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A Level (Year 2)

Approaches

Name:…………………………………..

This unit includes the approaches you learned at AS but also:

The Psychodynamic Approach, The Humanistic Approach and

Comparison of Approaches.

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Personal Learning Checklist

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Review of approaches from year 1: remember you need to know these for your

exam as well as the two new ones for year 2! Define key terms to remind

yourself of these approaches:

The Origins of Psychology

The Behaviourist Approach

Wundt-the

daddy of

psychology

Strengths and limitations

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Social Learning Theory

Bandura:

Strengths and limitations

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The Cognitive Approach

The Biological Approach

Strengths and limitations

Strengths and limitations

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Exam questions

EXTENDED WRITING QUESTIONS IN YEAR 2 ARE WORTH 16

MARKS INSTEAD OF 12!!!

In practice this roughly equates to 6 marks AO1 (outline)-same

as it was in AS BUT 10 marks of AO2/3 (application if relevant

and evaluation).

In your Year 1 textbook you will see that there is ‘Further

Evaluation’ boxes. We used some of these points in AS

anyway-you now just need to make sure you can write 10

marks worth of evaluation which means more points and

more elaboration and explanation of AO2/3. This is a skill you

will develop over the year and build on your AS experience.

Group activity:

Each group will do an essay plan for each approach adding

further AO3 to reach 10 marks worth of evaluation.

Outline and evaluate the behaviourist approach in psychology

(16 marks)

Outline and evaluate the social learning approach in psychology

(16 marks)

Outline and evaluate the cognitive approach in psychology (16

marks)

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Outline and evaluate the biological approach in psychology (16

marks)

The Psychodynamic Approach

Freud believed that behaviour was determined more by psychological

factors. He assumed people are born with basic instincts and needs and

that behaviour is controlled mainly

by…………………………………………………………………..

Explain the relevance of the following pictures:

Key Terms Defence mechanisms

Repression

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Displacement

Denial

Freudian Defence Mechanisms Read the accounts of behaviours below and decide which defence mechanisms are being used;

choose from the following: DENIAL; REPRESSION; DISPLACEMENT;

a) “I wouldn’t have gone to that party even if I’d been invited. I don’t like that crowd”.

b) A man who beats his wife writes a book arguing that people have an instinctive need for

aggressive behaviour.

c) Tom is not famouss for being the first to buy a round in the pub. In fact, he is often quite reluctant to go to the bar. He often comments on how stingy others are, especially his boss who he believes should be more generous than anyone else when the office gets together for a drink.

d) Someone with an unacceptable impulse to shout obscenities becomes a writer of novels.

e) Sue has discovered a lump in her breast but refuses to go to the doctor because she is

quite sure that it is simply a cyst like the one her sister had the previous year.

f) During a row with his wife, Bill hits her: this is totally out of character for him as he is usually a gentle and caring man and has always despised the use of physical violence. He leaves the house and goes on a drinking binge; again, something he has never done before. The next day he remembers nothing of what happened.

g) “I’ve bought a new car even though I can’t really afford it. Anyway I’m sure the old one

would soon have needed loads of money spent on it just to keep it on the road.

Give other examples of the defence mechanisms described by Freud.

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Stage Age

(roughly)

Associated body part (source of

pleasure and sexual energy)

What part of the personality

(id/ego/superego) develops in this stage,

if at all?

What are key behaviours of the child during this stage?

Oral

Anal

Phallic

What is the Oedipus Complex?

Latent

Genital

Freud’s Five Stages of Psychosexual Development

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Evaluation

Using page 135 of the cat book answer the following questions regarding

evaluation of the psychodynamic approach.

Why is psychoanalysis said to be a ‘pioneering approach’?

What did Fisher and Greenberg conclude from 2500 studies on psychoanalysis?

Why is psychoanalysis gender biased?

Why is psychoanalysis a culture biased approach?

Why is psychoanalysis a comprehensive theory?

Posters

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1. Is the Little Hans case study good evidence for the Oedipus conflict? Explain your answer.

2. Is this a scientific way of investigating behaviour? Explain your answer.

3. How might a behaviourist explain Hans’s fear of horses?

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Assessment of Psychodynamic Approach

1. Outline the structure of personality from a psychodynamic perspective (4 marks)

2. Explain the defence mechanisms of repression, denial and displacement (3 + 3 + 3

marks)

3. Outline and evaluate the psychodynamic approach in psychology (16 marks)

4. Clare and Gina are out shopping. They both like a pair of expensive earrings, which

neither can afford to buy. Gina says she will steal two pairs of the earrings while

Clare distracts the shop assistant by asking if she can try on other jewellery. Gina is

proud of her earrings and wears them all weekend. But Clare feels guilty and she

posts her pair of earrings back to the shop anonymously.

How would the psychodynamic approach explain the difference between Clare and

Gina? Refer to the structure of personality in your answer. (4 marks)

5. Andrea is in a romantic relationship with Mark. Recently he has started to be less

attentive towards her, and often does not respond to her texts and calls for a long

period of time. She says it is because he is busy or that he has no phone reception.

Her friends think he is seeing someone else.

Identify which defence mechanism would explain Andrea’s behaviour and justify your

choice. (3 marks)

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Humanistic Psychology

Colour code/match the key terms

Conditions of worth Uppermost level of the hierarchy. Signifies growth and fulfilling potential

Congruence Humans are self-determining and are active agents in determining their own development

Self actualisation How we perceive ourselves and how we envision ourselves in an ideal world

The self The equivalency of our perceived self and our ideal self. This must be fairly equivalent to achieve self-actualisation

Freewill Criteria put in place by others which set limits or boundaries on love or acceptance

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Evaluation of Humanistic Psychology You must elaborate on each of the evaluation points i.e. explain the point and explain why it is a strength/limitation. Maslow’s hierarchy is linked to economic development. In early stages of economic development

the lower level needs are at play and the more advanced the economic development the higher

up the hierarchy the needs are.

Explanation/elaboration:

Rogers’s view about conditions of worth is supported by studies with adolescents.

Explanation/elaboration:

The evidence which supports the view fails to establish a causal relationship and is not scientific.

Explanation/elaboration:

The humanistic approach is idealistic.

Explanation/elaboration:

There are cultural differences regarding the hierarchy of needs.

Explanation/elaboration:

The approach has very little real world application, except for some influence on counselling.

Explanation/elaboration:

The approach may have more validity than others because of its holistic approach.

Explanation/elaboration:

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Assessment of Humanistic Approach

1. Explain what is meant by the terms free will, self-actualisation, congruence and conditions of worth (2 + 2+

2+ 2 marks)

2. Outline Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (4 marks)

3. Outline and evaluate the humanistic approach in psychology (16 marks)

4. Discuss two strengths of the humanistic approach (6 marks)

5. Discuss two limitations of the humanistic approach (6 marks)

6. Nathan has always worked really hard at school. He is ambitious and wants to become a solicitor. His

parents are very proud of him and celebrate his successes. However, of late, his grades at school have

slipped. Nathan is feeling miserable and anxious.

How do conditions of worth explain Nathan’s feelings (3 marks)

7. Liam is in his first year at university. He is not enjoying his business studies course very much. Liam’s dad

put pressure on Liam to choose the course because he wants Liam to follow him in the family business in the

future. Liam thinks he might have been better off doing history, which he really enjoyed at school.

How would the humanistic approach explain Liam’s feelings about his university course? Refer to the self

and conditions of worth in your answer (6 marks)

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Views on development

In terms of child development the psychodynamic approach presents the most

coherent theory of development as ties concepts and processes to specific

……………………………….. stages.

Stage theories within the cognitive approach have contributed to our

understanding of child development. For example as part of their intellectual

development children form complex …………………… as they get older.

Maturation is a key element of the biological approach whereby …………………..

determined changes in a child’s physiological status influence psychological and

behavioural characteristics.

Humanistic psychology sees the development of the ……………. as ongoing

throughout a child’s life.

Behaviourist and social learning approaches do not offer coherent stages of

development but instead see the processes that undergo learning as

………………… occurring at any age.

schemas continuous genetically self psychosexual

Nature vs nurture

Try to put the approaches on the nature/nurture scale

Nature Nurture

Reductionism

Reductionism is:

Which theories are more reductionist and why?

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Determinism

Determinism is:

Hard determinism: behaviourist approach, biological approach, psychodynamic

approach. Why are these said to be examples of hard determinism?

Soft determinism: cognitive approach.

Complete freewill: humanistic psychology.

Explanation and treatment of abnormal/atypical behaviour

Approach Explanation of behaviour Associated Treatments

Behaviourist

Unconscious conflict and trauma and overuse of defence mechanisms

Cognitive behavioural therapy.

Incongruence between self-concept and ideal self

Biological

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Exam Questions Read the article below.

Is your child watching you?

Research by social learning theorists into gender development has shown that children learn many of their gender-related behaviours from others. There are many examples of children copying the behaviour of adults, such as a young girl trying on her mother’s make-up. Of course, there are many reasons why some adult behaviours or actions seen by children are not copied.

Briefly explain what social learning theorists mean by modelling in relation to gender development. Refer to the article above in your answer.

(Total 2 marks)

Q2. Marc is often frustrated and angry, but most of the time he keeps his feelings under control. One day, during a meeting at work, Marc stormed out of the room and kicked the drinks machine so hard that the glass screen broke.

(a) Suggest how a psychodynamic psychologist might explain Marc’s behaviour.

(2)

(b) Suggest how a behaviourist psychologist might explain violent behaviour such as that shown by Marc.

(2) (Total 4 marks)

Q3. Discuss the contribution of behaviourist psychologists such as Pavlov and Skinner to our understanding of human behaviour.

(Total 16 marks)

Q4. Read the item and then answer the question that follows.

Dominic is unhappy and lacks confidence. He also thinks he is not very good-looking and not very clever. He goes to a counselling therapist for help. The therapist suggests that Dominic lacks congruence.

Outline what is meant by ‘congruence’. Explain one way in which Dominic might achieve ‘congruence’.

(Total 4 marks)

Q5. Describe the humanistic approach in psychology and discuss differences between this approach and the psychodynamic approach.

(Total 16 marks)

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Q6. It has been claimed that the humanistic approach has little to offer psychology. Outline and evaluate the humanistic approach in psychology. Refer to at least one other approach in your answer.

(Total 16 marks)

Q7. Referring to two assumptions of the humanistic approach, explain why humanistic psychologists have rejected the scientific method.

(Total 4 marks)

Q8. Describe and evaluate the humanistic approach in psychology.

(Total 16 marks)

Q9. A student asked his teacher: “Why are there so many approaches in psychology?”

The teacher replied: “Because each has something different to offer to our understanding of the human mind and behaviour. This means that every approach is unique.”

Discuss what makes the psychodynamic approach unique in psychology. Refer to other approaches in your answer.

(Total 16 marks)

Q10. Which one of the following statements is false? Shade one box only.

A The Id is responsible for pleasure-seeking behaviour

B The Id is responsible for unreasonable behaviour

C The Superego is responsible for bad behaviour

D The Superego is responsible for guilty feelings

(Total 1 mark)

Q11. (a) Outline a psychodynamic explanation for the development of the superego.

(3)

(b) Explain how the superego might affect moral behaviour in the following situation:

Jackie sees a T-shirt that she really likes in a store. She is aware that there are no security cameras nearby and thinks how easy it would be to slip the T-shirt into her bag.

(2) (Total 5 marks)

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Q12. Describe the psychodynamic approach to explaining human behaviour. Discuss strengths and limitations of this approach.

(Total 16 marks)

Q13. A psychodynamic psychologist wished to investigate the function of dreams. He asked five friends to keep a ‘dream diary’ for a week by writing a descriptive account of their dreams as soon as they woke up in the morning. He interpreted the content of their dreams as an expression of their repressed wishes.

Referring to the study above, explain why psychodynamic psychologists have often been criticised for neglecting the rules of the scientific approach.

(Total 3 marks)

Q14. Outline one limitation of the psychodynamic approach. (Total 2 marks)

Q15. Emily very much wanted to pass her ballet examination, but after she failed the examination she did not seem upset.

Suggest one defence mechanism and use your knowledge of this defence mechanism to explain why Emily was not upset after failing her ballet examination.

(Total 2 marks)

Q16. Which one of the following statements is false? Shade one box only.

A Repression can lead to unpleasant memories causing distress

B Repression causes people to have difficulty accessing unpleasant

memories

C Repression involves people choosing to forget unpleasant

memories

D Repression involves unpleasant memories being kept from

conscious awareness

(Total 1 mark)

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Q17. Outline key features of the cognitive approach in psychology. Compare the cognitive approach with the psychodynamic approach.

(Total 16 marks)

Q18. Explain one way in which social learning theory overlaps with one other approach in psychology.

(Total 2 marks)

Q19. Marc is often frustrated and angry, but most of the time he keeps his feelings under control. One day, during a meeting at work, Marc stormed out of the room and kicked the drinks machine so hard that the glass screen broke.

(a) Suggest how a psychodynamic psychologist might explain Marc’s behaviour. (2)

(b) Suggest how a behaviourist psychologist might explain violent behaviour such as that shown by Marc.

(2) (Total 4 marks)

Q20. Outline and evaluate social learning theory. In your answer, make comparisons with at least one other approach in psychology.

(Total 16 marks)