AQA - Topic 5: Approaches for
psychology
💡 Learning Outcomes:
1.) Learning approaches: i) the behaviourist approach, including classical
conditioning and Pavlov’s research, operant conditioning, types of
reinforcement and Skinner’s research; ii) social learning theory including
imitation, identification, vicarious reinforcement, the role of mediational
processes and Bandura’s research. —> refer Topic 3
2.) The cognitive approach: the study of internal mental processes, the
role of schema, the use of models to explain and make inferences about
mental processes.
3.) The biological approach: the genetic basis of behaviour: genotype,
phenotype and evolution. Influence of biological structures and
neurochemistry on behaviour. Cognitive neuroscience.
4.) The psychodynamic approach: the role of the unconscious, the
structure of personality, that is Id, Ego and Superego, defence
mechanisms including repression, denial and displacement,
psychosexual stages.
5.) Humanistic Psychology: free will, self-actualisation and Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs, congruence, the role of conditions of worth.
6.) Comparison of approaches.
1.) Learning approaches: i) the
behaviourist approach, including
classical conditioning and Pavlov’s
research, operant conditioning, types of
reinforcement and Skinner’s research; ii)
social learning theory including imitation,
AQA - Topic 5: Approaches for psychology 1
, identification, vicarious reinforcement,
the role of mediational processes and
Bandura’s research.
Key Assumptions of the Behaviourist Approach
1. Psychologists should only study observable, quantifiable behaviour.
2. All behaviour is learned.
3. Humans are no different from animals and should not be regarded as more
complex.
4. Research on animal behaviour is directly relevant to humans.
(1) Learning Theory: Classical Conditioning
Learning through association
When we pair a new stimulus with an existing stimulus-response link, we learn
to associate the two stimuli and respond in a similar manner to both
A stimulus is something in our environment that affects us; a response is our
reaction to a stimulus
AQA - Topic 5: Approaches for psychology 2
, Key Elements of Classical Conditioning
a.) Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) – Any stimulus that produces a natural,
unlearnt behavioural response
e.g., food is a UCS for your dog
b.) Unconditioned Response (UCR) – Any response that occurs naturally without
learning
e.g., salivation in response to the presentation of food is a UCR
c.) Neutral Stimulus (NS) – Any environmental stimulus that does not naturally
produce a behavioural response.
NS must be paired with the UCS to evoke a response
e.g., sound of the opening can
d.) Conditioned Stimulus (CS) – A stimulus that has been associated with a UCS
so that it now produces the same response as the UCS on its own.
AQA - Topic 5: Approaches for psychology 3
, e.g., sound of the opening can is paired multiple times with the presentation of
food
e.) Conditioned Response (CR) – A learnt behaviour that is shown in response to
the learnt stimulus (CS)
Pavlov (1927) experiment with salivation in dogs
Classical Conditioning Example
Before conditioning:
Food (UCS) → saliva (UCR)
Music (NS) → no response
During conditioning:
Music (NS) + Food (UCS) = saliva (UCR)
After conditioning:
Music/piano (CS) → Saliva (CR)
AQA - Topic 5: Approaches for psychology 4
psychology
💡 Learning Outcomes:
1.) Learning approaches: i) the behaviourist approach, including classical
conditioning and Pavlov’s research, operant conditioning, types of
reinforcement and Skinner’s research; ii) social learning theory including
imitation, identification, vicarious reinforcement, the role of mediational
processes and Bandura’s research. —> refer Topic 3
2.) The cognitive approach: the study of internal mental processes, the
role of schema, the use of models to explain and make inferences about
mental processes.
3.) The biological approach: the genetic basis of behaviour: genotype,
phenotype and evolution. Influence of biological structures and
neurochemistry on behaviour. Cognitive neuroscience.
4.) The psychodynamic approach: the role of the unconscious, the
structure of personality, that is Id, Ego and Superego, defence
mechanisms including repression, denial and displacement,
psychosexual stages.
5.) Humanistic Psychology: free will, self-actualisation and Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs, congruence, the role of conditions of worth.
6.) Comparison of approaches.
1.) Learning approaches: i) the
behaviourist approach, including
classical conditioning and Pavlov’s
research, operant conditioning, types of
reinforcement and Skinner’s research; ii)
social learning theory including imitation,
AQA - Topic 5: Approaches for psychology 1
, identification, vicarious reinforcement,
the role of mediational processes and
Bandura’s research.
Key Assumptions of the Behaviourist Approach
1. Psychologists should only study observable, quantifiable behaviour.
2. All behaviour is learned.
3. Humans are no different from animals and should not be regarded as more
complex.
4. Research on animal behaviour is directly relevant to humans.
(1) Learning Theory: Classical Conditioning
Learning through association
When we pair a new stimulus with an existing stimulus-response link, we learn
to associate the two stimuli and respond in a similar manner to both
A stimulus is something in our environment that affects us; a response is our
reaction to a stimulus
AQA - Topic 5: Approaches for psychology 2
, Key Elements of Classical Conditioning
a.) Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) – Any stimulus that produces a natural,
unlearnt behavioural response
e.g., food is a UCS for your dog
b.) Unconditioned Response (UCR) – Any response that occurs naturally without
learning
e.g., salivation in response to the presentation of food is a UCR
c.) Neutral Stimulus (NS) – Any environmental stimulus that does not naturally
produce a behavioural response.
NS must be paired with the UCS to evoke a response
e.g., sound of the opening can
d.) Conditioned Stimulus (CS) – A stimulus that has been associated with a UCS
so that it now produces the same response as the UCS on its own.
AQA - Topic 5: Approaches for psychology 3
, e.g., sound of the opening can is paired multiple times with the presentation of
food
e.) Conditioned Response (CR) – A learnt behaviour that is shown in response to
the learnt stimulus (CS)
Pavlov (1927) experiment with salivation in dogs
Classical Conditioning Example
Before conditioning:
Food (UCS) → saliva (UCR)
Music (NS) → no response
During conditioning:
Music (NS) + Food (UCS) = saliva (UCR)
After conditioning:
Music/piano (CS) → Saliva (CR)
AQA - Topic 5: Approaches for psychology 4
