Psychological approaches

• Psychology


  The scientific study of the human mind and behaviour
• Psychological approaches

  • Behavioural
  • Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic
  • Humanistic
  • Cognitive
  • Biological
  • Sociocultural
• Empirical research


  1. Research question formed

  2. Hypothesis developed

  3. Method of data collection determined

  4. Researchers assess whether prediction was supported
• Behaviourism


  A new direction in psychological research founded by John B. Watson, focusing on observable behaviours and environmental influences rather than genetic 'nature'
• Classical conditioning


  A learning process where an animal or organism can passively learn to show a naturally occurring reflex action in response to any stimulus that does not usually elicit that response
• Operant conditioning


  An active learning process where an animal or organism's voluntary response is controlled by its consequences
• Behaviours that are followed by a pleasant consequence (reinforcer) are more likely to be repeated (strengthened)
• Behaviours that are followed by an unpleasant consequence (punisher) are less likely to be repeated (weakened)
• Psychoanalysis


  A revolutionary new approach to treating patients with psychological disorders, developed by Sigmund Freud, which focused on the unconscious mind and childhood experiences
• Freud believed that the unconscious level may be unveiled by dream analysis
• Psychoanalytic theory became known as the psychodynamic perspective
• Cognitive psychology


  Focuses on the relationship between cognition (thinking processes) and behaviour, using the computer as a metaphor for the workings of the mind
• Branches of the cognitive approach

  • Human experimental cognitive psychology
  • Computational cognitive psychology
  • Neural cognitive psychology
• Humanistic perspective


  A deliberately less scientific approach that explores a person's 'individual' conscious experience and their potential for growth and unique personal qualities
• Biological approach


  Draws knowledge from medicine and physiology, examining the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system and endocrine system, with a focus on genetics and physiological processes
• Sociocultural approach


  Understands the importance of social and cultural differences between people, examining how a person's beliefs, values and traditions influence their thoughts, feelings and behaviours
• Subfields of the sociocultural approach

  • Cultural psychology
  • Cross-cultural psychology
  • Social psychology
• Research methods for the sociocultural approach include naturalistic observations, self-reports and controlled laboratory experiments, but there are limitations due to researcher bias