Issues and debates

Question 1

What is soft determinalism?

Answer 1

• Human nature and behaviour is influenced by internal and external factors but only to a certain extent. However in the absence of external constraints we act freely.
• For example being poor does not make you steal, but may make it more likely that route is taken due to desperation.

Question 2

What is hard determinism?

Answer 2

• Where human behaviour has a cause and in theory it should be possible to explain these causes.
• This explanation assumes everything we do is a result of external and internal forces that we can not control.

Question 3

What are the different types of determinism?

Answer 3

Biological determinism- Emphasises the influence that human biology has on behaviour, for example role of the autonomic nervous system on stress response.
Also concerned with the influence of the environment on biological structures.

Environmental determinism- Argues that all behaviour is a result of conditioning. The ‘illusion’ of choice is merely the sum of total reinforcement contingencies that have acted upon us throughout our life.

Psychic determinism- Describes behaviour as influence of biological drives and instincts. Freud saw the influence of childhood experiences and unconscious conflicts that were repressed in childhood.

Question 4

What is free will?

Answer 4

-Notion that human beings are free agents and make decisions for themselves. Decisions are not determined by biological or external factors.

Question 5

explain the scientific emphasis on causal explanations.

Answer 5

• To establish the influences on behaviour, psychologists attempt to use the scientific method, by controlling all extraneous and confounding variables as far as possible to ascertain that the IV has affected the DV (result).
• For psychologists the use of a laboratory experiments are the most scientific method as manipulation of the IV can be structurally managed. Extraneous variables can also more easily be controlled.

Question 6

How does determinism increase the argument for psychology as a science?

Answer 6

-The scientific method associated with the determinism debate is used to find a strong cause and effect relationship.
This increases the argument for psychology as a science as standardised proceedings mean that the replicability of research increases.

-The scientific method also means that predictions can be tested to see the causation of something or to predict effects.
As a result Schizophrenia treatments have been developed for example.

Question 7

Explain the weakness of the determinism when it comes to criminals.

Answer 7

• Determinism explains that an individual’s behaviour is determined by experience and external factors and that a person does not have choice over their actions.
• This becomes an implications in regards to criminal convictions as this goes against the legal system and states that criminals did not have free will and that it is not their fault for their actions.
• Suggests that in the real world determinism does not work.

Question 8

What is the research support for the determinism debate?

Who conducted this research?

Answer 8

• Libet conducted this research.
• He instructed patients to choose a random moment to flick their wrist as he measured activity in the brain.
• They were also instructed to state when they felt the conscious will to move.
• Libet found that the unconscious brain activity leading up to the conscious decision to move came half a second before the participant consciously felt they had decided to move.
• Could suggest our most basic experiences of free will are actually determined by our brain before we’re aware.

Question 9

What are the steps for examination of a psychological phenomenon?

Answer 9

• Must first develop theory followed by a prediction of what might happen (hypothesis)
• They must then use empirical methods to test that hypothesis.
• If there seems to be a significant effect, considered to be an indication that there is a casual explanation.

Question 10

Can we test free will?

Answer 10

• Free will is practically impossible to test. It is a non-physical phenomena and is thus difficult to quantify and measure.
• It is unfalsifiable.

Question 11

What is the idiographic approach?

Answer 11

• This approach focuses a lot more on the individual case as a means of understanding behaviour.
• Is not focussed on formulating general laws of behaviour, as is the nomothetic approach.

Question 12

What is the nomothetic approach?

Answer 12

-This approach aims to study human behaviour through development of general principles and universal laws.

Question 13

What type of data does the idiographic approach use?

Answer 13

• Most idiographic research is qualitative, participants are interviewed in detail, in depth and interviews would focus on particular part of human behaviour.
• Usually use an unstructured interview, data is then analysed ad emergent themes are identified.

Conclusions may help other people going through a similar experience or more widely used to help mental health professionals determine best practise.

Question 14

What area of psychology is the idiographic approach mainly associated with?

Answer 14

-Mostly associated with the humanistic and psychodynamic approach.

• E.g. Carl Rogers (humanist) sought to explain the process of self-development including the role of unconditional positive regard.
• Derived from in-depth conversations with clients in therapy.

-Similarly Freud’s careful observations of individuals were basis of his explanations of human nature. e.g. Little Hans.

Question 15

Does the nomothetic approach use quantitative research or qualitative?

Answer 15

-The nomothetic approach uses quantitative research and most closely fits traditional models of the ‘scientific method’

• Hypotheses are formulated
• Samples of people are assessed in some way
• finally numerical data produced is analysed for statistical significance.

-The nomothetic approach seeks to quantify human behaviour.

Question 16

What are some examples of the nomothetic approach in psychology?

Answer 16

• Examples mainly come from the behaviourist approach and the biological approach. For example Skinner studied animals to develop general laws of learning.
• The biological approach, similar to behaviourists using a small sample, also takes a nomothetic approach. For example Roger Sperry’s split-brain research which became the basis for understanding hemispheric lateralisation.

Question 17

Is the nomothetic approach replicable?

Answer 17

• Use of experimental methods, controlled measurement and ability to predict behaviour mean that the replicability of the approach increases.
• In order for general rules to be created a standardised scientific approach must be adopted in order for a strong cause and effect relationship to be established.
• As a result the nomothetic approach’s use of objectivity and empirically based evidence increases the argument for psychology as as science.

Question 18

explain how the nomothetic approach can ‘lose the person’?

Answer 18

• It fixates on quantitative data and statistical data and as a result research prioritises the application of general laws and fails to acknowledge the individual.
• For example someone who shows OCD symptoms may be misdiagnosed and instead have depression. Some symptoms are very similar and as a result of nomothetic research into drug treatments an individual may be put on a drug treatment that does not help them but puts further imbalance on the person’s hormonal and neuronal levels.
• As a result the nomothetic approach may not be applicable in the real world.

Question 19

Is the idiographic approach time consuming?

Answer 19

• The idiographic approach is very time consuming, it usually takes a lot of time and money to study individuals in depth.
• Idiographic research can take a long time and be expensive as the researcher has to take much care and precision.

-Compared to the nomothetic approach, which can use questionnaires and psychometric test to quickly collect data from a lot of individuals, the idiographic approach takes a long time as it is subjectively analysing a very small sample.

Question 20

Can idiographic research be easily generalised?

Answer 20

• No.
• Idiographic research uses a very small sample and usually use individuals or a small group and as a result findings can not easily be generalised.
• The environment and experiences of the individual may be very specific to the individual and as a result may not apply to the wider population.
• Reduces the generalisability of research using an idiographic approach.

Question 21

Idiographic approach focus on individual.

Answer 21

• The idiographic approach solely focuses on the individual and as a result the individual is in control of such things such as therapies.
• Therapies can be tailored to an individual in the hopes of increasing effectiveness.

-Research using idiographic means also are able to create detailed and rich data as they are solely focussed on an individual or group, meaning a detailed account can be created.

Question 22

Who identified the aspects in the scientific research that raise ethical implications?

-What is meant by the term socially sensitive?

Answer 22

• Sieber and Stanley. (1988)
• They used the term social sensitivity to describe studies where there were potential social consequences for the participants or group of people represented by research.

Question 23

What were the four aspects of the scientific research process which raise ethical implications?

Answer 23

• The Research Question; the nature of the research question may be damaging to a particular social group.
• Methodology used; researcher needs to consider treatment of participants and rights to confidentiality and anonymity.
• The Institutional Context; The researcher must be mindful of how the data is going to be used and who is funding the research.
• Interpretation and Application of Findings; The researcher needs to consider how their findings might be interpreted and applied in the real world.