THE
Wundt:
o Known as father of psychology.
o Set up the first lab in 1879 in Germany.
o Promoted introspection which is examining one’s own thought processes and reflecting on these
by consciously observing one’s own thoughts and emotions.
o Research was in a controlled environment but issue with introspection is that it’s subjective, but
science needs to have objectivity.
Emergence of psychology as a since:
o It began by Wundt using introspection and highly controlled lab experiments.
o Behaviourists/empiricists criticised introspection as data was subjective and not objective as
internal mental processes can’t be studied and measured but only observable behaviour can.
o The behaviourists focused on investigating scientific processes involved in learning in lab
experiments which were controlled. Cognitive psychologists later developed their work.
o From the 1980s the biological approach became dominant as there was an advance in
technology like MRI and FMRI scanning
Paradigm:
o Basic assumptions, ways of thinking and methods of study commonly accepted by members of a
certain group e.g., psychodynamic paradigm.
o Psychology has evolved over time and each paradigm shift (change in the leading approach)
allowed psych to become more of a ‘science’.
o Paradigm shift: identified by Thomas Kuhn which is an important change in basic concepts and
experimental practices. It’s a change from one way of thinking to another also called scientific
revolution.
Key features of a science:
o Objectivity: factual data and conducting studies w/o bias or influence from anything other than
being studied
o Control: all research should be conducted in controlled conditions
o Replicability: each experiment should be able to be replicated the say way it was originally done
o Hypothesis testing: predictions should be made that can be supported or disproved (falsifiability)
Is psychology a science:
o Yes: shares same aim as science to predict and establish theories
Some approaches use scientific procedures like lab experiments e.g., behaviourists/cognitive.
o No: not all approached use scientific methods. Some use interviews e.g., psychodynamic
approach
Research is easily influenced by extraneous variables that are hard to control e.g., guessing aim
of the study leading to demand characteristics.
THE
ASSUMPTIONS:
o Tabula Rasa – born as a blank slate where all behaviour is learned through environmental stimuli.
o Behaviour must be observable and measurable, so they moved away from introspection to
remain objective.
o Believes there’s only quantitative differences between humans and animals so results from labs
can be generalised.
, CLASSICAL CONDITIONING:
o Learning through the association of a neutral stimuli with a newly learnt response.
o Neutral stimuli – causes no response.
o Unconditioned stimuli – causes a naturally
occurring response.
o Conditioned stimuli – conditioned response by
associating the neutral and unconditioned
stimuli and causing a conditioned response
w/o the unconditioned stimuli.
Pavlov’s dogs:
o Pavlov did the 1st experiment with dogs.
o UCS was the food providing the UCR of salivating.
o The NS was the bell with NR.
o The bell was run several times with the food to come with the CS which was the bell producing
the CR of salivation each time the bell was rang.
OPERANT CONDITIONING:
o Learning through the consequences of our behaviour
o Positive reinforcement: Something good being given after an action e.g., a gold star for good
work – strengthens behaviour.
o Negative reinforcement: Something bad is taken away after an action e.g., avoiding an elevator
to remove anxiety – strengthens behaviour.
o Punishment: Something bad happens/ something good is taken away e.g., time out or the phone
is taken away – deters behaviour
o Token Economy System: X number of things done = Y reward and a certain amount of Y rewards
can be exchanged for a gift
Skinners rats:
o There were 2 rats: One fed and one hungry.
o Both were placed in different cages, and it was seen that the hungry
rat was more active than the fed one.
o The hungry one pulled the lever to then find food coming down. This
was positive reinforcement, so the rat pulled the lever again.
o The fed rat had mild electric shocks sent to where he was laying and
found when he pulled the lever the discomfort was removed. This was negative reinforcement, so
he continued to pull the lever.
EVALUATIO
STRENGTHS: WEAKNESSES:
N:
o The research carried out by Watson and o Environmentally reductionist as factors like
Raynor that provides evidence for cognition aren’t considered.
behaviourists theories. o Approach ignores cognition and says only
o Process of Classical conditioning (CC) observable behaviour can be measured but
demonstrated through baby Albert cognitive psychologists have proved that
(explain the different stimuli’s) mental processes/brain structure affects our
o A strength as it supports the idea that behaviour by use of objective techniques such
Classical conditioning is involved in as brain scans.
learning innate behaviour through o A weakness as it doesn’t provide a complete
environmental factors. explanation of human behaviour and ignores
o Behaviourists have empirical evidence how mental processes can affect the way we
and a scientific status due to experiments behave.
which proved the thoughts of Classical o The approach is limited in its application to
conditioning to be true. human behaviour
o However, can be said to be unethical as
he then developed a fear of white rats
which was then generalised to other
white creatures.
o Practical applications developed from o Its environmentally deterministic and doesn’t
theories. consider the idea of free will and believes
behaviour is due to stimulus response links.
Wundt:
o Known as father of psychology.
o Set up the first lab in 1879 in Germany.
o Promoted introspection which is examining one’s own thought processes and reflecting on these
by consciously observing one’s own thoughts and emotions.
o Research was in a controlled environment but issue with introspection is that it’s subjective, but
science needs to have objectivity.
Emergence of psychology as a since:
o It began by Wundt using introspection and highly controlled lab experiments.
o Behaviourists/empiricists criticised introspection as data was subjective and not objective as
internal mental processes can’t be studied and measured but only observable behaviour can.
o The behaviourists focused on investigating scientific processes involved in learning in lab
experiments which were controlled. Cognitive psychologists later developed their work.
o From the 1980s the biological approach became dominant as there was an advance in
technology like MRI and FMRI scanning
Paradigm:
o Basic assumptions, ways of thinking and methods of study commonly accepted by members of a
certain group e.g., psychodynamic paradigm.
o Psychology has evolved over time and each paradigm shift (change in the leading approach)
allowed psych to become more of a ‘science’.
o Paradigm shift: identified by Thomas Kuhn which is an important change in basic concepts and
experimental practices. It’s a change from one way of thinking to another also called scientific
revolution.
Key features of a science:
o Objectivity: factual data and conducting studies w/o bias or influence from anything other than
being studied
o Control: all research should be conducted in controlled conditions
o Replicability: each experiment should be able to be replicated the say way it was originally done
o Hypothesis testing: predictions should be made that can be supported or disproved (falsifiability)
Is psychology a science:
o Yes: shares same aim as science to predict and establish theories
Some approaches use scientific procedures like lab experiments e.g., behaviourists/cognitive.
o No: not all approached use scientific methods. Some use interviews e.g., psychodynamic
approach
Research is easily influenced by extraneous variables that are hard to control e.g., guessing aim
of the study leading to demand characteristics.
THE
ASSUMPTIONS:
o Tabula Rasa – born as a blank slate where all behaviour is learned through environmental stimuli.
o Behaviour must be observable and measurable, so they moved away from introspection to
remain objective.
o Believes there’s only quantitative differences between humans and animals so results from labs
can be generalised.
, CLASSICAL CONDITIONING:
o Learning through the association of a neutral stimuli with a newly learnt response.
o Neutral stimuli – causes no response.
o Unconditioned stimuli – causes a naturally
occurring response.
o Conditioned stimuli – conditioned response by
associating the neutral and unconditioned
stimuli and causing a conditioned response
w/o the unconditioned stimuli.
Pavlov’s dogs:
o Pavlov did the 1st experiment with dogs.
o UCS was the food providing the UCR of salivating.
o The NS was the bell with NR.
o The bell was run several times with the food to come with the CS which was the bell producing
the CR of salivation each time the bell was rang.
OPERANT CONDITIONING:
o Learning through the consequences of our behaviour
o Positive reinforcement: Something good being given after an action e.g., a gold star for good
work – strengthens behaviour.
o Negative reinforcement: Something bad is taken away after an action e.g., avoiding an elevator
to remove anxiety – strengthens behaviour.
o Punishment: Something bad happens/ something good is taken away e.g., time out or the phone
is taken away – deters behaviour
o Token Economy System: X number of things done = Y reward and a certain amount of Y rewards
can be exchanged for a gift
Skinners rats:
o There were 2 rats: One fed and one hungry.
o Both were placed in different cages, and it was seen that the hungry
rat was more active than the fed one.
o The hungry one pulled the lever to then find food coming down. This
was positive reinforcement, so the rat pulled the lever again.
o The fed rat had mild electric shocks sent to where he was laying and
found when he pulled the lever the discomfort was removed. This was negative reinforcement, so
he continued to pull the lever.
EVALUATIO
STRENGTHS: WEAKNESSES:
N:
o The research carried out by Watson and o Environmentally reductionist as factors like
Raynor that provides evidence for cognition aren’t considered.
behaviourists theories. o Approach ignores cognition and says only
o Process of Classical conditioning (CC) observable behaviour can be measured but
demonstrated through baby Albert cognitive psychologists have proved that
(explain the different stimuli’s) mental processes/brain structure affects our
o A strength as it supports the idea that behaviour by use of objective techniques such
Classical conditioning is involved in as brain scans.
learning innate behaviour through o A weakness as it doesn’t provide a complete
environmental factors. explanation of human behaviour and ignores
o Behaviourists have empirical evidence how mental processes can affect the way we
and a scientific status due to experiments behave.
which proved the thoughts of Classical o The approach is limited in its application to
conditioning to be true. human behaviour
o However, can be said to be unethical as
he then developed a fear of white rats
which was then generalised to other
white creatures.
o Practical applications developed from o Its environmentally deterministic and doesn’t
theories. consider the idea of free will and believes
behaviour is due to stimulus response links.
