CAIE AS Level Psychology (9990) Four Psychological Approaches

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers key terms, psychological concepts, and research terminology from the Biological, Cognitive, Learning, and Social approaches as detailed in the ZNotes for CAIE AS Level Psychology.

REM (rapid eye movement) sleep

A stage of sleep characterized by rapid eye movements under the lids, vivid thoughts, and high brain activity, often referred to as paradoxical sleep.

Ultradian rhythms

Activity cycles that occur approximately every 90 minutes and are responsible for the different stages of sleep experienced during the night.

Electroencephalograph (EEG)

A machine that monitors and records the electrical activity of the brain, used to identify sleep stages by measuring voltage and frequency.

Electrooculogram (EOG)

A technique used for the electrical recording of eye movement patterns, including their presence, size, and direction (vertical or horizontal).

Socialization

The method of learning behaviors that are socially accepted within a culture, which often differ for males and females.

Gender stereotype

The bias of assigning particular traits or behaviors to a specific gender, such as labeling aggression as a male-typed trait.

Mindfulness

A state achieved through meditation involving undistracted, non-judgmental awareness of the present moment, thoughts, and feelings.

Localization of function

The psychological theory that particular brain areas are responsible for specific activities or cognitive processes.

MBSR course

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction; an 8-week intervention used to investigate changes in regional brain grey matter density.

Attention

The cognitive ability to actively focus mental processing resources on a specific task while filtering out distractions.

Doodling

The act of sketching or mark-making which may aid concentration on a primary task by maintaining arousal or reducing daydreaming.

Theory of mind

The ability to attribute mental states to oneself or another person to make sense of or predict their behavior.

Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ)

A questionnaire tool used to measure the degree to which an adult with normal intelligence shows traits associated with the autistic spectrum.

False positive response

Giving an affirmative but incorrect answer to a question, such as misidentifying a person in a target-absent lineup.

Social Learning Theory

A theory suggesting that social behavior is learned primarily by observing and imitating the behaviors of models.

Vicarious reinforcement

When an observer witnesses a model being rewarded for a behavior, making the observer more likely to imitate that behavior.

Primary Positive Reinforcement (PPR)

Stimuli that are naturally rewarding because they satisfy basic biological or psychological needs, such as food or water.

Secondary Positive Reinforcement (SPR)

A stimulus that becomes rewarding through learning or association with a primary reinforcer, such as a whistle associated with a food reward.

Evaluative learning

A form of classical conditioning where an individual perceives a previously neutral object negatively through association with an unpleasant emotional response like disgust.

Contingency management

A behavioral therapy technique where positive reinforcement is provided when a desired behavior is shown to increase its frequency.

Agency Theory

A theory explaining obedience as a switch between autonomy and an agentic state when interacting with an authority figure.

Agentic State

A psychological state where individuals follow orders from an authority figure and see the figure as responsible for the actions rather than themselves.

Moral Strain

The internal conflict experienced when an individual obeys demands from an authority figure that they personally disagree with or know to be wrong.

Interpersonal Distance

The physical space maintained between two people, categorized into zones such as intimate, personal, social, and public distance.

Bystander Apathy

A phenomenon where individuals witness an emergency but fail to intervene or offer assistance.

Diffusion of responsibility

A sociopsychological phenomenon where people feel less personally accountable and are less likely to help when other people are present.

Cost-Reward Model

A model suggesting that helping behavior is motivated by the desire to reduce personal discomfort through a cost/benefit analysis.

Approach 1: Biological Approach

Focuses on biological factors such as genetics, neurochemistry, and brain structure in understanding behavior and mental processes.

Study 1: Gottesman et al. (1991)

Investigated the concordance rates of schizophrenia among twins to demonstrate genetic contributions to mental illness, finding a higher rate among monozygotic twins compared to dizygotic twins.

Study 2: Raine et al. (1997)

Examined the brain activity of murderers using PET scans, showing reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex, suggesting a neurological basis for violent behavior.

Study 3: Caspi et al. (2003)

Studied the interaction between the 5-HTT gene and environmental stressors in relation to depression, showing that individuals with a certain gene variation were more susceptible to depression following stressful life events.

Approach 2: Cognitive Approach

Emphasizes internal mental processes such as perception, memory, and problem-solving and how they influence behavior.

Study 1: Loftus and Palmer (1974)

Investigated the effects of leading questions on eyewitness testimony, finding that the phrasing of questions can alter memory recall.

Study 2: Baddeley (1966)

Conducted experiments on memory encoding, revealing that participants struggled to remember similar-sounding words, suggesting that encoding is phonological.

Study 3: Tulving (1972)

Introduced the distinction between episodic and semantic memory, highlighting that these two types of long-term memory function differently.

Approach 3: Behavioral Approach

Focuses on observable behavior and the role of environmental factors in shaping behavior through conditioning.

Study 1: Pavlov (1890)

Demonstrated classical conditioning through experiments with dogs, showing how a neutral stimulus can elicit a conditioned response.

Study 2: Skinner (1938)

Used operant conditioning to show how reinforcement and punishment can shape behavior, using animals in controlled settings.

Study 3: Bandura (1961)

Conducted the Bobo doll experiment to demonstrate observational learning, showing that children emulate behavior they observe.

Approach 4: Humanistic Approach

Emphasizes personal growth, self-actualization, and the inherent goodness of individuals, prioritizing subjective experience.

Study 1: Rogers (1951)

Introduced person-centered therapy and emphasized the importance of unconditional positive regard in fostering an individual's growth.

Study 2: Maslow (1943)

Developed the hierarchy of needs theory, explaining motivation through a pyramid model, where self-actualization is at the top.

Study 3: May (1967)

Explored the concepts of existential psychology to discuss personal agency and the implications of freedom and responsibility in human experience.