Key Terms

Question 1

Universality

Answer 1

Any underlying characteristic of human beings that is capable of being applied to all, despite differences in experiences and upbringing

Question 2

Bias

Answer 2

When considering human behaviour, bliss is a tendency to treat one individual or a group in a different way from others.

Question 3

Gender bias

Answer 3

Psychological research or theory may offer a view that does not justifiably represent the experience and behaviour of men and women

Question 4

Androcentrism

Answer 4

Male-centred, when ‘normall behaviour is judged according to a male standard (meaning that female behaviour is often judged as ‘abnormal’ by comparison)

Question 5

Alpha bias

Answer 5

Research that focuses on differences between men and women, and therefore tends to present a viewthat exaggerates these differences

Question 6

Beta bias

Answer 6

Research that focuses on singularities between men and women and therefore tends to presents a view that ignores or minimises differences.

Question 7

Culture bias

Answer 7

A tendency to interpret all phenomena through the ‘lens’ of ones own culture, ignoring the effects that cultural differences might have on behaviour

Question 8

Ethnocentrism

Answer 8

Judging other cultures by the standards and values of one’s own culture. Is its extreme form, its the belief in superiority of one’s own culture which may lead to prejudice/ discrimination towards other cultures

Question 9

Culture relativism

Answer 9

The idea that norms and values, as well as ethics and moral standards, can only be meaningful and understood within specific social and cultural contexts

Question 10

Imposed Eric

Answer 10

A test, measure or theory devised in one culture that is used to explain behaviour in another culture.

Question 11

Etic Approach

Answer 11

Studying behaviour across many cultures in order to find universal human behaviours

Question 12

collectivist culture

Answer 12

Refers to cultures such as India and China that are said to be more conformist and group orientated

Question 13

Emic approach

Answer 13

Studying cultures in isolation by identifying behaviour that are specific to that culture

Question 14

Individualistic culture

Answer 14

Refers to western countries (like US )that to are thought be more independent

Question 15

Cultural bound syndromes

Answer 15

Groups of syndromes classified as treatable illnesses in certain cultures that are not recognised as such the West.

Question 16

Free Will

Answer 16

The not on that humans con make choices and their behaviour / thoughts are not determined by biological or external forces

Question 17

Determinism

Answer 17

The view that an individualsbehavier is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces rather than an individuals will to do something

Question 18

Hard determinism

Answer 18

The view that all behaviour is caused by something (internal or external forces) free so will is an illusion

Question 19

Soft determinism

Answer 19

The view that behaviours may be predictable (caused by int/ext forces) but there also is room for personal from choice a limited of possiblities (restricted free will)

Question 20

Biological determinism

Answer 20

The belief that behaviers is caused by biological (genetic, hormonal, or evolutionary ) influences that we can’t central

Question 21

Environmental determinism

Answer 21

The belief that behaviervis caused by features of the environment (such as systems of rewards and punishment) that me can’t central.

Question 22

Psychic determinism

Answer 22

The belief that behaviouris caused by unconscious psychodynamic conflicts that he can’t control

Question 23

Nature-nurture debate

Answer 23

Concerned with the extent to which aspects of behaviour are a product of inherited or acquired characteristics

Question 24

Heredity

Answer 24

The genetic transmission af berth mental + physical characteristics from one generation to another

Question 25

Environment

Answer 25

Influence an human behaviour that’s non-genetic. This may range from prenatal influences in womb to cultural+ historical influence at a societal level

Question 26

Interactions approach

Answer 26

A way to explain the development af Behavior in terms of a range of factors, including biological + physchological ones. Most importantly, such factor don’t simply add together but combore in away that can’t be predicted by each one separately

Question 27

Holism

Answer 27

Argument or theory which proposes that it only makes sense to study an indivisible system (as a whole) rathe than its constituent (individual) parts

Question 28

Reductionism

Answer 28

The belief that human behavierris best understood by studying the smaller constituent (individual) parto

Question 29

Levels of explanation

Answer 29

The idea that there are several ways (levels) that can be used to explore behaviour.
• The lowest level considers physiological / biological explanations.
•The middle levels considers psychological explanations.
• The highest level considers social and cultural explanations.

Question 30

Biological reductionism

Answer 30

A form of reduction com which attempts to explain behave an at biology the lowest cal lend (genes, hormones etc. )

Question 31

Environmental reductionism

Answer 31

The attempt to exploring all bebavierr in terms of stimulus-response links that have been learned through experience.

Question 32

Ideographic

Answer 32

Derived from word ‘idios’ meaning ‘private’ an approach to research that focuses more on the individual al case as a means of understanding behavieri, rather than aiming to formulate general laws of behaviour

Question 33

Nomothetic

Answer 33

Derived from word ‘nomos’ meaning ‘law’, an approach that aims -to study human behaviour through the development of general principles and universal laws.

Question 34

Ethical implications

Answer 34

The consequences of any research (studies/theory) in terms af the effects on individual participants or on the way in which certain groups or people are subsequently regarded. May beconsequences on a wider societal level.

Question 35

Ethical guidelines

Answer 35

A set of principles set out by the bps to help psychologists behave honestly + with integrity

Question 36

Ethical issues

Answer 36

These arise when a conflict exists between the rights af the participants in research studies on the goals of the researchers to produce authentic, valid + worthwhile data.

Question 37

Social sensitivity

Answer 37

Seiner + Stanley (1988) “studies in which there are potential consequences or implications, either directly for the participants in the research or for the class of individuals represented by the research.