bio approach- 2.B hormones and behaviour Flashcards
1.Baumgartner et al. (2008)
Generalisability: Moderate – the sample size was decent (49 participants), but the trust game in an fMRI scanner may not reflect real-life trust.
Reliability: High – the use of fMRI and controlled conditions makes it replicable.
Applicability: High – the findings help us understand how oxytocin influences trust, which could be useful for treating social anxiety or trust issues.
Validity: Low ecological validity – the trust game was artificial and played in a lab setting.
Ethics: No major ethical issues, as participants were informed and no harm was caused.
Strength: Used fMRI to show how oxytocin affects brain activity during trust interactions.
Limitation: The trust game lacked real-world relevance, so findings may not apply to everyday trust situations.
2.Bos et al. (2010)
Generalisability: Low – the sample was small (24 women) and focused on testosterone’s effects, which may not apply to men or other populations.
Reliability: High – the double-blind, repeated-measures design and controlled conditions make it replicable.
Applicability: High – the findings help us understand how hormones like testosterone influence social behavior, which could be useful for studying aggression or trust.
Validity: Low ecological validity – the trustworthiness task was artificial and used a rating scale, which may not reflect real-life trust.
Ethics: Ethical concerns about administering testosterone, but participants were informed and their safety was ensured.
Strength: Shows how testosterone selectively reduces trust in highly trusting individuals.
Limitation: The artificial task and small sample limit generalizability.
3.Wedekind and Furi (1997)
Generalisability: Moderate – the sample was 120 participants, but the focus on MHC and scent preferences may not apply to all cultures or contexts.
Reliability: High – the controlled conditions and clear methodology make it replicable.
Applicability: High – the findings help us understand how genetics (MHC) and pheromones influence mate choice, which could be useful for evolutionary psychology.
Validity: Low ecological validity – the study used t-shirt odors, which may not reflect real-life attraction.
Ethics: No major ethical issues, as participants were not harmed.
Strength: Provides evidence for the role of MHC and pheromones in mate choice.
Limitation: The study is reductionist, as it ignores other factors influencing attraction.
4.Thorne et al. (2002)
Generalisability: Low – the sample was small (32 women) and focused on pheromones, which may not apply to all populations.
Reliability: High – the repeated-measures design and controlled conditions make it replicable.
Applicability: High – the findings help us understand how pheromones influence perceptions of attractiveness, which could be useful for evolutionary psychology.
Validity: Low ecological validity – the study used artificial exposure to pheromones and rating scales.
Ethics: No major ethical issues, as participants were not harmed.
Strength: Shows how pheromones can enhance perceptions of male attractiveness.
Limitation: The study lacks ecological validity and may be prone to false positives.
