Assumptions

• Psychodynamic assumptions

  • tri partite personality
  • influence of childhood
  • the unconscious mind
• Tri partite personality = 3 parts of personality = the id from birth is impulsive and demands instant gratification based on pleasure principle = the ego is based on reality principle and balances id in a socially acceptable way from 4 = super ego = contains ideal self fTom 6 based on moral principle = dynamics for example weak ego = dominant id = impulsive and selfish
• Influence of childhood = psychosexual stages = oral, anal, phallic, latent and genital = all have libido (source of pleasure) = issues of fixation via overindulgence or frustration = eg. The oral stage = frustration of mouth libido = jelous smoker and nail biter
• The unconscious mind = Ice burg analogy = conscious , pre conscious (accessed via dreams) and unconscious mind = illogical and determines most of our behaviour = the go defence mechanisms = like repression push painful memories and trauma into unconscious mind
• behaviourist assumptions

  • Blank slate
  • behaviour is learnt through conditioning
  • humans and animals learn in similar ways
• Blank slate = tabula rasa = Born with little innate instincts like pain and hunger = environmental determinism = social learning theory = aggression is learnt eg banduras bobo dolls showed more aggression when observing aggressive role models
• Behaviour is learnt through conditioning = classical forms an association between stimulus and response eg pavlovs dogs = operant learned through consequences and reinforcements eg skinners rats
• Humans and animals learn in similar ways = only quantitative size differences = eg pavlovs dogs and little Albert = can generalise to human behavior
• Cognitive assumptions

  • computer analogy
  • internal mental processes
  • schemas
• Computer analogy = our minds are like a computer = hard drive is memory and our minds have an input process and output = behaviour is influenced by faulty processing eg hostile attribution bias = assumes laughing is at them = react with aggression
• Internal mental processes = interdependent integrated system = attention (look at dog) perception (see its features) memory (recognise it) language (name it) then respond = attentional bias = less likely to block out things linked to addiction eg smell of someone smoking
• Schemas = cluster of information based on previous experiences to generate future expectations = Piaget = cognitive development = creating schemas

  basic schema = 4 legs and fur is a dog

  refined schema = 4 legs, fur and meow = cat
• Biological assumptions

  • influence of evolution
  • localisation of brain function
  • neurotransmitters
• Influence of evolution = Darwin’s natural selection = adapts over time to increase survival in environments = buss = 10047 ppts in cross culture study = mate selection = men seek women who look like good baby makers eg young and healthy looking = women seek men who are successful and can provide
• Localisation of brain function = certain areas of the brain have different functions = mapped into 4 lobes = temporal, occipital, frontal and parietal = example is that an overactive amygdala is linked to over aggression
• Neurotransmitters = chemical messengers used by neurons to communicate via gaps called synapses = lower levels of serotonin are linked to depression and antidepressants can be taken to help
• Positive assumptions

  • acknowledgement of free will
  • authority of goodness and excellence
  • focus on the good life
• Acknowledgement of free will = seligman says happiness is not down to genes or luck we have free will and must recognise our signature strengths that make us happy = deiner and seligman = students who invest time in friends and family = happier and less chance of depression
• Authority of goodness and excellence = psychology usually focuses on negative states and seligman argues happiness and goodness are just as worthy of study = we have signature strengths eg kindness and to be happy we have to understand and develop these to act As a buffer against future mental illness
• Focus on the good life = 3 stages = pleasant life then good life then meaningful life = to move up use positive psychology to develop connections to othered develop positive traits and regulation of life qualities = reach meaningful life