Assumptions

Question 1

What are the 2 main assumptions of the biological approach?

Answer 1

• Behavior, cognitions, and emotions can be explained in terms of the working of the brain and the effect of hormones, genetics, and evolution.
• Similarities and differences between people can be understood in terms of biological factors and their interaction with other factors.

Question 2

What are the 2 main assumptions of the cognitive approach?

Answer 2

• There are similarities between the ways humans and computers process information.
• Individual differences in cognitive processes such as attention, language, thinking, and memory, which can help to explain our differing behaviors and emotions.

Question 3

Explain the human-computer analogy.

Answer 3

Input->Processing->Output

Question 4

What are the 2 main assumptions of the learning approach?

Answer 4

• Each life begins as a ‘blank slate’: observable changes to our behavior can result from interactions with our environment.
• The processes of social learning, operant conditioning, and classical conditioning are the ways in which humans and animals learn. These processes involve stimulus response.

Question 5

What is stimulus response?

Answer 5

Experience within our environment (stimuli) shape our behavior (response).

Question 6

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 6

Learning through the consequence of our actions.

Question 7

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 7

Learning through association.

Question 8

What are the two main assumptions of the social approach?

Answer 8

• Our behavior, cognitions, and emotions can be influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others.
• All of our behavior, cognitions, and emotions can be influenced by social contexts, social environments, and groups.