Individual differences area Flashcards
2 themes of this area
Measuring differences
Understanding disorders
What studies are related to measuring disorders?
Freud
Barón Cohen
What studies are related to measuring differences?
Gould
Hancock
2 main principles of this area
Explaining why people behave differently to each other in terms of personality differences, disorders etc
The focus on differences considered abnormal such as phobias and autism and psychopathy
2 main concepts of this area
Psychosexual stages of development (in Freud’s study)
Theory of mind (Baron Cohen’s study)
Why is Freud considered an individual differences study?
Because he’s investigating a behaviour considered abnormal such as Little Hans’s phobia of horses, carriages etc and WHY using psychoanalysis explanations. This behaviour differs from norm, not having a phobic disorder
Investigated how his dreams, fantasies and phobias differed
Why is Freud under the theme of investigating disorders?
Freud tried to understand the dreams, fantasies and responses of Little Hans in order to explain why he has a phobic disorder of horses and carriages
By linking to psychoanalytical theory he has a subconscious hatred of his dad due to being in the phallic stage of the psychosexual stages of development
Why is Barón- Cohen in the individual differences area?
Investigates how the concept of theory of mind can differ from the norm in individuals having autism spectrum disorder by designing an eyes task to find how they have a deficit compared to ‘normal’ in population
Why is Barón Cohen in the understanding disorders theme?
Because the findings that autism spectrum disorder causes a deficit in theory of mind that may differ from the normal population
Present in both autistic children and adults
Why is Gould under this area?
Investigating how problem solving/intelligence ability difffers in army recruits from the norm based on differences in ethnicity and race
Why is Gould under the theme of measuring differences?
Design of army alpha/beta test to be a ‘valid’ measure of intelligence testing which was then rated from grades A-E
Tests included cube counting, maze running, fill in the gap in a sentence
Why is Hancock in this area?
Investigated how psychopaths differ from the norm in terms of language used, as well as using psychodynamic theory to explain differences: language is a result of the unconscious mind by using subordinate conjunctions (shows they view the world for their taking)
Why is Hancock in this theme of measuring differences?
Used computer analysis (Wmatrix, DAL) to check differences in language (past tense, semantic references to needs, subordinating conjunctions) compared to psychopaths and non psychopaths murder
Applications of the individual differences area
By designing therapy based on individual differences and disorders a person experiences rather than generic standardised treatments for all participants
Designing methods of diagnosing disorders using psychometric testing
Strengths of the area
Use of case studies is importante in gaining lots of detailed data
Useful to suggest specific treatments for disorders that differ from person to person
Weaknesses of the area
Relying on self report to measure differences in thoughts/feelings/ability can lack in validity due to demand characteristics, social desirability etc
Using case studies lacks in generalisability to whole population
Socially sensitive by targeting different disorders in studies
How does Baron Cohen’s study change our ideas on understanding disorders?
Studies a different disorder (autism) not phobias (Freud)
Uses a different method of how to measure differences using cognitive tests NOT psychodynamic ones
Investigates disorders in adults not children
Uses different research method (quasi experiment) to investigate disorders not case study (Freud)
How does Baron Cohen NOT change our understanding of disorders?
Does not contradict or add to our knowledge on phobic disorders (in Freuds study)
Both studies investigate individual causes for disorder rather than situational factors
To what extent does Baron Cohen change our understanding of individual diversity?
To a large extent because:
Freud tells us about individuals with phobic disorders but Baron cohen investigates those with autism
To what extent does Baron Cohen change our understanding of social diversity?
To a large extent:
Baron Cohen investigates both differences in men and women in finding how a deficit in theory of mind is more present in men than women whereas Freud did not investigate differences across gender
To what extent does Baron Cohen change our understanding of cultural diversity?
To a fairly small extent:
Baron Cohen investigated differences in theory of mind across autistic / normal participants in the UK whereas Freud investigated disorder in Austrian participants
But does not change understanding of cultural diversity of disorders as both cultures were Western European, similar (?)
To what extent does Hancock change our understanding of the theme measuring disorders?
Shows that differences can be measured quantitatively using computer programs (DAL, Wmatrix) instead of self reported questions
To what extent does Hancock not change our theme of measuring disorders
Does not improve validity of measuring disorders, do we know if the tests are an accurate measure of psychopathy or just participant variables that weren’t controlled for like environment they were raised in?
Yerkes also had invalid test that measured American knowledge not intelligence
To what extent does Hancock change our understanding of measuring differences in individual diversity?
To a large extent:
We can measure differences of those possessing the disorder psychopathy
To what extent does Hancock change our understanding on measuring differences of social diversity?
Does not:
Both only measure differences in men
Army recruits = Yerkes
Male prisoners =Hancock
To what extent does Hancock change our understanding of measuring differences?
Ish:
Hancock measured differences in Canada which was a change from Yerkes in America
BUT Hancock did not consider cultural differences in measuring disorders like Yerkes did
And both Canada and USA are Western and North American cultures, so may not change our understanding
