My Personal Flashcards
(6 cards)
What are the main criticisms of using case studies as evidence for Freud’s theories?
A limitation was that it was not easy to empirically test. Freud’s emphasis on childhood means that retrospective case history study was used and the results may be confounded by memory bias and an individual’s subjective interpretation of their life. Furthermore, the concept of id, ego and superego are not empirical and Freud’s hypotheses are not fully operationalised. Freud’s cause of psychopathology is not directly verifiable and it is possible that his claims are incorrect. The psychodynamic theory therefore lacks scientific rigour and many psychologists do not accept it as a valid theory.
Another limitation is that it is unscientific. The case study used a small sample and it was an opportunity sampling for his friends. The techniques he used in the case study such as interpreting the dreams of the patients were open to bias and subjective. This is a limitation because it lacks verifiable evidence
How has the client-centered approach influenced therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)?
The client-centered approach is a type of therapy that helps incongruent individuals achieve congruence. This therapy is non-directive and it encourages clients to discover their own solutions in a therapeutic environment that is subjective and non-judgemental. Therapists helps individuals achieve congruence by treating them with unconditional positive regard and empathy to restore the lack they received at childhood. This helps the individual gain positive self worth
What evidence supports the idea that certain behaviours may be inherited from biological parents?
Twin studies- monozygotic twins are 100% genetically the same while dizygotic twins are 50% identically similar. Concordance rate is calculated to compare if a behaviour is genetic. If the shared behaviour is more likely in genetically same twins, there is an argument that the behaviour is a genetic component.
Adoption studies- Children share 50% of their genes with biological parents and 0% with adopted parents. If there is high concordance rate in a behaviour between biological parents and child then the behaviour has a genetic component because the biological parent would not have thought the child that behaviour as the child is not brought up by them.
Explain vicarious reinforcement
Term used to describe reinforcement the observer sees the model receiving. It is more likely a rewarded behaviour is copied than a behaviour that is punished.
Explain three social learning theory
Identification:
-when an individual is influenced by another because they are in some way similar to that person or wish to be like them.
-likely to imitate the behaviour of individuals with whom they identify.
Imitation:
-observes the behaviour of a role model and copies it
-characteristics of the model, observer’s ability to perform the behaviour and observed consequences of behaviour are determinants in imitating the behaviour
Modelling:
- Observing the behaviour of the role model.
-individual might observe a life model or copy a symbolic model that provides examples of behaviour that they may want to imitate at later stages
Explain the 4 role of mediating processes
Attention
-We have to notice a behaviour in order to imitate it.
-So many behaviours are observed on a daily basis and some of it are not noteworthy.
Retention
-It is important that the memory of the behaviour is formed in order to imitate it.
-Much of social learning is not immediate so it is much vital in those cases
Motor Reproduction
-We see lots of behaviour on a daily basis that we would like to imitate but it is not always possible.
-We are limited by our physical ability so that even if we wish to imitate a certain act, we can’t.
Motivation
-The desire to perform the behaviour
- If the perceived rewards outweighs the perceived costs, the observer will be more motivated to imitate it.
