Issues and Debates

Question 1

Nature

Answer 1

Characteristics determined by genes or biological processes (present at birth or later in life).

Question 2

Nurture

Answer 2

Behaviour acquired through interactions with the environment- the psychical or social world, referred to as experience.

Question 3

Determinism

Answer 3

Cognition and behaviour is determined by an unbroken chain of prior occurrences. Nothing is mysterious or random.

Question 4

Free Will

Answer 4

Individuals can choose how they want to behave and so have responsibility for their own behaviour.

Question 5

Reductionist

Answer 5

The nature of complex things can be reduced to a lower level of explanation. (one component)

Question 6

Holism

Answer 6

Different levels of the explanation and at each of the levels the ‘emergent properties’ cannot be reduced to one.

Question 7

Individual

Answer 7

Disposition or personality.

Question 8

Situational

Answer 8

Anything in the environment, including other people’s behaviour.

Question 9

Usefulness-Moral Dimension

Answer 9

Who is the research useful for?

Question 10

Usefulness-Practical Dimension

Answer 10

Does the research have a practical benefit?

Question 11

Usefulness-Knowledge Dimension

Answer 11

Does the research give us new insights into behaviour and experience?

Question 12

Ethics

Answer 12

The rules and principles that distinguish between right and wrong, and guide our behaviour. Includes: Respect, Competence, Responsibility and Integrity.

Question 13

Morals

Answer 13

Guide our behaviour based on socially agreed principles.

Question 14

Socially sensitive research

Answer 14

Have the potential to have a negative impact on specific groups of people or society generally.

Question 15

Psychology as a science

Answer 15

Is the research objective, falsifiable and replicable.

Question 16

Respect-informed consent

Answer 16

Participants are given information confirming the nature and purpose of the study and their role in it and have agreed.

Question 17

Respect-right to withdraw

Answer 17

Told that they can stop participating if they are uncomfortable.

Question 18

Respect-confidentiality

Answer 18

Participant’s right to have personal info protected through withholding their name or keeping their info safe.

Question 19

Respect-privacy

Answer 19

Refers to a person’s right to control flow of info about themselves.

Question 20

Responsibility- protection

Answer 20

Participants should not experience negative psychological effects or negative physical effects as a result of the study.

Question 21

Responsibility- debriefing

Answer 21

Post-research interview designed to inform about the true nature of a study. Restore to the state that they came in.

Question 22

Integrity- deception

Answer 22

Occurs when a participants is not told the true research aim or not told what they are required to do.

Question 23

Ethics committee

Answer 23

Groups of people who approve a study before it begins.

Question 24

Presumptive consent

Answer 24

Method of dealing with inform consent/ deception. Would they agree to take part?