Comparison of approaches

• Define holism

  Considers the person as an indivisible system
• Define reductionism

  Breaks down behaviour into its constituent parts
• Define determinism

  Behaviour is determined by internal or external factors acting upon the individual
• Define hard determinism

  View that all behaviour is caused by factors outside of our control and there is no room for free will
• Define soft determinism

  View that all behaviour does have a cause, but not by internal/external events but by our own wishes/conscious desires
• Which approaches are hard deterministic?

  Biological, behaviourism and psychodynamic
• Which approaches are soft deterministic?

  Cognitive and social learning theory
• Define free will

  Humans operate as active agents who determine their own development
• Which approach believes in free will and holism?

  Humanism
• What is meant by nature?

  Behaviour is a product of innate, biological factors
• What is meant by nurture?

  Behaviour is a product of environmental influences
• Which approaches believe solely in nurture?

  Behaviourism and social learning theory
• Which approach believes solely in nature?

  Biological
• Which approaches are a mixture of both nature and nurture?

  • Cognitive – schemas and information-processing abilities are innate, but they are refined through experience
  • Psychodynamic – behaviour is driven by biological forces and instincts, but believed relationships with parents influenced future development
  • Humanism – saw parents, friends and wider society as having impact on self-concept, but we also have an innate drive to self-actualise
• Which four approaches make use of scientific methods?

  Behaviourist, biological, social learning theory, and cognitive
• What is an eclectic approach?

  When researchers combine several approaches and theoretical perspectives in order to provide a more comprehensive account of human behaviour
• What are two advantages of using an eclectic approach?

  1. Provides a fuller, more detailed understanding of human behaviour
  2. Isn’t restricted to one perspective – allows new ideas
• What are two disadvantages of using an eclectic approach?

  1. Explanation of behaviour may become ‘watered down’ when combining many perspectives
  2. There are practical difficulties when providing eclectic therapy – it may be too complex for one clinician to manage