APPROACHES
, ORIGINS OF
AO1- AO3-
PSYCHOLOGY
1. Wundt is known as the “father of experimental + Attempted to be scientific= for h
psychology”. Wundt’s work was highly scientific p
because of his controlled lab experim
2. In 1879, he opened the world’s first psychology sample sizes and standardised proce
laboratory in Leipzig, Germany and produced the first systematic approach was a significa
academic journal that published psychological experiments. for subsequent scientific psychologis
contributed to psychology as a scien
3. The emergence of psychology as a science: Before discipline (making it be more accept
Wundt, the study of the mind & behaviour was limited to society).
philosophy and medicine (psychology was considered as
experimental philosophy). Rene Descartes had concept of - Unscientific= compared to modern
Cartesian Dualism which means that the mind & body are techniques, Wundt’s introspective m
separate entities & interact with each other. considered subjective and are not cl
scientific, as participants cannot be
4. Wundt was the first to use standardised & controlled report their mental states accurately
empirical procedures to study the mind. Wundt’s use of were trained, reducing validity. There
scientific methods helped establish psychology as an laws could not have been made (pps
independent field of scientific research. have had exactly the same thoughts
5. He used introspection which is the observation of - Inferences= Wundt’s use of inferen
ones own conscious thoughts & feelings as objectively mental states has been criticised, in
as possible. assumptions so they could be mistak
behaviourist psychologists rejected t
6. Process: Pps were 1) trained to report conscious thoughts internal mental states, seeing the m
into separate elements in response to a stimuli 2) asked to ‘black box’. C.A. However, Wundt’
focus on a sensory object 3) asked to systematically report inferences influenced cognitive
their experience, breaking their thoughts into separate psychologists who asked pps to co
elements (which paved way for structuralism). Wundt under experimental conditions and m
developed general theories of mental processes based on the inferences about the structure of int
, AO1- THE BEHAVIOURIST AO3-
1.
APPROACH+ Gave psychology scientific credibility= conside
Behaviourists argue that behaviour is learned
through experiences & interactions with the due to studying objectively, observable & measura
environment and that humans are born a blank response mechanisms, Pavlov & Skinner establishe
slate- ‘tabula rasa’. effect relationships using controlled lab experiment
manipulated variables. C.A. environmental redu
2. They also believe that it is only possible to reduces behaviour to stimulus-response mechanism
scientifically investigate what can be directly simplistic, human behaviours like justice, self-sacrifi
observed & measured, therefore as the mind cannot complex to describe as the result of reinforcement.
be directly observed, behaviourists argue that it is a
‘black box’ (not suitable for scientific study). + Practical applications= can treat phobias, such a
counter-conditioning treatments, flooding & system
3. Classical conditioning= learning through desensitisation to replace fear responses with relax
association, Pavlov’s dogs, unconditioned stimulus effectiveness of these therapies suggests the beha
(food) produces unconditioned response (salivation), principles they are based on are valid C.A. these th
unconditioned stimulus presented with neutral work for all patients (those with cognitive-based ph
stimulus (bell) over several trials, neutral stimulus social phobia) suggesting behaviourism oversimplifi
becomes the conditioned stimulus which produces a acquisition by ignoring thought processes.
conditioned response of salivation, this showed the
dogs had learned an association between the NS and - Issues with animal extrapolation= may not be
the UCS. to human behaviour as complex, social & cultural f
influence human behaviour & humans possess grea
4. Operant conditioning= learning through intelligence, e.g. while a rat may press a lever for f
consequences (rewards & punishments), positive can make decisions based on other rewards such a
reinforcement: behaviour is rewarded so repeated money, behaviourisms reliance on animal studies r
more, negative reinforcement: behaviour occurs oversimplifying human behaviour.
more to avoid punishment.
- Cost-benefit of animals in research= skinner ca
5. Skinners rats= rats placed in controlled environment the rats which breached BPS guidelines (unethical)
with levers and food dispenser, positive protection from harm, benefit of behaviourist thera
reinforcement: rats would press lever more when systematic desensitisation which have successfully
rewarded with food more (pleasant stimulus), negative human phobias, however the cost (animal suffering
research methods like human case studies exist.
, SOCIAL LEARNING
AO1- AO3-
THEORY + More holistic than behaviourism= demonstrate
Social learning theorists agree that behaviour is
learned from experience but argue that human behaviour importance of cognitive factors through mediationa
can’t be fully understood without including the role of behaviourist explanation cannot explain learning al
cognitive (mediational) processes. sufficiently, but the SLT provides a more comprehen
complete explanation of human behaviour as it is n
1. Modelling= when role model behaviour is observed e.g. reductionist.
dad plays football, superman saves the day.
+ Real word application= has practical value, impa
2. Imitation= when role model behaviour is copied. influence such as exposure to TV or video games m
aggressive behaviour through observational learnin
3. Identification= more like to imitate models with similar teachers model positive desired behaviours which t
characteristics e.g. same hair, same age. would then imitate. In addiction vicarious learning i
recovering addicts observe role models maintaining
4. Vicarious reinforcement= if the behaviour is rewarded sharing their success stories which provides them m
its more likely to be imitated e.g. people cheering on the imitate e.g. in addiction recovery seeing someone s
dad or superman. overcome addiction can boost self-efficacy & motiva
(cognitive) more than simple reward-punishment sy
5. Mediational processes= these cognitive processes highlight real world utility in creating meaningful be
intervene in the learning process to determine whether a change.
new behaviour is acquired or not: Attention (whether we
notice the behaviour), Retention (whether we remember - Underestimates the influence of biological fac
the behaviour), Reproduction (whether we are able to consistent finding was that the boys showed more a
perform the behaviour), Motivation (whether the than girls despite them all observing the same mod
perceived rewards outweigh the perceived costs). that behaviour, which can be explained by differenc
levels of testosterone, which is present in greater q
6. Key study (Bobo Doll study)= one group of children boys and is linked to aggression, not a complete ex
observed an adult model demonstrating physical & verbal gender differences.
aggression to life sized Bobo doll, the other group
- Relies heavily on evidence from lab studies
watched adult play non-aggressively, 1/3 of the children
who observed aggressive repeated verbal (methodological issues)= Bandura’s ideas were
aggression, none of the children who observed non- through observation of children’s behaviour in lab s
raises the problem of demand characteristics, the c
aggressive model made verbally aggressive remarks, boys
might’ve thought that the main purpose of the bobo
, ORIGINS OF
AO1- AO3-
PSYCHOLOGY
1. Wundt is known as the “father of experimental + Attempted to be scientific= for h
psychology”. Wundt’s work was highly scientific p
because of his controlled lab experim
2. In 1879, he opened the world’s first psychology sample sizes and standardised proce
laboratory in Leipzig, Germany and produced the first systematic approach was a significa
academic journal that published psychological experiments. for subsequent scientific psychologis
contributed to psychology as a scien
3. The emergence of psychology as a science: Before discipline (making it be more accept
Wundt, the study of the mind & behaviour was limited to society).
philosophy and medicine (psychology was considered as
experimental philosophy). Rene Descartes had concept of - Unscientific= compared to modern
Cartesian Dualism which means that the mind & body are techniques, Wundt’s introspective m
separate entities & interact with each other. considered subjective and are not cl
scientific, as participants cannot be
4. Wundt was the first to use standardised & controlled report their mental states accurately
empirical procedures to study the mind. Wundt’s use of were trained, reducing validity. There
scientific methods helped establish psychology as an laws could not have been made (pps
independent field of scientific research. have had exactly the same thoughts
5. He used introspection which is the observation of - Inferences= Wundt’s use of inferen
ones own conscious thoughts & feelings as objectively mental states has been criticised, in
as possible. assumptions so they could be mistak
behaviourist psychologists rejected t
6. Process: Pps were 1) trained to report conscious thoughts internal mental states, seeing the m
into separate elements in response to a stimuli 2) asked to ‘black box’. C.A. However, Wundt’
focus on a sensory object 3) asked to systematically report inferences influenced cognitive
their experience, breaking their thoughts into separate psychologists who asked pps to co
elements (which paved way for structuralism). Wundt under experimental conditions and m
developed general theories of mental processes based on the inferences about the structure of int
, AO1- THE BEHAVIOURIST AO3-
1.
APPROACH+ Gave psychology scientific credibility= conside
Behaviourists argue that behaviour is learned
through experiences & interactions with the due to studying objectively, observable & measura
environment and that humans are born a blank response mechanisms, Pavlov & Skinner establishe
slate- ‘tabula rasa’. effect relationships using controlled lab experiment
manipulated variables. C.A. environmental redu
2. They also believe that it is only possible to reduces behaviour to stimulus-response mechanism
scientifically investigate what can be directly simplistic, human behaviours like justice, self-sacrifi
observed & measured, therefore as the mind cannot complex to describe as the result of reinforcement.
be directly observed, behaviourists argue that it is a
‘black box’ (not suitable for scientific study). + Practical applications= can treat phobias, such a
counter-conditioning treatments, flooding & system
3. Classical conditioning= learning through desensitisation to replace fear responses with relax
association, Pavlov’s dogs, unconditioned stimulus effectiveness of these therapies suggests the beha
(food) produces unconditioned response (salivation), principles they are based on are valid C.A. these th
unconditioned stimulus presented with neutral work for all patients (those with cognitive-based ph
stimulus (bell) over several trials, neutral stimulus social phobia) suggesting behaviourism oversimplifi
becomes the conditioned stimulus which produces a acquisition by ignoring thought processes.
conditioned response of salivation, this showed the
dogs had learned an association between the NS and - Issues with animal extrapolation= may not be
the UCS. to human behaviour as complex, social & cultural f
influence human behaviour & humans possess grea
4. Operant conditioning= learning through intelligence, e.g. while a rat may press a lever for f
consequences (rewards & punishments), positive can make decisions based on other rewards such a
reinforcement: behaviour is rewarded so repeated money, behaviourisms reliance on animal studies r
more, negative reinforcement: behaviour occurs oversimplifying human behaviour.
more to avoid punishment.
- Cost-benefit of animals in research= skinner ca
5. Skinners rats= rats placed in controlled environment the rats which breached BPS guidelines (unethical)
with levers and food dispenser, positive protection from harm, benefit of behaviourist thera
reinforcement: rats would press lever more when systematic desensitisation which have successfully
rewarded with food more (pleasant stimulus), negative human phobias, however the cost (animal suffering
research methods like human case studies exist.
, SOCIAL LEARNING
AO1- AO3-
THEORY + More holistic than behaviourism= demonstrate
Social learning theorists agree that behaviour is
learned from experience but argue that human behaviour importance of cognitive factors through mediationa
can’t be fully understood without including the role of behaviourist explanation cannot explain learning al
cognitive (mediational) processes. sufficiently, but the SLT provides a more comprehen
complete explanation of human behaviour as it is n
1. Modelling= when role model behaviour is observed e.g. reductionist.
dad plays football, superman saves the day.
+ Real word application= has practical value, impa
2. Imitation= when role model behaviour is copied. influence such as exposure to TV or video games m
aggressive behaviour through observational learnin
3. Identification= more like to imitate models with similar teachers model positive desired behaviours which t
characteristics e.g. same hair, same age. would then imitate. In addiction vicarious learning i
recovering addicts observe role models maintaining
4. Vicarious reinforcement= if the behaviour is rewarded sharing their success stories which provides them m
its more likely to be imitated e.g. people cheering on the imitate e.g. in addiction recovery seeing someone s
dad or superman. overcome addiction can boost self-efficacy & motiva
(cognitive) more than simple reward-punishment sy
5. Mediational processes= these cognitive processes highlight real world utility in creating meaningful be
intervene in the learning process to determine whether a change.
new behaviour is acquired or not: Attention (whether we
notice the behaviour), Retention (whether we remember - Underestimates the influence of biological fac
the behaviour), Reproduction (whether we are able to consistent finding was that the boys showed more a
perform the behaviour), Motivation (whether the than girls despite them all observing the same mod
perceived rewards outweigh the perceived costs). that behaviour, which can be explained by differenc
levels of testosterone, which is present in greater q
6. Key study (Bobo Doll study)= one group of children boys and is linked to aggression, not a complete ex
observed an adult model demonstrating physical & verbal gender differences.
aggression to life sized Bobo doll, the other group
- Relies heavily on evidence from lab studies
watched adult play non-aggressively, 1/3 of the children
who observed aggressive repeated verbal (methodological issues)= Bandura’s ideas were
aggression, none of the children who observed non- through observation of children’s behaviour in lab s
raises the problem of demand characteristics, the c
aggressive model made verbally aggressive remarks, boys
might’ve thought that the main purpose of the bobo
