individual differences psychology Flashcards
Individual differences assumptions
every individual is unique and this uniqueness is displayed through behaviour
all individuals differ in their behaviour and person qualities, so therefore not everyone can be considered the average person.
Background, aim and sample of Gould
background- Yerkes created the Army Alpha and Army Beta test in ww1 for over 1 million soldiers,
he wanted to create an objective, quantifiable measure of intelligence to improve psych rep as a science
also combined his own belief that intelligence is inherited, nature.
aim- examine intelligience testing created by Yerkes in WW1 identifying:
-issues in psychometric testing
-issues of theoretical bias
-political and ethical implications
sample- 1.75 million army recruits, from ww1, included white americans, black americans, european immigrants
Gould research method and procedure
Review article of Yerkes intelligience test
Yerkes procedure- May-June 1917
army recruits sat intelligience test- sat in rushed/intimidating conditions
-Army Alpha for literate recruits, involved tasks like filling in a world, heavily based around american culture
contained 8 parts
-Army Beta for illiterate or those who failed alpha
however Black men experienced racism and were not always allowed to take it
involved 7 parts, tasks such as completing the maze/ completing the picture
were culturally specifc and instructions were written in englush making it in accessble
-Individual examination for those who failed beta, spoken task, however only 1/5 of those who failed Beta took it.
Key findings of Yerkes, analysis and implications
average score of white american was 13 years, described as “nation of morons” however was blamed on interbreeding
average age of balck was 10.4 yrs
described as lighter the skin colour, the better the test score
analysis- Yerkes admitted test was inaccessbile for those who did not speaj English, explaining why latin and slavs performed so badly
implications- Immigration Restriction Act- those who scored poorly on the test were not allowed back into the USA, meant that jews trying to escape their homeland in WW2 could not escape.
additionally caused more discrimination and prejudice against them
Gould and Yerkes conclusions
Gould’s conclusion
-intelligience is an innate quality, it is possible to judge by colour of skin.
-mental testing of this kind is both scientific and valid.
Yerkes conclusion
- IQ testing is culturally biased
-IQ tests is not valid and can have detrimental implications
-IQ tests do not measure innate intelligience
Gould issue and debates
Gould was review article so is ethical
Yerkes- protection of pps, not confidentiality, no R2W
practical applications- IQ tests are now able to support and identify those with additional needs rather than just academically gifted
psych as a science- quantitative, objective measures BUT not standardised fully
nature/individual- Yerkes fully nature as IQ is innate
nurture/situation-Gould is nurture, IQ built on cultural knowledge
determinism-no choice over IQ ability
reductionism- Yerkes
holism-Gould- IQ combines a range of factors
socially sensitive- immigration restriction act
Hancock background, aim and sample
background- psychos have genetic vulnerability, specifically in limbic system. 1% of general pop are psychos, mainly business people/politicians.
aim- investigate differences in language between psycho murderers and non psycho murderers.
sample- 52 male murders (14 psychotic. 38 non) all from Canadian jail, all admitted to their crime and volunteered to take part.
Hancocks research method and method
RM- self report, semi structured interview
Method-murderers volunteered to take part, to test for psychopathy they took part in assessment the pclr which was assessed by trained psychologist
inter rate reliability
score of 25 was needed, this was lowered for research purposes
semi structured face to face interview with open questions occurred using Step Wise interview, was interviewed by 2 senior psych grad students and one research assistant
was double blind
pps was told aim of procedure and consented
was asked to describe homicide in as much detail as possible from beginning to end, lasted 25 mins
content was transcribed and analysed using WMatrix and DAL.
Hancocks results and conclusions
results- psychopaths used significantly more subordinating conjunctions such as because and since in an attempt to justify their crime,
psychos used more past tense verbs such as stabbed, in order to emotionally detach themselves from their crime,
psychos used almost 2x as much words relating to their basic physiological needs such as food and money compared to non psychos who focused on social needs like family and culture. Shows how they are more selfish through Maslow’s hierarchy.
conclusions- psychos are more likely to try and establish a cause and effect relationship to try and justify their crime.
psychos are more emotionally detached from their crime.
psychos are more focused within thier own selfish needs.
Hancocks issues and debates
psych as a science- yes, quantitative data, control, inter rater reliability, standardisation (step wise interview)
ethics- consent but not informed (volunteer) confidentiality kept, could be classed as psychological harm to pps may be distressing to talk about
nature/ individual
determinism
reductionist
usefulness- helps identify pyschos, give them thewrapy prevent crimes occurring
SSR-essential is not misused, can cause discrimination and prejudice etc.
freuds background - strucutre of mind
- structure of mind
1)conscious mind- thoughts and feelings we are aware of
2)preconscious mind- thoughts and feelings not direclty aware of but can be easily recalled and accessed if wanted for example memories.
3)unconscious mind- thoughts and feelings we are not directly aware of and have great difficulty accessing, accessed through research methods like hypnosis, dream analysis for example fears, violent motives
freuds background- the strucutre of personality
structure of personality
-id- pleasure principle,from birth, in unconscious mind and demands immediate gratifcation with no consideration (selfish)
-ego- reality principle- present from 18 month, preconscious mind, maintain balance between id and superego
-superego- morality principle (angel)- present from age of 5, in conscious mind and concerned with socially appropriate behaviour so in conflict with id
freud background- 3 defence mechanisms examples
operate in unconscious mind
is to protect emotional stability from when id and superego are in conflict
regression- reverting to childlike behaviour
denial- refusing to acknowledge something
projection- distribute our undesirable characteristics to others
freud background- stages of psychosexual development
- oral stage (0-1.5yrs) source of pleasure is mouth e.g sucking. can transfer to later on e.g. smoking/eating
- anal stage (1.5- 3yrs). source of pleasure is bowel and bladder.
- phallic stage (3-5yrs) source of pleasure is genitals- learning differences between males and females, childrens libido is focused on opposite sex parent.
4.latency stage (5yrs to puberty)-source of pleasure is social and intellectual pursuits. - Genital stage (puberty+)- source of pleasure- genitals, sexual interests mature
Oedipus complex
describes a boy’s unconscious attraction to his mother and rivalry with his father, typically during the phallic stage of development (around ages 3-5) from this they develop castration anxiety which would be a punishment from his father
he then displaces these feelings and becomes continuously more like his father
electra complex is the girl version
freuds aim
report findings of treatment of a 5 year old boy for his phobia of horses and find evidence for his theories of pyshcosexual development and oedipus complex
freuds sample and sampling method
little hans from vienna
aged 3-5yrs- phallic stage
opportunity sampling, his father was a friend of Freud. Was referred to Freud to cure phobia of white horses
Freud research method
longtiduinal case study
longitudinal as it tracks little hans behaviour from 3 to 5
how was Little Hans data collected, what bias may have occurred?
was gathered by Little Hans father regularly observing and questioning him, he sent records of events and convos to Freud via letters that interpreted info and gave advice on how to proceed.
Freud only met the boy once.
confirmation bias from Freud- trying to find evidence to support his own theories of psychosexual stages of development and Oedipus complex.
bias from little hans father- trying to support Freud’s theory as they are friends. e,g may have asked leading questions
and researcher bias
Little Hans and his widdler
just before 3, Hans showed interest in his widdler. Asked his mum iif she had one. He noticed horses had big ones and main theme of his dreams was widdlers and widdling. When his mother found him playing with his widdler she said “if you do that, I shall send for a doctor to cut off your widdler”
-develop castration anxiety
Freud said this was evidence for Little Hans to be going through phallic stage of pyschosexual development
Death wish towards his father
in summer, Hans had alot of alone time with his mother, made him wish for his father to be permanently away. When his father returned he developed seperation anxiety from his mother.
supports Oedipus complex, attachment + rivalry
Baby sister Hanna
his sister was born when he was 3.5yrs. Caused more speration anxiety.
Hans admitted he watched his sister having a bath and wished his mother would let her fall in
Freud said the unconscious desire to see his sister drown was translated into a fear that his mother might also let Hans go. Said Hans feared baths by creating displacement mechanism (replacing fear with something less threatening).
summary of Little Hans anxieties
mother- castration anxiety
father- saw him as rival and wished him dead, but loved him causing conflicting feelings= more anxiety
sister- wished hanna would drown, led to anxiety and fear his mother would drop him too.
Little Hans fear of horses
his father told freud little hans was afraid a horse will bite him in the street
hans recalled an incident when in therapy that he had heard a father say to his daughter “dont put your hand there” stemmed back to his mum saying “dont put your hand there” about masturbating
Freud interpreted
feared his mother might leave him if he touched horse
unconsciously repressed his longing for his mother by transferring anxiety to white horses
his fear of him being bitten by a horse was a symbol of his fear of indulging his urgers with is mother, leading to castration
