A psychologist called Solomon Asch was interested in a concept called majority influence. This is when you change your behaviour when in a group so that you don’t stand out from the group. For example, you may start smoking with your group of friends if they all smoke, to show that you are like them and you fit into the group that way.
Self-fulfilling prophecy:
This is when you behave in a certain way as you would like other to behave with you, for example, you will be cheerful, kind and polite to people who you want to give a good impression to and you would expect them to behave as you. On the other hand if you don’t really like people and don’t want them to like you then you may act in an aggressive and mean way for them to dislike you and get the impression of you not liking them.
Role Theory:
This is when you change your behaviour and attitude because of the role you are playing. For example, at work you may act all professional and behave how you are meant to behave because of the role you are in, but with your friends you may change and act all immature and be more unprofessional and then when you get home to your children, you will have to play the parent role and be caring and mature.
The Humanistic Perspective:
The two psychologists that associated in this approach are Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) and Carl Rogers (1902-1987). This perspective is about the free will we have the capability of individuals making their own choices. It is also looks at human experience.
Maslow came up with something called self-actualisation which means that we are all trying to be the best as we can intellectually, physically, spiritually and emotionally. He made a theory called the hierarchy of needs which shows that everyone needs to require the basic needs in order to approach the next level in the hierarchy. Maslow believed that until we meet our psychological needs we will focus on achieving them otherwise won’t move to the next level and be the person we desire to be.
Rogers was interested in the concept of self. Self-concept is how we view ourselves; it includes biological and physical qualities. This concept is made from an early age and children mainly adopt other people’s judgements of them. For example, if a child is called annoying or silly, they will have that thought about them and believing that it’s true. Rogers also believed that we hold an idea of self which is called the ideal self. This is when we have a thought on how we should be and how we feel to be. When there is an incongruity amongst our actual self and how we wish to be we can become unhappy or bothered by this.
M1:
An advantage of this approach is that it helps you do the best you can in things; it shows you a more positive side on yourself. This approach focuses on dealing with your problems rather than ignoring it by distracting yourself.
The Psychodynamic Approach:
This approach is related to a psychologist called Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) and he developed treatment known as psychoanalysis and the theory of psychodynamic psychology. Erik Erikson (1902-1994) adapted parts of Freud’s approach and he was a key follower of Freud.
Freud supposed that our feelings, memories and past experiences are all locked up at the back of our mind which he calls the ‘Unconscious’ mind and we cannot access the contents of this but they can leak out often; this could be at the tip of our tongues or in our dreams. Freud believed that the things we are ‘conscious’ about is like the tip of an iceberg; the small part that we are aware of. The part that we have access to from the ‘unconscious’ part of the mind, Freud called this the ‘Pre-conscious’ where we can still retrieve it even though it is not in the conscious part of the mind.
Importance of early experiences: Freud demonstrated a developmental theory of psychosexual stages. He believed that at each stage of psychosexual development, our individual’s energy focuses on one of the body that is relevant at that stage. We move onto the next development stage if the need of that current stage is met. But if there is a problem about the needs of that stage and it isn’t met, and then you may be fixated at that stage for example, having a habit of sucking your thumb or biting your nails. There are five stages of psychosexual development and they are:
Oral stage: this has got to do with the mouth e.g. sucking, biting and licking.
Anal stage: this can be about potty training.
Phallic stage: this is more about feelings and you may develop about your feelings towards the gender e.g. if you are homosexual or heterosexual etc.
Latency stage: this stage is more about socialising and interests in social activities.
Final stage is genital stage: this is puberty and the ability to form strong relationships.
Freud said that the mind is divided into the three parts which is the Id, Ego and Superego. The development of the ego defence mechanism is the second important feature of early experience. The unconscious part of the mind is the Id and it focuses on what it wants. The superego tries to keep the Id calm and this part of the mind is more socialising and helps with the ideas and thinking more mature as we grow up.
Erik Erikson partially agreed with Freud’s theory but he thought that Freud put too much importance on our individual pleasure rather than more on our society and how to lead a meaningful life. Erik also thought that the series of stages carried on throughout our lifetime.
M1:
An advantage of this approach is that it gives you an insight of how your adult personality can be affected by your early experiences or relationships. An example of this is that a smoker may have fixated at their oral stage. Another advantage is that this approach is the first to try and explain mental illness in psychological terms and it also has an effect on how to understand and cure mental disorders. An example of this is that Freud believed that dreams showed our hidden wishes and thoughts by making our unconscious materials, conscious.
A weakness of this approach is that it doesn’t generalise all the cultures as Freud mostly done his research on white, middle class people and every culture and class of people have different ways and values. Another weakness of this approach is that Freud uses the findings of the case study to prove his theory which lacks objectivity.
The Cognitive/information processing perspective:
This perspective has two main theorists who are Jean Piaget (1896 – 1980) and George Kelly (1905 – 1966). Jean Piaget originally worked on measuring intelligence and he was a Swiss psychologist. Jean Piaget noticed that children at the same age make the same mistakes however bright they are. He then concluded that cognition progresses in many stages and to move onto the next stage they must build up on the stage before that. The stages of development are:
Stage 1: age 0-2 years old – The world is experienced through motor activity and the senses.
Stage 2: age 2-7 years old – Language develops along with memory. The child is egocentric and unable to conserve.
Stage 3: age 7-11 years old – The child can now understand conversation but cannot yet solve problems mentally.
Stage 4: age 11+ year olds – The child can now use abstract thought and represent problems mentally.
(I got this information from the Level 3 Btec Health and Social Care book).
George Kelly came up with a theory called Psychology of Personal Constructs which was a unique theory. He saw people as scientists as how they make prediction about their future and he did tests on them. He believed that we don’t have to see the negative about incidents in life but we can take it as a positive meaning instead. For example, if a person becomes deaf during their middle age then they may feel upset and not want to socialise much with people but if they interpret this as a challenge then they may try investigating on how they can communicate and carry on living normally as the way they were before.
M1:
An advantage of this approach is that Piaget’s table is applicable; it can be used as a guide to help people know what stage they should be on and if they aren’t on that stage yet then they should try and get to that stage. Another advantage is that it is your natural development through the stages so you don’t have to do anything to make yourself that intelligent unless you are behind.
A weakness about this approach is that it shows you can’t skip any stages; you have to go through the stages by the next stage in order to gain that intelligence. Another weakness is that the change of environment can affect the stages for example, if a child has moved to another country he/she may have to learn a new language so therefore they may not be at the stage where they are meant to be.
The Biological perspective:
This perspective’s theorist is Arnold Gesell (1880 – 1961). The main theory of this perspective is called the Maturational Theory.
The Maturational theory is about thinking that the environment has minimal effect of how we grow up. This theory believes that maturity is due to nature and not nurture.
Arnold Gesell believed that according to the order of the maturational processes, development occurred in that process. An example of this is that when a child is in the womb it goes through stages before it is fully developed e.g. development of the brain, heart begins to form etc.
Genetic influences on behaviour:
Behaviour can be affected in many ways because of your genes. This is because your parents may have passed down a disease from them and which may be in one of your genes such as cystic fibrosis, hallucinations, severe confusion etc. which have effects on your behaviour. Whichever disorder that has been passed down to your genes cannot be affected by the environment and it will affect your behaviour as you develop.
The influence of the nervous system and endocrine systems on behaviour:
Hormones can also have an effect on behaviour as they are biochemical substances and are released into the blood stream; which has a deep effect on behaviour. Melatonin is a type of hormone which acts on the sleep mechanisms; therefore it helps blend the stages of activity and sleep. Testosterone is a sex hormone and it is released in the testicles which can cause someone to be aggressive. Oxytocin is a hormone which acts on organs and is released by the pituitary gland which stirs the production of milk and female orgasms.
by
east-enders1 (student)
