Issues and Debates Flashcards
Define Nature, Nurture, Interactionist approach and Epigenetics
Nature: Behaviour is a product of innate factors (genetics)
Nurture: Behaviour is a product of environmental factors
Interactionist approach: The idea that the nature and nurture debate are linked. Researchers study how the two influence each other
Epigenetics: It refers to genetic activity changing without our genetic code changing. For instance, somebody who smokes is telling their body which genes to ignore and which ones to choose which influences the genetic code of their children.
NN - Define reactive influence, passive influence and active influence
Reactive influence: A parent may react positively to the happy easy-going child compared to the moody and demanding child. Adapting the home environment to the predisposition
Passive influence: The environment is linked to the parent’s genetic make up and positively transmitted to their children through the environment (sporty parents may provide a sporty environment)
Active influence: genetic make up of a child seeks to develop in an environment that is similar to predisposed characteristics
NN - Diathesis stress model and Epigenetics
DSM - emphasises the interactionist between NN tends to be the most persuasive when it comes to learning behaviour
Epigenetics - A change in our genetic activity without changing our genetic code. It is a process which happens throughout life and is caused by interaction within the environment (smoking)
NN Limitations
The nature- nurture debate is reductionist and deterministic. For example, the nature side of the debate suggests we are predetermined to develop behaviours from birth and ignores free will. It does not account for the environment in its explanation. This therefore makes it reductionist. Equally the nurture debate is reductionist as it suggests all behaviours displayed are as a result of the environment therefore ignoring nature/genetics.
Nature strengths
Lorenz’s goslings
Piaget
Twin studies (MZ twins 100% shared genes)
Nurture strengths
Case studies ie: Okasana Malaya
Kellog, 18 month old baby and chimpanze
Little Albert Study
Zimbardo’s Stanford prison
It has allowed maladaptive behaviour that has been learned, to be unlearned. This means that an individual would feel in control of their choices and may encourage them to attend therapy. For example, anxiety disorders such as phobias have been described as a conditioned fear, making it seem possible for someone to be unconditioned from it. This is a strength because it has contributed to the development of treatments for abnormalities such as systematic desensitisation and flooding. Therefore, this has been very useful into helping treat mental disorders which can also be applied to criminal behaviour to help the juridical system
Define Free Will
the belief that we have complete control over our behaviour
a person is fully responsible for their actions and it is impossible to predict behaviour with prescision
Define determinism
The belief that our behaviour is governed by forces (internal and external) which we have no control over.
What are the 3 types of determinism
Biological - behaviour is determined by our genes
Environmental: behaviour is determined by our environment
Pyschic: Behvaiour is determined by a mix of innate drives and early experiences (internal and external forces)
Differentiate between soft determinism and hard determinism
soft: a version of determinism which allows some extent of free will
hard: the view that all behaviour can be predicted and there is absolutely no free will
Link the approaches to free will /determinism
Support for free will
Support for determinism
- we can only study cause and effect if determinism is true, FW defys scientific predictions
A03 free will determinism
Define idiographic/ what are the characteristics
focus on individual differences
private subjective experiences
qualitative methods (autobiography, case studies, unstructured interviews)
Define nomothetic/ what are the characteristics
try to establish general laws
objective knowledge through scientific methods (experiments, observations)
quantitative methods (group averages analysed to create predictions)
3 laws: classifying into groups, establishing principles, establishing laws
strengths and limitations of idiographic
- unscientific as they don’t produce general laws and cannot be tested
+ idiogrpahic is more feasible than nomo as less ppts are required meaning less time and money, however interpreting qualitative data may be long therefore only more feasible as there are less ppts
strengths and limitations of nomothetic
+ more scientific as it can be tested and allows us to make predictions
- predicitons are generalised, loses sight of the whole ppt
idiographic and nomothetic working together
do psychs even need to differentiate between them
Approaches idiographic/nomothetic
only humanistic is fully idiogrpahic
Bio, Beh, Cog, SLT use idio methods sometimes but use mainly nomo methods and aim for nomo theories
psychodynamic uses idio methods but aims for nomo theories
Define gender bias
When any differences between the genders are misrepresented.
Define alpha bias
Exaggerates the difference between genders
psychological theories which suggest there are real and enduring differences between men and women. Can enhance or undervalue either gender (typically women).
Define beta bias
Minimises/ignores the difference between men and women.
Define androcentric
male centered when ‘normal’ behaviour is judged according to male standards (meaning female behaviour is seen as deficient or abnormal)
Give examples of psychological research which displayed gender bias
Milgram’s obedience - only males
Zimbardo’s Stanford prison - only males
Ach’s line test - only males
Moscovici’s - only women
A03 support for gender bias
+ a way to reduce gender bias is by taking a feminist approach, which attempts to restore the imbalance in theories and research.
+ by developing a greater understanding of gender bias, psychologists can put together solutions. some psychologists attempt to develop theories that emphasise the importance of women. Cornwell found that females are better at learning as they are more attentive and organised, thus emphasising the value and positive attributes
A03 gender bias limitations
- gender bias can be used agaisnt males and females, soemtiems alpha bias can heighten the value of women. Women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression than males. women may be more likely to suffer or the diagnostic system may be biased to finding depression in females. this could be because men are expected to be masculine and not have this.
Define Cultural bias
the tendency to judge all people in terms of our own cultural assumptions, this distorts/biases judgement
Define cultural relativism
view that behaviour cannot be judged properly unless it is viewed in the context of the culture it originates from
Define ethnocentrism
the superiority of one’s own culture group
Differentiate between Etic and Emic
etic: looks at behaviours from outside a given culture and attempts to describe these behaviours as universal
emic: functions from inside a culture and identifies behaviours specific to that culture
Examples of studies with gender bias
Ainsworth’s strange situation
Milgram’s study
A03 of cultural bias
Define ethical implications
the consequences of psychological research may have in terms of the rights of people, especially the particiapnts - at a societal level, influencing public policy and/or the way in which certain groups are regarded
Social sensitivity
studies in which there are potenital consequences either directly for the ppts or individuals represented by the research
Sieber and Stanleys 4
- research question: should not aim to add scientific credibility to an existing prejudice
- conduct of research and treatment of ppts: main concern is confidentiality
- institutional context: who is funding the research, will they misuse the context
- interpretation and application of findings: research findings may not be used for
Dealing with socially sensitive research
Ethical implications - Bowlby’s monotropic theory
Suggests infants form the relationship with mothers not fathers. Without this care they will develop emotional and physical difficulties. Placing pressure on the mother to create a strong attachment and minimises the role of the father. Meaning more women sacrifice their jobs than men = gender pay gap and more skilled men
Also, single-parent male led families and single gender families may feel as if they are unable to provide adequate care.
Define reductionism
We can understand behaviour by studying its simpler parts
