issues and debates

Question 1

Define Free Will

Answer 1

The idea that we are able to have some choice in how we act and assume that we are free to choose our behaviour, in other words we are self determined

Question 2

How does the Law support Free Will?

Answer 2

The main principle in the legal system is that the defendant must exercises their free will in committing the crime - therefore, the ideology that we live in a world of determinism (hard determinism) doesn’t work within the law and the legal system

Question 3

What is the benefit of believing in Free Will for the mental health?

Answer 3

Rebecca Robert’s et al looked at adolescents who had a string belief in fatalism were at a significantly greater risk of developing depression. People who has external locus of control were less likely to be optimistic compared to internal

Question 4

Define Determinism

Answer 4

Proposes that all behaviour is caused by preceding factors and is thus predictable. The causal laws of determinism form the basis of science

Question 5

What is Soft Determinism?

Answer 5

The belief that there are elements of both determinism and free will. Links well with a more cognitive approach

Question 6

What is Hard Determinism?

Answer 6

The belief that there is NO free will and that behaviour can be predicted. Links well with biological approach

Question 7

What did Benjamin Libet et al do in regard to determinism?

Answer 7

Told participants to choose a random moment to flick their wrist (readiness potential) - they had to state when they felt the conscious will to move. The unconscious brain activity leading up to the conscious decision, came around half a second before they were aware of wanting to move

• Most basic experiences of free will are actually determined by our brain before we are aware of it

Question 8

What is Biological Determinism?

Answer 8

The belief that behaviour is caused by biology (genes) influences that we cannot control

Question 9

What is Environmental Determinism?

Answer 9

The belief that behaviour is caused by features of the environment (such as systems of reward/punishment) that we cannot control

Question 10

What is the Psychic Determinism?

Answer 10

The belief that behaviour is caused by unconscious psychodynamic conflicts that we cannot control

Question 11

What is Reductionism?

Answer 11

Is an approach that breaks down complex behaviour into simpler and separate components, such as the biological approach

Question 12

What is Occam’s Razor in regards to Reductionism?

Answer 12

Is the problem-solving principle that the simplest solution tends to be the correct one. When presented with competing hypotheses to solve a problem, one should select the solution with the fewest assumptions

Question 13

What is the Principle of Parsimony in regards to Reductionism?

Answer 13

Is the idea that it is pointless to do with more what is done with less

Question 14

Why do Occam’s Razor and the Principle of Parsimony support Reductionism?

Answer 14

It suggests how it is difficult to consider all complexities of behaviour, although not impossible

Question 15

What is Biological Reductionism?

Answer 15

The biological approach reduces behaviour to biological structures/processes and ignores the whole

Question 16

What is Cognitive-Experimental Reductionism?

Answer 16

The cognitive approach studies cognitive processes (e.g. memory/attention) in isolation, reducing behaviours and processes into simple variables for testing

Question 17

What is Behaviourist-Experimental Reductionism?

Answer 17

The behaviourist approach reduces behaviour to simple stimulus-response associations

Question 18

What are the 3 levels of Reductionism?

Answer 18

1. Lowest level: biological
2. Middle level: cognitive/behaviourist
3. Highest level: sociocultural

Question 19

What is Holism?

Answer 19

“The whole is more than the sum of the parts.” We must look at everything that makes up the behaviour to gain an overall view of it, such as the humanistic approach

Question 20

What is the Humanistic approach in regards to Holism?

Answer 20

The Humanistic approach rejects scientific methods of investigation and focus on understanding all aspects of human experience and interaction

Question 21

What is the Interactionist Approach?

(Holism V Reductionism)

Answer 21

Considers how different levels of explanation may combine and interact. For example, the diathesis-stress model which has been used to explain the onset of mental disorders like depression or schizophrenia as such disorders are a result of predisposition (often genetic) which is “triggered” by some stressors (often environmental)

Question 22

What is Alpha bias?

(Gender bias)

Answer 22

When exaggerations are made about the differences between men and women. This may emphasise stereotypical characteristics

Question 23

What is Beta bias?

(Gender bias)

Answer 23

When the differences between men and women are minimised - ignoring the fact that the genders have differences

Question 24

What is Androcentrism?

(Gender bias)

Answer 24

Taking male thinking and behaviour as the normal. Regarding female behaviour/thinking as deviant, inferior, abnormal or ‘other’ as it is different to that of a males

Freuds views are heavily androcentric

Question 25

What is the definition of Culture?

(Culture bias)

Answer 25

A set of values, practices, traditions or beliefs a group shares - whether due to age, gender, race, ethnicity or religion

Question 26

What is Cultural Relativism?

(Culture bias)

Answer 26

The view that behaviours cannot be judged properly unless it is viewed in the context of the culture in which it originates

Question 27

What is Ethnocentrism?

(Culture bias)

Answer 27

The tendency to judge all people in terms of our own cultural assumptions - this distorts or biases your judgement

Question 28

What is Nature?

Answer 28

The innate biological factors, such as genetics and heredity

Question 29

What is Nurture?

Answer 29

The environment or life experiences that shape a persons development

Question 30

What do adoption studies show in regards to Nurture?

Answer 30

Individuals who are adopted aren’t raised by their biological family, the studies examine the impact of either the environment or genes on behaviour - if behavioural outcomes correlate with the adopted family then that is due to nurture (environment)

Question 31

What do adoption studies show in regards to Nature?

Answer 31

Individuals who are adopted aren’t raised by their biological family, the studies examine the impact of either the environment or genes on behaviour - if behavioural outcomes correlate with the biological family then that is due to nature (genetic)

Question 32

What is the Idiographic approach?

Answer 32

An approach that studies individuals to gain insights into behaviour - focusses on qualitative data (unstructured interviews, case studies and thematic research)

Question 33

What is the Nomothetic approach?

Answer 33

An approach that studies groups to gain insights into behaviours - focusses on quantitative data (structured interviews, correlations, psychometric testing and experiments). Establishes general laws