Approaches in Psychology

Behaviourist approach-strength

P-A strength of the behaviourist approach to psychology is that it employs scientific methods  E-For example, experiments are done in laboratory environments which are highly controlled and data is gathered from observable behaviours meaning it is free from research bias E-Having objective research which is highly controlled, allows a standardised procedure, leading to the experiments being replicable  L-Therefore, this is a strength as it increases the validity of the findings and allows researchers to test for reliability. It also increases the scientific credibility of psychology

Behaviourist approach - strength

P-Another strength of the behaviourist approach is that it has real life application

E-For example, the principles of operant conditioning such as positive reinforcement has helped to develop behaviour modification programmes like token economy 

E-An example of token economy is giving prisoners positive reinforcement such as a taken for desirable behaviour (e.g. cleaning their cell), which can then be exchanged for a reward. This would encourage the development of good behaviour long term 

L-This contribution to real life means the behaviourist approach helps people and is therefore useful 

Behaviourist approach - limitation

P-A weakness of the behaviourist approach is that there is a lot of research done on animals  E-For example, the principles of classical conditioning is based on Pavlov’s research done on dogs and operant conditioning is based on Skinner’s research done on rats  E-This is problematic, as many psychologists would argue that humans are far more physically and cognitively complex than animals and therefore results cannot be extrapolated to humans. This makes us question the external validity of evidence which backs up concepts like classical and operant conditioning  L-Therefore, since the behaviourist approach is based on studies which may not apply to humans, we cannot be confident if the theories can be applied either, thus reducing the validity

Behaviourist approach -limitation

P-A weakness of the behaviourist approach is that it is considered reductionist 

E-For example, the approach oversimplifies a complex behaviour such as learning, to a simplistic explanation such as being solely due to ‘stimulus and response’ connections 

E-In doing so, it disregards a multitude of factors which can also influence our behaviour – such as our biological makeup and genes (especially when there is credible research from McGuffin which suggest that genes do play a role)

L-This limits the explanatory scope of the behaviourist approach, making it sound like an incomplete approach, reducing its validity 

SLT - strength

P-A strength of the SLT is that it acknowledges cognitive mental processing

E For example, the theory takes into consideration the cognitions of a person such as attention, retention, reproduction and motivation as well as it playing a role in behaviour, which is neglected by the behaviourist approach

E This supports the SLT as it demonstrated that it treats human learning as an active interaction with the environment instead of being a passive product of our surroundings. Therefore, SLT is considered more holistic and less reductionist

L This increases the validity of the SLT

SLT -strength

P Another strength of the SLT is that it has practical application

E For example, sports coaches use concepts such as observational learning by demonstrating behaviour, which they would like their students to imitate and learn. Also, they could use and apply concepts like vicarious reinforcement by rewarding a pupil for practicing the right technique

E This is a strength as it demonstrates that instead of being purely theoretical, SLT can be applied in everyday life to train people and make their lives better

L Therefore, the principles of SLT are useful and help society

SLT - strength

P-One strength of the SLT is that it is supported by research

E For example, Bandura found that children are much more likely to demonstrate aggression if they observe a role model demonstrating the behaviour. Furthermore, Bandura also found that children were much more likely to imitate same sex role models

E This supports the SLT as it shows that behaviour is learnt through observation of behaviour that is attended to and is then reproduced as a result of modelling

L Therefore, Bandura’s findings increase the validity of SLT as an explanation of howpeople acquire behaviour

SLT- limitation

P-A limitation of the SLT is that it underestimates the influence of biological factors

E-For example, supporting research from Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment, boys were consistently more aggressive than girls, regardless of the experimental design

E-However, this could be explained by biological factors such as hormones like testosterone, which is produced in greater quantities in boys than girls and is linked to aggressive behaviour 

L-Therefore the SLT may be criticised as an incomplete explanation as it doesn’t take into account such factors, which may have an influence on behaviour, reducing the validity

SLT- limitation

P-A weakness of the SLT is that it is limited in its explanation of acquisition of behaviours which are too complex to learn from observation 

E-For example, people who develop schizophrenia often display behaviours that they have not previously observed in other people such as delusions

E-This shows that observations of behaviour is not the only explanation of how people learn a behaviour and that other factors such as biological makeup and neurotransmitters may also play a role

L-Therefore it can be argued to be a limited explanation for non-observable behaviours, reducing its validity 

Cognitive approach- strength

P A strength of the cognitive approach is that it is based scientific evidence and methods

E For example, it deploys highly controlled scientific methods e.g. laboratory experiments, which produce objective and reliable data. Since the level of control is high, it allows for standardised procedures which can be replicated later to test the reliability of the findings

E Furthermore, it also allows for the control of extraneous variables helping us infer strong cause and effect relationships in experiments

L Therefore, scientific methodology allows us to be confident in findings and thus the cognitive approach. Not only does it increase its validity but also give psychology scientific credibility

Cognitive approach - strength

P-A key strength of the cognitive approach is thatit has real life applicationsdeprived from its theories

E For example, research into faulty cognitions and cognitive explanation of depression has led to treatments like CBT. These treatments have gone on to help many that have been affected by depression

E Furthermore, the fact that research from Davies has shown that CBT is an effective treatment for depression further validates the core ideas of the cognitive approach as it proves that for CBT to work, the underlying theories must be correct to begin with

L This demonstrates that instead of being theoretical concepts, the cognitive approach can be applied to real life to help people

Cognitive approach-limitation

A weakness of the cognitive approach is that the computer analogy has been criticised for being machine reductionist

E For example, the computer analogy compares the human mind to that of a computer

E In doing so, it oversimplifies the mind to be input, processing and output and disregards other factors that could influence out ability to process information such as emotion. This is problematic as we know from research human memory can be affected emotional factors, such as anxiety on EWT

L This therefore reduces the validity of the cognitive approach and makes it an incomplete explanation of cognitive behaviour as it doesn’t consider all factors

cognitive approach-limitation

P Another weakness is that researchers argues that the cognitive approach is too artificial and theoretical in nature

E Since majority of the evidence is done on concepts like schemas, it cannot be measured and operationalised empirically. Some researches argue that the cognitive approach is too abstract to be applied to everyday life

E Furthermore, even when it is measured, it is often done in artificial laboratory settings. Since these involve tasks, participants are not exposed to, on an everyday basis, it often leads to weak ecological validity

L As a result, it may be a cause where the findings of cognitive approach cannot be applied to everyday life, thus reducing its validity

Biological approach- strength

P A strength of the biological approach is that there is supporting evidence for the genetic explanation of behaviour from twin studies

E For example, McGuffin conducted a twin study on depression and found concordance rates of 46% for MZ twins and 20% for DZ twins

E This suggest depression is die to genes, as the more genes we share with someone the more likely is it that we will also share out behaviours with them e.g. depressions

L Therefore, it increases the validity of the biological approach to psychology as this evidence suggests genes have an effect on psychological characteristics

biological approach- strength

A strength of the biological approach is that biochemical explanation of behaviour have practical applications

E For example, understanding biochemical processes such as neurotransmitters has enabled the development of psychoactive drugs such as prozac

E This is a strength as such drugs increase levels of serotonin in people with depression and help to decrease depressive symptoms. Furthermore, the fact that these treatments have been found to be effective is a further arguments to the validity of the underlying basis of the treatment, which has been deduced from the biological approach

L Therefore, not only does this increase the validity of the approach but it also shows that it can be used in everyday life to help the lives of people suffering from mental abnormality

biological approach - limitation

P A weakness of the biological approach is that supporting research from twin studies cannot easily distinguish the impact of the environment

E For example, evidence from twin studies assumes that MZ and DZ twins have the same

environment and thus the concordance rates are solely down to genetics

E This is a problem as we cannot be sure that the environment has not played a role in behaviour and therefore concordance rates, as MZ twins would typically havea much more similar treatment from the environment and upbringing compared to DZ twins

L Therefore, due to the methodological issues of supporting research, the validity of the biological approach in explaining behaviour is reduced

Biological approach- limitation

A weakness of the biological approach is that it may be considered as reductionist

E This is because it oversimplifies complex behaviour such as thought and mental abnormality down to physical factors like neurotransmitter levels

E In doing so, it disregards the multitude of factors which can influence our behaviour – such as our thoughts and cognitions, especially when there is credible research from Beck, which proves that maladaptive behaviours are often a product of irrational beliefs and faulty schemas

L This limits the explanatory scope of the biological approach, making it sound like an incomplete approach, reducing its validity

Humanistic approach -strength

A strength of the humanistic approach is that concepts like Maslow’s hierarchy, may have relevance on a larger scale than just individual growth

E For example, Hagerty looked at 88 different countries and found that countries in the early stages of economic development were characterised by lower level needs (biological such as food), whereas those in advanced stages of economic development were more focussed on self- actualisation needs (focused on achievement)

E This is a strength as it demonstrates that humanistic concepts do not only help us understand the needs of an individual, but also helps us understand the needs of different countries and understand the difference in priorities and focuses among cultures

L This shows that the humanistic approach can be applied to the wider world

humanistic approach -strength

P Another strength of thehumanistic approach is that it focuses on holistic explanations

E The humanistic approach often rejects any attempts to break up behaviour into smaller component parts, whereas other approaches like the behaviourist approach often simplify complex human experiences to reductionist ideas like stimulus- response connections

E This is a strength because the humanistic approach shows an understanding and appreciation to the complicated nature of human beings and accordingly believes that humans are a product of subjective experiences, not simplified behavioural rules

L This adds validity to the humanistic approach as it demonstrates an understanding of the complex human behaviours in real life situations

humanistic approach - limitation

P A weakness of the humanistic approach is the difficulty to test the theories scientifically

E Most of the research from the humanistic approach revolves around concepts that are hard to measure and operationalise. For example, self-actualisation. A problem with such poorly defined concepts is that they can only be investigated through self-report and non-experimental methods. As a result, they are often impossible to verify

E This is a weakness as it is hard to deduce a cause and effect relationship between concepts such as self-actualisation and real life behaviour. As such concepts are hard to measure, it can also be argued that they are hard to falsify and prove statistically. Further demonstrating the lack of scientific rigour within the humanistic approach

L As a result, the approach can be seen as unscientific and diminishes psychology’s credibility as a science

humanistic approach - limitation

P A criticism of humanistic psychology is that it represents an overly idealised and unrealistic view of human nature

E Critics argue that people are not as ‘growth-orientated’ as humanistic theories suggest and the approach does not adequately recognise that self- actualisation is a hard to achieve concept for many people due to complicated situation which everyday life presents e.g. bereavement

E As a result, it has been suggested that the criteria set by the humanistic approach for concepts like ‘self-actualisation’ and ideal behaviour may neither be realistic not appropriate for modern society

L This limits the validity of the humanistic approach as it demonstrates that it cannot always be used to explain everyday human behaviour

Psychodynamic approach- strength

P-A strength of the psychodynamic approach is that it has practical application with therapy

E-For example, based on ideas of the unconscious mind, Freud developed a new therapy called psychoanalysis, which uses different methods to access the unconscious mind such as hypnosis and dream analysis

E-This is a strength as his therapy was used as a basis for psychotherapies developed today to treat depression and anxiety. Furthermore, the effectiveness of such treatments increases the validity of the underlying basis of the treatment deduced from the psychodynamic approach 

L-Therefore, it not only increases the validity but shows that it can be used to everyday life to help people with mental health issues

Psychodynamic approach- strength

P-Another strength of the psychodynamic approach is that it is considered as a catalyst of paradigm shift within psychology

E-For example, it suggested new methods for gathering empirical evidence e.g. case studies and the main ideas of the approach were focused on observations of behaviour rather than relying on self-analysis of thought and introspection

E-Furthermore, Freud’s theory was the first to emphasise the significance of unconscious processes and repressed material from childhood affecting our adult behaviour 

L-This demonstrates how Freud and the approach initiated a lot of core psychology ideas, which are still followed today, thus demonstrating its role as an influential pioneering approach 

Psychodynamic approach- limitation

P-A weakness of the approach is the gender biased views that Freud has often adopted towards female sexuality 

E-In his theories, Freud has often seemed to remain ignorant of female sexuality and based his theories significantly around male sexuality. Concepts such as ‘penis envy’ demonstrate females to be the ‘lesser’ sex as they envy superiority that only males allegedly possess 

E-This is a weakness because not only does he belittle nearly half of the population bit it also cannot be applied well to females. It could also lead to misdiagnosing females as abnormal when there us nothing wrong with them 

L-This shows that as a result of its gender biased background, work from the psychodynamic approach cannot be applied to explain female behaviour

Psychodynamic approach- limitation

P-A weakness is the difficulty in testing theories scientifically 

E-Most of the research from the psychodynamic approach revolves around concepts that are hard to measure and operationalise e.g. conflicts in the unconscious mind. A problem with such poorly defined concepts is that they can only be investigated through self-report and non-experimental methods. As a result, hard to verify

E-This is a weakness as it is hard to deduce a cause and effect relationship between concepts such as ego defence mechanisms and real life behaviour. As they are hard to measure, it can also be argued that they are hard to falsify and disprove, further demonstrating the lack of scientific rigour within the psychodynamic approach 

L-Therefore, the approach has been referred to as a pseudoscience and diminishes psychology’s credibility as a science