AQA A2 Psychology Paper 2: Approaches Correct 100%

*ORIGINS OF PSYCHOLOGY* - ANSWER *ORIGINS OF PSYCHOLOGY* Wundt - ANSWER opened Institute for Experimental Psychology in 1879 separated psychology from philosphy - studied mind in a more structured and scientific way wanted to describe the nature of human consciousness *ORIGINS OF PSYCHOLOGY* Wundt Introspection - ANSWER involves analysing own thoughts and feelings internally used it to study sensation and perception ppts asked to describe experiences when presented with set of stimuli&reaction times recorded isolating the structure of consciousness = structuralism *ORIGINS OF PSYCHOLOGY* Wundt Introspection: Controlled Methods - ANSWER all introspections recorded under strict controlled conditions with same stimulus every time all ppts received same standardised instructions - allowed studies to be repeated *ORIGINS OF PSYCHOLOGY * Wundt Introspection: Problems - ANSWER doesnt explain *how* the mind works - relies on people's own reporting which isnt objective doesnt provide data that is reliable - people's accounts cant be confirmed *ORIGINS OF PSYCHOLOGY* Wundt Reductionism - ANSWER Wundt believed in reductionism underlying structre of human experience could be broken down into smaller, measurable parts - measured with introspection *ORIGINS OF PSYCHOLOGY* Psychology as a Science: Watson and early Behaviourists - ANSWER by start of 20th century scientific status and value of introspection began to be questioned - mainly by John Watson introspection produced subjective data - difficult to create general principles from introspection also focused on private thoughts - began to claim psychology should only study behaviour that is observable and measurable Behaviourism was developed and psychology developed as a science along with it *ORIGINS OF PSYCHOLOGY* Psychology as a Science - ANSWER scientific study of the mind and behaviour theories are formed and scientifically tested initially behaviorists focused on carefully controlled lab studies - Watson and Skinner cognitive revolution in 1960s - studying mental processes seen as legitimate and highly scientific method biological approach makes use of experimental data - recent advances to investigate physiological changes - like live action brain scans such as EEG/fMRI *LEARNING THEORY: BEHAVIOURISM* Key Assumptions - ANSWER *nearly all behaviour is learnt* - only exceptions are inborn reflexes and instincts *animals and humans learn in the same ways* - principles of learning are the same - formation of stimulus-response association *mental processes of the mind are irrelevant* - cant directly observe and measure person's thinking - measurable data only comes from studying behaviour *LEARNING THEORY: BEHAVIOURISM* Key Research Methods - ANSWER practical advantages of using animals - easy to keep and fewer ethical limitations only observe quantifiable behaviour - use laboratory experiments *LEARNING THEORY: BEHAVIOURISM* Classical Conditioning - ANSWER Ivan Pavlov studied how dog's salivation helps to digest food - realised they sometimes salivated before given food - associated food with another stimulus *PAVLOV DOGS EXPERIMENT* 1) *Before Conditioning* UCS (food) -- UCR (salivation) 2) *During Conditioning* UCS presented with --- UCR (salivation) another stimulus (bell) 3) *After Conditioning* CS(bell) presented --- CR (salivation) by itself can be applied to areas of human development like attachment *LEARNING THEORY: BEHAVIOURISM* Classical Conditioning The Principles - ANSWER *generalisation* - stimuli similar to original CS produce the CR *discrimination* - stimuli similar to original CS dont produce the CR - withholding UCS when similar stimulus is used *extinction* - CR isnt produced as a result of CS - when CS is repeatedly presented without UCS following *spontaneous recovery* - previously extinct CR produced in response to CS - when CS presented again after not being used *higher order conditioning* - new CS produces CR because animal associates with original CS - consistently presenting new CS before original *LEARNING THEORY: BEHAVIOURISM* Operant Conditioning - ANSWER learning from the consequences of actions - *positive reinforcement* - something desirable is obtained for a behaviour - *negative reinforcement* - something undesirable removed for a behavior - *punishment* - unpleasant consequence of a behaviour *LEARNING THEORY: BEHAVIOURISM* Operant Conditioning Skinner's Rats: Method - ANSWER 'Skinner Box' - contained variety of stimuli - speaker, lights, electric floor and lever/food dispenser hungry rat placed into Skinner Box - time taken for rats to learn that pressing the lever would release food recorded *LEARNING THEORY: BEHAVIOURISM* Operant Conditioning Skinner's Rats: Results - ANSWER initially rat ran around until it accidentally pressed the lever and was rewarded with food more times they were put into box, quicker to learn where lever was *LEARNING THEORY: BEHAVIOURISM* Operant Conditioning Skinner's Rats: Conclusion - ANSWER rats can learn behaviour through operant conditioning behaviour can be positively reinforced by receiving food and negatively by the removal of hunger *LEARNING THEORY: BEHAVIOURISM* Evaluation - ANSWER evidence shows animals and humans can learn by conditioning but not all human behaviour can be explained by it most conditionin