Issues and Debates

Question 1

What is universality?

Answer 1

characteristics of humans that can be applied to all regardless of differences

Question 2

What is Gender bias?

Answer 2

Treating one sex differently from another (usually misrepresenting women in psychology)

Question 3

What is Androcentrism?

Answer 3

When normal behaviour is based off of male standards

Question 4

What is Alpha bias?

Answer 4

Research that exaggerates the differences between men and women

Question 5

What is Beta bias?

Answer 5

Research that minimises the differences between men and women

Question 6

What research disproves Alpha bias done by Daphna Joel?

Answer 6

Previous beliefs that women have better vocab skills while men have better spatial skills were disproven through brain scans by Daphna Joel showing how differences in men and women are often exaggerated

Question 7

What is meant by cultural bias?

Answer 7

when phenomena is interpreted through the lens of ones own culture

Question 8

What is ethnocentrism?

Answer 8

When other cultures are judged by the standards and values of another

Question 9

What is meant by cultural relativism?

Answer 9

Cultures can only be understood within specific contexts

Question 10

What is meant by free will?

Answer 10

Humans can make their own choices

Question 11

What is meant by determinism?

Answer 11

Behaviour is shaped through internal and external factors

Question 12

What are the five types of determinism?

Answer 12

Hard
soft
biological
Environmental
Psychic determinism

Question 13

What is the difference between hard and soft determinism?

Answer 13

Hard = All behaviour is caused by something
Soft = behaviour is predictable but may be influenced by restricted free will

Question 14

What is biological, Environmental and Psychic determinism?

Answer 14

biological = biology causes behaviour
Environmental = Environment causes behaviour
Psychic = Unconscious desires drives behaviour

Question 15

What is the nature nurture debate?

Answer 15

whether or not human behaviour is caused by our inheritance or our upbringing

Question 16

What is meant by the term heredity?

Answer 16

genetic transmission from one generation to another

Question 17

Define Environment in the context of nature/nurture

Answer 17

Influence on human behaviour that is not genetic

Question 18

What is the interactionalist approach?

Answer 18

when biological and psychological factors are both considered when explaining behaviour

Question 19

What is the Holism vs Reductionism debate?

Answer 19

Whether or not the human should be studied as a whole or as smaller broken down parts

Question 20

Define Holism

Answer 20

Looking at a system as a whole

Question 21

Define reductionism

Answer 21

Looking at smaller constituent parts

Question 22

What is biological reductionism?

Answer 22

behaviour is explained at the lowest biological level such as hormones

Question 23

What is environmental reductionism?

Answer 23

explaining behaviour based off environmental stimulus

Question 24

What is the idiographic approach?

Answer 24

Research approach that focuses on the individual

Question 25

What is the nomothetic approach?

Answer 25

Looks to explain human behaviour as a general principle or law

Question 26

What are ethical implications in terms of psychological studies?

Answer 26

the effect research has on participants in any way

Question 27

What is social sensitivity surrounding psychological studies?

Answer 27

when the carried out research surrounds sensitive issues

Question 28

How does Cyril Burt show how poor research design can be an ethical issue in psychology?

Answer 28

Cyril Burt found that intelligence is measurable by the age of 11 which led to the 11+ exam. His findings were later proven to be false and despite being publicly discredited the 11+ is still in use today