Shannon W Unit 18: Behaviour In Public Sector Employment P1, M1
‘Cognitive psychology’ is basically the processes of the brain and how it works. Cognitive
psychologists like to compare the brain to a computer meaning there is an input of information
resulting in an output, which is the behaviour. Computer science is also another important factor for
cognitive psychology because there is a strong link between computer science and cognitive
psychology. The main aim for cognitive psychologists is to see if computers can process in the same
way as a human can. The key information is that both brains and computers store information and
can input and output information. The main theorist for cognitive psychology is a man named Ulric
Neisser, who was around at the time of 1970-1990. Neisser was known as the father of cognitive
psychology. He was the one who came up with the idea of comparing how computers process
information to how humans process information. Neisser also believed that memories are
inaccurate. Due to cognitive psychology being related to how the brain works, a way to treat mental
illnesses such as anxiety and depression was formed. This is known as CBT or ‘cognitive behavioural
therapy.’ CBT is talking therapy that can help people manage their problems by changing both the
way they think and behave. They do this by breaking the problems down and inputting positive
thoughts. However, for this to work at its full potential people will need to remain dedicated and
attend regular CBT sessions, which can be difficult for many people.
The second approach to psychology is ‘behaviourism.’ The definition of behaviourism is the theory
that both human and animal behaviour can be explained in terms of conditioning. However the main
focus of behaviourism is that all behaviours are learned through interactions with the environment,
as well as the thought that when we are born, our mind is a ‘blank slate’ otherwise known as a
‘tubula rasa.’ The theorist who wanted to prove this was John B Watson, who was around at the
time of 1878-1958. Watson’s key words were ‘you cannot take anyone from different backgrounds
and train them.’ Pavlov conducted the ‘little Albert’ experiment which was where he used a small
child called Albert, who was about 6 month of age when the experiment took place; however, this
experiment would not be allowed to take place in the present due to child protection laws. He
presented little Albert with things which he liked such as; fire, a dog, a white rat, and a monkey. He
then showed Albert the rat; however, when he began to reach for the rat, Watson hit a metal bar
making a loud noise. After a few attempts It made Albert cry. Watson then proceeded to show the
rest of the animals, but he pulled away, and started to cry once again. Albert went back in a few
months’ time and still had the same reaction. This is because Watson conditioned little Albert into
associating the white rat with the loud noise. The second theorist involved with the behaviourism
theory is Ivan Pavlov. He was a Russian psychologist from Russia and was primarily known for his
work on classic conditioning. Pavlov conducted an experiment using dogs. This is where he would
give the dogs food and at the same time he would ring a bell; the food caused the dogs to salivate.
He repeated this over a period of time and as a result, when he rang the bell on its own, it’s caused
the dogs to salivate without the need of food. Overall, his experiment conditioned the dogs into
salivating when he rang the bell and there wasn’t any need for the food in order for them to do so.
Overall, behaviourism is primarily concerned with observable behaviour which opposes to internal
thoughts and events like thinking and emotion.
The third approach to psychology is psychodynamic, which is a view that explains personality in
terms of conscious and unconscious forces. For example, unconscious is the desires and beliefs
within an individual. Sigmund Freud is the theorist for the psychodynamic approach. In the early 20 th
‘Cognitive psychology’ is basically the processes of the brain and how it works. Cognitive
psychologists like to compare the brain to a computer meaning there is an input of information
resulting in an output, which is the behaviour. Computer science is also another important factor for
cognitive psychology because there is a strong link between computer science and cognitive
psychology. The main aim for cognitive psychologists is to see if computers can process in the same
way as a human can. The key information is that both brains and computers store information and
can input and output information. The main theorist for cognitive psychology is a man named Ulric
Neisser, who was around at the time of 1970-1990. Neisser was known as the father of cognitive
psychology. He was the one who came up with the idea of comparing how computers process
information to how humans process information. Neisser also believed that memories are
inaccurate. Due to cognitive psychology being related to how the brain works, a way to treat mental
illnesses such as anxiety and depression was formed. This is known as CBT or ‘cognitive behavioural
therapy.’ CBT is talking therapy that can help people manage their problems by changing both the
way they think and behave. They do this by breaking the problems down and inputting positive
thoughts. However, for this to work at its full potential people will need to remain dedicated and
attend regular CBT sessions, which can be difficult for many people.
The second approach to psychology is ‘behaviourism.’ The definition of behaviourism is the theory
that both human and animal behaviour can be explained in terms of conditioning. However the main
focus of behaviourism is that all behaviours are learned through interactions with the environment,
as well as the thought that when we are born, our mind is a ‘blank slate’ otherwise known as a
‘tubula rasa.’ The theorist who wanted to prove this was John B Watson, who was around at the
time of 1878-1958. Watson’s key words were ‘you cannot take anyone from different backgrounds
and train them.’ Pavlov conducted the ‘little Albert’ experiment which was where he used a small
child called Albert, who was about 6 month of age when the experiment took place; however, this
experiment would not be allowed to take place in the present due to child protection laws. He
presented little Albert with things which he liked such as; fire, a dog, a white rat, and a monkey. He
then showed Albert the rat; however, when he began to reach for the rat, Watson hit a metal bar
making a loud noise. After a few attempts It made Albert cry. Watson then proceeded to show the
rest of the animals, but he pulled away, and started to cry once again. Albert went back in a few
months’ time and still had the same reaction. This is because Watson conditioned little Albert into
associating the white rat with the loud noise. The second theorist involved with the behaviourism
theory is Ivan Pavlov. He was a Russian psychologist from Russia and was primarily known for his
work on classic conditioning. Pavlov conducted an experiment using dogs. This is where he would
give the dogs food and at the same time he would ring a bell; the food caused the dogs to salivate.
He repeated this over a period of time and as a result, when he rang the bell on its own, it’s caused
the dogs to salivate without the need of food. Overall, his experiment conditioned the dogs into
salivating when he rang the bell and there wasn’t any need for the food in order for them to do so.
Overall, behaviourism is primarily concerned with observable behaviour which opposes to internal
thoughts and events like thinking and emotion.
The third approach to psychology is psychodynamic, which is a view that explains personality in
terms of conscious and unconscious forces. For example, unconscious is the desires and beliefs
within an individual. Sigmund Freud is the theorist for the psychodynamic approach. In the early 20 th
