approaches

• different approaches in psychology

  • learning approach-experience, observation/imitation of others, role models, learned habits
  • cognitive approach-thoughts, interpretations of information
  • biological approach-hormones, brain, physiology and nervous system
  • psychodynamic appraoch-unconscious mind, childhood experience, parenting relationships and attachments
  • humanistic approach-need for control and fulfilment
• free will and determinism

  • free will- what a person does by choice, control own behaviours
  • determinism- external factors control a person's behaviour
• nature vs nurture

  • nature- behaviours and thoughts are due to genetics
  • nurture- environmental influences affect behaviours and thoughts
• holism vs reductionism

  • holism- looking at the whole person, and how different factors affect them
  • reductionism- looking at one part of a person and trying to explain behaviours by reducing it to a simpler level
• idiographic vs nomothetic

  • idiographic- focus on looking at the uniqueness of a person
  • nomothetic- trying to genralise groups universally
• methods

  • extrapolation- whether animal research is used to test ideas, and that we generalise humans to animals
  • scientific- using scientific ,methods for behaviour investigation. research methods are objective and reliable.
• gender bias

  • alpha bias- male and female differences are exaggerated
  • beta bias- male and female differences are minimised so male view is applied to both genders. means female life experiences are ignored