Issues and Debates Flashcards
Universality
Any underlying characteristics of human beings that is capable of being applied to all, despite difference of experience and upbringing
Androcentrism
Male centred, when ‘normal’ behaviour is judged according to male standard
Alpha bias
Research that focuses on the Differences between men and women, and therefore tends to present a view which exaggerates these differences
Beta bias
Research that focuses on similarities between men and women, therefore it tends to presents a view that ignores or minimalises these differences
cultural bias
A tendency to interpret all phenomena through the lens of ones own cultures, ignoring the effect that cultural differences may have on behaviour
Ethnocentrism
Judging other cultures by the standards and values of one’s own culture. In an extreme form it is the belief in the superiority of ones own culture which may lead to the prejudice and discrimination of other cultures
Cultural relativism
The ideas that norms and values, as well as ethics and moral standards, can only be meaningful and understood within specific and cultural contexts
Free will
The notion that humans all make choices and their behaviour/thoughts are not determined by biological or external factors
e.g: Humanism is the only approach to fully acknowledge free will
Determinism
The view that an individuals behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces rather than an individuals will to do something
holism
an argument or theory which proposes that it only makes sense to study an individual system rather than its constituent parts
View of Gestalt psychologists
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”
e.g: humanistic perspective
Reductionism
The theory that all complex systems can be completely understood in terms of their components
e.g: biological + behaviourist perspectives
based off of scientific principle of parsimony: that everything should be explained at it’s most basic level
idiographic
An approach to research that focuses more on the individual case as a means of understanding behaviour, rather than aiming to formulate general rules of law of behaviour
Nomothetic
Approach which aims to study human behaviour through the development of general principles and universal laws
Ethical issues
arise when a conflict exists between the rights of the participant in the research studies and the goals of the research to produce authentic, valid and worthwhile data
Ethical implications
The consequences of any research in terms of the effects on individual participants or on the way certain groups of people are subsequently regarded . There may also be consequences on a wider societal level
gender bias
the differential treatment and/or representation of males/females based on stereotypes rather than real experiences
Soft Determinism
the view that behaviour may be predictable but there is also room for personal choice
Hard determinism
The view that all behaviour is caused by something, so free will is an illusion
Biological determinism + modern biopsych now acknowledges ..
behaviour caused by biological (generic, hormonal,
evolutionary) influences that we cannot control
…influence of environment on biological structures
Environmental determinism
belief that behaviour is caused by features of the environment (such as reward systems and punishment) that we cannot control
Psychic determinism + now acknowledges ..
belief that behaviour is caused by unconscious psychodynamic conflicts that we cannot control
..Influences of biological instincts
Nature debate
quote
Inherited influences, or hereditary
“human characteristics are innate” -Descartes (1596-1650)
-All behaviour is caused by innate and inherited biological and psychological factors
Nurture debate
quote
-Behaviour determined by environment = things they are taught, things they observe, because of different situations they are in
“the mind is a blank slate at birth upon which learning + experiences write” - John Locke (1632-1704)
-Empiricist
what is the Interactionist approach + examples
Behaviour is often a result of the interaction between nature and nurture
Diatheses stress model
Epigenetics
what is Epigenetics
A change in genetic activity without changing our genetic code.
is caused by out interaction with our environment
Aspects of lifestyle + encountered events can leave epigenetic marks which can be inherited by children
Epigenetics Research
Dias + Ressler (2014)
Gave lab mice a shock every time they were exposed to a smell. The mice showed fear reaction when scent was present.
Researcher’s found that the mice’s offspring also feared the smell
socially sensitive research
Research that studies taboo or sensitive areas
studies in which there are potential consequences or implications,
either directly for the participants in the research
or for the class of individuals represented by the research
6 levels of consequences of Socially sensitive research
Ethical implications
Societal,
individual,
groups,
law,
perceptions,
discrimination
Sieber + Stanley found a number of concerns researchers should be mindful of when conducting socially sensitive research :
1)Implications. may give scientific credence to discrimination and prejudice
2)Uses/public policy. What is the research likely to be used for? what if it is used for the wrong purpose?
3)Validity (objectivity). Correct.
Biological reductionism
reducing behaviour down to internal factors/biology = genes, neurochemicals
Environmental reductionism
Reducing behaviour down to external factors. = interactions, consequences
levels of explanations of psychology
Reductionist approach
-suggests there are different ways of looking at same phenomena
-Each level more reductionist than previous
Highest level = Socio-cultural
behaviour explained in terms of influence of social groups
Middle level = Psychological
e.g: cognitive + behavioural
Lowest level = Physiological (biological)
Neurochemicals, genes, brain structure
Research methods in idiographic research
-case studies
-Unstructured interviews
-result in qualitative data, analysed using thematic analysis
Research methods in nomothetic research
-Lab experiments
-Structured interviews
-quantitative data, numerical data analysed using statistical significance
idios is greek for
‘private’ or ‘personal’
Nomos is greek for
‘law’
Objective vs subjective. which is nomothetic, which is idiographic
Objective = nomo
Subjective = idio
Examples of socially sensitive research in psychology
-Bowlbys - one main attachment
2 examples of beta bias
Gender
. Acording to cognitive psychologists, the best form of treatment for depression is cognitive behavioural therapy. No distinction has been made whether this will work better for males or females. However in reality men don’t tend to talk about their depression and females do making it more easily treatable for women.
. Another example of beta bias is Zimbardo. This is beta bias because he limited his sample to men and genralised it to the rest of the population (prison expriement)
2 examples of alpha bias
Gender
Bowlby- mothers important
Relationships - mating stratergies. more likely due to personality
Culture is
the ideas, customs and behaviours of a certain society.
Example of ethnocentrism
. For example Mary Ainsworth’s strange situation (1970) is an example of this, criticised as reflecting only the norms and values of American culture, based of English ideas.
Example of Cultural relativism (lack of)
. For example deviation from social norms has been critisised for not being culturally relative due to the fact that different societies have different norms to the traditional individualist norms.
scientific emphasis on Causal explanation
is an explanation that argues one variable causes another. This means there is a determinant of behaviour as if you change one variable (the IV) it has an effect on another variable (the DV). This is a key component of the deterministic argument - they focus on causal explanations. It’s the view of a hard determinist. It means that causes of behaviour can be generalised (generalised laws).
