Direct reinforcement. Demand characteristics. Phillips (1983) Mental representation. Demand characteristics. Bandura and Walters (1963)

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Direct reinforcement. Demand characteristics. Phillips (1983) Mental representation. Demand characteristics. Bandura and Walters (1963)"

Jeffrey Ferguson
6 years ago
Views:

Ecological validity Bandura and Walters (1963) Nurture Specifics of aggressive behaviour Vicarious reinforcement Direct reinforcement Imitation of behaviour

1 58 SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY Specifics of aggressive behaviour Direct reinforcement Bobo doll Demand characteristics Bandura et al. (1961) Phillips (1983) Context-dependent learning Specifics of aggressive behaviour Mental representation Imitation of behaviour Demand characteristics Ecological validity Bandura and Walters (1963) Nurture Specifics of aggressive behaviour Vicarious reinforcement Direct reinforcement Imitation of behaviour Demand characteristics Bandura and Walters (1963) Lesson notes p.34 PSYCHOLOGY A2: THE TEACHER S COMPANION FOR AQA A published by Folens 2010 Michael Griffi n, Rosalind Geillis and Cara Flanagan 149

59 SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY Vicarious reinforcement Mental representation Direct reinforcement

representation Imitation of behaviour Bobo doll Ecological validity Bandura and Walters

doll Ecological validity Bandura et al. (1961) Nurture Lesson notes p.

2 59 SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY Vicarious reinforcement Mental representation Direct reinforcement Imitation of behaviour Bobo doll Ecological validity Bandura and Walters (1963) Mental representation Imitation of behaviour Bobo doll Ecological validity Bandura and Walters (1963) Nurture Specifics of aggressive behaviour Self-efficacy Imitation of behaviour Bobo doll Ecological validity Bandura et al. (1961) Nurture Lesson notes p PSYCHOLOGY A2: THE TEACHER S COMPANION FOR AQA A published by Folens 2010 Michael Griffi n, Rosalind Geillis and Cara Flanagan

60 Links Turning study evaluation into theory evaluation In order to gain AO2/AO3 marks in PSYA3 and PSYA4, you need to use research studies in your evaluations and, further, to evaluate these

3 60 Links Turning study evaluation into theory evaluation In order to gain AO2/AO3 marks in PSYA3 and PSYA4, you need to use research studies in your evaluations and, further, to evaluate these studies. But most importantly such evaluations of the studies must link to the theory. You must show that you can evaluate the methodology of studies and explain the impact that has on our acceptance of a theory. Very often, the essays will ask you to discuss theories but NOT studies. This means that in order to gain the AO2/AO3 marks you have to evaluate the studies you have used to evaluate the theories! For example, evaluate Bandura s Bobo doll study, which you have used to support Social learning theory. What the hell does that mean?! This means that you need to link (hence the graphic below!) your evaluation of a study, back to the evaluation of the theory in order to make it relevant to the essay and get the marks! Use the framework below to help you make these links! 1. Introduce your evaluation of the study methodology. 2. Explain and elaborate on this evaluation point. 3. Explain how it affects the reliability/validity of the evidence. 4. Explain the impact this has on our acceptance of a theory. e.g,. One problem with Bandura s study is ecological validity This is because the children only hit an inflatable doll, rather than a real person who might hit back. This means the results may not generalise to other settings where children may be given the opportunity to engage in aggressive acts against humans. As such, we cannot be sure from this study that social learning theory and vicarious reinforcement can explain the performance of aggressive acts against other humans. Lesson notes p.35 PSYCHOLOGY A2: THE TEACHER S COMPANION FOR AQA A published by Folens 2010 Michael Griffi n, Rosalind Geillis and Cara Flanagan 151

4 61 Situational factors in aggression A. B. C. D. E. F. Lesson notes p PSYCHOLOGY A2: THE TEACHER S COMPANION FOR AQA A published by Folens 2010 Michael Griffi n, Rosalind Geillis and Cara Flanagan

The move comes after a string of violent incidents involving sets THE DAILY NEWS of fans before and after games.

5 62 Getting shirty! MINISTER PROPOSES BAN ON FOOTBALL SHIRTS! The government Minister for Sport, Alana Clogan, today announced plans to ban football supporters from wearing their team s shirts within 24 hours of a game being played. The move comes after a string of violent incidents involving sets THE DAILY NEWS of fans before and after games. Clogan said, Having listened to social psychological theories of aggression, it seems clear that the wearing of team colours contributes to the likelihood of hooliganism occurring through a process of deindividuation. By removing the wearing of aggression and violence team colours and shirts, will be reduced at we feel confident that football games. Get off the fence! Imagine you are a social psychologist who has heard about Alana Clogan s plans to ban the wearing of football shirts and colours. You must take a strong view on this issue and write a letter to the Minister outlining an argument against the proposals. Your letter must: Focus on psychological arguments and evidence. Include at least one study which supports your view that the proposals are flawed. Explain how that study relates to this issue. Include at least one study that DOES support the proposal, but then discredit that evidence (e.g. the methodology used). Outline alternative factors/explanations/variables that account for football hooliganism, supported with evidence. Suggest your own proposals, based on the psychological evidence. Include a brief conclusion at the end which summarises your main arguments. Lesson notes p.36 PSYCHOLOGY A2: THE TEACHER S COMPANION FOR AQA A published by Folens 2010 Michael Griffi n, Rosalind Geillis and Cara Flanagan 153

Institutional or group level aggression may occur within groups or institutions

nocide (e.g. the murder of six million Jews by Nazis during World War II).

at: Brainstorm reasons why you think this happened/happens.

6 63 Why? Why? Why? Institutional or group level aggression may occur within groups or institutions such as the armed forces or prisons. It may also occur between groups in cases such as genocide (e.g. the murder of six million Jews by Nazis during World War II). Write down a brief description of institutional aggression that you have looked at: Brainstorm reasons why you think this happened/happens. Start with a very simple reason why at the top, then explore that reason in more depth, keep asking yourself why, why, why?! Try to bring in elements of psychology if you can. You may well need a large piece of paper to do this, A3 for example. Lesson notes p PSYCHOLOGY A2: THE TEACHER S COMPANION FOR AQA A published by Folens 2010 Michael Griffi n, Rosalind Geillis and Cara Flanagan

7 64 Brief summaries Making notes on neural and hormonal mechanisms in aggression in these briefs will force you to summarise the information. Use your textbook (e.g. page 66 of A2 Complete Companion) or the Internet to help you. Try and include the key words written beneath the briefs in your summaries. The role of neurotransmitters Serotonin Dopamine inhibiting, susceptibility, Mann (1981) amphetamines, antipsychotics The role of hormonal mechanisms Testosterone Cortisol action on brain areas, challenge hypothesis mediating effect, anxiety, testosterone Lesson notes p.37 PSYCHOLOGY A2: THE TEACHER S COMPANION FOR AQA A published by Folens 2010 Michael Griffi n, Rosalind Geillis and Cara Flanagan 155

65 Understanding twin studies There are two types of twin: (draw stick people versions of them here) Twin type: AKA: Genes shared: Twin type: AKA: Genes shared: Dave is one half of a MZ twin pairing.

8 65 Understanding twin studies There are two types of twin: (draw stick people versions of them here) Twin type: AKA: Genes shared: Twin type: AKA: Genes shared: Dave is one half of a MZ twin pairing. He has an aggressive behaviour disorder. Assuming aggressive behaviour is completely genetic, what are the chances of his identical twin Arnold developing the disorder? Explain your answer. Arnold does NOT suffer from an aggressive behaviour disorder. Are Dave and Arnold concordant? What is a concordance rate? Lesson notes p PSYCHOLOGY A2: THE TEACHER S COMPANION FOR AQA A published by Folens 2010 Michael Griffi n, Rosalind Geillis and Cara Flanagan

9 66 Nature vs. Nurture Trying to determine the role of genetic factors in aggression is essentially a question of nature and nurture. Key: Nature Nurture Both Nature and Nurture Task: Choose a different colour to shade in each row of the key. Then, shade in each study/point using this colour code to indicate which viewpoint this could be used to argue for. In your notes, explain how/why they support this viewpoint. One of the few studies to specifically assess aggressive behaviour using adult twin pairs found that nearly 50% of the variance in direct aggressive behaviour A study of over fourteen thousand adoptions in Denmark found that a significant number of adopted boys with criminal convictions had biological parents (particularly fathers) with criminal convictions (Hutchings and Mednick, 1975). Caspi et al. (2002) studied 500 male children. The researchers discovered a variant of the gene associated with high levels of the gene responsible for producing the protein MAOA. Those with low levels of MAOA were significantly more likely to grow up to exhibit antisocial behaviour but only if they had been maltreated as children. could be attributed to genetic factors (Coccaro et al., 1997). Most twin studies have focussed on criminal behaviour, rather than aggressive behaviour directly. In a replication of Bandura et al. s Bobo doll study, twin pairs were encouraged to act aggressively towards the doll by being exposed to an adult model who also behaved aggressively towards it. Researchers found no difference in correlations between MZ and DZ twin pairs (Plomin et al., 1981). Lesson notes p.38 PSYCHOLOGY A2: THE TEACHER S COMPANION FOR AQA A published by Folens 2010 Michael Griffi n, Rosalind Geillis and Cara Flanagan 157

67 Evolutionary explanations of behaviour Brian was a loving husband to his wife, and doting father to his daughter Grace.

When Grace fell ill and needed a kidney transplant, it emerged that Brian could not be the donor because they were not a genetic match. Brian learnt that he could not be Grace s father.

Explain why Brian s behaviour might be viewed as an evolved and adaptive response. Try and use the following key terms in your answer: cuckoldry, reproductive cost, investment.

Once they had been in their relationship for a year his behaviour started to change. Simon would always make fun of her, make her feel stupid, and make derogatory comments about her weight.

10 67 Evolutionary explanations of behaviour Brian was a loving husband to his wife, and doting father to his daughter Grace. He always spent a lot of time with her, bought her gifts and worked hard to make sure that she had everything she needed. When Grace fell ill and needed a kidney transplant, it emerged that Brian could not be the donor because they were not a genetic match. Brian learnt that he could not be Grace s father. Brian was absolutely enraged, divorced his wife and refused to pay any maintenance money to help with the upbringing of Grace. Explain why Brian s behaviour might be viewed as an evolved and adaptive response. Try and use the following key terms in your answer: cuckoldry, reproductive cost, investment. When Simon and Clare first started their relationship Simon was romantic, gentle and consistently told Clare how beautiful she was and how much he enjoyed spending time with her. Once they had been in their relationship for a year his behaviour started to change. Simon would always make fun of her, make her feel stupid, and make derogatory comments about her weight. Explain why Simon s behaviour might be viewed as an evolved and adaptive response. Try and use the following key terms in your answer: sexual jealousy, insults, self-esteem, mate retention. Amish is in a relationship with Jaspreet but his behaviour towards her can sometimes be strange. For example, he calls her several times a day and pretends he does this because he misses her, but actually he wants to know where she is and what she is doing. Occasionally, Amish will tell Jaspreet that he won t be home until late but will call home unexpectedly to see what she is up to. Explain why Amish s behaviour might be viewed as an evolved and adaptive response. Try and use the following key terms in your answer: sexual jealousy, mate retention, direct guarding, sexual autonomy. Andrew is an extremely jealous boyfriend. When he and Jenni (his partner) go out in the evenings, he will often shout at other males who look at her and threaten to hit them. He also threatens Jenni that he will stop buying her clothes and break up with her if she talks to other guys in the pub. She knows that if he sees her smiling or laughing around another male that he will be extremely angry and make threats against her. Explain why Andrew s behaviour might be viewed as an evolved and adaptive response. Try and use the following key terms in your answer: sexual jealousy, mate retention, negative inducements, infidelity. Lesson notes p PSYCHOLOGY A2: THE TEACHER S COMPANION FOR AQA A published by Folens 2010 Michael Griffi n, Rosalind Geillis and Cara Flanagan

68 In order to get the highest marks in A2 Psychology, your essays must contain synoptic elements.

Psychologists often use reductionism because it helps us understand behaviour on a simpler level.

Using the speech bubbles below, discuss reductionism in the evolutionary explanations of

In what way are these evolutionary explanations reductionist that is, what do they reduce

Evolutionary explanations of aggressive group display are reductionist because.

11 68 In order to get the highest marks in A2 Psychology, your essays must contain synoptic elements. One way in which you can do this is to link your knowledge and analysis of a topic to a psychological debate. e. One debate centres on reductionism breaking down a complex phenomenon into simple components. Psychologists often use reductionism because it helps us understand behaviour on a simpler level. However, taken too far, reductionism can be counterproductive. Using the speech bubbles below, discuss reductionism in the evolutionary explanations of aggressive group display. In what way are these evolutionary explanations reductionist that is, what do they reduce aggressive behaviour to? Evolutionary explanations of aggressive group display are reductionist because. How is this reductionism useful in this case? It could be argued this reductionism is useful because. As a result of reductionism, what important factors/variables might these explanations ignore? However, one problem with reductionism is that. Lesson notes p.39 PSYCHOLOGY A2: THE TEACHER S COMPANION FOR AQA A published by Folens 2010 Michael Griffi n, Rosalind Geillis and Cara Flanagan 159

EXPLAINING & EVALUATING TWIN STUDIES

EXPLAINING & EVALUATING TWIN STUDIES Activity Overview The aim of this activity is to help students to outline and evaluate twin studies. Outlining and explaining the importance of twin studies is not an easy task and one of the examiners