Issues and Debates

Question 1

Universality

Answer 1

Any underlying characteristics of human beings that is capable of being applied to all, despite difference of experience and upbringing

Question 2

Androcentrism

Answer 2

Male centred, when ‘normal’ behaviour is judged according to male standard

Question 3

Alpha bias

Answer 3

Research that focuses on the Differences between men and women, and therefore tends to present a view which exaggerates these differences

Question 4

Beta bias

Answer 4

Research that focuses on similarities between men and women, therefore it tends to presents a view that ignores or minimalises these differences

Question 5

cultural bias

Answer 5

A tendency to interpret all phenomena through the lens of ones own cultures, ignoring the effect that cultural differences may have on behaviour

Question 6

Ethnocentrism

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Cultural relativism

Answer 7

The ideas that norms and values, as well as ethics and moral standards, can only be meaningful and understood within specific and cultural contexts

Question 8

Free will

Answer 8

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

Question 9

Determinism

Answer 9

The view that an individuals behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces rather than an individuals will to do something

Question 10

holism

Answer 10

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

Question 11

Reductionism

Answer 11

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

Question 12

idiographic

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Nomothetic

Answer 13

Approach which aims to study human behaviour through the development of general principles and universal laws

Question 14

Ethical issues

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Ethical implications

Answer 15

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

Question 16

gender bias

Answer 16

the differential treatment and/or representation of males/females based on stereotypes rather than real experiences

Question 17

Soft Determinism

Answer 17

the view that behaviour may be predictable but there is also room for personal choice

Question 18

Hard determinism

Answer 18

The view that all behaviour is caused by something, so free will is an illusion

Question 19

Biological determinism + modern biopsych now acknowledges ..

Answer 19

behaviour caused by biological (generic, hormonal,
evolutionary) influences that we cannot control

…influence of environment on biological structures

Question 20

Environmental determinism

Answer 20

belief that behaviour is caused by features of the environment (such as reward systems and punishment) that we cannot control

Question 21

Psychic determinism + now acknowledges ..

Answer 21

belief that behaviour is caused by unconscious psychodynamic conflicts that we cannot control

..Influences of biological instincts

Question 22

Nature debate

quote

Answer 22

Inherited influences, or hereditary

“human characteristics are innate” -Descartes (1596-1650)

-All behaviour is caused by innate and inherited biological and psychological factors

Question 23

Nurture debate

quote

Answer 23

-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

Question 24

what is the Interactionist approach + examples

Answer 24

Behaviour is often a result of the interaction between nature and nurture

Diatheses stress model

Epigenetics

Question 25

what is Epigenetics

Answer 25

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

Question 26

Epigenetics Research

Answer 26

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

Question 27

socially sensitive research

Answer 27

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

Question 28

6 levels of consequences of Socially sensitive research

Ethical implications

Answer 28

Societal,
individual,
groups,
law,
perceptions,
discrimination

Question 29

Sieber + Stanley found a number of concerns researchers should be mindful of when conducting socially sensitive research :

Answer 29

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.

Question 30

Biological reductionism

Answer 30

reducing behaviour down to internal factors/biology = genes, neurochemicals

Question 31

Environmental reductionism

Answer 31

Reducing behaviour down to external factors. = interactions, consequences

Question 32

levels of explanations of psychology

Reductionist approach

Answer 32

-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

Question 33

Research methods in idiographic research

Answer 33

-case studies
-Unstructured interviews
-result in qualitative data, analysed using thematic analysis

Question 34

Research methods in nomothetic research

Answer 34

-Lab experiments
-Structured interviews
-quantitative data, numerical data analysed using statistical significance

Question 35

idios is greek for

Answer 35

‘private’ or ‘personal’

Question 36

Nomos is greek for

Answer 36

‘law’

Question 37

Objective vs subjective. which is nomothetic, which is idiographic

Answer 37

Objective = nomo
Subjective = idio

Question 38

Examples of socially sensitive research in psychology

Answer 38

-Bowlbys - one main attachment

Question 39

2 examples of beta bias

Gender

Answer 39

. 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)

Question 40

2 examples of alpha bias

Gender

Answer 40

Bowlby- mothers important

Relationships - mating stratergies. more likely due to personality

Question 41

Culture is

Answer 41

the ideas, customs and behaviours of a certain society.

Question 42

Example of ethnocentrism

Answer 42

. 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.

Question 43

Example of Cultural relativism (lack of)

Answer 43

. 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.

Question 44

scientific emphasis on Causal explanation

Answer 44

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).