Issues And Debates Flashcards
1
Q
Gender Bias- AO1
A
- gender bias
research offers view does not justifiably represent experience and behaviour of men or women - universality
any characteristic applied to all, despite differences of experience and upbringing - alpha bias
exaggerating differences between men and women
e.g. Freud- girls identification with mother weaker=weaker superego - beta bias
minimising differences between men and women
e.g. FoF- assume both respond with this - androcentrism
when behaviour judged according to male standard
2
Q
Gender Bias- AO3
A
- Bio vs social explanations -
Maccoby+Jacklin- girls better verbal, boys better spatial- hardwired in brain
Joel- brain scan=no differences - Sexism in research -
women underrepresented in uni- lecturers more likely men
research conducted by men- disadvantages women - Gender-biased research -
Formanowicz- research on gender bias funded and published less
fewer aware of it / still true when compared other biases
3
Q
Cultural Bias- AO1
A
- cultural bias
interpreting everything through the lens of your own culture, ignoring cultural differences
Henrich- WEIRD- westernised, educated, industrialised, rich democracies - ethnocentrism
judging other cultures by the standards and values of your own culture
Strange situation=westernised - cultural relativism
norms and values can only be meaningful and understood within specific social/cultural contexts
Etic- outside given culture, says universal
Emic- inside given culture, specific to it
Strange situation=imposed etic
4
Q
Cultural Bias- AO3
A
- Classic studies -
Asch and Milgram=US p’s
Asch- collectivist=higher conformity
Asch- individualist (original)=lower conformity - Cultural psychology +
Cohen- how people shape/are shaped by cultural experience
avoid ethnocentric assumptions using emic approach - Ethnic stereotyping -
Gould- first intelligence tests=eugenic social policies
many items ethnocentric
lowest scores=genetic inferiority of ethnic groups- ‘mentally unfit’ compared to white majority
5
Q
Free Will and Determinism- AO1
A
- free will
humans can make choices and behaviour not determined by bio/external forces - determinism
behaviour shaped by internal/external forces - hard determinism- all behaviour caused by something (fatalism)
- soft determinism- behaviour may be predictable but room for restricted free will (James)
- biological determinism- behaviour caused by biological influences we cannot control
e.g. influence of genes on mental health - environmental determinism- behaviour caused by feature of environment we cannot control
e.g. Skinner- conditioning - psychic determinism- behaviour caused by unconscious psychodynamic conflicts we cannot control
e.g. Freud
6
Q
Free Will and Determinism- AO3
A
- Practical value +
thinking we have free will/choice=improved mental health
Roberts- fatalism=higher risk depression
ELoC=less optimistic - Research evidence -
Libet- unconscious brain activity=half second before conscious decision to move
even most basic free will is determined before aware of it - The law -
hard determinism=choice not cause of behaviour
legal system=offenders held responsible as made choice to commit crime
7
Q
Nature-Nurture Debate- AO1
A
- nature
inherited influences
heredity- genetic transmission mental+physical characteristics from one gen to another
e.g. intelligence predetermined by genes - nurture
influence of experience
environment- any influence on human behaviour that is non-genetic
e.g. Locke- mind blank slate at birth - measuring nature/nurture
concordance- degree to which two people are similar- represented by correlation coefficient
0.1=genes little influence
1.0=genes great influence - interactionist approach
discussing how nature and nurture interact- scale - diathesis-stress model
behaviour caused by vulnerability that’s only expressed when coupled with a stressor - epigenetics
change in genetic activity without changing genes themselves
caused by interaction with environment
may influence genetic codes of children
8
Q
Nature-Nurture Debate- AO3
A
- Adoption studies +
separate nature and nurture
child=adopted parents=nurture
child=biological parents=nature
Rhee+Waldman- genetics=41% variance in aggression - Epigenetics +
WWII- Nazi blocked food distribution
Susser+Lin- babies born in famine=low birth weight
babies 2x likely get schizophrenia - Real-world application +
Nestadt- heritability of OCD=0.76
can inform genetic counselling- does not mean will develop the disorder
high OCD=advice about prevention
9
Q
Holism and Reductionism- AO1
A
- holism
behaviour understood when study indivisible system - reductionism
behaviour understood when study smaller constituent parts - levels of explanation
sociocultural/environmental/neurochemical
bottom level is the most reductionist - biological reductionism
explains behaviour at lowest biological level- evolutionary/genetic influences - environmental reductionism
explains behaviour in terms of stimulus-response links learned through experience
10
Q
Holism and Reductionism- AO3
A
- Lacks practical value -
practical dilemma- if many different factors contribute to something, difficult to know what’s most influential
difficult to know which to prioritise in basis of therapy - Scientific approach +
well-controlled research=operationalise variables
possible to experiment/observe in objective and reliable way
psychology=greater credibility - Higher level -
aspects of social behaviour only in group context and not understood by individuals
interaction between people and behaviour of group is what’s important
no conformity gene so can only be explained at level which occur
11
Q
Idiographic and Nomothetic Approaches- AO1
A
- idiographic
focuses on the individual
small groups/case study
qualitative (unstructured interview)
humanistic- unconditional positive regard
psychodynamic- Freud/Little Hans
subjective - nomothetic
development of general principles and universal laws
quantitative (structured questionnaire)
behaviourist- studied animals to develop general laws of behaviour
biological- Sperry- split brain research=basis for hemispheric lateralisation
objective
12
Q
Idiographic and Nomothetic Approaches- AO3
A
- Complete account +
idiographic=qualitative=global description
complement nomothetic by shedding light on general laws
case study generates hypotheses for further study
idiographic help form scientific laws behaviour - Scientific credibility +
nomothetic processes=natural sciences- objective
idiographic also seeks objectivity
triangulation- multiple different research methods to increase validity
modern qualitative researchers=reflexive - Losing the person -
nomothetic preoccupied with laws and control=losing the whole person
understanding subjective experience useful when devising treatment options
nomothetic fails to relate to experience
13
Q
Ethical Implications- AO1
A
- consequences of any research regarding effect on individual or way in which related groups are regarded
- social sensitivity
studies where there are potential implications direct for p’s or people represented by research
David Reimer
genetic basis of criminality - implications for research process
phrasing of research question- influence way findings interpreted
dealing with participants- informed consent, confidentiality, protection from harm
the way findings are used-
14
Q
Ethical Implications- AO3
A
- Benefits for groups +
DSM-1=homosexuality as ‘sociopathic personality disorder’
removed due to Kinsey report=interviews with men on sexual behaviour
concluded homosexuality=typical expression of human sexual behaviour - Real-world application +
government bases policies on scientific research
ONS in UK- collect and analyse objective statistics about economy, society, population
data used in psychological research - Poor research design -
Burt- even after fraud exposed 11+ conited to be used and still is today
access to independent schools=child’s performance in entrance exam
genetic potential revealed itself by age
socially sensitive research=planned with care to ensure valid findings
