Issues and Debates

Question 1

What is Nature vs Nurture?

Answer 1

`Nature - All behaviour is determined from our biology and genes
Nurture - All behaviour is learned and influenced from external factors

Question 2

What is Determinism vs Free will?

Answer 2

Determinism - All human behaviour is determined and predictable
Free will - All humans have a choice and can control and choose how they behave

Question 3

What is Idiographic vs Nomothetic?

Answer 3

Idiographic - To focus on the unique individual and their subjective experiences
Example approaches: Humanistic

Nomothetic - Establishing general laws that apply to everyone
Three types of general laws:
- Classification
- Establishing principles
- Establishing dimensions
Example approaches: Behaviourist, Cognitive, Biological

Question 4

What is Reductionism vs Holism?

Answer 4

Reductionism - Humans are reduced to their behaviour and emotions
Types of Reductionism:
- Biological (Behaviour is explained through neurochemicals, etc.)
- Environmental (Observable behaviour only)
Holism - Humans should be viewed as a whole person and are more than the sum of their parts

Question 5

What are the strengths and limits of R and H?

Answer 5

Strengths:
- R is more reliable as it is scientific
- H promotes mental health
Limits:
- R is too simplistic and ignores nurture
- H is unscientific which means less reliability

Question 6

What are the ethical considerations in psychology?

Answer 6

Deception
Right to withdraw consent
Informed consent
Privacy
Protection from harm (psychological or physical)

Question 7

What are the types of biases?

Answer 7

Cultural bias:
- the interpretation of situations, actions, or data based on the standards of one’s own culture
- Emic = assumption that meaning of behaviour can only be defined from within a culture
- Etic = assumes that behaviour is subjectively experienced and are similar universally
- Ethnocentrism = belief in superiority of one’s own cultural group

Gender bias:
- Male behaviours are viewed as the norm (typical), if women do not behave in the same way they are considered abnormal (atypical)
- Alpha bias = exaggerates differences between sexes
- Beta bias = ignores differences between sexes