AQA A-Level Psychology notes on the Approaches topic by an A* student
14 views 0 purchase
Course
Approaches
Institution
AQA
Book
The Complete Companion for AQA, Psychology A Level
Detailed notes on AO1 and A03 for every topic in Approaches. Evaluation is explicit but comprehensible. Perfect for students who are aiming for top grades.
Discuss explanations of a nicotine addiction (16 marks)
AQA A-level psychology HUMANISTIC APPROACH NOTES
AQA Psychology Paper 1 Summary Grid
All for this textbook (76)
Written for
A/AS Level
AQA
Psychology
Approaches
All documents for this subject (493)
Seller
Follow
JunYu
Content preview
Origins of psychology
Wundt’s lab;
- opened the first ever lab dedicated to the study of psychology
- aimed to analyse the nature of human consciousness
- first systematic attempt to study the mind under controlled conditions
- this method became known as introspection
Standardised procedures;
- main objectives were to try and develop theories about mental processes
such as language and perception
- divided observations into three sections; thoughts, images, sensations
Structuralism;
- isolating the structure of consciousness
- stimuli presented in the same way and same order to all participants
Evaluation;
- scientific; highly controlled conditions, less extraneous variables, procedures
and instructions carefully considered and followed
- subjective data; limitation, hard to establish general laws, his early efforts
may be flawed eg some participants may have hidden their thoughts
The emergence of psychology as science;
- 1900s behaviourists; introspection questioned by Watson (subjective data)
- made it difficult to establish general laws
- proposed for behaviour to be observed objectively and measure
- 1950s cognitive approach; likened mind to a computer
- highly scientific + conducted in controlled environments such as labs
- eg. the multi-store model
- 1980s biological approach; advances in technology eg EEGs and fMRI to
study live brain activity + genetic testing for understanding of role of genes
Evaluation;
- modern psychology; same aims as natural sciences, eg to describe, observe
and study behaviour, established scientific discipline
- subjective data; not all approaches may use scientific, objective methods,
participants may respond to demand characteristics
, The behaviourist approach
Assumptions;
- studying behaviour that can be observed and measured
- Introspection developed by Wundt but rejected by Watson because concepts
were seen as too vague and difficult to measure
- describe a baby’s mind is a “blank slate”
- maintained control and objectivity in their research + relied on lab studies
- suggested that basic processes are the same in all species (Darwin)
Classical conditioning (Pavlov’s research);
- Pavlov, (1972) ---> learning through association
- showed how dogs could be conditioned to salivate to the sound of bell
ringing
- if food was presented the same time of the sound of the bell
- dogs learnt to associate the sound of the bell with food
- dogs became conditioned to react (salivate) when hearing the bell because
they associated the sound with being fed
Operant conditioning (Skinner’s research);
---> suggest that learning is an active process where animals and humans operate
on their environments
- suggested that behaviour is shaped by its consequences
- positive reinforcement is receiving a reward when correct behaviour is
performed
- negative reinforcement is the avoidance of an unpleasant consequence
- (eg. Skinner’s box; the rat would press the level to avoid getting an electric
shock)
Punishment is an unpleasant consequence of behaviour (finding a way to avoid
punishment would be negative reinforcement
Evaluation of the behaviourist approach;
- well controlled research; focus on observable behaviour in highly controlled
lab settings (extraneous variables removed so cause-and-effect relationship
can be established)
- counterpoint of well controlled research; may be oversimplified, ignores the
influence of human thought in learning (SLT and cognitive approach consider
mental processes whereas behaviourists don’t)
- real world applications; token economy systems (where people in
institutions, prisons, rehab centres, ect can get tokens for good behaviour
which was be exchanged for rewards)
- environmental determinism; ignores the possible influence of free will
because it sees all behaviour to be determined by past experiences and
doesn’t account for conscious decision making processes
- ethical issues; there may be some concerns with the ethics surrounding
Pavlow and Skinner’s research studies as the animals were placed in harsh
conditions eg. always kept hungry
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller JunYu. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $21.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
