APPROACHES IN PSYCHOLOGY Flashcards
(42 cards)
What is the cognitive approach?
This approach focuses on how our mental processes affect behaviour.
What are internal mental processes?
Operations of the mind such as perception and attention that come between stimulus and response.
What is schema?
A mental frame of beliefs and expectations that influence cognitive processing. They are developed from experience.
What is the main assumption of the cognitive approach?
The cognitive approach argues that internal mental processes should be studied scientifically. This cognitive process is private so scientist make inference of internal mental processes based on people’s behaviour.
Why is schema helpful?
It enables us to process information quickly and is used as a mental shortcut that prevents us from being overwhelmed.
What is cognitive neuroscience?
The scientific study of influence of brain structures on mental processes. The focus of cognitive neuroscience has expanded to using computer generated models that are designed to read the brain known as ‘brain fingerprinting’.
Theoretical and computer
Cognitive psychologist use both theoretical and computer models to help them understand internal mental processes.
Who is Wundt’s?
Wundts could be considered as the pioneer of psychology. He opened the first psychology lab in Germany in 1879. He came up with the process of intospection where he would evaluate his participants internal mental processes.
How did Wundt’s use introspection?
Wundt’s used a metronome as a stimulus and asked his participants to write down what they were thinking whilst hearing the metronome to evaluate their internal mental processes.
How is the behaviourist approach different to the cognitive approach?
The behaviourist approach is only interested in observing behaviour that can be measured.
What is the behaviourist approach?
A way of explaining behaviour in terms of what’s observable.
What is classical conditioning?
Classical conditioning is learning by association. This occurs when two stimulus ( unconditional stimulus and neutral stimulus) are paired together. Eventually, the neutral stimulus produces the same response as the unconditioned stimulus.
Describe Pavlov’s research on classical conditioning
Pavlov revealed that a dog could be conditioned to salivate at the same time as hearing the bell if the bell was rung each time the dog was given food and this is exactly what Pavlov’s dogs did. Therefore Pavlov was able to show how a neutral stimulus could become a conditioned response.
What is operant conditioning?
A form of learning where behaviour is shaped and learnt by consequences.
What is positive reinforcement?
Positive reinforcement is receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed. Eg receiving praise when you get good grades
What is negative reinforcement?
Negative reinforcement occurs when a behaviour is performed in order to avoid something unpleasant. Eg completing homework so you don’t get a detention.
What is punishment?
An unpleasant consequence for behaviour. Eg going to prison for murder.
Describe Skinners research
Skinner conducted experiments with rats and pigeons in boxes called Skinner boxes. In these boxes if a rat would pull the lever or the pigeon would peck the disk it would receive food. From then on the animal would continue repeating the behaviour. If they didn’t do this they would receive an electric shock.
What is an advantage of operant conditioning?
Operant conditioning has been used in prison systems and psychiatric wards to encourage good behaviour.
What is a disadvantage of using animals to explain human behaviour?
Animals are seen as passive and machine like in their response to the environment. Other approaches in psychology such as the social learning theory and the cognitive approach have emphasised the importance of mental events during learning. Animals don’t have the same cognitive ability as humans.
What is a disadvantage of the behaviourist approach?
The behaviourist approach sees all behaviour as pre-determined and ignores the influence of free will. Skinners research was unethical.
What is the social learning theory?
People learn through observation and imitation in a social context. The social learning theory also suggest that people learn indirectly through classical and operant conditioning.
What is imitation?
Copying the behaviour of others
What is identification
When an observer associates with their role model and wants to be like their role model.
