning Theory
- Cognitive approach
- Psychodynamic approach
7
Q
What approaches take the nature debate?
A
- Biological approach
- Cognitive approach
- Psychodynamic approach
8
Q
What approaches take the nurture debate?
A
- Behaviourist approach
- Social learning theory
- Cognitive approach
- Humanistic approach
9
Q
What approaches are reductionist?
A
- Biological approach
- Behaviourist approach
- Social learning theory
- Cognitive approach
- Psychodynamic approach
10
Q
What approach is holistic?
A
- Humanistic approach
- Psychodynamic approach
11
Q
What approaches are nomothetic?
A
- Biological approach
- Behaviourist approach
- Social learning theory
- Cognitive approach
- Psychodynamic approach
12
Q
What approaches are idiographic?
A
- Cognitive approach
- Psychodynamic approach
- Humanistic approach
13
Q
What approaches are scientific?
A
- Biological approach
- Behaviourist approach
- Social learning theory
- Cognitive approach
14
Q
What approaches are non-scientific?
A
- Psychodynamic approach
- Humanistic approach
15
Q
Explain how the biological approach is determinist
A
- Biological determinism
- intelligence research suggests intelligence is determined by genetic factors - 60-80%
16
Q
Explain how the behaviourist approach is determinist
A
- Environmental determinism
- Pavlov demonstrated behaviour is determined through association between stimulus and response
17
Q
Explain how SLT is determinist
A
- Bandura demonstrated that behaviour is determined by vicarious learning - observation of a model
18
Q
Explain how the cognitive approach is determinist
A
- schema determine behaviour
- Atkinson + Shiffrin suggest all human memory can be explained by the Multi-Store Model of Memory
19
Q
Explain how the psychodynamic approach is determinist
A
- Psychic determinism
- balance of the id, ego + superego or unresolved repressed childhood trauma determine behaviour
20
Q
Explain how the humanistic approach believes in free will
A
- we decide how to behave through our own free choices
- e.g. we decide what it means to self-actualise and behave accordingly
21
Q
Explain how the biological approach believes in nature
A
- intelligence research suggests intelligence is determined by genetic factors
22
Q
Explain how the behaviourist approach believes in nurture
A
- Pavlov demonstrated behaviour is determined through association between stimulus and response
23
Q
Explain how SLT approach believes in nurture
A
- Bandura demonstrated that behaviour is determined by vicarious learning - observation of a model
24
Q
Explain how the cognitive approach believes in nature and nurture
A
- in cognitive neuroscience Burnett et al. (2009) found that when people feel guilty (nurture) the medial prefrontal cortex (nature) is activated
25
Explain how the psychodynamic approach believes in nature
- MOSTLY nature
- innate drives - libido’s expression through the psychosexual stages
^— childhood experience shapes this (nurture)
26
Explain how the humanistic approach believes in nurture
- self-actualisation and what that looks like for each person is subjective
27
Explain how the biological approach is reductionist
- Biologically reductionist
- elevated levels of testosterone are associated with aggression (Dabbs et al)
28
Explain how the behaviourist approach is reductionist
- Environmentally reductionist
- Skinner reduces behaviour to positive/negative reinforcement and punishment
29
Explain how SLT is reductionist
- Environmentally reductionist
- Bandura demonstrated aggression was the result of vicarious learning
30
Explain how the cognitive approach is reductionist
- Experimentally reductionist
- when the cause of behaviour is the result of an IV, e.g. memory is studied in terms of capacity, duration + coded (how info gets into memory)
31
Explain how the psychodynamic approach is reductionist and holistic
- behaviour is reduced to innate drives but shaped by early childhood experiences
^— e.g. Little Hans case study - Freud suggested that his phobia of horses was related to the Oedipus complex - Freud suggested all phobias occurred this way
32
Explain how the humanistic approach is holistic
- focus on conscious experience, personal responsibility and the whole experience of a person striving for personal growth and fulfilment
33
Explain how the biological approach is nomothetic
- universal laws because humans share same physiologies
^— e.g. all behaviour has a genetic cause - elevated levels of testosterone are are associated with aggression
34
Explain how the behaviourist approach is nomothetic
- Universal laws as behaviour is the result of stimulus response
^— e.g. Pavlov’s dogs sound of bell (CS) > salivation (CR
- All humans born tabula rasa
35
Explain how SLT is nomothetic
- Universal laws as behaviour is the result of vicarious reinforcement
^— Bandura demonstrates aggressive behaviour was socially transmitted
36
Explain how the cognitive approach is nomothetic and idiographic
- Attempts to establish general law of cognitive processing
^— e.g. MSM explains all human memory (Atkinson + Shiffrin)
- Also used idiographic approach with case studies - him problems with STM helped us to understand how STM may work
37
Explain how the psychodynamic approach is nomothetic and idiographic
- Attempts to establish a general law in relation to innate drives
^— Freud used case studies (IDIOGRAPHIC) to create general laws
- Individual childhood experience
^— e.g. Little Hans- Freud suggested that his phobia of horses was related to the Oedipus complex | Freud suggested all phobias occurred in this way (NOMOTHETIC)
38
Explain how the humanistic approach is idiographic
- Focuses on the subjective experience and makes no attempts to create general laws
39
Explain how the biological approach is scientific
- Biological approach promotes scientific methods of investigation
^— e.g. brain scans - Burnett et al (2009) demonstrated that the prefrontal cortex is active when feeling guilty
40
Explain how the behaviourist approach is scientific
- Behaviourist approach uses scientific methods
^— e.g. laboratory experiments (Pavlov’s dogs + Skinner’s rats)
41
Explain how SLT is scientific
- Mostly scientific
- Uses scientific methods but also considers influence of mediational processes
^— e.g. Bobo Doll experiment - lab experiments, however acknowledgement of the role of attention, retention, motor reproduction + motivation between and observation + potential imitation
42
Explain how the cognitive approach is scientific
- Mostly scientific
- Uses scientific methods but you cannot observe cognitive processes, only make inference from outcomes of lab experiments
43
Explain how the psychodynamic approach is not scientific
- Examines abstract concept that cannot be empirically researched
^— e.g. id, ego + superego are abstract - relies on subjective interpretation
44
Explain how the humanistic approach is not scientific
- Rejects scientific methods
^— unable to provide empirical evidence - e.g. the concept of self-actualisation is unique and subjective to an individual
