Comparison of approaches

• Scientific methodology:

  • Behaviourism - Highly scientific as it focuses on entirely observable stimuli and responses. Uses large samples and controlled conditions, allowing for precise replication of findings on conditioning.
• Scientific methodology:

  • Social learning theory - Uses experimental methods and large samples to investigate concepts like modelling, vicarious reinforcement and mediational processes. However, these as internal mental processes cannot be observed directly and so are inferred from behaviour. These interferences can be mistaken, reducing the scientific credibility.
• Scientific methodology:

  • Cognitive - Controlled experiments to support theories like the working memory model. However, the internal mental processes cannot be observed and only inferred from behaviour so it is not considered fully scientific.
• Scientific methodology:

  • Biological - Study directly observable physical processes, such as brain activity. They also use objective devices such as fMRI scanners, DNA sequencers and blood tests. Large-scale placebo-controlled trails are used to test drugs. This focus on objective measurement means biological psychology is seen as highly scientific.
• Scientific methodology:

  • Psychodynamics - Freud based his theories on case studies and client's would use introspection to report their internal states of mind. The use of case studies is not seen as scientific due to the potential room for bias in researcher interpretation. Additionally, concepts like superego are not operationally defined, so they cannot be scientifically studied.
• Scientific methodology:

  • Humanistic - Reject the scientific method completely, arguing human behaviour is too complex to be reduced to simple variables that can be measured scientifically. They also reject cause and effect principles that scientific research depend on. This means human psychology may lack empirical evidence to support its claims.
• Determinism:

  • Behaviourism - Hard environmental determinists. Consider behaviour to be entirely the result of interactions with the environment. Rewarding of certain behaviours mean they are more likely to be repeated. Free will has no role in this theory so it is hard determinist.
• Determinism:

  • Social learning theory - Environmentally determinist but Bandura also argued reciprocal determinism. Behaviour caused by the environment, our behaviour determines the environment.
• Determinism:

  • Cognitive - Soft determinists. Argue there are casual factors influencing behaviour. People learn schema through experience, which acts as an automatic template for behaviour. But they also suggest that with conscious effort (free will), maladaptive automatic internal mental processes can be modified.
• Determinism:

  • Biological - Hard biological determinist. Behaviour caused entirely by physical nature (eg hormones, brains, neurotransmitters and genes). Aggression and mental health disorders are explained by an imbalance of neurotransmitters due to inheritance of dysfunctional genes.
• Determinism:

  • Psychodynamics - Psychic determinism. Unconscious thoughts drive behaviour and repressed memories shape conscious behaviours. Unconscious thoughts are formed in childhood and influence behaviour as adults.
• Determinism:

  • Humanistic - Only approach arguing for free will. Humans have agency and are able to make their own decisions free from restraints. We also have moral responsibility for these choices.
• Nature vs Nurture:

  • Behaviourism - Nurture (environment). Rewarding experiences cause behaviour to be repeated. But there is still some room for nature, including the innate reflex actions (eg, a dog doesn't have to be trained to drool in the presence of food).
• Nature vs Nurture:

  • Social learning theory - Nurture. Direct stimulus-response mechanism of behaviourists and social experiences (nurture), such as observing models and vicarious reinforcement.
• Nature vs Nurture:

  • Cognitive - Both. Internal mental processes run on physical and biological hardware on the brain. However, the approach could be argued close to nurture as the explanations (such as schema) are formed through experiences in the world.
• Nature vs Nurture:

  • Biological - Nature. Hereditary causes for behaviour. Inheritance of DNA, which codes for neurotransmitters in the brain and imbalances in this system leading to behaviours such as mental health conditions and aggression.
• Nature vs Nurture:

  • Psychodynamics - Both. Psychosexual stages are a biological process but the experiences that the children have while passing through these stages shape the personality they will have as adults.
• Nature vs Nurture:

  • Humanistic - Holists, they argue any valid explanation of behaviour has to include a wide range of factors and how they interact, These can include the influence of genes, so nature, but also environmental factors, nurture.
• Reductionism:

  • Behaviourism - Highly reductionist. State that even complex behaviour is due to a chain of stimulus-response links.
• Reductionism:

  • Social learning theory - Less reductionist than behaviourists. This is because they include the role of the internal working processes. For example, mediational processes of attention retention, motivation and reproduction.
• Reductionism:

  • Cognitive - Machine reductionist. Computer analogy is overly simplistic way to explain behaviour and it ignored the complex role of emotions and irrationality in humans. As well as ignoring computer memory is flawless while the human memory is reconstructive.
• Reductionism:

  • Biological - Highly reductionist. Behaviour is due to chemical processes of the brain. Oversimplifies the complex and highly personal experience of having emotions and ignores the role of cognitive and cultural forces.
• Reductionism:

  • Psychodynamics - Not reductionist. Behaviour has a range of factors, such as biological and experiences that shape the unconscious mind, and how it interacts with the conscious mind.
• Reductionism:

  • Humanistic - Argue against reductionist explanations. Only valid explanation is holistic, which is where all factors are included.
• Psychological treatments:

  • Behaviourism - Behaviourist principles are used in the treatment of phobias (flooding and systematic desensitisation are used in exposure therapies in an attempt to counter balance the phobias and replace the fear with an association to calmness).
• Psychological treatments:

  • Social learning theory - Use of modelling in a safe environment to alter maladaptive behaviour. Meaningful role models display appropriate behaviour to be copied.
• Psychological treatments:

  • Cognitive - CBT was designed to reconstruct irrational thoughts, such as negative schemas. The strategies include testing irrational thoughts by acting as a scientist and the therapist disputing the thoughts.
• Psychological treatments:

  • Biological - Drug therapies for mental health conditions often work by altering the activity of neurotransmitters. For example, SSRI slow the reuptake of serotonin in the synaptic terminal.
• Psychological treatments:

  • Psychodynamic - Psychotherapy is a talking therapy that uses introspection to focus on past experiences. Therapists may use these discussions to explore how unconscious thoughts and feelings may be negatively impacting current behaviour and relationships.
• Psychological treatments:

  • Humanistic - Client-centred therapies focus on a clients capacity for growth. The therapist assists the client in understanding their experience and producing solutions. Therapist provides unconditional positive regard, accepting the client for who they are.