Comparison of Approaches

Comparison of Approaches

1. Determinism

   • Behaviourist
     • external forces in the environment (environmental determinsism)
     • consequences of behaviour (reinforcement) determine the likelihood of repeating it
   • Social Learning
     • observations of models
     • experience determines our vicarious learning, but free will allows us to choose when to apply what we have learnt
   • Cognitve
     • thought processes determine our behaviour
     • have some degree of control
   • Biological
     • physiological & genetic factors determine our behaviour
     • we have no control
   • Psychodynamic
     • unconscious factors, largely unknown to us & beyond our control
   • Humanistic
     • free will
     • no outside forces our biological predispositions

2. Nature & Nurture

   • Behaviourist
     • nuture
     • behaviour is a consequence of our interactions with our environment
   • Social Learning
     • primarily nurture
     • but capacity to learn through observation has adaptive value therefore innate (nature)
   • Cogntive
     • nature & nurture
     • we all share innate cognitive processes (nature)
     • but can develop irrational thoughts & beliefs as a result of experience (nurture)
   • Biological
     • primarily nature
     • neural & endocrine systems are innate
     • experiences may modify these systems (nurture)
   • Psychodynamic
     • unconscious drives & ego conflicts (nature)
     • the way we deal with them, which depends on our upbringing (nurture)
   • Humanistic
     • drive to self actualise (nature)
     • conditions of worth (nurture)

3. Psychology as a science

   • Behaviourist
     • yes
     • highly objective & experimentally based approach
     • allows for accurate measurement & replication
   • Social Learning
     • yes
     • investigations follow experimental patterns
     • allows inferences about cause & effect
   • Cognitive
     • yes to a degree
       • as most propositions can be tested
     • but mental processes cannot be directly observed so models are based on a lot of inference
   • Biological
     • yes
     • factors like neurotransmitters can be studied experimentally
   • Psychodynamic
     • yes & no
     • largely depends on case studies & subjective interpretation
   • Humanistic
     • mainly no
     • argues scientific research methods are unsuitable for studying complex human experiences