Approaches 16-mark plans
Outline and evaluate Wundt contribution to psychology
A01 – father psychology, first lab in Leipzig Germany. Approach became
known as structuralism. Scientific methods to study human consciousness
by breaking it down into smaller components
A01 – introspection, looking into. Consciously observing thoughts and
emotions, trained participants to give a detailed report. Controlled the
environment and tasks
A01 – Wundt used empirical methods apply to mental processes
A03 – Hunter, teenage beepers, report feelings throughout the day
A03 – pbs, not a full representation, self-report
A03 – idiographic nature which leads to a rich detailed understanding of
individual experiences. It gives qualitative data and can provide insight
into niche aspects of human behaviour
A03 – not scientific, over the years the science behind psychology has
developed due to modernised methods of study the brain. PET scans and
EEGS can measure brain activity and brain waves to identify aspects of
the brain responsible for certain things. This means that Wundt’s
introspection methods aren’t scientific as internal mental processes can’t
be empirically measured only inferred
A03 – real world, introspection is many humanistic counselling
approaches, just discussing the feelings and talking about stressors.
Unconditional positive regard then given by the counsellor to make the
patient feel seen and acknowledged.
, Outline and evaluation the behaviourist approach to psychology
A01 – conditioning suggests that behaviour is entirely learned through
experience in the environment
A01 – classical conditioning, classical conditioning suggests that behaviour
is learned through associating a response with a reflex. It suggests that an
unconditioned response is paired with a neutral stimulus and the
response then becomes associated the neutral stimulus which becomes
the conditioned stimulus
A01 – operant conditioning, operant conditioning suggests that behaviour
is learned through reinforcement. Reinforcement strengthens a response
and punishment weakens a response. Positive reinforcement is giving a
positive reaction, negative reinforcement is taking away a negative
reaction
A03 – skinner, studied operant conditioning with rats. Put rats in the cage
with a lever, when they pressed the lever a food pellet would come
down, eventually the rat continued to press lever for food to come down,
positive reinforcement
A03 – pbs, extrapolation, humans have much more complex mental
processes then rats and therefore research from animals can’t be
generalised from as humans are more complex conscious beings
A03 – neglects influence of free will, suggests that we will repeat
behaviours that are rewarded and not repeat those punished which
won’t always necessarily be the case
A03 – doesn’t consider biological factor’s, e.g., low serotonin for
depression. Behaviourism would suggest that it is solely the environment,
which is the cause, but biological research has shown that genetics also
have an influence on many behaviours which limits the behaviourist
response
A03 – practical applications, systematic desensitisation on treating
phobias is based on classical conditioning, pairing a new relaxed response
with the feared stimulus
2
Outline and evaluate Wundt contribution to psychology
A01 – father psychology, first lab in Leipzig Germany. Approach became
known as structuralism. Scientific methods to study human consciousness
by breaking it down into smaller components
A01 – introspection, looking into. Consciously observing thoughts and
emotions, trained participants to give a detailed report. Controlled the
environment and tasks
A01 – Wundt used empirical methods apply to mental processes
A03 – Hunter, teenage beepers, report feelings throughout the day
A03 – pbs, not a full representation, self-report
A03 – idiographic nature which leads to a rich detailed understanding of
individual experiences. It gives qualitative data and can provide insight
into niche aspects of human behaviour
A03 – not scientific, over the years the science behind psychology has
developed due to modernised methods of study the brain. PET scans and
EEGS can measure brain activity and brain waves to identify aspects of
the brain responsible for certain things. This means that Wundt’s
introspection methods aren’t scientific as internal mental processes can’t
be empirically measured only inferred
A03 – real world, introspection is many humanistic counselling
approaches, just discussing the feelings and talking about stressors.
Unconditional positive regard then given by the counsellor to make the
patient feel seen and acknowledged.
, Outline and evaluation the behaviourist approach to psychology
A01 – conditioning suggests that behaviour is entirely learned through
experience in the environment
A01 – classical conditioning, classical conditioning suggests that behaviour
is learned through associating a response with a reflex. It suggests that an
unconditioned response is paired with a neutral stimulus and the
response then becomes associated the neutral stimulus which becomes
the conditioned stimulus
A01 – operant conditioning, operant conditioning suggests that behaviour
is learned through reinforcement. Reinforcement strengthens a response
and punishment weakens a response. Positive reinforcement is giving a
positive reaction, negative reinforcement is taking away a negative
reaction
A03 – skinner, studied operant conditioning with rats. Put rats in the cage
with a lever, when they pressed the lever a food pellet would come
down, eventually the rat continued to press lever for food to come down,
positive reinforcement
A03 – pbs, extrapolation, humans have much more complex mental
processes then rats and therefore research from animals can’t be
generalised from as humans are more complex conscious beings
A03 – neglects influence of free will, suggests that we will repeat
behaviours that are rewarded and not repeat those punished which
won’t always necessarily be the case
A03 – doesn’t consider biological factor’s, e.g., low serotonin for
depression. Behaviourism would suggest that it is solely the environment,
which is the cause, but biological research has shown that genetics also
have an influence on many behaviours which limits the behaviourist
response
A03 – practical applications, systematic desensitisation on treating
phobias is based on classical conditioning, pairing a new relaxed response
with the feared stimulus
2
