Psychology approaches

The main explanations psychology uses, and what each says behaviour comes from.

What it is

The core approaches: behaviourist (learning from the environment), cognitive (mental processes), biological (genes, brain, neurochemistry), psychodynamic (unconscious), humanistic (free will and self-actualisation) and social learning (observation and imitation).

Where it applies

GCSE and A Level psychology.

How it works

Each explains the same behaviour differently, which is the point. Aggression is conditioning to a behaviourist, testosterone and brain structure to a biologist, observed and imitated to a social learning theorist.

Each has strengths and weaknesses — determinism, reductionism, testability, ethics — and evaluation questions want those.

How to use it in your work

Learn one classic study per approach and use it as evidence.

For evaluation, use the standard debates by name: nature versus nurture, free will versus determinism, reductionism versus holism.

Apply to the scenario in the question. Psychology mark schemes reward application heavily.

Where to get help

Your teacher and your board's specification — these qualifications vary more between boards than the traditional GCSEs do, and much of the grade is coursework marked against stated criteria.