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Approaches revision notes
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Includes all topics for Approaches from the book: AQA A level psychology revision guide. Both AO1 and AO3. All psychologists names are highlighted.
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Approaches:Origins of psychology-
Wundt: introspection = looking into oneself, to study the conscious mind
Used scientific. methods – lab, standardised procedures
Psychology as a science:
Behaviorist – behavior - skinner is learnt and observed using lab studies
Cognitive- computer and internal mental processes using experiments
Biological – brain scans e.g. Fmri, improves technology
Evaluation:
Wundt uses scientific measures. Used controlled lab studies and standardised procedures
which link to the scientific credibility of the other approaches.
Wundt uses subjective measures. Watson - Participants used self-report which meant that
participants may have hidden some of their thoughts which led to demand characteristics in
their behaviours and in the results. Therefore, his research doesn’t meet the scientific
credibility criteria.
Wundt consideration. He was one of the first to produce a academic journal which used
scientific methods. This is also one of the reasons he is called the ‘father of psychology’. This led
to the demand for other approaches. This increases the validity of the research.
Some of the approaches use scientific methods. The biological nd cognitive used controlled lab
studies and is unbiased for their research. This proves that psychology is a science.
Some of the approaches are subjective. The psychodynamic and the humanistic does not form
general laws of behaviour approach uses case studies which is unrepresentative samples. These
methods are not representative of the whole population as there is demand characteristics.
This means that psychology is not fully a science.
Kuhn said that scientific subjects need to have a paradigm which needs to have its principles,
assumptions method which all people agree on. Psychology does not in fact have this but it is
the study of mind and behaviour so we can’t really decide if psychology is a science.
The behaviourist approach-
Believes that behaviour is observed and measured.
Ignores mental processes of the mind.
, Disagrees with introspection as it is too vague and difficult to measure.
It uses controlled lab studies.
They use animals instead of animals as they are safer for experiments, and they are like
humans.
Pavlov’s research – Classical conditioning – learnt through association.
Before conditioning – UCS – UCR
During conditioning – NS + UCS – UCR
After conditioning – CS – CR
Skinner’s research – Operant conditioning – behaviour is maintained through consequences
Lab rat activated a lever and was awarded a food pallet.
Repeated this behaviour multiple times.
The lab rat was randomly electrically shocked when pressing the lever so stopped
this repeated behaviour
Types of consequences:
Positive reinforcement – rewarded a pleasant behaviour (increase)
Negative reinforcement – removing an unpleasant behaviour (increase)
Punishment – consequence of unpleasant behaviour (decrease)
Evaluation:
One strength is that it is well controlled – observable, empirical, standardized procedures.
However, learning is more complex than what we observe. This means that the approach is
oversimplified and relies on observable behaviour.
Another strength is that there is real world value as it is recognized in institutions also known as
Token economies.
One limitation is that it has environmental determinism. Doesn’t look at other factors like how
the unconscious has a play on our behaviours. It also rejects the idea that humans have free
will.
Another limitation is that there are ethical issues with Skinner’s research as they were cramped
in a box.
Social learning theory:
Bandura agreed with the behaviourist approach but believes that behaviour was through
observation and imitation.
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