Coconote
AI notes
AI voice & video notes
Export note
Try for free
Comparing Psychological Approaches and Debates
Aug 9, 2024
🃏
Review flashcards
🗺️
Mindmap
Comparing Approaches in Psychology
Overview
Requirement to compare approaches in Psychology in A-level exams.
Comparisons can be in short questions or essay-type questions.
Three categories for comparing approaches: Debates, Research Methods, Practical Applications.
Free resource available for detailed comparison.
Key Debates in Psychology
Free Will and Determinism
Free will
: Extent to which behavior is under individual control.
Determinism
: Behavior caused by external/internal factors.
Behaviorist Approach
: Environmentally deterministic (behavior shaped by conditioning).
E.g., Pavlov's classical conditioning, Skinner's operant conditioning.
Biological Approach
: Biologically deterministic (behavior shaped by genetics, neurotransmitters).
E.g., MAOA gene in criminal behavior.
Criticism: Both approaches remove moral responsibility from individuals.
Nature and Nurture
Nature
: Behavior determined by inborn biological factors.
Nurture
: Behavior learned from the environment.
Behaviorist Approach
: Nurture (behavior learned through environmental interactions).
E.g., OCD explained by classical conditioning.
Biological Approach
: Nature (behavior influenced by biological factors).
E.g., genetic variations and neurotransmitter imbalances in OCD.
Criticism: Overemphasis on one side; modern research supports a combination of both.
Holism and Reductionism
Holism
: Behavior best understood as a whole.
Reductionism
: Behavior explained by breaking it down into parts.
Behaviorist Approach
: Environmentally reductionist (simple stimulus-response associations).
E.g., phobias explained by classical conditioning.
Biological Approach
: Biologically reductionist (specific biological processes).
E.g., biological preparedness in phobias.
Criticism: Lose meaning and context of behavior; holistic approaches see behavior as more than sum of parts.
Idiographic and Nomothetic
Idiographic
: Studying individuals as unique.
Nomothetic
: Studying human similarities to establish general laws.
Behaviorist Approach
: Nomothetic (general laws through experiments).
E.g., Pavlov’s and Skinner’s experiments.
Biological Approach
: Nomothetic (general laws about brain functions and neurotransmitters).
Criticism: Lack depth and insight from idiographic approaches.
Research Methods
Both Approaches
: Highly scientific, use lab experiments.
Strength: Objective, controlled, replicable, establish cause and effect.
Criticism: Use of animal studies; questions on generalizability to humans.
Practical Applications
Behaviorist Approach
: Treatment through classical conditioning.
E.g., Systematic desensitization for phobias.
Biological Approach
: Treatment through drug therapies.
E.g., Antidepressants for depression, OCD.
Criticism: Drug side effects, short-term solutions.
Comparison: Behaviorist approaches may be superior due to fewer side effects.
Additional Resources
Free essay example on comparing behaviorist and biological approaches available for download.
More videos and resources on various approaches and comparison questions.
Conclusion
Comparing approaches involves understanding debates, research methods, and practical applications.
Important for exams to write comparisons with judgments on approaches.
Additional resources and videos available for further study.
📄
Full transcript