Explain the various approaches to psychology and the people who pioneered them
Task 1 - Explain the various approaches to psychology and the people who pioneered them
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and its activities, both normal and abnormal. (Collins Dictionary)
There are four main approaches to psychology. These are:
. Behaviourist
2. Psychoanalytic
3. Humanistic
4. Cognitive
The behaviourist approach
This approach is said to have been started by Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936), J.B. Watson (1878-1958), and B.F. Skinner (1904-1990). This theory argues that all human behaviour is caused by something else. This means that behaviour is just a response to a stimulus. They also believe that behaviour can be scientifically tested under reproduced conditions. This was the first ever serious attempt to make psychology into a proper science.
Behaviourism does not concern the mind, consciousness or thoughts. It is only concerned with actions. Below are famous studies that impacted on the behaviourist approach and who pioneered them.
Pavlov
Pavlov discovered Classic conditioning. During his research he discovered that the presence of the lab technician that fed the dogs (he experimented on animals) that the dogs salivated more, even when the technician wasn't going to feed them. This lead to an experiment in which he rang a bell every time the dogs were fed, then eventually the dogs began to salivate more just at the bell being rung, despite their food not being present. The dogs had associated the sound with their food.
B.F. Skinner
Later discovered another type of conditioning. Operant conditioning. This study meant that a pigeon learnt to peck a leaver in order to get a reward (a seed). Classical condoning involves no link between the dogs response and a reward. For example, the dog does not get food because it salivates. Operant conditioning links the response, the pecking of a lever, to a reward. The animal therefore must do something to get the reward.
J.B. Watson
Attempted to show conditioning in human beings, in 1923 he trained a child to be terrified of furry objects by clanging a metal bar behind the child every time it held a furry toy. This would not be ethical nowadays.
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and its activities, both normal and abnormal. (Collins Dictionary)
There are four main approaches to psychology. These are:
. Behaviourist
2. Psychoanalytic
3. Humanistic
4. Cognitive
The behaviourist approach
This approach is said to have been started by Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936), J.B. Watson (1878-1958), and B.F. Skinner (1904-1990). This theory argues that all human behaviour is caused by something else. This means that behaviour is just a response to a stimulus. They also believe that behaviour can be scientifically tested under reproduced conditions. This was the first ever serious attempt to make psychology into a proper science.
Behaviourism does not concern the mind, consciousness or thoughts. It is only concerned with actions. Below are famous studies that impacted on the behaviourist approach and who pioneered them.
Pavlov
Pavlov discovered Classic conditioning. During his research he discovered that the presence of the lab technician that fed the dogs (he experimented on animals) that the dogs salivated more, even when the technician wasn't going to feed them. This lead to an experiment in which he rang a bell every time the dogs were fed, then eventually the dogs began to salivate more just at the bell being rung, despite their food not being present. The dogs had associated the sound with their food.
B.F. Skinner
Later discovered another type of conditioning. Operant conditioning. This study meant that a pigeon learnt to peck a leaver in order to get a reward (a seed). Classical condoning involves no link between the dogs response and a reward. For example, the dog does not get food because it salivates. Operant conditioning links the response, the pecking of a lever, to a reward. The animal therefore must do something to get the reward.
J.B. Watson
Attempted to show conditioning in human beings, in 1923 he trained a child to be terrified of furry objects by clanging a metal bar behind the child every time it held a furry toy. This would not be ethical nowadays.