Approaches

• What are the main assumptions of the behaviourist approach


  -Psychologists should only study observable measurable behaviour

  All behaviour is learnt and humans and animals are similar and learn the same

  - research on animal behaviour is directly relevant to humans
• classical conditioning


  Learning via association by pairing an existing unconditioned response with a conditioned response
• operant conditioning


  Learning via the consequences of our actions
• positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement


  Methods of reinforcement:encourage the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated

  (+) gaining a desirable reward after a behaviour is displayed

  (-) removing something undesirable after a behaviour is displayed
• Pavlov's experiment


  Used classical conditioning by bringing food whilst ringing a bell to have a dog learn to associate the previously neutral stimulus the sound of a bell with salivation a unconditioned to then conditioned response
• Punishment


  When behaviour is followed by an unpleasant consequence making it less likely to be repeated or stopping it all together
• Skinner Box


  Operant conditioning on rats

  Placed rats in a box under three conditions

  1- when the lever was pushed a food pellet came out (+)

  2-the electric floor would shock the rat until it pushed the lever (-)

  3-the lever when pushed gave a shock (punishment)

  Overtime the rats learnt that certain behaviours should or shouldn't be repeated
• environmental determinism ao3(-)


  Implies behaviour is determined by conditioning suggesting there is no choice and people are always passive recipients
• Environmental reductionism ao3(-)


  Far to simplistic to assume the complex nature of human behaviour is solely a result of our environment and doesn't consider the role of other factors (such as biological structures )
• Methodology of behaviorism(+) (-)


  Lab experiments

  But relies on animal experiments which reduces validity and reliability as we aren't completely the same
• nurture over nature


  Implies that biological factors / internal factors such as genetics I.e genotype has no effect over the development of behaviour
• social learning theory


  Developed by Albert bandura , the theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating a role model via vicarious reinforcement and meditational processes that can be effected by factors such as identification .
• Core Assumptions of SLT


  Learning can occur directly and indirectly

  Observational learning has a role in behavioural development

  Meditational (cognitive) processes play a role in observing and imitating a role model via vicarious
• vicarious reinforcement


  process where the observer directly or indirectly the model bring reinforced making the observer more likely to imitate the model's behaviour if (+) and (-) reinforced and unlikely when punished
• identification (SLT)


  Relating with said role model and or wanting to be like them likely as they posses something you perceive as desirable
• Mediational processes


  Cognitive factors that influence learning and come between stimulus and response

  A.R.R.M

  Attention- focusing on the role model and their behaviour (can be influenced by appearance)

  Retention- remembering the displayed behaviour you observed (the more interesting the more likely to remember , like a celeb I.e diddys basketball room)

  Motor reproduction- attempting to imitate the behaviour and or action

  Motivation- the desire to perform the behaviour and or the idea of reinforcement makes its chances more likely
• Bandura- bobo doll study


  Children from 3.5-6 36xx and 36xy observed adults in a room with a bobo doll

  1-adult beats bobo and is rewarded by another

  2- adults ignores bobo and is decorum

  3- no observation (ctrl)

  Children then observed 20 minutes after

  1 had the most aggression 2 with least and 3 having slightly less aggression than 1
• Soft reductionism of SLT


  Views behaviour as something that's determined by the environment as well as cognitive processes unlike the behaviourist approach
• Methodology SLT


  Relies on lab experiments and animals who have less cognitive capacity than considered

  Bobo dolls are meant to be hit so banduras experiment lacks reliability, demand characteristics and encouraged violence in children
• Underestimates biological factors SLT


  Soft reductionism of vicarious reinforcement and doesn't recognise the role of things such as genes
• Explanation of cultural differences in behaviour SLT


  Cultural views of behaviour are reinforced differently depending where you are indirectly influencing behaviour
• Biological Approach assumptions


  All human behaviour can be explained using biological factors and processes

  To understand behaviour it's necessary to understand internal biological factors such as neurochemistry
• The most reliable experiments for observing the effects of genes on behaviour is via

  Twin adoption studies

  They separate nature and nurture and allow psychologist to observe the role of genetics on the phenotype
• Phenotype and genotype


  Phenotype - the physical behavioural and psychological expression of a persons genetic material

  Genotype - the genetic makeup of an organism
• Identical and non identical twins are referred to

  As monozygotic (MZ) and are expected to have a concordance rate of 100% as their genome is identical and dizygotic (DZ) are expected to have a concordance rate of around 50%
• concordance rate


  The degree (%) to which a condition or traits are shared between two or more individuals or groups
• Briefly describe and evaluate the role of biochemistry on behaviour


  Abnormal levels of neurotransmitters can induce symptoms certain psychological/behavioural disorders

  HOWEVER it has an issue of causality as evidence doesn't discern if the relationship between neurotransmitters and behavioural disorders is either

  Neurotransmitter causes disorder or the disorder induces the abnormal levels
• Give real life applications of the biological approach


  Has promoted the treatment of disorders such as depression that can make a sufferers day to day life more difficult but by using drug therapy neurotransmitters such as serotonin can be inhibited and reduce depressive symptoms which means less time of work and less sick pay and financing a replacement in that time moreover it means the sufferer can work more efficiently and job productivity increases as the business profits as well as the pharmaceutical company that produce said drugs
• Methodology of biological approach


  The approach uses highly objective study methods such as fMRI and EEGs which allows for accurate measurements of biological and neurological processes

  Family studies which are high in validity but if done in a natural environment makes it difficult to control extraneous variables
• Outline the role of biological structures on behaviour


  Specific regions within brain (organs) and structures such as the central nervous system and endocrine system determines behaviours
• Briefly outline the case study of phineas gage


  Phineas had an iron bar pierce a region in his brain that made it difficult to inhibit antisocial behaviours

  - the evidence suggested that frontal lobe has influence over behaviour
• Briefly outline the role natural selection and evolution in behaviour


  Natural selection - characteristics that provide evolutionary advantages such as survival and reproduction will be inherited in future generations whilst less advantageous traits are wiped out of the population

  - in born reflexes such as aggression can be used a sign of genetics on the evolutionary development of behaviour
• Determinist evaluation of the biological approach


  Relinquish responsibility

  Views internal biological factors as the sole cause of behaviour within humans , hard determinism
• Reductionist evaluation of bio approach


  Too simplistic to assume all behaviour is governed by biological factors as it doesn't consider and or account for the role of other factors such as the environment
• The first stage of psychosexual is, and fixation


  Oral

  Age 0-2 in which an infant experiences pleasure through the mouth such sucking and biting ( breast feeding )

  Oral fixation , behaviours such as nail biting and smoking this could occur if a babe isn't weened off properly
• The second stage of psychosexual development is


  Anal

  Age 2-3

  The ego develops as a child becomes aware of the reality principle parents impose

  They also begin potty training to learn to control their bowel movement

  Anal fixation manifests as

  Anal retentive - a person becomes obsessive , punctual perfectionist

  Anal repulsive- a person may be messy and thoughtless
• The third stage of psychosexual development is


  phallic stage

  Age 3-6

  The Oedipus/ electra complex arises in boys and to overcome this unconscious sexual desire for their mothers by identifying with same sex parent simultaneously developing their superego

  Phallic fixation - can display as reckless and narcissistic behaviour
• The fourth stage of psychosexual development is


  Latent

  Age 6-puberty

  A child focuses on forming relationships and the wider world as sexual desire from previous stages becomes latent
• The final stage of psychosexual development is


  Genital

  Age puberty +

  Psychosexual energy resides within the genitalia , directed to forming heterosexuality and adult relationships

  Fixation- a person may struggle to form said relationships
• Freud theorises there is 3 levels of consciousness


  The preconscious - which restrains memories that can be recalled at will

  The conscious - what we're constantly aware of

  The unconscious - memories desires and fears , repressed or forced out the conscious as they may cause anxiety whilst still affecting the conscious