As-Level Psych Paper 1

Biological Approach Assumptions

1) Behaviour, cognitions, and emotions can be explained by the working of the brain and the effects of hormones, genes, and evolution

2) Similarities and differences between people can be understood through biological factors and their interactions with others.

Biological approach strengths and weaknesses

Strengths: qualitative data, highly reliable, applicable

Weaknesses : reductionist, difficulty, isolating, variables, and ethical concerns

Cognitive approach assumptions

1) information is processed through the same role in all humans input output and process similar to how information is processed in a computer

2) similarities and differences between people can be understood through individual patterns of cognition, attention, language, memory, and thinking

Cognitive approach strengths and weaknesses

Strength: scientific methods practical applications, knowledge to the thinking process

Weaknesses: use of lab experiment = ecological validity and internal processes are unobservable

Learning approach assumptions

1) We are born as blank states. Experiences and interactions with the environment, shape or behavior. Changes are directly observable.

2) We learned through processes, classical operant, and social

Learning approach processes: classical, operant, social

Classical: associations are made between two stimuli. Natural stimuli and learned, neutral

Operant: learning by consequences

Social: learning by observation

Learning approach strengths and weaknesses

Strength: highly scientific

Weaknesses: reductionist

Social approach assumptions

1) Behavior, cognition, and emotions can be influenced by social context, social, environments, and groups

2) Behavior, cognition, and emotions can be influenced by implied or imagined presence of others

Social approach strengths and weaknesses

Strength: understanding of human

Weaknesses: environmentally deterministic

Dement and Kleitman Aims

1) Does dream recall differ between Rem and nRem stages of sleep

2) Is is there a positive current calculation between dream duration and the length of REM period before awakening

3) Are eye movement patterns related to dream content

Dement and Kleitman Sample

Seven male two female (9)

Dement and Kleitman Apparatus

EEG

EOG

Loud bell

Tape recorder

Dement and Kleitman Research Methods ( varied by aim )

Aim 1: repeated measures design and self-report. Independent variable = woken from REM and nREM. Dependent variable = dream recall.

Aim 2: correlation, repeated measure design, self-report.

Aim 3: correlation and self-report

Dement and Kleitman General procedure

Each night of the study participants ate normally excluding caffeinated drink drinks, and alcohol throughout the night

Arrived at the lab before their normal bedtime

Went to sleep in a dark quiet room with EG’s and EOG’s attached to their head that led to the experimental room that were tied up in a ponytail for more comfort for participants

The participants were woken by a loud belt various times throughout the night

Once awoken experimentals asked participants if they were dreaming. If they were, they were to describe their dream into a recorder if not returned back to sleep.

Not told about their EEG pattern or eye movement

Dement and Kleitman Procedure for aim 1

Participants were awoken either REM or nREM (not told which)

Immediately, after waking up, there would be asked if they were dreaming or not if they were dreaming, if they were to state their dream to the recorder

Dement and Kleitman Procedure aim 2

Participants were awoken after five minutes or 15 in REM

Participants guess which duration they had been in (5 minutes or 15 minutes)

Then we asked if they were dreaming or not, and their dreams were were counted

Dement and Kleitman Procedure aim 3

Participants were awoken after a single eye movement pattern lasted for over a minute

Then they were asked to record their dream

The eye movement detected was: little to no movement, mixed movement, mainly horizontal, mainly vertical

Dement and Kleitman controls and data collection

Controls: apparatus and procedure

Data collection: structured and structured observations and qualitative and quantitive data