Issues and Debates Flashcards
What is gender bias in psychology?
A tendency to favor one gender over another, leading to distorted research findings and assumptions
Define alpha bias.
Exaggerates differences between genders, often devaluing females
Example: Freud’s belief that girls have a weaker identification with their same-sex parent than boys.
What is beta bias?
Ignores or underestimates differences between genders
Example: The fight or flight response being based on male animals and assumed to be universal.
What does androcentrism refer to?
A male-centered perspective that leads to alpha and beta bias
Example: Judging non-male behavior as abnormal, such as premenstrual syndrome.
What are the implications of gender bias in psychological studies?
May lead to misleading assumptions and validate discriminatory practices
Gender bias can reinforce negative stereotypes and sexism in research.
What is the free will-determinism debate?
Discussion on whether behavior is chosen freely or determined by internal/external factors.
Define hard determinism.
The belief that all human actions have a cause.
What is soft determinism?
The idea that there is freedom within a restricted range of choices.
What is biological determinism?
The belief that biological factors, such as genes, determine behavior.
What does environmental determinism suggest?
That behavior is shaped entirely by environmental influences.
What is psychic determinism?
The belief that behavior is caused by unconscious conflicts from childhood.
True or False: Free will is consistent with scientific principles.
False
Determinism is more consistent with scientific aims, as it allows for prediction and control.
What is cultural bias?
The tendency to favor one culture over others in research.
What does WEIRD stand for in psychological research?
Westernized, Educated, Industrialized, Rich Democracies.
Define ethnocentrism.
The belief in the superiority of one’s own cultural group.
What is cultural relativism?
The view that norms and ethics are context-dependent and vary by culture.
What is the difference between etic and emic approaches?
Etic looks for universal behaviors from an outsider perspective, while emic examines behavior from within a culture.
What is the nature-nurture debate?
Discussion on whether behavior is primarily influenced by genetics (nature) or environment (nurture).
Define the interactionist approach.
The perspective that both nature and nurture interact to shape behavior.
What does the diathesis-stress model explain?
The interaction between inherited vulnerability and environmental triggers in the development of disorders.
What is epigenetics?
The study of how lifestyle and environmental factors can alter gene expression.
What are idiographic and nomothetic approaches?
Idiographic focuses on individual cases, while nomothetic seeks general laws and norms.
What is the main limitation of the idiographic approach?
Lacks a baseline for comparison and can be unscientific.
What is a primary strength of the nomothetic approach?
It establishes scientific credibility through standardization and control.
What does holism emphasize?
The idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
What is reductionism?
The approach of breaking down complex behaviors into simpler components.
What are levels of explanation?
Different perspectives from which behavior can be understood, such as biological or socio-cultural.
What are ethical implications in research?
Concerns about the consequences of research studies and theories on participants.
Define socially sensitive research (SSR).
Research that has potential consequences for the participants or groups being studied.
What is a potential negative consequence of socially sensitive research?
Findings may give scientific credence to prejudice.
What is a real-world application of socially sensitive research?
Influencing decisions on child care, crime, and other social issues.
