issues and debates in psychology Flashcards
What is the idiographic approach?
The idiographic approach emphasises uniqueness) and therefore has an individual focus. It typically favours qualitative data and the ways of collecting data on individuals include case studies and self reports (interviews and questionnaires). Examples of the idiographic approach include: psychodynamic psychology (freud used case studies of his patients in orderr to understand human behaviour - little Hans), humanistic approach (Carl Rogers Q-sort - giving the individuals cards which say things like ‘I am intelligent’ and they have to sort them into piles of the most and lest like them).
Evaluate the idiographic approach
Strengths- very detailed, can lead to new ides of new research using more general research methodologies, focuses psychology back on an individual research because psychology has been criticised for placing too much emphasis on measurement and losing sight of what it means to be human.
Criticisms - time consuming, difficult to generalise, issues with the use of subjectivity (may be unreliable and reflect demand characteristics), researcher bias, not scientific.
What is the nomothetic approach?
The nomothetic approach has a group focus and seeks to make generalisations and formulate vernal laws about behaviour. It favours quantitative data in order to allow for statistical testing. The nomothetic laws that are reduced can fall under threw categories: classifying people into groups, creating principle of behaviour or producing behaviour skills or dimensions. The nomothetic methods include experience and correlations. Examples of the nomothetic approach are Banduras social learning theory of aggression and Milgrams theory of obedience.
Evaluate the nomothetic approach
Strengths - it is scientific as it uses empirical testing and quantitative data which is easier to analyse, you can manipulate variables if it uses experiments, can be used to generate laws and theories which can be empirically tested.
Criticisms - may not apply to all individuals as whilst people may respond in the same way to different things, they may be doing it for different reasons. may lack ecological validity (particularly if the research has been carried out using a lab setting), subjective.
What is free will?
The belief that we have a choice and denies the influence of internal or external factors. The approaches which include the presence of free will are the cognitive and humanistic approaches. Humanistic free will argues that we have personal control over the influences in life, this was argued by both Maslow and rogers. Maslow recognised determinism at the basic Lebel (e.g. hunger thirst) but free will at higher levels (e.g. self actualisation). Cognition is based on decision making.
What is determinism?
Hard determinism - excludes the possibility of free will e.g. the laws of physics - actions are a collection of atoms.
Soft determinism - some free will but constrained by deterministic components.
Biological determinism - our behaviour is determined by our genes e.g. people with high intelligence have the IGF2R gene.
Environmental determinism - behaviour is caused by previous experiences through the processes of classical and operant conditioning.
Psychic determinism - adult behaviour is determined by a mixture of innate drives and early experience (psychodynamic approach)
Scientific determinism - based on the belief that all events have a cause, an independent variable is manipulated to observe the causal effect on a dependent variable.
Evaluate free will and determinism
Self determination may be culturally relative as it may only be appropriate for individualism societies as collectivist societies place greater value on behaviour being determined by the groups needs.
A 100% determinist view could be a cause for concern criminally and in mental health. Criminally - in some cases murderers have claimed their behaviour was determined by inherited aggression. Stephen Mobley did this and the argument was rejected and he was sent to death. Mental health - if it is due to determined factors only drug therapy will be used and other therapies such as CBT which could help will be ignored.
Research has challenged the concept of free will - Benjamin Libet et al - found activity in motor areas before the conscious decision to move their finger - follow up research by Soon et al confirmed the findings. HOWEVER others have come to a different conclusion that activity in the brain was a ‘readiness to act’ rather than an intention to move.
What is socially sensitive research?
Sieber and Stanley defined it as studies in which there are potential social consequences or implications either directly for the participants in the research or the class of individuals represented by the research. Could argue that all research is socially sensitive in some way. The social consequences can occur during the research question, and when the research is conducted and the application findings.
What examples are there of where there could be implications beyond the study?
MMR vaccine + Autism = correlation between the two and the public domain.
Zimbardos stanford prison experiment - people recognised their own capacity for sadism and would have to deal with that emotionally.
Bandura bobo doll experiment - the child now thinks that aggressive behaviour towards others is acceptable.
Evaluate socially sensitive research
Maccoby and Jacklin - girls have a greater verbal ability and men a greater spatial and visual ability, men more verbally and physical aggressive, boys have greater arithmetical ability in adolescence.
Research into IQ has suggested that IQ is in favour of white middle class males.
Behaviourist approach - the idea that behaviour can be unlearnt led to the application of aversion therapy to treat homosexuality, it was offered as an alternative to imprisonment during the 1960s.
