Approaches To Psychology Flashcards
Social neuroscience- study of the brain whilst undertaking social processes and behaviour
Cognitive and anatomical modularity in the brain.
Tools to understand foundations of social thought and behaviour: fMRI- measures oxygen in blood; EEG- event related potentials.
Provides understanding of how events in brain relate to social processes, but other approaches provide useful insights into social context.
Critical social psychology: highlighting power changes can bring about social change.
Phenomenological perspective.
Social psychoanalytical- Freud; conscious and unconscious.
Discursive psychological perspective- language and how we use it.
Social constructivism- objective; can be measured; four tenets.
Four tenets of social constructivism (Gergen, 1985)
1) critical stance towards taken-for-granted knowledge: understanding constructs such as age, gender, disability (either enabled or disabled by society- e.g. Ramp/stairs).
2) historical and cultural specificity.
3) knowledge is sustained by social processes.
4) knowledge and social action are intertwined.
Three facets to understanding
Ontology (what is real): anti realism; anti essentialism (being born with an essence- cannot all be explained by bio; through neuroscience.
Epistemology (theory of knowledge): try to do things objectively- social constructivism argues you can’t because your opinions always impact behaviours. Knowledge derived from looking from one perspective.
Methodology (how do you know what’s real): study interactions.
Historically and culturally specific: Gergen, 1973- social psych as history
All knowledge historically and culturally bound- product of this (artefacts).
Psychological knowledge is time and culturally bound.
Imposition of western ideas on other cultures- through science we are advancing towards better understanding of physical and psychological world.
Gergen 1973
“Principles of human interaction cannot readily be developed over time because the facts on which they are based do not generally remain stable”
Knowledge is sustained by social processes
Knowledge of the world is not gleaned by objective observation.
- constructed between us (self promotion).
- language is a precondition for thought.
- language more than passive vehicle for intertidal states but brings about action.
Knowledge and social action are intertwined
Constructions of the world sustain some patterns of social action and exclude others- social disability movement.
Bound up in power relations- implications for what is permissible for people to do to others.
Ascertaining this knowledge: Qualitative research appropriate for social constructionist approach:
Exploration and theory development.
Holistic analysis of complex, dynamic and exceptional phenomena.
Subjective meaning.
Analysis of aesthetic dimensions of experience- aesthetics are concerned with material experiences, the way the sensual worth greets sensate body and affective forces are generated thus including emotions which result from both positive and negative affect (Highmore, 2010).
IPA, grounded theory.
Qualitative methods
Range to understand interactions, experiences and discourses.
E.g. Discourse analysis- discourses are resources with which dominant understandings of the world are constructed and sustained.
These impact our attitudes and behaviours.
Social construction of ageing
Ageism: ignored the diversity of individual experiences of ageing and homogenises all older people together (Bytheway, 2005).
Burden: dismissive interpretation of old age, based on negative attitudes, rather than objective fact of positive contribution to society (Warnes, 1993).
Age discrimination
Van den Heuval 2012- frequent age discrimination as experienced by old people themselves, is reported by a quarter of European citizens.
Rippon et al 2013- survey of 7509+ aged 50+. 33.3% experienced age discrimination.
Implications of age discrimination
Featherstone & Hepworth- images create expectations of how older people should speak and act.
Lack of uptake in technology by older people- assumption they are incapable or disinterested.
Age UK 2014- causes of loneliness are not just due to physical isolation, but also sometimes lack of useful role in society.
50% of over 65 year olds say TV and pets are main company.
Loneliness associated with poor health outcomes
Reframe the discourse?
Tulle 2008- move away from anti ageing discourse and to recovery.
