Comparison of Assumptions

• What is the Behaviourist Approach?

  Environmental determinism - Behaviour is controlled by stimulus-response conditioning
• How does the Humanistic Approach view behaviour?

  • Humans have control of their own environment and are capable of change
  • Focuses on the subjective human experience and makes no attempt to create general laws
• Why do humans have personal responsibilities and free choice according to the Social Learning Theory Approach?

  Behaviour is controlled by environmental forces, but humans have personal responsibilities and free choice
• What are the key features of the Cognitive Approach?

  • Behaviour is controlled by mediational processes
  • Humans can choose what information they attend to
  • Researchers are unable to directly observe cognitive processes
• What does the cognitive approach compare the mind to?

  A computer
• How does the Idiographic v Nomothetic approach differ from the Scientific approach?

  The Idiographic v Nomothetic approach attempts to establish general laws, while the Scientific approach utilises scientific methods of investigation and embraces animal research and laboratory studies
• How do the five psychological approaches differ in their assumptions about human nature and behavior?

  • Behaviourist: Focus on environmental influences
  • Social Learning: Emphasis on observation and imitation
  • Cognitive: Information processing perspective
  • Biological: Genetic and physiological factors
  • Psychodynamic: Role of the unconscious and childhood
• What do behaviorists study?

  Observable behavior
• What is operant conditioning?

  Using reinforcement or punishment to change behavior
• What are the key focuses of the Biological approach?

  Genes, brain, hormones
• What is the key characteristic of the Behaviourist approach?

  Environment-focused, learning through conditioning
• How does the Biological Approach explain behaviour?

  • Behaviour is controlled by internal biological factors (genes, hormones, etc.)
  • The biological approach promotes the empirical scientific method of investigation
• How might a teacher use operant conditioning in the classroom?

  By rewarding students for completing homework
• What are the five main approaches in psychology?

  Behaviourist, Social Learning, Cognitive, Biological, Psychodynamic
• Who is famously associated with classical conditioning?

  Pavlov
• What is emphasized in behaviorism to understand reactions?

  Stimulus-response associations
• What is the key feature of the Psychodynamic Approach?

  Behaviour is determined by unconscious drives and early childhood experiences
• What are the key concepts of the behaviorist approach?

  Classical conditioning and operant conditioning
• What does the Social Learning approach emphasize?

  Observation and imitation
• What are the key assumptions of the psychodynamic approach?

  1. Unconscious Processes

  • Minds operate at different levels
  • Hidden motives reside in the unconscious

  1. Defense Mechanisms

  • Mental strategies to protect from anxiety

  1. Psychosexual Stages

  • Developmental phases shaping personality and behavior
• What is classical conditioning?

  Learning an association between a neutral stimulus and a natural response
• What do behaviorism and the cognitive approach differ in focus on?

  External stimuli vs internal mental processes
• How does the Cognitive approach view mental processes?

  Mental processes as information processing
• What does behaviorism focus on in relation to behavior?

  How the environment shapes behavior
• How do you use a cognitive map when driving to work?

  You find your route using mental representations
• How does the cognitive approach differ from behaviorism?

  It emphasizes internal mental states over observable behavior
• Why do behaviorists ignore internal thoughts or feelings?

  They focus on observable behavior only
• What are the key aspects of the biological approach compared to other approaches?

  • Focus on internal factors
  • Examples:
  • Brain damage affecting memory
  • Conditioning a fear response (Behaviorist)
  • Problem-solving strategies (Cognitive)
• What are defense mechanisms in the psychodynamic approach?

  Mental strategies to protect from anxiety
• What is the primary focus of psychodynamic theory?

  Internal mental processes
• What key concepts are associated with the biological approach?

  Genes, hormones, brain
• What are internal mental states in the cognitive approach?

  Beliefs, thoughts, and feelings influencing behavior
• How does the psychodynamic approach differ from behaviorism?

  It focuses on internal mental processes
• What is the primary focus of behaviorism?

  Observable behavior
• How does the biological approach differ from the cognitive approach?

  Biological approach emphasizes biological influences
• What does the cognitive approach focus on?

  Mental processes and information processing
• What are psychosexual stages in the psychodynamic approach?

  Developmental phases that shape personality
• What are unconscious processes in the psychodynamic approach?

  Mental operations where hidden motives reside
• What are the key differences in concepts between behaviorism and psychodynamic theory?

  • Behaviorism: Conditioning, stimulus-response
  • Psychodynamic Theory: Unconscious mind, early childhood
• How does behaviorism differ from other psychological approaches?

  It focuses solely on observable behavior