Psychology A Level Essay Plans/Notes – Approaches
Outline and evaluate the emergence of psychology
as a science, including Wundt’s contribution
AO1
Wundt, beginning of scientific psychology, anaylse nature of human
conciousness under controlled conditions (standardised procedures),
introspection → breaking up concious awareness into basic
structures (thoughts/images/sensations), structuralism
emergence of psychology as a science - 1900s behaviourists
(behaviour observed objectively and measured, controlled
experiments), 1950s cognitive (likened mind to computer, tested
predictions with experiments), 1980s biological (physiological
process, scanning techniques, genetic testing etc)
AO3
strength (W) - scientific, controlled, systematic, no extrenuous
variables, standardised procedure
limitation (W) - subjective data, considered unscientific today, used
self report (subjective), flawed, would not meet criteria of scientific
enquiry
strength (P) - modern psychology, can claim scientific, same aims as
natural sciences (describe, understand, predict, control behaviour),
use of scientific methods (eg lab study)
limitation (P) - subjective data, humanistic (individual experiences),
psychodynamic (case study), human beings are active participants -
demand characteristics, not always scientific
Outline and evaluate the behaviourist approach in
psychology
AO1
studying behaviour that can be observed/measured,
control/objectivity (lab studies), ‘tabula rasa’, human learning the
same as animal learning
classical conditioning - Pavlovs dogs, UCS → food, UCR → saliva, NS
→ bell, creates conditioned response of salivating at the sound of a
bell
operant conditioning - Skinner’s rats, positive reinforcement (reward
for behaviour eg treat), negative reinforcement (avoiding something
unpleasent eg electic shock), punishment (unpleasent consequence)
AO3
strength - well controlled research, observable behaviour in high
control lab settings, extrenuous variables removed, cause-effect
relationships established, scientific credibility
strength - real world application, token economy systems - OC (eg
prison), rewarding behaviour with tokens exchanged for privelidges,
treatment of phobias - CC, widespread application
, limitation - environmental determinism, sees all behaviour as
conditioned, ignores free will or concious decision making, ignores
biological factors (any innate behaviour), extreme position
Outline and evaluate social learning theory
AO1
Bandura, behaviour learned through observation/imitation, vicarious
reinforcement (imitation occurs if behaviour is rewarded, not
punished - learn consequences)
mediational processes - how cognitive factors involved in learning:
attention (notice), retention (remember), motor reprodution (ability
to perform), motivation (will to perform)
identification - imitate a role model (modelling), role model posesses
similar characteristics to observer OR attractive/high status
AO3
strength - recognises importance of cognitive factors in learning,
classical/operant inadequate alone, we store info about behaviour +
make judgements on when to perform, comprehensive
limitation - contrived lab studies, demand characteristics, bobo doll
study - kids behaving the way they thought was expected, research
tells little about how agression learnt in real life
strength - real world application, SLT principles account for how
children learn from others including media, explains how
social/cultural norms transmitted through society, increase value
Outline and evaluate the cognitive approach
AO1
internal mental processes, cannot be observed, study indirectly
making inferences on basis of behaviour, schema (packages of
information/ideas, represent mental framework for interpretation of
incoming information, help to process information quickly)
computer models (human mind compared to computer),
development of AI, cognitive neuroscience (tries to link brain areas
to mental processes eg Brocas area + speech production)
AO3
strength - scientific methods, high control, rigorous, lab studies,
objective data, cognitive neuroscience enables biological/cognitive
to enhance scientific basis of study, credible scientific
strength - real world application, dominant approach today, AI,
robots, treatment of depression, reliability of eyewitness testimony,
increases value
limitation - machine reductionism, computer analogy criticised,
ignores influence of human emotion/motivation (eg influence of
anxiety on eyewitness testimony), weakens validity
Outline and evaluate the biological approach
AO1
Outline and evaluate the emergence of psychology
as a science, including Wundt’s contribution
AO1
Wundt, beginning of scientific psychology, anaylse nature of human
conciousness under controlled conditions (standardised procedures),
introspection → breaking up concious awareness into basic
structures (thoughts/images/sensations), structuralism
emergence of psychology as a science - 1900s behaviourists
(behaviour observed objectively and measured, controlled
experiments), 1950s cognitive (likened mind to computer, tested
predictions with experiments), 1980s biological (physiological
process, scanning techniques, genetic testing etc)
AO3
strength (W) - scientific, controlled, systematic, no extrenuous
variables, standardised procedure
limitation (W) - subjective data, considered unscientific today, used
self report (subjective), flawed, would not meet criteria of scientific
enquiry
strength (P) - modern psychology, can claim scientific, same aims as
natural sciences (describe, understand, predict, control behaviour),
use of scientific methods (eg lab study)
limitation (P) - subjective data, humanistic (individual experiences),
psychodynamic (case study), human beings are active participants -
demand characteristics, not always scientific
Outline and evaluate the behaviourist approach in
psychology
AO1
studying behaviour that can be observed/measured,
control/objectivity (lab studies), ‘tabula rasa’, human learning the
same as animal learning
classical conditioning - Pavlovs dogs, UCS → food, UCR → saliva, NS
→ bell, creates conditioned response of salivating at the sound of a
bell
operant conditioning - Skinner’s rats, positive reinforcement (reward
for behaviour eg treat), negative reinforcement (avoiding something
unpleasent eg electic shock), punishment (unpleasent consequence)
AO3
strength - well controlled research, observable behaviour in high
control lab settings, extrenuous variables removed, cause-effect
relationships established, scientific credibility
strength - real world application, token economy systems - OC (eg
prison), rewarding behaviour with tokens exchanged for privelidges,
treatment of phobias - CC, widespread application
, limitation - environmental determinism, sees all behaviour as
conditioned, ignores free will or concious decision making, ignores
biological factors (any innate behaviour), extreme position
Outline and evaluate social learning theory
AO1
Bandura, behaviour learned through observation/imitation, vicarious
reinforcement (imitation occurs if behaviour is rewarded, not
punished - learn consequences)
mediational processes - how cognitive factors involved in learning:
attention (notice), retention (remember), motor reprodution (ability
to perform), motivation (will to perform)
identification - imitate a role model (modelling), role model posesses
similar characteristics to observer OR attractive/high status
AO3
strength - recognises importance of cognitive factors in learning,
classical/operant inadequate alone, we store info about behaviour +
make judgements on when to perform, comprehensive
limitation - contrived lab studies, demand characteristics, bobo doll
study - kids behaving the way they thought was expected, research
tells little about how agression learnt in real life
strength - real world application, SLT principles account for how
children learn from others including media, explains how
social/cultural norms transmitted through society, increase value
Outline and evaluate the cognitive approach
AO1
internal mental processes, cannot be observed, study indirectly
making inferences on basis of behaviour, schema (packages of
information/ideas, represent mental framework for interpretation of
incoming information, help to process information quickly)
computer models (human mind compared to computer),
development of AI, cognitive neuroscience (tries to link brain areas
to mental processes eg Brocas area + speech production)
AO3
strength - scientific methods, high control, rigorous, lab studies,
objective data, cognitive neuroscience enables biological/cognitive
to enhance scientific basis of study, credible scientific
strength - real world application, dominant approach today, AI,
robots, treatment of depression, reliability of eyewitness testimony,
increases value
limitation - machine reductionism, computer analogy criticised,
ignores influence of human emotion/motivation (eg influence of
anxiety on eyewitness testimony), weakens validity
Outline and evaluate the biological approach
AO1
