Issues And Debates Evaluation Flashcards
Nature vs Nurture AO3
Adoption Studies
+They separate nature and nurture
+Adopted children more similar to adopted parents suggest nurture is bigger influence.
+Rhee and Waldman did meta-analysis on adoption Studies finding genetic influences accounted for 41% of variances in aggression.
-This helps us see how N+N interact, however biological parents may exert some nurture influence depending on how old they were before they were adopted
Nature vs Nurture AO3
Epigenics
P+Support for epigenics (change in genetic activity without changing genes themselves. Caused by interaction with environment.
E+Shows how genetics can be passed on through time and how nurture influences nature.
E+WW2 Nazis blocked food to dutch killing 22k. Susser and Lin reported women who were pregnant during famine had low weight babies who were twice as likely to get Schizophrenia.
L+Helps understand how N and N interact and past generations can influence current ones.
Nature and Nurture AO3
RWA
P+ N and N debate has good RWA
E+ ppl with high chance of OCD due to family background can speak to ppl about their chance of developing OCD and how they can prevent it.
E+ Nestadt put heritability rate at .76 meaning genetic counseling can be informed of this and try to prevent OCD.
L+ Shows debate has some application in practical situations and isn’t just theoretical.
Nature and Nurture AO3
Debate implications
P- One side of argument may be more dangerous than the other and could lead to complete social control by the state for the ‘good’ of everyone
E- Nature: extreme determinist lead to controversy by linking gender, ethnicity and intelligence for example.
Nurture: empiricists behaviour shaping. Desirable behaviour reinforced can lead to complete social control.
E- Waden 2 novel where a state controlled by malevolent force where humans are reinforced and shaped towards potential
Gender bias
Wider implications of gender bias (SSR)
P: Misleading assumptions about female behaviour, fails to challenge negative stereotypes and validates discrimination.
E: Scientific ‘justification’ to deny women chances in society.
E: Carol Travis says- ‘it becomes normal for women to feel abnormal’ so gender bias therefore may damage and affect lives and prospects of real women.
L: However, many researchers now realise the effects of their own assumptions on their work and embrace it as a crucial aspect of the research process.
Gender bias
Sexism in the research process
P: Men dominate in psychology
E: Means research is mostly carried out by men. Nicolson (95) argued the research process disadvantages women as they are placed in an unfair relationship w a male researcher who may expect women to be irrational and complete complex tasks. So women are more likely to underperform in research tasks.
E: female concerns may not be reflected in research questions.
L: Therefore methods of psychology may produce gender biased findings.
Gender bias
Biological Vs social explanations
P: Many gender diffs psychologists have reported over the years are presented as enduring.
E: e.g, Maccoby+Jacklin (74) suggested girls have superior verbal ability and boys superior spatial.
E: Daphna Joel et al (15) found no diffs in brain structure or processing and that Maccoby and Jacklin were popularised as their findings fit existing stereotypes.
L: We should be wary of accepting bio facts when social stereotypes better explain the reasoning.
Gender bias
Important contribution of feminist psychology
P: Feminist psychology is a way to reduce gender bias
E: re-examining ‘facts’ about gender.
E: Psychology for women rather than psychology of women. Drawn attention to under-researched psychology areas like childcare, sexual abuse and prostitution.
L: Judith Worell stated women should be studied in real life, diversity should be examined and used of collaborative research methods to avoid gender bias.
Cross-cultural research
+Cultural relativism Vs universality
P: Cross-cultural research challenges dominant ways of thinking.
E: Ekman(89) suggests basic facial expressions are the same around the world.
E: critics of attachment research should be aware that some features of human attachment like interactional synchrony are universal.
L: To fully understand human behaviour universals and variation both need to be studied.
Cross-cultural research
+Cross cultural research challenges assumptions
P: Cultural psychology is an important field , striving to avoid ethnocentrism by taking an emic approach.
E: researchers travel more than ever meaning they have an increased understanding of other cultures. E.g. Academics will be able to hold Cross-cultural conferences reducing future ethnocentrism.
E: Cross-cultural research challenges our western ways of thinking and being able to see that some of the the concepts we take for granted are not universal may promote greater sensitivity to individual diffs.
L: Counters ‘scientific racism’ and gives conclusions more validity if they recognise role of culture.
Cross-cultural research
Issues with research process
P: May be issues when conducting cross-cultural research.
E: For example, demand characteristics may be more likely to occur as ptts may not have the same ‘faith’ in scientific testing. Also variables under review may not be experienced in the same way by all ptts.
E: e.g. behavioural expressions of aggression differ, for example in china invasion of space is seen as the norm whereas it can be seen as confrontational in the west.
L: Interactions as such may impact interactions between researcher and ppt or western and non-western samples.
Cross-cultural research
Individualism Vs collectivism idea is outdated
Cultural bias is a feature of many classic studies
E: e.g. Smith and Bond (85) found higher rates of conformity in collectivist cultures.
E: Researchers have argued that in the age of global communication and effectiveness that individualist collectivist distinction no longer applies.
Takano+Osaka (99) found no distinction in individualism/collectivism in 14 out of 15 studies.
L: Suggests it is less of an issue than it once was.
Strengths of the nomothetic approach
+: Helped psychology become scientific and more credible developing universal laws.
+: Combines biological, social and psychological aspects.
+: Encourages precise measurement of variables; the use of objective, standardised and controlled methods which allows for prediction, replication and generalisation.
Weaknesses of the nomothetic approach
-: Predictions can be made about groups, but these may not apply to all individuals due to individual diffs.
-: Can lose sight of whole person. It is filled with general laws and predictions giving it superficial understanding.
-: Treats ppl as scores so subjective experience is lost.
Strengths of the idiographic approach
+: Individual feels valued and unique in research process.
+: Findings can be a source of ideas for later study or explain reasons behind established nomothetic laws.
+: Provides more complete understanding of individual as it’s only through knowing an individual that we know what they will do in any situation.
What is nomothetic?
Generalised, universal laws that apply to everyone. They are objective and use quantitative methods.
What is idiographic?
Research into what makes us unique individuals. It a subjective technique that uses qualitative methods.
Free will
Notion that humans can make choices and behaviour isn’t determined by internal/external factors.
Determinism
View that behaviour is determined by internal/external factors.
Hard and soft determinism
Hard- all behaviour is caused by something (internal/external forces) so free will is an illusion.
Soft- behaviour may be predictable but there’s also room for some personal choice (restricted free will).
Biological determinism
Belief that behaviour is caused by bio influences we can’t control.
Environmental determinism
Belief behaviour is caused by features of the environment (e.g. reward/punishment) that we can’t control.
Psychic determinism
Belief behaviour is caused by unconscious psychodynamic conflicts.
Case for free will
+Acknowledging free will has a +ve effect on health as you know you have a degree of control so less risk of depression.
+Determinism is socially sensitive research as it can have implications for the legal system if ppl fail to take responsibility for their actions.
+Determinism is appropriate for animal and not human behaviour.
+Has face validity as it makes sense and matches everyday experiences.
Case for determinism
+supported by brain scan evidence (Libert et al)
+Helped establish psychology as a science
+Hard determinism produced many effective RWA e.g. therapies and behaviour intervention.
What is social sensitivity?
Defined by Seiber and Stanley (88) as studies where there are potential implications directly for ppts in research or the class of ppl the research represents.
Benefits of carrying out socially sensitive research.
+benefits some groups- e.g. interviews on homosexuality in 1948 caused outrage as it was a socially sensitive topic
+RWA- as certain groups (e.g. policymakers) rely on research related to social sensitivity to formulate policy.
Issues with socially sensitive research
-Social control- SSR offers potential credibility to prejudice. Has led to enforced sterilisation.
-Costs- social Costs are hard to predict prior to the study.
-Inadequacy of current guidelines- do not ask researchers to consider how research may be used by others.
Reductionism and holism
Reductionism- Complex systems understood in terms of sub-components.
Holism- Idea that behaviour can’t be fully understood without looking at the whole picture, and that it’s the interaction with the smaller parts which gives our thoughts and behaviours a meaning.
Parsimony?
Scientific assumption that complex phenomena should be explained by the simplest underlying principles.
Emics
Approach that functions inside a culture from within that culture. Identifies beh specific to that culture.
Etics
Looks at beh from outside a culture attempting to study universal beh.
Imposed etics
Assuming research developed in one culture can be used and studied in another.
Cultural relativism
Idea that norms, values, ethics and moral standards can only be meaningfully understood in specific cultural context.
Ethnocentrism
Judging and evaluating other cultures in relation to the norms and values of your own. Beliefs, customs and beh of your own ethnic group are ‘norm’.
