Psychology Approaches - AQA A Level Notes

Origins and Early Psychology

Wilhelm Wundt earned the title 'father of psychology' by separating it from philosophy and introducing scientific methods. His groundbreaking approach used introspection - getting people to analyse their own thoughts and feelings when shown different stimuli.

Whilst introspection was innovative, it had major flaws. The method was subjective rather than objective, making it unreliable for scientific study. However, Wundt's influence was massive - he established psychology's scientific credibility and inspired future approaches like the cognitive method.

Key Point: Modern psychology is defined as the scientific study of mind and behaviour, using evidence-based research and scientific methods.

The Behaviourist Approach

Behaviourists believe your mind starts as a blank slate and all behaviour comes from experience and learning. There are two main types of learning that shape who you become.

Classical conditioning shows how we learn through association. Pavlov's famous dog experiment proved this - dogs learned to salivate at a bell because they associated it with food. The food (unconditioned stimulus) naturally caused salivation (unconditioned response), but after pairing with a bell, the bell alone (conditioned stimulus) triggered salivation (conditioned response).

Operant conditioning focuses on learning through consequences. Skinner's experiments with rats demonstrated how positive reinforcement (rewards) and negative reinforcement (removing unpleasant things) shape behaviour patterns.

Social Learning Theory

You don't just learn from direct experience - you also learn by watching others. Social Learning Theory explains how we imitate role models we identify with, whether they're real people or symbolic figures like celebrities.

Bandura's Bobo doll study proved this concept brilliantly. Children who watched adults act aggressively towards an inflatable doll later copied that aggressive behaviour. Boys were generally more aggressive, and children were more likely to imitate same-gender role models.

The mediational process determines whether imitation happens: Attention (noticing the behaviour), Retention (remembering it), Reproduction (being able to do it), and Motivation (wanting to do it). This gives you more choice than behaviourists suggest - you can decide what to copy.

Cognitive Approach

Your mind works like a sophisticated computer, processing information through mental processes that can be studied scientifically. This approach focuses on how you think, remember, and solve problems rather than just observable behaviour.

Schemas are mental shortcuts - cognitive frameworks that help you organise and understand information. They're like blueprints formed from your experiences that influence how you perceive everything. Because everyone has different experiences, we all develop unique schemas that can change over time.

The cognitive approach uses computer models (input → processing → output) and theoretical models like memory systems to explain how your mind works. Cognitive neuroscience now uses brain scans to link mental processes with actual brain activity.

Key Point: Unlike behaviourists, cognitive psychologists study internal mental processes, not just external behaviour.

Biological Approach

Everything you think, feel, and do has a biological basis. This approach examines how your genetics, brain structures, and neurochemistry influence behaviour and mental processes.

Your genotype (actual genes) can't change, but your phenotype (how genes are expressed) responds to environmental factors. Twin studies help researchers understand genetic influences - if identical twins show higher rates of similar disorders than fraternal twins, there's likely a genetic component.

Different brain areas control specific functions: the frontal lobe handles speech and learning, temporal lobe processes hearing and memory, parietal lobe manages sensory information, and occipital lobe controls vision. Your nervous system and endocrine system work together, with neurotransmitters and hormones affecting everything from mood to behaviour.

Neurochemistry is crucial - chemical imbalances like low serotonin can lead to depression. This understanding has revolutionised treatment through drug therapies like antidepressants.

Psychodynamic Approach

Your behaviour is driven by unconscious conflicts and early childhood experiences, according to Freud's psychoanalysis. Like an iceberg, most of your mind operates below conscious awareness, influencing your actions in ways you don't realise.

Your personality contains three competing parts: the id (seeks immediate pleasure), ego (balances reality), and superego (enforces morality). When these conflict, your ego uses defence mechanisms like repression, denial, and displacement to cope.

Freud believed you pass through five psychosexual stages during childhood (oral, anal, phallic, latency, genital). Unresolved conflicts at any stage supposedly affect adult personality, though this theory lacks scientific support.

Key Point: The psychodynamic approach emphasises that unconscious forces and childhood experiences shape adult behaviour.

Humanistic Approach

You have free will and the power to make your own choices - this optimistic approach focuses on individual potential rather than disorders or unconscious drives. Everyone is unique, so psychology should study individuals rather than make broad generalisations.

Self-actualisation means fulfilling your potential and becoming the best version of yourself. Maslow's hierarchy of needs shows how you must meet basic needs (food, safety) before achieving higher goals like self-actualisation.

Rogers emphasised the importance of unconditional positive regard - receiving love and support regardless of your behaviour. When there's congruence between your self-image and ideal self, you'll have higher self-esteem. Counselling helps increase this congruence by providing the supportive environment you need.

This approach recognises human complexity and has led to effective therapies, though critics argue it's unscientific and culturally biased towards Western individualistic values.