Paper 2 Psych

• Introspection

  First systematic experimental attempt to study the mind by breaking up conscious awareness into basic structures of thoughts, images and sensations.
• Psychology

  The scientific study of the mind, behaviour and experience.
• Science

  A means of acquiring knowledge through systematic and objective investigation to discover general laws.
• Standardised Procedures


  Helped Psychology to become a science - all pp complete the method in exactly the same way.
• Structuralism

  Isolating the structure of consciousness.
• Wundt


  1879 - Marked the start of scientific psychology seperating it from philosophical roots. Wanted to analyse human consciousness and represented the first systematic attempt to study the mind under controlled conditions e.g. introspection.
• Emergence of Psychology as a science

  Started in 1900s with behaviourists, then 1950s with cognitive approach, then 1980s with biological approach.
• Behaviourist Approach

  Explaining behaviour in terms of what is observable and in terms of learning.
• Classical Conditioning


  Learning via association which ocurs when 2 stimuli are repeately paired together.
• Operant Conditioning


  A form of learning in which behaviour is shaped and maintained by consequences.
• Reinforcement


  A consequence of behaviour that increases the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated.
• Positive Reinforcement


  Given a reward for a certain behaviour.
• Negative Reinforcement

  Avoids something unpleasant as a result of doing that behaviour.
• Punishment

  An unpleasant consequence of behaviour.
• Neutral Stimulus


  No response is produced on seeing the stimulus.
• Unconditioned Stimulus


  any stimulus that can naturally and automatically trigger a response.
• Unconditioned Response

  an unlearned response that occurs naturally in reaction to the unconditioned stimulus
• Conditioned Stimulus

  Produces a learned response when shown.
• Conditioned Response

  A learned response to a stimulus.
• Social Learning Theory


  A way of explaining behaviour that involves direct and indirect reinforcement, combining learning theory with role of cognition.
• Imitation


  Copying behaviour of others.
• Identification


  A desire to be associated with a particular person/group because the person/group has desirable characteristics.
• Modelling


  Imitating the behaviour of a role model. From a role model perspective - precise demonstration of a specific behaviour that may be imitated by an observer.
• Vicarious Reinforcement


  Reinforcement which is not directly experienced but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced for a behaviour. Key in imitation.
• Mediational Processes


  Cognitive factors that influence learning and come between stimulus and response.
• Attention (SLT)


  Extent to which we notice behaviours.
• Retention (SLT)

  How well we remember the behaviour.
• Motor Reproduction (SLT)


  Ability of observer to perform the behaviour.
• Motivation (SLT)


  Will to perform a behaviour, often determined by whether it was punished or rewarded.
• Cognitive Approach


  Mental processes affect behaviour
• Internal Mental Processes

  Private operations of the mind such as perception and attention that mediate between stimulus and response.
• Schema


  A mental framework of beliefs and expectations that influence cognitive processing. They are developed from experience.
• Inference


  Draw conclusions about mental processes based on observable behaviour.
• Cognitive Neuroscience


  Scientific study of those biological structures that underpin cognitive processes.
• Machine Reductionism

  Reducing the human mind and thought patterns down to the functioning of a computer like machine. This ignores the emotional and motivational components of thinking.
• Soft Determinism


  A version of determinism that allows for some element of free will.
• Biological Approach


  A perspective that emphasises the importance of physical processes in the body such as genetic inheritance and neural function.
• Genes


  Make up chromosomes and consist of DNA which codes the physical features of an organism and psychological features. Can be transmitted from parents to offspring i.e. inherited.
• Biological Structure


  An arrangement or organisation of parts to form an organ, system or living thing.
• Neurochemistry


  Relating to chemicals in the brain that regulate biological and psychological functioning.