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Summary AQA A-Level Psychology Approaches Key Term Glossary
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A document providing all the key terms for the Approaches topic.
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Psychological Word DescriptionIntrospection Introspection refers to a method of studying and
analysing ones own conscious thought, based on the work
of Wundt. Individuals provide detailed descriptions of
their thoughts, feelings, sensations and perceptions in
response to a stimuli. It was an early tool to gain insight
into human consciousness.
Standardised procedure A standardised procedure refers to a specific set of
instructions and steps that are consistently applied
to all participants in a research study. These
procedures are designed to ensure that the study is
conducted in a uniform and consistent manner,
minimizing variations that could potentially affect
the reliability and validity of the research findings.
Scientific Refers to an approach to studying human behaviour
and mental processes that adheres to the principles
and methods of the scientific method. It involves
using systematic and objective methods to gather,
analyse, and interpret empirical data, with the aim
of understanding and explaining various
psychological phenomena. There are 4 key principles
- empiricism, objectivity, systematic, testability and
replicability.
Empirical Refers to the use of observable, measurable, and objective
evidence in the process of conducting research and
drawing conclusions. Empirical evidence in psychology is
derived from direct observation or experimentation, and it
forms the foundation of scientific inquiry and the study of
human behaviour and mental processes.
Objective Refers to the quality of being unbiased, impartial, and
free from personal opinions or subjective influences. In
psychological research and analysis, objectivity is a
fundamental principle that ensures that observations,
data collection, and interpretations are based on empirical
evidence rather than personal beliefs, emotions, or biases.
,Systematic Refers to the structured and organized approach taken in
research and data collection. It involves carefully planned
and methodical procedures designed to gather, analyse,
and interpret data in a rigorous and consistent manner.
Systematic methods are essential in psychology to ensure
the reliability, validity, and objectivity of research findings.
Replicable Refers to the characteristic of a research study or
experiment that allows other researchers to conduct the
same study under similar conditions and obtain similar or
consistent results. Replicability is a critical aspect of the
scientific method and is fundamental in ensuring the
validity and reliability of research findings in psychology.
Social learning theory The social learning theory, often associated with the work
of Albert Bandura, iproposes how individuals acquire new
behaviours, attitudes, and emotional reactions by
observing, imitating, and modelling the actions and
behaviours of others. Social learning theory emphasizes
the role of social interactions and the environment in
shaping an individual's behaviour and personality.
Observation Social learning begins with observation. Individuals pay
attention to the behaviours and actions of others in their
social environment, including family members, peers,
media figures, and role models.
Imitation People often imitate the behaviours they have observed,
especially if they perceive the model's actions as
rewarding or leading to positive outcomes. This process is
sometimes referred to as "modelling."
Cognitive process A "cognitive process" refers to any mental operation or
activity that involves the acquisition, storage, retrieval,
processing, and manipulation of information and
knowledge. These processes are central to how individuals
perceive, think, reason, solve problems, make decisions,
and engage in various aspects of cognitive functioning.
,Vicarious reinforcement In social learning, individuals can learn from the
consequences experienced by others. If they observe
someone else being rewarded or punished for a particular
behaviour, they may adjust their own behaviour based on
this vicarious reinforcement.
Mediational processes A "mediational process" refers to a psychological
mechanism or cognitive process that occurs between an
initial stimulus or event and a particular behavioural or
emotional response. Mediational processes are often used
to explain how and why certain events or experiences lead
to specific outcomes or behaviours. Examples include
attention, retention, motivation, reproduction
Identification Refers to a psychological process by which an individual
adopts the attitudes, behaviours, and values of another
person or group, often as a means of forming or
strengthening their own sense of self-identity. Often we
identify with role models and when we want group
affiliation with them.
Behaviourism Behaviourism is a psychological approach that focuses on
the study of observable and measurable behaviours while
largely ignoring mental processes, thoughts, and
emotions. Behaviourism is based on the belief that
behaviour can be understood and explained through
environmental factors, conditioning, and the principles of
stimulus-response associations.
Tabula rasa A philosophical concept that refers to the idea of a "blank
slate" or "clean slate." This concept is often associated
with the empiricist philosophy and theories of human
development such as Behaviourism. The notion of tabula
rasa suggests that individuals are born with a mind that is
essentially blank or devoid of pre-existing knowledge,
ideas, or innate mental content.
, Classical Conditioning Associated with the work of Ivan Pavlov and his classical
conditioning rat experiments, which demonstrated how
animals and humans could learn to associate a neutral
stimulus with an unconditioned response, eventually
resulting in a conditioned stimulus producing a
conditioned response through repeated pairing of stimuli.
Unconditioned stimulus Refers to a stimulus that naturally and automatically
triggers a specific, unlearned response in an organism. The
unconditioned stimulus is typically a biologically or
innately significant stimulus that produces a reflexive or
unconditioned response without any prior learning or
conditioning. E.g. food for a dog
Unconditioned response An automatic and unlearned reaction or behaviour that
occurs in response to an unconditioned stimulus (UCS).
The unconditioned response is a natural and innate
reaction triggered by the presentation of a specific
stimulus, without the need for prior learning or
conditioning. E.g. dog salivating to food.
Neutral stimulus A stimulus that, on its own, does not naturally or
automatically evoke a particular response or reaction from
an organism. It lacks any inherent or pre-established
significance to the organism. However, in the context of
classical conditioning, a neutral stimulus can become a
conditioned stimulus (CS) through association with an
unconditioned stimulus (UCS), ultimately leading to a
conditioned response (CR). E.g bell.
Conditioned stimulus A stimulus that, through the process of classical
conditioning, comes to evoke a specific response or
reaction from an organism. Unlike a neutral stimulus (NS),
which does not naturally produce the desired response,
the conditioned stimulus acquires its ability to elicit a
conditioned response (CR) as a result of being repeatedly
paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS). E.g bell
becomes the conditioned stimulus.
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