Issues and Debates

Question 1

Define Nature, Nurture, Interactionist approach and Epigenetics

Answer 1

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.

Question 2

NN - Define reactive influence, passive influence and active influence

Answer 2

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

Question 3

NN - Diathesis stress model and Epigenetics

Answer 3

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)

Question 4

NN Limitations

Answer 4

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.​

Question 5

Nature strengths

Answer 5

Lorenz’s goslings
Piaget
Twin studies (MZ twins 100% shared genes)

Question 6

Nurture strengths

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Define Free Will

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Define determinism

Answer 8

The belief that our behaviour is governed by forces (internal and external) which we have no control over.

Question 9

What are the 3 types of determinism

Answer 9

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)

Question 10

Differentiate between soft determinism and hard determinism

Answer 10

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

Question 11

Link the approaches to free will /determinism

Question 12

Support for free will

Question 13

Support for determinism

Answer 13

• we can only study cause and effect if determinism is true, FW defys scientific predictions

Question 14

A03 free will determinism

Question 15

Define idiographic/ what are the characteristics

Answer 15

focus on individual differences
private subjective experiences
qualitative methods (autobiography, case studies, unstructured interviews)

Question 16

Define nomothetic/ what are the characteristics

Answer 16

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

Question 17

strengths and limitations of idiographic

Answer 17

• 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

Question 18

strengths and limitations of nomothetic

Answer 18

+ more scientific as it can be tested and allows us to make predictions
- predicitons are generalised, loses sight of the whole ppt

Question 19

idiographic and nomothetic working together

Answer 19

do psychs even need to differentiate between them

Question 20

Approaches idiographic/nomothetic

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Define gender bias

Answer 21

When any differences between the genders are misrepresented.

Question 22

Define alpha bias

Answer 22

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).

Question 23

Define beta bias

Answer 23

Minimises/ignores the difference between men and women.

Question 24

Define androcentric

Answer 24

male centered when ‘normal’ behaviour is judged according to male standards (meaning female behaviour is seen as deficient or abnormal)

Question 25

Give examples of psychological research which displayed gender bias

Answer 25

Milgram’s obedience - only males
Zimbardo’s Stanford prison - only males
Ach’s line test - only males
Moscovici’s - only women

Question 26

A03 support for gender bias

Answer 26

+ 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

Question 27

A03 gender bias limitations

Answer 27

• 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.

Question 28

Define Cultural bias

Answer 28

the tendency to judge all people in terms of our own cultural assumptions, this distorts/biases judgement

Question 29

Define cultural relativism

Answer 29

view that behaviour cannot be judged properly unless it is viewed in the context of the culture it originates from

Question 30

Define ethnocentrism

Answer 30

the superiority of one’s own culture group

Question 31

Differentiate between Etic and Emic

Answer 31

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

Question 32

Examples of studies with gender bias

Answer 32

Ainsworth’s strange situation
Milgram’s study

Question 33

A03 of cultural bias

Question 34

Define ethical implications

Answer 34

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

Question 35

Social sensitivity

Answer 35

studies in which there are potenital consequences either directly for the ppts or individuals represented by the research

Question 36

Sieber and Stanleys 4

Answer 36

• 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

Question 37

Dealing with socially sensitive research

Question 38

Ethical implications - Bowlby’s monotropic theory

Answer 38

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.

Question 39

Define reductionism

Answer 39

We can understand behaviour by studying its simpler parts