Psychology Origins and Learning Approaches

Origins of Psychology

• Psychology emerged as a science with Wundt's work and introspection
• Introspection involved detailed self-reporting of mental processes

Learning Approaches

• Behaviourism: Focuses on observable behaviours, not internal mental processes
  • Classical Conditioning: Learning through association (Pavlov's dogs)
  • Operant Conditioning: Learning through consequences (reward and punishment)
    • Types of reinforcement: positive, negative, punishment
    • Skinner's research: experiments using operant conditioning techniques
• Social Learning Theory: Learning through observation and imitation
  • Imitation: Copying behaviours
  • Identification: Modeling behaviours of a role model
  • Vicarious reinforcement: Learning by observing consequences for others
  • Mediational processes: internal cognitive factors (thoughts and feelings) influence learning
  • Bandura's research: Bobo doll experiment demonstrating observational learning

Cognitive Approach

• Focuses on internal mental processes (e.g., memory, perception)
• Schema: Mental frameworks to organize information
• Uses theoretical and computer models to understand mental processes
• Cognitive Neuroscience: Combines cognitive psychology and neuroscience to study the biological basis of cognition

Biological Approach

• Focuses on the biological influences on behaviour
• Genes, biological structures (brain areas), neurochemistry (hormones, neurotransmitters) are key factors
• Genotype: Genetic makeup
• Phenotype: Observable characteristics
• Genetic basis of behaviour (e.g., twin studies)
• Evolution and behaviour: how evolution influences behaviour

Psychodynamic Approach

• Focuses on the unconscious mind's influence on behaviour
• Personality structure: Id (primitive desires), Ego (mediates between Id and reality), Superego (moral standards)
• Defence mechanisms: unconscious strategies to cope with anxiety (e.g., repression, denial, displacement)
• Psychosexual stages: Freud's theory of development through stages

Humanistic Psychology

• Emphasizes free will, self-actualization (achieving one's full potential)
• Maslow's hierarchy of needs: Hierarchy of needs (physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, self-actualization)
• Focus on the self and congruence (consistency between self-concept and experiences)
• Conditions of worth: Expectations that affect self-concept
• Influencing counselling psychology

Comparison of Approaches

• Different approaches offer varying perspectives on human behaviour and mental processes.