approaches2

• Assumptions of the humanistic approach:

  • Every person has a unique way of perceiving and experiencing the world
  • They reject scientific principles of studying people and the establishment of laws
  • Everyone has an innate tendency to self-actualise
  • Everyone has free will
• Assumptions of the Psychodynamic approach:

  • Behaviour is determined by the unconscious
  • How were treated by our parents shapes our adult behaviour
• Assumptions of the Biological approach:

  • Everything psychological was first physiological. To understand behaviour we must first look at biological processes and structures
  • Research should be highly scientific
  • Favours nature in nature vs nurture debate
• Assumptions of the Social Learning theory:

  • Behavior is learnt from the environment
  • Learning occurs via observation and imitation
  • Like a bridge between behaviourism and cognitive
  • Acknowledges the role of internal processes
• Assumptions of the behaviourist approach:

  • Should focus on control and objectivity
  • All behaviour is learnt and determined by the environment
  • Basic processes of learning are the same in all species
  • Should only study observable, measurable things
  • Should not study mental processes
• Assumptions of the cognitive approach:

  • Internal mental processes should be study - they should be studied scientifically
  • Focus should be on how individuals process information and how this affects behavior
• Research evidence for the behaviorist approach:

  Watson and Raynor 


  Little Albert acquired a phobia of a white rat through classical conditioning
• Practical applications of the Behaviourist approach:

  • Token economy; implemented in prisons and schools based upon operant conditioning
  • Therapies for phobias such as systematic desensitisation based on classical conditioning

  Demonstrates the contributions of the approach to wider society and the economy
• Credibility of the behaviourist approach:

  Testable and supported by rigorous experimental research. Insistent on objectivity and control - very reliable.
• Is the behaviourist approach complete?

  No

  • Ignores the role of biological factors such as genes (nature)
  • Ignores the role of internal mental processes
• Research evidence for Social Learning theory:

  Bandura

  • Children who were exposed to an aggressive model behaving with toys imitated the physical aggression shown.
  • Children more likely to imitate adult of the same sex
  • Vicarious reinforcement increases imitation
• Practical applications of Social Learning theory:

  • Used in the argument that media violence contributes to violence in society
  • Influential regarding age ratings on films, Tv and video games
  • Introduction of Watershed Tv
  • Limits young people's exposure to violent role models
• Credibility of Social Learning theory:

  • Rigorously tested in lab settings, enables control over variables
  • However, use artificial settings
  • Bandura study argued to lack ecological validity - hitting an inflatable doll doesnt reflect real life
  • The process of observation and imitation could be different in real life
• Is Social Learning theory complete?

  No

  • Ignores biological influences, behaviour may not be learnt. E.g in the case of aggression testosterone plays an important part
• Research evidence for the cognitive approach:

  Allport and Postman


  White participants reversed race appearances, describing the black character as holding a knife when they were not. Expectations based on schemas can distort memories.
• Applications of the cognitive approach:

  • Development of CBT, successfully treats a range of mental disorders. Changes the way an individual processes information
• Credibility of the cognitive approach:

  • Highly controlled and rigorous
  • Lab experiments produce reliable, objective data


  May lack ecological validity
• Is the cognitive approach complete?

  No

  Argues the computer analogy is machine reductionist.

  Ignores the influence of human emotion and how this may affect internal mental processes
• Research evidence for the biological approach

  Nesdat et al.

  Looked at first degree relatives of 80 sufferers of OCD

  They had an 11.7% chance of developing OCD compared to a control group of 2.7%

  Emphasises the role of genes on our behaviour
• Applications of the biological approach:

  • reserach into neurotransmitters led to the development of drugs to treat mental health such as anti-psychotics for schizophrenia
• Scientific credibility of the biological approach:

  Highly controlled and scientific methods such as brain scans, twin studies etc. This approach is based on reliable data.


  However, its difficult to establish cause and effect as much of the research is correlational. E.g does having depression cause lower levels of serotonin? Or does having lower levels of seratonin cuse depression?
• Is the biological approach complete?

  Only focuses on biological influences and thus only the role of nature. Ignores the influence of the environment such as childhood experiences
• Research evidence for the psychodynamic approach:

  Little Hans

  4 year old Boy with severe phobia of horses; Fried suggested that Hans phobia was an example of displacement. His fear of horses was displaced onto his father, the noseband represented his moustache etc. By the time he was 5 his phobia lessened - suggests he overcame the oedipus complex
• Practical applications of the psychodynamic approach:

  development of psychoanalysis; employs techniques to access the unconscious mind such as hypnosis and dream analysis. Proven to treat people with mild neuroses however is harmful for those with more serious conditions
• scientific credibility of the psychodynamic approach

  • relied heavily on case studies, cannot make universal generalisations
  • Concepts are untestable and cannot be falsifies
• Evaluation of the psychodynamic approach:

  Only theory to look at the role of the unconscious
• Reseach evidence of the humanistic approach:

  Rogers

  Recorded and analysed his humanistic therapy sessions using thematic analysis and found as therapy progressed clients made more 'statements of understanding and insight'
• Practical applications of the humanistic approach

  • Client centred therapy
  • Maslow's hierarchy of needs; influential in business and management. If employers provided food, friendships etc. employees would be more productive at higher levels of functioning
• Scientific credibility of the humanistic approach:

  self-actualisation and congruence are difficult to measure scientifically


  However, they reject the scientific method and dont want to be studied scientifically anyway
• evaluation of the humanistic approach:

  Only approach to focus on free will instead of determenism
• Client centred therapy: humanistic approach

  Aims to make the client feel more confident and self-accepting, warm, supportive, non-judgemental environment

  • Unconditional positive regard
  • Empathy
  • Genuineness
  • Active listening
• Maslows heirachy: humanistic approach

  A) Self-actualisation

  B) esteem

  C) Love and belonging

  D) safety

  E) Pysiological

  
• Maslows heirachy: humanistic approach

  • Every human has an innate tendency to become the best version of themselves (self-actualise) this is the highest level of maslows hierarchy
  • All four lower levels need to be met before this is possible
  • Regard personal growth as an essential part of being human
• Which of Maslows needs are growth needs? Self actualisation


  The rest are deficiency needs
• The self; Rogers. Humanistic approach

  • To be healthy we need congruence between ourselves and our ideal selves
  • If there is a big gap we wont be able to self-actualise
  • This leads to feeling of incongruence where we will have low self esteem
• Conditions of worth; Rogers. Humanistic approach

  • Many problems root in childhood due to a lack of unconditional positive regards from parents in which we develop a negative view of the self
  • Lack of unconditional positive regard is characterised by parents who put conditions of worth on their love for us
• The unconscious; Psychodynamic approach

  • Th conscious mind is just the 'tip of the iceberg'
  • Most of or mind is made up of the unconscious
  • It houses our biological drives and threatening memories that have been repressed
  • Sometimes we get a glimpse of this thorugh slips of the tongues (parapraxes), creativity and dreams
• The structure of the personality

  A) Ego

  B) Id

  C) Superego

  
• The id:

  • Primitive part of the personality
  • Operates on the pleasure principle
  • Develops first ; present at birth
  • Made up of unconscious drives and instincts
  • Selfish part which demands immediate gratification
• The Ego:

  • Works on the reality principle
  • Mediates id and superego
  • Develops second ; around the age of 2
  • Reduces conflict between id and superego by using defence mechanisms