Issues And Debates

Question 1

What is Gender bias ?

Answer 1

Differential treatment of men and women based on stereotypes rather then real Differences then research may be carried out based in favour of a particular gender

Question 2

What is androcentrism ?

Answer 2

Male centred, taking male thinking as normal therefore female Behaviour deemed abnormal by comparison

Question 3

Gynocentric ?

Answer 3

Study on females but generalised also to males

Question 4

Alpha bias?

Answer 4

Exaggerating differences between men and women e. My F suggesting women have penile envy

Question 5

Beta bias ?

Answer 5

Ignoring/ minimising differences between men and women

Question 6

Universality ?

Answer 6

Theories applying to all pepper regardless of gender and culture

Question 7

Example of beta bias ?

Answer 7

• Kholberg gave boys and men number of moral dilemmas and developed stages of his moral development

Assumed moral behaviour was similar between sexes, later repeated study with men and women and found gender difference

Question 8

Consequences of gender bias ?

Answer 8

If understanding moral behaviour is drawn from research only involving male samples then other sex behaviour will seem abnormal by comparison =

Female behaviour misunderstood

• scientifically misleading
• upholds stereotypical assumption about women
• provides scientific justification for gender discrimination e.g denying women work opportunities

Question 9

Sexism within research process ?

Answer 9

Institutional sexism

• more men work at senior level so research agenda follows male concerns
• more male researchers have research published

Procedure in research studies

• say research scurried out needs addressing
• women often studied by male researcher in lab (unequal power relationship)

Question 10

How to counter androcentrism ?

Answer 10

Take feminist approach (research women concerns

Challenge old assumptions made in theories e.g Darwin’s theory of sexual selection and women being coy and men being aggressive

Question 11

What is cultural bias ?

Answer 11

Tendency to ignore cultural differences me interpret all phenomena through lens of ones own culture (studies become culturally jailed when generalised to another culture)

Question 12

What’s the problem with cultural bias in psychology ?

Answer 12

It’s predominantly white middle class

Question 13

Ethnocentrism ?

Answer 13

Judging other cultures by tankard of one own culture which leads to devaluing other cultures e.g ainsworths strange situation

Question 14

Cultural beta bias example ?

Answer 14

IQ tests in America include assumptions about what makes intellegence

Western cultures base intelligence on speed
But collectivist cultures such as Uganda speed of thought is considered rash and thoughtlessness
E.g
US army IQ tests used before WW1 showed African Americans had the lowest IQ which lead to stereotypes concerning ethnic groups and their IQ and sterling son of feeble minded in 20’s and 30’s

Question 15

What is cultural relativism ?

Answer 15

Everything only meaningful in its cultural context, behaviours can’t be properly judged unless viewed in context of culture in which it originates e.g Sz and hearing voices

Question 16

Issue of collectivist and individualist cultures ?

Answer 16

Destination as to attempt to view behaviour in its cultural context but some studies have shown we shouldn’t run he risk of exaggerating difference(alpha bias)

Critics argue our globalised world makes cultural differences no longer applicable and Osaka and Takano found 14/15 studies were no evidence of differences in conformity between individualist and collectivist cultures

Question 17

How to we counter ethnocentrism ?

Answer 17

Use indigenous psychologies

Afrocentrism
- movement that believe all black peppercorns have roots in Africa so psychologies concerning such people should be African centred and express African values, allows us to look for universals in behaviour and avoid cultural bias

Worldwide psychological society
- researchers today travel more and have and increase understanding of other cultures which allows for greater exchange of ideas which should reduce ethnocentrism

Question 18

Free will ?

Answer 18

Notion humans can make choices about their behaviours and aren’t determined by biological or external forces, we are therefore self determining but this doesn’t reject other factors play a role

Question 19

Determinism ?

Answer 19

Behaviour is shaped by external or internal forces we have no control over there are 2 forms and 3 types

Question 20

2 forms of determinism ?

Answer 20

Hard determinism
= all behaviour has a cause so can be predicted, type of determinism comparable with the aims of science

Soft determinism
= element of free will limited by cognitive mental abilities but still have some element of
Free will over our thoughts and actions

Question 21

3 types of determinism

Answer 21

Biological- traits governed by hormones and evolution

Psychic- childhood experiences

Environmental - how were treated

Question 22

What did Lindy do for determinism ?

Answer 22

Measured brain activity in patients via electrodes

• asked pps to perform hand movement whenever they felt like it
• found evidence of brain activity initiating movement hundred of milliseconds before conscious decision was reported some believe this is evidence of free will

Question 23

Evaluate for and against determinism ?

Answer 23

For

• consistent with aims of science
• find causes for general laws and put psychology in more equal footing with established sciences

Research based on deterministic beliefs has lead to prediction and control of behaviours
- e.g treatments such as drugs have been developed as a result of being able to show cause and effect in relationships

Against

• hard determinism challenges legal system
• i.e individual choice is not he cause of the behaviour and the legal system is based on personal responsibility

Total determinism is unrealistic, Denny’s argues even in physical sciences its accepted that total determinism doesn’t exist may be appropriated or animal but not complex human behaviour

Question 24

For and against free will ?

Answer 24

For ?
- has face validity
Most say they excersise free will in everyday choices

Believing in free will has positive impact on our wellbeing
- study shows teenagers with strong beliefs in fatalism were at greater risk of depression

Against

Illusion of free will
- being able to decide differences between courses of actions isn’t free will
But may give the illusion

Libets research

Question 25

What is nature and nurture ?

Answer 25

Nature - behaviour causes by innate characteristics that are inherited

Nurture- product of environmental influences

Question 26

What is the nature nurture debate ?

Answer 26

Argument as to whether a persons behaviour is due to genes or environment and about relative contribution of both

Question 27

Interactionist approach in nature nurture debate ?

Answer 27

Idea that the two are linked to such an extent that it doesn’t make sense seperate the 2nso researchers study how they influence each other

Question 28

Example of nature support ?

Answer 28

Concordance rates for Sz = 48 vs 17

Question 29

Positive application of nature side of debate ? And negative

Answer 29

Drug therapies to treat physiological problems

Selective breeding programmes (eugenics) nazis

Sterilisation of feeble minded in US

Question 30

Nurture side of debate examples?

Answer 30

Classical conditioning bono doll Bandura

Question 31

Positive and negative applications of nature can nurture debate ?

Answer 31

Positive
- if our environment influences our behaviour we need to consider how we adapt to our env e.gimprotance of quality day care

Negative

• can model Barbour by changing environment
• can change gender

Question 32

What is the relative importance of heredity and environment ?

Answer 32

Shouldn’t separate the two as they clearly interact

IQ = half nature and half nurture
Mental illness concordance rates never 100%

Question 33

Support for interactionist argument?

Answer 33

Diathesis stress model

• diathesis = genetic vulnerability and stress= nurture may trigger disorder
  Tienari found children with Sz bio mother were only likely to develop if had dysfunctional adoptive family

Nature affects nurture
- genes may exert indirect influence on environment e.g musically gifted parents will have instruments in the house encouraging them to play

Nurture affects nature
- Maguires taxi study

Epigentics
- environment can act as on and off switches that Ganges expression of genes these epigentic tags can make genres harder or easier to read

Question 34

What is holism ?

Answer 34

Perceiving whole exp rather than individual features

Question 35

Reductionism ?

Answer 35

Breaking down complex phenomena e.g human behaviour down in simple parts (a whole consists of its part and relations between them)

Question 36

What is the reductionism holism debate about ?

Answer 36

Concerned about the level at which it is appropriate to explain Behaviour

Question 37

Example of holism vs reductionism in appraochjnf depression

Answer 37

Depression

• holism considers whole person experience e.g economies situation and spirituality

Reductionism considers major systems involved such as serotonin and dopamine

Question 38

Reductionism is based on the scientific assumption of parsimony (simplest possible assumptions)
Give more information

Answer 38

In line with scientific approach