Issues and debates Flashcards
What is an emic construct?
A construct that varies from one culture to another, specific to a given culture.
What is an etic construct?
A construct that’s universal, and so held across all cultures.
What is ethnocentrism?
The belief in the superiority of one’s own cultural and ethnic group.
What is cultural relativism?
Behaviour can’t be judged properly unless it’s viewed in the context of it’s culture
What is universality?
The ability of research to be applied to everyone regardless of gender, culture and time.
Give one example of psychology that demonstrates culture bias.
Ainsworth - strange situation
What is gender bias?
The inability to represent both men and women’s behaviour and experiences.
What is alpha bias?
When the differences between men and women are exaggerated.
What is beta bias?
When the differences between men and women are minimised.
What is androcentrism?
The term meaning male centred.
Give one example of psychology that demonstrates alpha bias.
Freud’s theory of psychosexual development
Give one example of beta bias.
Milgram’s study
What is free will?
The notion that humans can make choices and aren’t determined by biological or external forces.
What is determinism?
The view that an individuals behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces.
What is the differences between soft and hard determinism?
SD= all events have causes but behaviour can be determined by our conscious choices.
HD= implies free will isn’t possible as behaviour is caused by internal and external events.
What are the 3 other types of determinism?
- biological
- psychic
- environmental
Is free will or determinism more scientific?
Determinism
Can free will or determinism establish cause and effect?
Determinism
What is the nature argument?
Behaviour is innate and predetermined.
What is the nurture argument?
Behaviour is a product of environmental influences.
What is an interactionist approach?
The idea that nature and nurture are linked to such extent that it doesn’t make sense to separate the two. / the middle ground between nature and nurture
What is reactive influence?
A parent may react more positively to a child who is easy going and happy than a moody and demanding child. The home environment is predisposition of the child.
What is passive influence?
The environment is linked to the parents genetic makeup and passively transmitted to their children through their environment.
What is active influence?
The genetic makeup of a child seeks to develop in an environment that’s similar to their predisposed characteristics.
What is the diathesis stress model?
When a biological vulnerability is triggered by environmental variables e.g Bradley Waldroup
What is epigenetics?
The environment changes your genetic makeup e.g smoking
Give one example from within psychology of the nature approach.
Twin studies - concordance rate
Give one example of the nurture approach.
Attachment and phobias
Give one example of an interactionist approach.
Maguire and plasticity.
What is reductionism?
Analysing behaviour by breaking it down into constituent parts.
What is holism?
Holism attempts to understand behaviour as analysing a person as a whole.
What is the difference between biological reductionism and environmental reductionism?
BR= biological psychologists try to reduce human behaviour down to a physical level.
ER= behaviourists assume that all behaviour can be reduced to stimulus response.
What is meant by levels of explanation?
Macro to micro scale. It’s different ways of explaining the same behaviour.
What is a nomothetic approach?
Producing general laws of human behaviour.
What is an idiographic approach?
People are studied individually, with their own personal experiences.
What are the 3 general laws of a nomothetic approach as proposed by Radford and Kirby (1975)?
- classification
- establishing principles
- establishing dimensions
Give an example of a nomothetic approach in psychology
Behaviourist approach
Give an example of an idiographic approach in psychology
Humanistic approach
What is the difference between an ethical guideline and an ethical issue?
EG= what the researchers have to follow
EI= what occurs if the researchers don’t follow the ethical guidelines
What are the ethical guidelines?
What is meant by socially sensitive research?
Give an example of a study that broke ethical guidelines
