Only observable behaviour is
measurable scientifically and
it is only these behaviours
that can be studied
It is valid to study the behaviour
of animals as they share the same
principles of learning (CC&OC)
According to the behaviourists we are
born as a blank state (tabula rasa) so
there is no genetic influence
Key
Psychologists
Pavlov
CC
Skinner
OC
Bandura
SLT
Nurture-> learnt
from the
environment
Behaviour that
is learnt can be
unlearnt
Adopts a scientific
approach -
observation and
measurement
Cognitive Approach
Description
Visual, Shallow
processing,
Requires little
effort
Thought processes
proceed all
behaviour
Atkinson & Shiffrin
INPUT: See your friend across
the road, wave at them, see no
response from their
processing, assume they did
not see you OUTPUT ask them
about it later
Computer Analogy
The mind works like a computer
in that it has an input from our
senses, which it then processes
and produces an output such as
language or specific behaviour
Memory,
Language
etc.
Schema
Knowledge is
stored in blocks
Evaluation
Weaknesses
Strengths
High Order Evaluation
Biological Model
Description
Key
Assumptions
Everything psychological is at
first biological& to understand
human behaviour we must look
at biological structures and
processes within the body such
as genes, nervous system and
neurochemistry
Assumes all thoughts,
feelings and behaviour
have an underlying
physical basis
Model is contract to COGNITIVE
Genotype &
Phenotype
Genotype=persons
ACTUAL genetic
makeup. It has written
genetic code within the
DNA. Everyone's is
different apart from
twins
Phenotype=how genes are
EXPRESSED through either
physical, behavioural and
psychological characteristics
HYDE
Differences in
genotype and
phenotype
Environmental
experiment
Genetic
Inheritance
Behaviour genetics
study behaviour
characteristics and says
they are inherited
50% or genetics are
from the mother and
50% are the fathers
Genes=blueprint of
characterisation, how they are
expressed depends on the
complex inheritance
Monozygotic (I) Twins share
100% of genetics whereas
dizygotic (non-I) twins share 50%
like siblings
GOTTESMAN AND SHIELD
Twin Study
Biological
Structure
Nervous System
CNS (brain and
spinal cord) + PNS
(somatic and
autonomic nervous
system)
CNS
Transfers messages to and
from the environment
PNS
Sends and receives
information to the CNS
Evolutionary
Theory
Evaluation
Strengths
Weaknesses
High Order Evaluation
Behaviourist Approach
High Order Evaluation
Ethical and Practical
Issues in Animal
Experiment
Environmental
Determinism
Evaluation
Scientific Credibility
Able to bring the language and methods of
natural sceicnes into psychology by focusing
on the measurement of observation behaviour
within highly controlled lab settings.
Objectivity and replication, behaviourism was
influential in the development of psychology as a
scientific discipline - greater credibility and status
Mechanistic View
of Behaviour
Animals and humans=passive
and machine-like responders
to the environment, with little
or no conscious insight into
their behaviour.
SLT and COGNITIVE
approach have
emphasised importance of
mental events during
learning
These processes,
which mediate
between the stimulus
and response, suggest
that people may play
more of a role
Real Life Application
Token Economy
Systems and Phobias
Principles of conditioning applied
to a broad range of real-world
behaviours and problems
Operant Conditioning - in prisons.
Where prisoners who are well
behaved receive a reward-'token
economy' in order to exchange a
privlage
Classical Conditioning - applied to
treatment of phobias - the patient does not
have to think of their phobia