issues and debates advanced information

Question 1

What is free will

Answer 1

The notion humans can make their own choices and are not governed by any biological or external influences.

Question 2

What is determinism

Answer 2

The view that an individuals behaviour is controlled by external or internal forces rather than the individuals will.

Question 3

What is hard determinism

Answer 3

Implies that free will is not possible because our behaviour is always caused by internal or external events beyond our control.

Question 4

What is soft determinism

Answer 4

All events including human behaviour have causes but behaviour can also be caused by conscience choices in the absence of coercion.

Question 5

What is biological determinism

Answer 5

The idea behaviour is controlled by biological influences, like genetics, that we cannot control.

Question 6

What is environmental determinism

Answer 6

The belief that behaviour is caused by features of the environment such as systems of reward and punishment that we cannot control.

Question 7

What is psychic determinism

Answer 7

The belief that behaviour is controlled by unconscious conflicts we cannot control.

Question 8

What is the scientific emphasis on causal explanations

Answer 8

Every principle in the universe has a cause and can be explained using universal laws. Lab experiments in psychology can be used for this.

Question 9

What are the strengths of determinism

Answer 9

Determinism is scientific. Determinism means that general laws can be made about human behaviour. Psychology is therefore a science on equal footing with others.

Determinism means behaviour is caused. This has led to development of treatments like therapies that have benefitted many. Therefore the idea of determinism can improve peoples lives.

Question 10

What are the limitations of determinism

Answer 10

Goes against law system. In court offenders are held responsible for their actions. Determinism says they are not exercising free will. therefore determinism does not work in the real world.

Question 11

What are the strengths of free will

Answer 11

Everyday experience gives impression we are exercising free will. The choices we make on a given day are believed to be made by ourselves. Gives free will face validity.

Research suggests those with internal locus of controls are more mentally healthy. This suggests believing we have free will even if we do not has a positive impact on behaviour.

Question 12

What are the limitations of free will

Answer 12

Brain scan evidence. Libet instructed participants to randomly flick their wrist. Libet found unconscious brain activity came half a second before the patient decided to move. Suggests even basic experiences are determined by our brain.

Question 13

Why may middle ground be more appropriate in the free will determinism debate

Answer 13

Approaches with soft determinism may be more appropriate. Social learning theory for example believes that although environment is key for learning we are free to choose when to perform these behaviours. Suggests an interactionist approach may be the best explanation.

Question 14

What is the idiographic approach

Answer 14

Comes from greek word “idios” which means own or private.

Psychologists using this approach will focus on the individual and emphasise unique personal experience of human nature.

People are studies as unique entities.

Does not seek to make universal laws or generalise to others.

Question 15

What is the idiographic method

Answer 15

Favours qualitative research methods like case studies and unstructured interviews for example. They allow in depth insight into the individual. The humanistic approach has an idiographic perspective.

Question 16

What is the nomothetic approach

Answer 16

Nomothetic comes from the greek word “nomos” which means law.

Psychologists who take this approach want to make universal laws based on study of large groups.

General laws provide a benchmark against which people can be measured.

Question 17

What are nomothetic methods

Answer 17

Quantitative methods like experiments and correlations are favoured.

Relies on methods that are considered scientific.

Nomothetic approaches are used in approaches that employ scientific methods of measuring behaviour like the behaviourist approach.

Question 18

What is AO3 for the idiographic approach

Answer 18

Idiographic approach can be used to challenge or support nomothetic general laws. E.g KF showed there were two different Short term memory stores challenging the multi-store model which said it was unitary.

However uses unscientific methods like case studies. Conclusions drawn can be subject to the interpretation of researcher. Therefore they can be subject to bias.

Question 19

What is AO3 for the nomothetic approach

Answer 19

Nomothetic is more scientific. Testing is under standardised conditions data sets using group averages are used allowing for statistical analysis to occur. This for example allowed psychologists to establish average iq is 100 and normal range is 70-130.

However focus on general laws means the whole person is lost. Knowing 1% of people suffer from schizophrenia does not tell us what it is like to actually suffer from it. Richness of human experience is overlooked.

Question 20

What is the AO3 for nomothetic and idiographic complimenting each other

Answer 20

Both can be used to consider the same issue from the different perspectives. Schaffers stages are nomothetic and bowlby’s 44 theives study is idiographic based on a series of detailed case studies. Considering both approaches together will provide a rich description of human behaviour and explanation of that behaviour.

Question 21

What are ethical implications of research studies and theories overview

Answer 21

Ethical guidelines set out by the British psychological society. These include protecting participants from harm, right to withdraw and informed consent.

Ethical issues arise when rights of participants conflict with the aims of the researcher.

Ethical implications arise when the research will have wider impact on a group not just the one that took part in the study. Can be positive or negative.

Question 22

What are ethical implications of a study (milgram’s study)

Answer 22

Milgram’s 1963 study meant participants were deceived so unable to give informed consent and had significant amounts of distress caused to them so were not protected from harm. They were also coerced to continue which jeopardises their right to withdraw.

On the other hand participants were debriefed after the experiment. There was also a follow up interview a year later which found there was no long term impacts.

The experiment had positive ethical implications as it may have changed the perception of Germans who followed Hitler from being evil.

Question 23

What are ethical implications of a theory (Bowlby’s monotropic theory)

Answer 23

Bowlb’s theory has contributed to the development of child care practices which is a positive ethical implication.

On the other hand a negative implication is it can encourage a mother her place is at home with her child.

Question 24

What is social sensitivity

Answer 24

Social sensitivity describes a study where there may be potential social consequences for the people involved in the study or those represented by it.

Question 25

How is milgram’s study socially sensitive

Answer 25

Could be used for finding methods of making people obey orders they do not want to follow.

Question 26

How is Bowlby’s monotropic theory socially sensitive

Answer 26

Could be used to make mothers stay home out of guilt.

Question 27

What four aspects did Seiber and Stanley identify that raised ethical implications in socially sensitive research

Answer 27

1) The research question used. E.g are there racial differences in IQ is bad.
2) Methodology used. A researcher needs to consider treatment of participants and their right to anonymity and confidentiality.
3) Institutional context. A researcher needs to consider how findings are gonna be used and who is funding research.
4) Interpretation and application of findings. Researchers need be mindful of how their research is gonna be applied in the real world.

Question 28

What are strengths of socially sensitive research

Answer 28

Benefit society-promoting greater understanding of issues-effect cultural bias can have on diagnosing of schizophrenia-Helps reduce prejudice.

Assist legal system-Research into unreliability of eye-witness testimony in case of Ronald Cotton shows it is beneficial-Despite fact could have implications for individuals who were eye-witnesses in trials.

Question 29

What are limitations of socially sensitive research

Answer 29

Discrimination-forced sterilisation of feeble minded in 1920s in USA- based on psychological research people were unfit to breed- shows could be a negative impact.

Political issues- it is important researchers are able to carry out research they deem as important despite it being socially sensitive- there is a danger research will be prevented for political reasons instead of ethical- Researchers mindful that benefits of socially sensitive research outweigh the costs.