Key debates

Question 1

what is the nature debate?

Answer 1

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

Question 2

what are strengths of the nature debate?

Answer 2

Can be scientific biological studies are easier to establish cause and effect as you can control, environmental factors

Question 3

what are weaknesses of the nature debate?

Answer 3

Reductionist- ignores nurture explanation
Unethical/deterministic, not useful- suggest our behaviours can’t change pessimistic

Question 4

what is the nurture debate?

Answer 4

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

Question 5

what are strengths of the nurture debate?

Answer 5

It’s ethical/freewill/useful more optimistic can manipulate environment to change behaviour
can be scientific

Question 6

what are weaknesses of the nurture debate?

Answer 6

reductionist- ignores nature explanation
Harder to establish cause and effect can’t study environment, separate from innate

Question 7

what is the interactionist belief?

Answer 7

middle ground some behaviours innate from birth, some a result of experiences
some behaviours predisposed, but may require environmental stimulation to be brought out

Question 8

What is reductionism?

Answer 8

refers to the idea that we should explain behaviour by focussing on individual factors (just biology)

Question 9

what are the strengths of reductionism?

Answer 9

-easier to be scientific can establish cause and effect
- useful to develop practical applications that treat specific causes of behaviour

Question 10

What are the weaknesses of reductionism?

Answer 10

-doesn’t take into account other explanations (reduces validity)

Question 11

What is holism?

Answer 11

refers to the idea that behaviour should be explained by a variety of factors working together

Question 12

What are the strengths of Holism?

Answer 12

-takes other explanations into account (high in ecological validity) reflects complexity of real life

Question 13

What are the weaknesses of Holism?

Answer 13

harder to be scientific reduces reliability

Question 14

what is the free will debate?

Answer 14

-humans free to choose own behaviour
-influences such as biological or environmental can be rejected at will

Question 15

what is the determinism debate?

Answer 15

-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

Question 16

strength of free will?

Answer 16

-freedom of choice
-gives people responsibility for own actions

Question 17

weakness of free will?

Answer 17

-difficult to test and measure
-suggests no predictability or patterns to behaviour

Question 18

strength of determinism?

Answer 18

-can establish cause and effect
allowing for prediction and control

Question 19

weakness of determinism?

Answer 19

-treats people like machines that are programmed (hard determinism) pessimistic

Question 20

what is the individual debate?

Answer 20

-look to the person as the cause of the behaviour specifically their personality and dispositions
-individuals respond differently to behaviour based on individual differences

Question 21

strengths of the individual debate?

Answer 21

-free will, gives people responsibility to change themselves
-Holism, takes into account individual differences

Question 22

weaknesses of the individual debate?

Answer 22

-reductionist
-difficulties generalising

Question 23

what is the situational debate?

Answer 23

-draw on circumstances around individuals (group membership, environmental context)
-behaviour can be deterministic based on environment (upbringing, educational achievement)

Question 24

strengths of the situational debate?

Answer 24

-cause and effect can be found as behaviour is predictable
-behaviour can be changed by improving ones environment

Question 25

weakness of situational debate?

Answer 25

-reductionist
-tends to rely on observations