CAIE AS Level Psychology - Key Notes on Approaches

Biological Approach

1.1 Introduction

  • Main Assumptions:

    • Behavior, cognition, and emotions can be explained by:

    • Brain functions

    • Hormonal effects

    • Genetics

    • Evolutionary perspectives

    • Biological factors interact with other influences to create similarities and differences among individuals.

1.2 Dement and Kleitman (Sleep and Dreams)

  • Study Title: The Relation of Eye Movements During Sleep to Dream Activity: An Objective Method for the Study of Dreaming (1957)

  • Psychology Investigated: Understanding of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and nREM sleep stages, and their correlation with dream activity.

  • Key Concepts:

    • Sleep Stages: Two types:

    • REM: Characterized by rapid eye movements; associated with vivid dreams.

    • nREM: Divided into 4 stages; less vivid; no eye movements occur.

    • Ultradian Rhythms: Basic cycles of activity (about every 90 minutes) affecting sleep stages.

  • Background:

    • Prior work by Aserinsky and Kleitman (1955) demonstrated a link between eye movements, dream recall, and sleep stages.

1.3 Aims and Procedure

  • Aims:

    • Investigate the relationship between eye movements during sleep and dream recall.

    • Assess dream duration estimates in relation to REM periods.

    • Determine if eye movement patterns indicate dream content.

  • Research Method: Laboratory experiment with observational and self-report methods.

  • Sample: Nine adult participants (five studied intensively).

  • Procedure:

    • Monitored sleep stages with EEG and EOG recordings.

    • Used a repeated measures design for different sleep conditions (woken from REM or nREM).

1.4 Results and Conclusions

  • Findings:

    • Dream recall was significantly better during REM sleep (79.6% of awakenings) than nREM (6.9%).

    • Positive correlation between perceived dream duration and actual REM duration (r values ranged from 0.4 to 0.71).

    • Specific eye movement patterns correlated with dream content: dreams with vertical or horizontal movements were rare.

  • Conclusions:

    • Dreams predominantly occur during REM, with longer dream stages happening later in the sleep period.

1.5 Strengths and Weaknesses

  • Strengths:

    • High internal validity due to operational definitions and minimized demand characteristics.

    • High reliability through quantitative EEG data.

  • Weaknesses:

    • Limited generalizability due to small sample size.

    • Low ecological validity as laboratory conditions may alter natural sleep patterns.

Cognitive Approach

2.1 Introduction

  • Main Assumptions:

    • Behavior and emotions can be understood through cognitive processes such as attention, memory, and language.

    • Differences among individuals are based on patterns of cognition.

2.2 Andrade (Doodling)

  • Study Title: What Does Doodling Do? (2010)

  • Aim: Investigate whether doodling assists in processing information during a tedious task.

  • Method: Laboratory experiment with 40 university participants.

  • Procedure: Divided participants into doodling and control groups to listen to a monotonous message. Measured recall of names and places.

    • Doodlers shaded shapes while listening, control group did not doodle.

  • Results:

    • Doodlers recalled an average of 7.5 names, while non-doodlers recalled 5.8.

    • Confirmed that doodling improves concentration, with potential explanations around attention and memory.

2.3 Baron-Cohen et al. (Eyes Test)

  • Study Title: The "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" Test (2001)

  • Aim: Examine theory of mind understanding in adults with Asperger Syndrome vs. typical adults.

  • Method: Natural experiment with four participant groups.

    • Utilized forced-choice test of eye pairs to assess ability to infer emotions or mental states.

  • Results:

    • Adults with Asperger's performed significantly worse than controls, supporting the theory of mind deficits in autism.

Learning Approach

3.1 Introduction

  • Main Assumptions:

    • Behavior changes result from conditioning (operant and classical).

    • Social learning through observation plays a critical role.

3.2 Bandura et al. (Aggression)

  • Study Title: Transmission of Aggression Through Imitation of Aggressive Models (1961)

  • Aim: Investigate observational learning of aggression in children.

  • Results:

    • Witnessed aggressive models led to increased aggressive behavior in children, specifically in physical aggression.

    • More boys imitated aggression than girls, illustrating gender differences in learning through observation.

Social Approach

4.1 Milgram (Obedience)

  • Study Title: Behavioral Study of Obedience (1963)

  • Aim: Study obedience to authority figures in relation to harming others.

  • Results:

    • 65% of participants complied fully to the extreme instruction to administer shocks.

    • Showed high levels of obedience, supporting situational factors in behavior.

    • Ethical issues included deception, emotional strain, and right to withdraw.

4.2 Piliavin et al. (Subway Samaritans)

  • Aim: Investigate bystander behavior concerning victim conditions (drunk vs. ill) in a naturalistic setting.

  • Results:

    • More help was provided to an ill victim than a drunk one, demonstrating social factors in prosocial behavior.

    • Gender and same-race preferences influenced actions, emphasizing situational impacts on helping behavior.