approaches

What is introspection

the examination of one’s own mental and emotional processes

Wundts method of introspection

• Wundt and coworkers recorded their responses to various stimuli that they were presented with

• Responses were split into categories :thoughts , feelings ,sensations

• Introspection is a systematic analysis of one’s own conscious experience

• Controlled conditions

Features of introspection

• first controlled systematic attempt to study the mind

• Consisted of thoughts, processes, images

• Known as structuralism

• Carried out by Wundt

• Recorded feelings

Emergence of the role of introspection in the role of psychology

• research led to the basis of research for approaches

• Introspection seen as subjective

• Self reports could’ve led participants to hiding information

Strength for introspection

+SCIENTIFIC

• introspection recorded in the lab, controlled environment

• Procedures and instructions were the same for all participants, same testing

• Research was the basis for later approaches

  +contributed to psychology as a social science

• Wundt. Wrote the first academic journal and textbook

• Father of modern psychology, pioneering research

• Foundation for approaches

Weaknesses for introspection

-SUBJECTIVE

• participants relied on self reporting them until processes, the data is subjective

• Difficult to establish meaningful laws of behaviour

• Some of the research don’t mean scientific criteria

What is the behaviourist approach

A way of explaining behaviour in terms of what is observable, and what is learnable

Classical conditioning?

• Learning through association

• Pavlov associated the sound of a bell with food for the dogs

• So much so, the dog with salivate at the sound of a bell, even if there was no food

Operant conditioning

• Learning through consequences

• Proved positive and negative reinforcement can result in species operative on their environment

• Skinner, pet rats and pigeons in a cage, and everything that you would get a reward and a different mechanism to receiving electric shock

Strengths of the behaviourist approach

+RESEARCH WAS WITHIN HIGHLY CONTROLLED LAB SETTINGS

• skinner was able to demonstrate how reinforcement influence in animals behaviour as cause, and effect relationship was established

• By breaking down behaviour into basic stimulus responses

• Has scientific credibility

+RWA

• token economy systems have been used successfully in institutions

• Widespread application increases the value of the behaviourist approach

• Improve society for all ranges of mental illnesses (phobias) to be treated

Weaknesses of behaviourist approach

-OVERSIMPLIFIED

• unlike SLT or cognitive approaches, as they have drawn attention to the mental processes involved in learning

• Learning is more complex than observable behaviour

• Mental processes or sensuously approach

-ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINISM

• skinner suggested that everything we do is the sum, total of a reinforcement history

• Ignores free will may have possible influences on behaviour

• Suggests conscious decision-making doesn’t affect behaviour

Assumptions of SLT

• Behaviour is learned from experience, which is observed and imitated

• Includes direct and indirect reinforcement

Mediational processes

-Focuses on how mental factors are involved in learning

• ATTENTION- The extent to which we noticed certain behaviours

• RETENTION- how are the behaviour is remembered

• MOTOR REPRODUCTION- The ability of the observer to perform the certain behaviour

• MOTIVATION- The world to perform the behaviour, which is of determined by whether the behaviour is rewarded or punished

Bandura’s research

• recorded the behaviour of young children who watched an adult behave aggressively to a doll

• When the children were observed, they behaved more aggressively to the doll compared to those who observed and non-aggressive

  STUDY B

• children showed videos where an adult behaved aggressively to a doll

• First = praised ,Second =punishment third = no consequence

• First most aggressive,3rd,2nd

Identification

• people are more likely to imitate people they identify with

• Identify=role model

• Imitating=modelling

• Gender

Strengths of SLT

+COGNITIVE FACTORS RECOGNISED

• better then behaviourism as it recognises the role or meditational processes

• Bandura observed that learning behaviour would be exceedingly laborious not to mention hazardous

• Comprehensive explain action of human learning by recognising the role of meditational processes

+RWA

• Mediational processes can explain how cultural norms are transmitted through particular societies

• This has proved useful in understanding a range of behaviours such as how children come to understand their gender

• Increases validity can account for real-world behaviour

Weaknesses of SLT

-UNDERPLAYS BIOLOGICAL FACTORS

• Claimed natural, biological differences, influence learning potential

• Mirror neurons allow us to emphasise weird and imitate other people

• Critiqued for making too little to the influence of biological factors of learning

-RECIPROCSAL DETERMISM

• We are not merely influenced by our external environment

• Explains cultural differences in behaviour

• Includes elements of free will contrast the approach which team is the possibility of free will

Assumptions and inferences of the cognitive approach

• the approach argues that internal processes can and should be studied scientifically

• The processes are ‘private’ and can’t be observed

• Psychologists study them indirectly by making inferences about what is going on in peoples mind

Schema

A Mental framework for the interpretation of incoming interpretation that includes cognitive processes

Theoretical models

Information processing approach, suggests that information flows through the cognitive approach in a sequence of stages

Computer models

Helps, understand, mental processes, programming them to be similar to human minds

Cognitive neuroscience

• the scientific study of the influence of the brain structures on mental processes

• FMRI

• E.g frontal lobe= speech production

Strengths of cognitive approach

+USES OBJECTIVE, SCIENTIFIC METHODS

• Cognitive psychologist employee, highly controlled and rigourous methods of study so researchers are able to infer cognitive processes at work

• Lab studies produce reliable, objective data

• Means that the study of the mind is credible scientific basis

+RWA

• Has been applied to a wide range of practical and theoretical contacts

• AI and ‘thinking machines’ may revolutionise how we live in the future.

• Supports the value of the approach

Weaknesses of the cognitive approach

-BASED ON MACHINE REDUCTIONISM

• The computer analogy has been criticised

• Ignores the influence of human emotion and motivation on cognitive system and how this may affect your ability to process information

• Weakening the validity of the approach

Twin studies

• used to investigate whether certain psychological characteristics have genetic basis

• Achieve by analysing concordance rates

• MZ share 100%, DZ share 50%

Positives of biological approach

+RWA

• understanding of the brain has lead to treatments for disorders

• E.g promoting treatment for depression

• Meaning people can manage their condition rather than be in hospital

+SCIENTIFIC METHODS

• Brain scans use a range of precise and objective methods

• Which assess biological processes in a way that aren’t bias

• The approach is based of objective and reliable data

Weaknesses of the biological approach

-BIOLOGICAL DETERMINISM

• Human behaviour is governed by internal, genetic causes over which we have no control

• Can give excuses to those who commit crimes as it is ‘caused by a gene ‘

• The views to simplistic and ignore mediators affect

Psychodynamic approach

• A perspective that describes the different forces, most of which are unconscious, that operate on the mind and direct human behaviour and experience

• Sigmund Freud suggested that part of the mind we know about, and aware of is the conscious mind, however, most of our mind is made of the unconscious

ID

• primitive part of our personality

• Operate the pleasure principle

• Present as birth

• Selfish and demand instant gratification

• Selfish and demands instant gratification

EGO

• reality principle

• Mediator between 2 other parts of the personality

• Manages by employing a number of defence mechanisms

SUPER EGO

• phallic stage around 5

• Sense of right and wrong

• Morality principle

• Punishes ego for wrong doing

Psychosexual stages

• Freud claimed that child development occurred in 5 stages

• Any stages that are unresolved Eade to fixation

• ORAL 0-1

• ANAL 1-3

• PHALLIC 3-6

• LATENCY

• GENITAL

Strengths of psychodynamic approach

+RWA

• Freud brought to the world, a new form of therapy, psychoanalysis

• The first attempt of treating mental disorders, such as therapies

• Shows the value of the approach

+ABILITY TO EXPLAIN HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

• Has been used to explain a wide range of phenomena, including personality development

• The approach is also significant in drawing attention to the connection between experiences in childhood

• Had a positive impact in psychology

Weaknesses of psychodynamic approach

-MUCH OF IT IS UNTESTABLE

• Popper argue that the approach doesn’t meet scientific criteria

• It isn’t open to empirical testing

• Many of freud’s concept occur in the unconscious level making them almost impossible to be tested

• Freud’s theory was pseudoscientific rather established fact

What is the humanistic approach

• an approach to Understanding behaviour that emphasises the importance of subjective experience at each persons capacity for self-determination

Free will

The notion that humans can make choices are not determined by external or internal forces

Self actualisation

The desire to grow psychologically and fulfill ones potential, becoming what you are capable of

Hierarchy of needs

• a five levelled hierachal sequence in which basic physiological needs must be satisfied before higher psychological needs can be achieved

• Physiological needs

• Safety and security

• Love and belongingness

• Self esteem

• Self actualisation

Self

The idea and values that characterise ‘i’ and ‘me’ and includes perception and valuing of ‘what i am’ and ‘what i can do’

Congruence

• the aim of the Rogerian theory

• When the self and ideal self are seen to broadly accord or match

Conditions of worth

When a parent places limits or boundaries on their love for their children

Strengths of the humanistic approach

+NOT REDUCTIONISM

• it rejects attempts to break up behaviour and experience into smaller components

• Freud described the whole personality as a conflict between 3 things: ego, id, superego

• Advocate for holism, the idea that subjective experience can only be understood by considering the whole person

• High validity

+POSITIVE APPROACH

• optimistic

• Psychologists have been praised for bringing the person back into psychology and promoting a positive image of the human condition

• Sees all people as good

• Offers a refreshing alternative to other approaches

Weaknesses of humanistic approach

-MAY BE CULTURALLY BIAS

• many of the ideas linked to the approach such as free will are associated with individualist tendencies

• Countries with collectivist tendencies emphasise more with the need for group and interdependence

• The approach doesn’t apply universally and cannot be applied for all cultures