DIFFERENT TYPES OF
APPROACHES TO PSYCHOLOGY
1. BIOLOGICAL APPROACH
It explains behaviour in terms of physical causes in our brain and bodies .
Brain is the most likely biological source of causes of behaviour: it produces chemicals called
neurotransmitters (like seratonin, which regulates our moods).
The endocrine system is also significant because it produces hormones that impact our
behaviour (like adrenaline).
The methods used by this approach are physical too:
brain scans: they can show us the structure and functioning of the brain.
research on animals: helpful because we can’t deliberately make changes to the human
brain to observe the effect on behaviour.
2. BEHAVIOURIST APPROACH
This approach focuses on the influence of experience on our behaviour and how we learn
behaviour.
We learn through:
Association classical conditioning (a conditioned stimulus becomes associated with an
unrelated unconditioned stimulus in order to produce a behavioral response known as a
conditioned response)
Reinforcement operant conditioning (in which a new voluntary behaviour is associated with a
consequence - reinforcement makes the behaviour more likely to occur, while punishment makes it
less likely to occur)
Behaviourists often use the experimental method because it invlolves precise and objective
measurement of behaviour in controlled conditions.
3. PSYCHODYNAMIC APPROACH
This approach was originated by Sigmund Freud. He believed that the causes of behaviour lie
within the unconscious mind, the part of the mind that is normally closed off to us but is
extremely active.
There is constant dynamic conflict between parts of the unconscious and the conscious mind and
we can get a glimpse of this conflict when we dream. For this reason Freud advocated the use of
dream interpretation to help us understand what’s in the unconscious.
This approach also emphasises the importance of childhood experiences that have a major
impact on our personality development and our behaviour as adults.
APPROACHES TO PSYCHOLOGY
1. BIOLOGICAL APPROACH
It explains behaviour in terms of physical causes in our brain and bodies .
Brain is the most likely biological source of causes of behaviour: it produces chemicals called
neurotransmitters (like seratonin, which regulates our moods).
The endocrine system is also significant because it produces hormones that impact our
behaviour (like adrenaline).
The methods used by this approach are physical too:
brain scans: they can show us the structure and functioning of the brain.
research on animals: helpful because we can’t deliberately make changes to the human
brain to observe the effect on behaviour.
2. BEHAVIOURIST APPROACH
This approach focuses on the influence of experience on our behaviour and how we learn
behaviour.
We learn through:
Association classical conditioning (a conditioned stimulus becomes associated with an
unrelated unconditioned stimulus in order to produce a behavioral response known as a
conditioned response)
Reinforcement operant conditioning (in which a new voluntary behaviour is associated with a
consequence - reinforcement makes the behaviour more likely to occur, while punishment makes it
less likely to occur)
Behaviourists often use the experimental method because it invlolves precise and objective
measurement of behaviour in controlled conditions.
3. PSYCHODYNAMIC APPROACH
This approach was originated by Sigmund Freud. He believed that the causes of behaviour lie
within the unconscious mind, the part of the mind that is normally closed off to us but is
extremely active.
There is constant dynamic conflict between parts of the unconscious and the conscious mind and
we can get a glimpse of this conflict when we dream. For this reason Freud advocated the use of
dream interpretation to help us understand what’s in the unconscious.
This approach also emphasises the importance of childhood experiences that have a major
impact on our personality development and our behaviour as adults.
