Key debates Flashcards
what is the nature debate?
causes of behaviour come from within
Internal factors referred to as innate a present from birth and unchangeable
nativist maturation plays a role, some characteristics present at birth, but only appear after maturation
what are strengths of the nature debate?
Can be scientific biological studies are easier to establish cause and effect as you can control, environmental factors
what are weaknesses of the nature debate?
Reductionist- ignores nurture explanation
Unethical/deterministic, not useful- suggest our behaviours can’t change pessimistic
what is the nurture debate?
causes of behaviour come from the environment
External factors – upbringing, education, social pressure
nous human beings are tabula Rasa, a blank state which behaviours are drawn on through experience
what are strengths of the nurture debate?
It’s ethical/freewill/useful more optimistic can manipulate environment to change behaviour
can be scientific
what are weaknesses of the nurture debate?
reductionist- ignores nature explanation
Harder to establish cause and effect can’t study environment, separate from innate
what is the interactionist belief?
middle ground some behaviours innate from birth, some a result of experiences
some behaviours predisposed, but may require environmental stimulation to be brought out
What is reductionism?
refers to the idea that we should explain behaviour by focussing on individual factors (just biology)
what are the strengths of reductionism?
-easier to be scientific can establish cause and effect
- useful to develop practical applications that treat specific causes of behaviour
What are the weaknesses of reductionism?
-doesn’t take into account other explanations (reduces validity)
What is holism?
refers to the idea that behaviour should be explained by a variety of factors working together
What are the strengths of Holism?
-takes other explanations into account (high in ecological validity) reflects complexity of real life
What are the weaknesses of Holism?
harder to be scientific reduces reliability
what is the free will debate?
-humans free to choose own behaviour
-influences such as biological or environmental can be rejected at will
what is the determinism debate?
-behaviour caused by forces we have no control over, all behaviour predictable
-hard determinism=al causes of behaviour can be identified
-soft determinism= behaviour determined by environment to a certain extent, person can choose between a number of courses of action
strength of free will?
-freedom of choice
-gives people responsibility for own actions
weakness of free will?
-difficult to test and measure
-suggests no predictability or patterns to behaviour
strength of determinism?
-can establish cause and effect
allowing for prediction and control
weakness of determinism?
-treats people like machines that are programmed (hard determinism) pessimistic
what is the individual debate?
-look to the person as the cause of the behaviour specifically their personality and dispositions
-individuals respond differently to behaviour based on individual differences
strengths of the individual debate?
-free will, gives people responsibility to change themselves
-Holism, takes into account individual differences
weaknesses of the individual debate?
-reductionist
-difficulties generalising
what is the situational debate?
-draw on circumstances around individuals (group membership, environmental context)
-behaviour can be deterministic based on environment (upbringing, educational achievement)
strengths of the situational debate?
-cause and effect can be found as behaviour is predictable
-behaviour can be changed by improving ones environment
weakness of situational debate?
-reductionist
-tends to rely on observations
