An Overview of the approaches

Detail Biological Behaviourist SLT Cognitive Psychodynamic Humanistic

Assumptions, ideas and All human behaviour All human behaviour is Much human behaviour The human mind Behaviour, thought and Each person is unique
theories can be understood learned from is learned from actively processes mental processes are and psychology should
through the experience. We are born observing other information that comes determined by focus on the subjective
investigation of a blank slate. All people’s behaviour: in through the senses. unconscious mental feelings, thoughts and
biological processes: behaviour can be imitation Human information processes. experiences of the
Genes and heritability explained in terms of Mental processes are processing is similar to Early childhood vital in individual.
Evolution stimulus and response. essential for learning to that of a computer: understanding adult Self-actualisation
CNS and PNS Reinforcement take place. input, stores and personality. Ideal and actual self
Neurotransmitters strengthens behaviour Observational learning retrieval, output. Psychosexual stages. Conditions of worth
and punishment stops takes place as a result of Mental processes can be Id, ego, superego. Maslow’s hierarchy of
behaviour. Psychology whom a person studied scientifically: Defence mechanisms needs
should be studied identifies with: models. experiments. Freewill and holism
scientifically. Reinforcement does not Cognitive processes
need to be direct, it can mediate between
be vicarious. stimulus and response.
Research methods Twin, family and Laboratory experiments Laboratory experiments Laboratory studies Case studies Case studies / PCT
adoption studies (animals) Observations Field experiments
Brain scanning
techniques.
Post mortems
Laboratory experiments
(humans and animals)
Topics Schizophrenia Forensics Forensics Gender Mood disorders Mood disorders
Mood disorders Phobias Gender Memory Forensics Anxiety disorders
Forensics Attachment – cupboard Phobias Mood disorders Gender Mild mental health
OCD love Attachment Attachment (Maternal problems
Gender Schizophrenia deprivation hypothesis)
Attachment Phobias
Practical Applications Drug therapies Token economy Understanding media Understanding factors Psychoanalysis PCT – mild psychological
Psychosurgery programmes: anxiety, violence, health affecting memory and Creative therapies: play, disorders
offending, eating psychology and used in forgetting – revision art, drama
disorders treatments of mental strategies
Systematic disorders. Cognitive Behavioural
desensitisation Advertising. Therapy
(phobias) Education (modelling).
Education (reward
systems)
 Detail Biological Behaviourist SLT Cognitive Psychodynamic Humanistic
Strengths Scientific Scientific Scientific Scientific (procedures) Effective therapies Holistic
Wide application of Wide application of Wide application of Strong applications Post-Freudian theories Positive view / Forward
ideas ideas ideas Use of models, helps us Recognises the looking
Effective therapies Effective therapies Accepts the role of understand the unconscious Acknowledges freewill
Removes blame Ideas discovered using cognition: (mediating importance of internal Recognises importance Effective therapies –
Links with cognitive animals, which would cognitive factors) processes (Mind) of childhood form basis of modern
approach not be ethical on Can explain individual Links with the biological Recognises complexity counselling
humans differences in behaviour approach (cognitive of human thought Recognises individual
and context dependent neuropsychology) Demonstrates value of subjectivity
learning Uses a range of research idiographic research Importance of conscious
methods methods experience
Limitations Reductionist Poor generalisability Reductionist Reductionist Not scientific / Not scientific
Extreme side of nature (animal studies) Main ideas based on Mechanistic view of falsifiable. Too idiographic to be
Hard determinism Ignores human emotion laboratory experiments humans (models, lack of Over sexualisation of useful
Doesn’t recognise and thought (Bobo doll) that are emotion) children Limited applications of
conscious experience Reductionist more difficult to ‘test’ in Ignores factors such as Male orientated theory and therapy
Rejects the biological a naturalistic setting. individuality, genes, theories (androcentric) Culture-bound ideas
approach biology Pessimistic view (Western)
Backward looking
Idiographic-nomothetic Nomothetic Nomothetic Nomothetic Nomothetic in Uses idiographic Idiographic
generalisations made methods but produces
but makes use of nomothetic theories
idiographic research
methods
Reductionism-holism Reductionist – most Reductionist Reductionist Reductionist Reductionist concepts Holistic ideology
reductionist level of but less so than other
explanation. approaches.
Freewill –determinism Biological determinism Environmental Soft determinism Soft determinism Psychic determinism Freewill
determinism
Nature-nurture Nature Nurture Nurture Interactionist Interactionist Interactionist

Does it take a scientific Yes Yes Yes Yes No No

approach?