Learning Approaches Flashcards

Question

What is the idea of self actualisation as stated in the humanistic approach

Answer 1

– self actualisation – we have an innate drive to achieve a full potential and when we achieve this it is called self actualisation. This is unique to each person. - Self: There are three selves and to achieve self actualisation these selves must be similar: 1. The self-concept – is how you see yourself 2. The ideal self – is the self you want to be 3. The real self – is the self you actually are – congruence is achieved when the three cells are the same. This is difficult to achieve and many people do not achieve self actualisation

Answer 2

- there are five types of needs we must fill in order to achieve self actualisation – from bottom to top – physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, self actualisation - you cannot move onto a further stage until you have fulfilled the current types of needs – self actualisation is not permanent

Answer 3

- to chief self actualisation we must exclude unconditional positive regard – conditional love/regard to prevent a person from Achieving self actualisation

Answer 4

- client centred therapy is very effective – the client discovers their own solutions in a supportive and nonjudgemental environment. The therapist must make the client feel exception accepted (unconditional positive regard) and the client feels comfortable being honest and is able to discover the barriers that prevent them from being congruent. However this is not as useful as others such as CBT – the hierarchy of needs is cultures specific, as it focuses on the self rather than the group and so it’s not applicable to both individualist and collectivist cultures – only individualist cultures – it is not reductionist so may be more valid than other approaches - It is very unscientific as the humanist approach is anti-scientific or does not think people can be tested using scientific methods

Answer 5

a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning.

Answer 6

- Pavlov performed a famous set of experiments on dogs that demonstrated classical conditioning. - By the end of the experiment, the dogs paired a tone with meat powder and began to salivate when they heard a tone, which is a stimulus that previously wouldn't have elicited a response. PROCESS OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING: 1) The meat powder in this situation was an unconditioned stimulus (UCS). The dogs’ salivation was an unconditioned response (UCR). 2) Pavlov would sound a tone (like ringing a bell) and then give the dogs the meat powder. The tone was the neutral stimulus (NS). 3) When Pavlov paired the tone with the meat powder repeatedly, the previously neutral stimulus (the tone) also made the dogs salivate. The neutral stimulus became the conditioned stimulus (CS). Eventually, the dogs began to salivate to the tone alone. 4) In the case of Pavlov's dogs, they had learned to associate the tone (CS) with being fed. They began to salivate in anticipation of food when they heard the tone, making salivation the conditioned response (CR).

Answer 7

- Pavlov's research provides powerful explanations for the development of a variety of behaviours including psychological disorders. It also provides useful counter conditioning treatments, including systematic desensitisation (used to extinguish phobia's such as that of 'little Albert'). - The use of animals is a criticism of Pavlov's research. Although conditioning can be observed in dogs and most species, human behaviour is driven by complex emotions and thought processes. This means that it is impossible for all these processes to be observed. Although there is supporting evidence, like little Albert, generalising and applying the findings of dogs to humans is still very difficult. Therefore, generalisations between humans and animals must be made with caution. Whilst conditioning may be useful in explaining animal behaviour, it may not be very useful in explaining learning in humans. - Classical conditioning is limited to explaining how reflex responses become associated with new stimuli. However, much human behaviour is voluntary and therefore cannot be explained by Classical Conditioning. There must be other learning processes involved. It also ignores the role of cognitive and biological factors which have also been shown to play a role in learning.

Answer 8

WILHELM WUNDT: believed that all aspects of nature including the human mind could be studied scientifically – he studied only those aspects of behaviour that could be strictly controlled under experimental conditions e.g reaction time – his aim was to study the structure of the human mind – he used introspection – eventually realised that higher mental processes such as learning ,language and emotions could not be studied in a controlled manner INTROSPECTION: – introspective ability enables the observation of our inner world – Wundt suggested that with training mental processes such as memory and perception could be observed systemically as they occurred using introspection e.g observing an object and being asked to reflect on how they perceive it -In Wundt’s participants were given a carefully controlled stimuli e.g visual images or auditory tones) and then were asked to provide a description of their inner processes .This made it possible to compare the results in response to the same stimuli and so establish theories on perception

Answer 9

– empiricists believe that knowledge comes from observation and experience alone. – behaviour is seen as being caused( the assumption of determinism) -if behaviour is determined than it is possible to predict how human beings will behave in different conditions( the assumption of predictability) – the technique used to explore these assumptions became known as scientific method THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD – the use of investigative methods that are objective systematic and replicable – it is objective as researchers do not let biases influence data collection – it is systematic as observations or experiments are carried out in an orderly way – recording of data is carried out accurately and and other factors that influence results are considered – it is replicable as observations can be repeated by other researchers to see if the same results are obtained,improving the reliability of the results -The development of scientific theories and the constant testing and refining of these theories to further observations completes the scientific cycle

Answer 10

Wundt’s methods were unreliable- Behaviourists criticised that his approach was based on non observable responses.Although participants reported on their conscious experiences, the processes of memory or perception were considered to be unobservable constructions.There was a lack of reliability in his methods and his experimental methods were not easily reproducible Strength of the scientific approach to psychology- as it relies on belief in determinism they are able to establish the causes of behaviour through the use of replicable methods.Also,scientific knowledge is self- corrective as psychologists are always repeating each other’s experiments Limitations of a scientific approach to psychology- by focusing on controlling observations contrived situations are created that tell us little about how people act in more natural environments.

Answer 11

the belief that all knowledge is derived from sensory experience it is characterised by the use of scientific method

Answer 12

the process by which a person gains knowledge about their own mental and emotional states as a result of the examination of their conscious thoughts and feelings.

Answer 13

refers to the use of investigative methods that are objective ,systematic and replicable as well as the formulation of testing and modification of hypotheses based off these methods