individual differences

Question 1

principles

Answer 1

• Focuses on what makes people unique, often
  investigating those whose behaviour is abnormal

-Tries to measure differences between people
through psychometric tests (personality,
intelligence, etc.)

Question 2

concepts

Answer 2

• measuring differences
• theory of mind
• native intellectual ability
• understanding mental
  disorders

Question 3

studies that link to this area

Answer 3

• Frued
• Gould/yerkes
• baron-cohen
• Hancock

Question 4

strengths of area

Answer 4

• enables psychologists to find out about a wider range of human behaviours because all behaviours not just average ones are studied
• it can have a social benefit which improves our understanding of mental disorders and suggesting treatments
• it can help to inform the free will vs determinism debate, suggesting the extent to which we have control over our behaviour

Question 5

weakness of the area

Answer 5

• as it lacks a set of defining beliefs about why people behave the way they do, it is arguable that there is more disagreement within this area than with other areas
• with much of the research being socially sensitive, It has the potential to be put into harmful use
• the tools for measuring differences that are developed may not always be valid