Key Approaches

THE BIOLOGICAL APPROACH

Stresses the importance of nature in the nature vs. nurture debate
The principles of biology are applied to psychology in order to understand behaviours such as imprinting
We are able to manipulate a species' genetic make-up in order to investigate the genetic basis of behaviour
Darwin's theory of evolution shows how strongest genes survive and are passed onto the next generation, whilst maladaptive genes die out
We can observe many examples of evolutionary behaviour in non-human species e.g. sexual selection and in humans e.g. the rooting reflex

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Psychology should focus on abservable behaviour, not minds, if it is to be regarded as a scientific discipline
All behaviour is learnt, or determined by, interactions and experiences in our environment
Operant conditioning is concerned with the use of consequences or reinforcements to modify and shape behaviour
Classical conditioning demonstrates how a new association can be made between a neutral stimulus and an already exsisting response
There are many practical examples of the behaviourist approach e.g. the modification of speech in autistic children

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SLT takes into account the cognitive processes involved in learning
We learn by observing others (role models) in our environment
There are 4 conditions necessary for effective modelling to occur: Attention, Retention, Motor Reproduction and Motivation
SLT has been applied to many areas of psychology e.g. gender development

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Cognitive psychologists focus on internal mental processes that lie between stimulus and response
Humans are like computers in the way in which both encode, store and retrieve information
Many models, e.g. connectionist, have been used to explain internal mental processes
The approach has provided many useful applications e.g. improving reliability of eyewitness accounts

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The unconscious mind contains instinctive drives, needs and psychic actions of which we are unaware
The way in whcih we progress through the 5 psychosexual stages of development as a child will determine our adult behaviour
Our personality is structured by the interactions of the id, ego and superego
The ego employs defence mechanisms, e.g. denial to protect us from feelings of guilt and anxiety

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Human beings are active agents who have free will to control and determine their own development
Rogers stated that to be psychologically healthy, a person's ideal self and real self must be congruent
Maslow stated that all individuals strive towards self-actualisation- the ability to realise one's potential
Person-centred therapy is still used in counselling today as an effective tool to achieve personal growth and psychological health

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