Individual Differences Psychology

Question 1

What is the definition of the Individual Area in psychology?

Answer 1

The individual area assumes we are all unique and are made up of a combination of unique biological make up, experience and personality.

Question 2

What is a phobia?

Answer 2

Extreme and uncontrollable feelings of fear

Question 3

What is the ID?

Answer 3

Pleasure principle, instant gratification and desire

Question 4

What is the EGO?

Answer 4

Reality principle, the referee/moderator

Question 5

What is the SUPEREGO?

Answer 5

Morality principle, your sense of right and wrong (conscience)

Question 6

What is the Oedipus complex?

Answer 6

The Oedipus complex has three components:
Boys desire their mothers
They see their father as a rival, wishing them dead- a desire they repress
It is eventually resolved when a boy comes to identify with his father.

Question 7

What was the aim of Freud’s study into Little Hans

Answer 7

To document the case of Little Hans who was suffering from anxiety that led to a phobia. Hoping to support his ideas about child development and the Oedipus complex, the origins of mental disorders and the value of psychoanalysis as a treatment.

Question 8

What is the research design of Freud’s study?

Answer 8

Case study and longitudinal design over 2 years.

Question 9

What sample did Freud use?

Answer 9

Opportunity sample, one boy

Question 10

What type of data did Freud collect?

Answer 10

Qualitative and primary.

Question 11

What ethical issues are there in Freud’s study?

Answer 11

No informed consent give, child participant
Psychological harm, intrusive questions
Socially sensitive, parents worried about how they raise their children

Question 12

Where does Freud’s study fall on the nature/nurture debate?

Answer 12

Nature, Oedipus complex is innate

Question 13

Where does Freud’s study fall on the situational/individual debate?

Answer 13

Individual, unique phobia
Situational, Oedipus complex

Question 14

Where does Freud fall on the freewill/determinism debate?

Answer 14

Determinism, psychic determinism caused by unconscious forces in our mind

Question 15

Is Freud’s study scientific?

Answer 15

No, generalises results even though the sample is one child

Question 16

Is Freud’s study useful?

Answer 16

Yes, basis of modern therapeutic techniques

Question 17

What was Little Hans’ dream about giraffes?

Answer 17

Hans dreamed there were two giraffes a big one and a crumpled one. Hans took the crumpled giraffe which made the big one cry out, it then stopped calling out and Hans sat on the crumpled one.

Question 18

What was Little Hans’ plumber fantasy?

Answer 18

Hans was in the bath and a plumber came and unscrewed it before sticking a big borer in his stomach

Question 19

What was the aim of Baron-Cohen’s study?

Answer 19

To see if adults with ASD had a theory of mind.

Question 20

What research design did Baron-Cohen use?

Answer 20

Quasi-experiment with matched participants. Was also a snapshot study.

Question 21

What sampling method did Baron-Cohen use?

Answer 21

First group, self-selected sample
Second group, random sample
Third Group, self-selected sample

Question 22

How many participants were in Group 1 (ASD/autism)?

Baron-Cohen

Answer 22

16, 13 males and 3 females

Question 23

How many participants were in Group 2 (‘normal’)?

Baron-Cohen

Answer 23

50, 25 males and 25 females

Question 24

How many participants were in Group 3 (Tourettes)?

Baron-Cohen

Answer 24

10, 8 males and 2 females

Question 25

What materials were used in Baron-Cohen’s study?

Answer 25

25 photographs of the eye region all taken from magazines.
All the same size (15x10cm) and all black and white (standardised)

Question 26

What other task did Baron-Cohen use, other than the eye task?

Answer 26

Strange Stories task. Only tested on groups 1 and 3

Question 27

Which group did the worst on the eye task?

Baron-Cohen

Answer 27

Autism/AS group (1) with a mean score of 16.3 out of 25

Question 28

Which gender from Group 2 did better on the eyes task?

Baron-Cohen

Answer 28

Female (21.8) comapred to males (18.8)

Question 29

What type of data did Baron-Cohen collect?

Answer 29

Quantitative data

Question 30

What conclusions did Baron-Cohen make about his study?

Answer 30

Adults with Autism/AS possess an impaired theory of mind.
A deficit ToM has no impact on general intelligence.

Question 31

What ethical issues are there in Baron-Cohen’s study?

Answer 31

informed consent given, yet can be debated that people with a deficit ToM can’t give consent.
Socially sensitive
Risk of psychological harm by being ‘labelled’

Question 32

Where does Baron-Cohen’s study fall on the free will/determinism debate?

Answer 32

Determinism, biologically determined with different mental disorders.

Question 33

Is Baron-Cohen’s study useful?

Answer 33

Is useful, provides information on autism and Asperger’s which can be used in treatments or interventions

Question 34

Where does Baron-Cohen’s study fall on the nature/nurture debate?

Answer 34

Nature, having a ToM deficit is genetic although the research does suggest women have a better ToM because they socialise more (nurture)

Question 35

Where does Baron-Cohen’s study fall on the individual/situational debate?

Answer 35

Individual, having a ToM depends on individual differences between participants.

Question 36

Is Baron-Cohen’s study scientific?

Answer 36

Is scientific, standardised stimuli and groups were age matched among other controls.