Issues and Debates

Question 1

What are three limitations of gender bias?

Answer 1

• Biological vs social explanations- social stereotypes (girls have better verbal ability, boys better spatial) presented as facts (Maccoby and Jacklin)
• Sexism in research- male researchers more likely and their expectations about women (eg. expect irrationality) may mean that female participants underperform in studies (Nicolson)
• Gender-biased research- studies of gender bias published less than studies of other biases, eg. ethnic taken less seriously (Formanowicz et al)

Question 2

What is the counterpoint to biological vs social explanations for gender bias?

Answer 2

Some stereotypes have a biological basis, eg. female multitasking explained better by hemispheric connections in women (Ingalhalikar et al)

Question 3

What are two limitations of cultural bias?

Answer 3

• Classic studies- social influence research, eg. Asch findings in individualist US, not replicated in collectivist culture (Smith and Bond)
• Ethnic stereotyping- early IQ tests were ethnocentric, but then used as evidence that certain ethnic/cultural groups were genetically inferior (Gould)

Question 4

What is the counterpoint to classic studies for cultural bias?

Answer 4

Individualism-collectivism distinction may no longer apply due to increasing global media, no differences in more recent research (Takano and Osaka)

Question 5

What is one strength to cultural bias?

Answer 5

Cultural psychology- takes emic approach to avoid ethnocentrism, eg. local researchers and culturally-based techniques

Question 6

What is one strength of free will, and limitation of determinism?

Answer 6

Practical value- adolescents who believed in fatalism more prone to depression, internal locus of control ‘healthier’ (Roberts et al)

Question 7

What is one limitation of free will, and strength of determinism?

Answer 7

Research evidence- participants asked to randomly flick wrist and say so, brain activity came before (Libet et al)

Question 8

What is the counterpoint to research evidence for free will-determinism?

Answer 8

Not evidence against free will, delayed conscious awareness still means the person may have made the decision to act

Question 9

What is one limitation of determinism, and strength of free will?

Answer 9

The law- hard determinism not consistent with legal principle of moral responsibility

Question 10

What are three strengths of the nature-nurture debate?

Answer 10

• Adoption studies- compare similarities between adopted children and (1) biological parents and (2) adoptive parents, genes account for 41% of variance in aggression (Rhee and Waldman)
• Epigenetics- Dutch Hunger Winter, pregnant mothers had low birth weight babies later developed schizophrenia (Susser and Lin)
• Real-world application- genetic counselling for eg. OCD, understand the likelihood and how the prevent it (eg. manage stress)

Question 11

What is the counterpoint to adoption studies for the nature-nurture debate?

Answer 11

Children create own environment appropriate to their nature (niche-picking, Plomin), aggressive children pick aggressive friends

Question 12

What is a limitation of holism, and a strength of reductionism?

Answer 12

Practical value- holistic accounts become complex and impractical, eg. difficult to treat depression when causes include past experiences, relationships etc

Question 13

What is a strength of reductionist approaches, and a limitation of holistic approaches?

Answer 13

Scientific approach- reductionism is the basis of operationalisation, enables objective and reliable experiments/observations

Question 14

What is the counterpoint to a scientific approach for holism and reductionism?

Answer 14

Reductionist approaches in terms of genes/neurotransmitters don’t include context and therefore lack meaning (eg. when pointing your finger)

Question 15

What is one limitation of reductionism, and a strength of holism?

Answer 15

Higher level- some behaviours (eg. conformity in the Stanford prison study) can’t be understood in terms of individual members, it is about the whole group interaction

Question 16

What is one strength of the idiographic approach?

Answer 16

Complete account- idiographic complements nomothetic, eg. HM (case study of brain damage) informs understanding of memory

Question 17

What is the counterpoint to a complete account for idiographic and nomothetic approaches?

Answer 17

Idiographic approach on own is restricted, no baseline for comparison, also unscientific and subjective

Question 18

What is a strength of both idiographic and nomothetic approaches?

Answer 18

Scientific credibility- through objectivity, eg. nomothetic (standardisation, control) and idiographic (triangulation, reflexivity)

Question 19

What is one limitation of the nomothetic approach?

Answer 19

Losing the person- nomothetic approach focuses on statistics (1% risk for schizophrenia), overlooks the experience, useful for devising therapy

Question 20

What are two strengths of socially sensitive research?

Answer 20

• Benefits for groups- homosexuality was seen as a mental illness but the Kinsey report showed that it was normal (Kinsey et al)
• Real-world application- decisions on childcare, crime etc use SSR research, eg. ONS (Office for National Statistics)

Question 21

What is the counterpoint to benefits for groups for socially sensitive research?

Answer 21

May be negative consequences, eg. the criminal gene has implication for individuals claiming no personal responsibility

Question 22

What is one limitation of socially sensitive research?

Answer 22

Poor research design- Burt’s research in 1950s on IQ led to 11+ exam but later shown to be fraudulent, but too late to change consequences