PAPER 3- TOPIC 1 ISSUES AND DEBATES (32/50 on advanced info) Flashcards
define the idiographic approach
approach to research that focuses on uniqueness of individuals and their subjective emotions and experience
key concepts of idiographic approach
•qualitative data
- focus on detail of individual case, not generalising
- conclusions drawn from analysis can be used to help other people going through similar experiences or determine best clinical practice
•subjective
how is idiographic research measured
usually unstructured interviews
- use thematic analysis, to identify emergent themes and make summary conclusions
which two approaches use idiographic approach to research
- Humanistic
* Psychodynamic
describe the examples of idiographic approach
- Roger’s focuses on the individual’s conscious experience of self and created client-centred therapy as a result
- Freud focused on the behaviour of individuals, e.g. the case study of Little Hans
define the nomothetic approach
approach to research that aims to formulate general laws to explain behavioural similarities in large numbers of people
key concepts of nomothetic approach
•quantitative data
- large sample
- when analysed, creates statistical norms for comparison
•objective
how is nomomethic research is measured
- formulate hypothesis
- test large sample
- analyse data produced for statistical significance
to remember: nomothetic is ……
numbers
to remember: idiographic is …..
individuals
examples of nomothetic approach
- biological explanations for treatment of OCD based on neurotransmitters
- general laws of neurotransmitters causing it are applied to everyone
- using DSM (general laws) to classify people into mental disorders based on symptoms shown
- Multi store model for memory produces general laws of how all people process memories
examples of how idiographic and nomothetic complement each other (must use evalution point when discussing idiographic and nomothetic)
nomothetic - general laws from multi store model that is applied to all people’s memory
idiographic- study individuals like Patient KF who showed that nomothetic theory like MSM wasn’t detailed enough as KF had good visual STM but poor acoustic STM
combining the two give us a better understanding of topics like memory and help develop future research ideas
not in advanced info
Define the holistic approach to explaining behaviour
approach that suggests that human behaviour is best explained by studying it as an indivisible system containing all parts, accounted for equally
not in advanced info
define the reductionist approach to explaining behaviour
suggests behaviour is best explained by breaking down into its smaller constituent parts, based on the principle of parsimony
not in advanced info
define parsimony
all phenomena should be explained using the most basic, lowest level principles
not in advanced info
define levels of explanation
idea that there are different ways to explain behaviour , and some is more reductionist than others
not in advanced info
the higher the explanation the more…
holistic
not in advanced info
the lower the explanation the more…
reductionist
not in advanced info
higher level of explanation
socio-cultural factors
more scientific, more holistic
not in advanced info
middle level of explanation
psychological explanations (thought processes) physical (movements)
not in advanced info
lowest level of explanation
biological explanations
- environmental / behavioural (learned experiences)
- physiological (brain activity)
- neurochemical - neurotransmitters
(less scientific, more reductionist
not in advanced info
explanation of OCD using levels of explanation
- OCD interrupts social relationships
- anxiety - psychological
- compulsions of washing hands- physical
- physiological - abnormal frontal lobes
- neurochemical - not enough serotonin
not in advanced info
sciences in reductionist hierarchy
Sociology (least reductionist) Psychology Biological Chemistry Biological Physics (most reductionist)
not in advanced info
examples of reductionism in psychology
biological
environmental
define biological reductionism
example
breaking behaviour down into smaller biological units
e.g. cause of OCD is lack of serotonin neurotansmitters
define environmental reductionism
example
breaking down behaviour into units of stimulus and response
e.g. phobias acquired and maintained (2 process model)
not in advanced info
define the interactionist approach for holism reductionism
more than one level of explanation can operate at the same time
- this approach looks at how these levels may combine and interact on behaviour
e.g. diathesis stress model for schizophrenia
not in advanced info
describe the example for the interactionist approach for holism reductionism
- diathesis stress model for schizophrenia
- the vulnerability is the genetic predisposition to it (low level of explanation)
- the stressor is the environmental trigger (high level of explanation)
-good example of how different levels of explanation can interact
not in advanced info
describe an example of how nature and nurture interact together
•diathesis stress model for schizophrenia
-diathesis- genetic vulnerability (nature)
\+
-stress- environmental trigger (nurture)
=
development of schizophrenia
define free will
the view that humans make choices about their behaviour
- internal or external forces are present but humans are able to reject these forces
define determinism
the view that humans behaviour is controlled by internal (biology) and external (upbringing) forces
- not controlled by a will to do something
5 types of determinism
soft hard biological psychic environmental
define soft determinism
behaviour is controlled by internal and external forces but people have a conscious mental control and so a restricted free will to make choices about their behaviour
-important feature of cognitive approach
define hard determinism
all behaviour is caused by internal and external forces and so free will is an illusion
-compatible with science as identifies cause of behaviour
what type of determinism is biological, environmental and psychic
hard determinism
define biological determinism
behaviour is caused by biological influences that cant be controlled
e.g. hormones, genetics, brain structures
define psychic determinism
behaviour is caused by unconscious psychodynamic conflicts that can’t be controlled
e.g. biological instincts, unconscious conflicts repressed in childhood
define environmental determinism
behaviour is controlled by features of the environment that can’t be controlled
e.g. reinforcement, reward and punishment, conditioning
Skinner suggets free will is just a result of conditioning and reinforcement in all aspects of life
example of free will in psychology
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
-self determination is necessary in order for people to reach self-actualisation
example of soft determinism
Banduras social learning theory
- environmental factors are determinist
- but people have free will to what behaviour we “attend” to (one of mediational processes) and whether to show the certain behaviour
- and also ‘motivation’ the will to perform the behaviour (another mediational process)
example of hard determinism
any examples of
- biological influences (e.g. genes own OCD)
- environmental influences (e.g. two process model phobias)
- psychic determinism (e.g. underdeveloped superego lead to crime)
describe the scientific emphasis on causal explanations
- science is heavily deterministic, as it believes all events have causes
- it searches for a causal relationship by investigating whether the IV changes the DV
- —-> in order to make general laws
explain how psychologists use determinism in research to be scientific
- the idea that all behaviour is caused, creates general laws of what it is caused by
- using the general laws and knowledge of a cause and effect, scientific psychologists can test predictions of future behaviour
—-> lab experiment is best method to predict human behaviour
define ethical implications
include reference to socially sensitive
the knock on effect/consequence that psychological research has on the P’s involved in the study, the social group they represent, and possibly the wider society
- if research has negative implications then the study is socially sensitive
examples of ethical implications
- stereotyping
- discrimination
- labelling
- scientific racism - using findings to support racial predjudice and discrimination
- reducing trust in psychologists
- reducing trust in government or healthcare etc
describe the ethics of a particular bit of research
how could it be viewed as socially sensitive research
• Milgram’s shock test •
X - P’s deceived, couldn’t give full consent
X - caused significant distress
X - were forced to continue against their will (4 times)
however
✔️- P’s were debriefed after
✔️- follow up interview found no P’s suffered with long term effects of research
✔️- the study was used to explain the factors affecting obedience and why people obey
BUT, this could be seen as socially sensitive as:
- theory may be used to make people obey orders, when they don’t actually want to
- provide excuse for nazis, victims and their families may feel massively disrespected
describe the ethics of a particular theory
- how could it be viewed as socially sensitive
• Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment
X mother may feel guilty leaving baby at home
✔️ contributed to development of childcare practices
BUT how could it be viewed as socially sensitive
- may co-erce women to stay at home
- husbands may feel they are less equipped to be stay at home dad
- —> may financially implicate households as higher earner mum may feel blackmailed to stay at home
describe ethical implications of depression research
- if research suggests people don’t recover from depression, employer may not employ them
state ……………………’s definition of social sensitivity
fill in ………
….Sieber..and..Stanley….
describes a study that has potential consequences of research for participants and the group of people represented in the study
describe an example of socially sensitive research
Cyril Burt
- his research findings suggesting intelligence could be detected by age 11 significantly influenced Hadow Report, which lead to introduction of 11+ exam
- this significantly changed the life courses and prospects of many children
- later research found his findings were falsified
describe the 4 parts of the research process that Sieber and Stanley said are connected to ethical implications
• research question - must consider how the Q is worded (not leading, prejudice or stereotyping)
• methodology - consider ethical guidelines (DRIPC)
- mainly to what extent confidentiality is maintained (e.g. do you tell police if they confess)
• institutional context - who is funding, and how do they intend to use the data and findings
- will private institution (or media if given to them) misuse or misunderstand the meaning of the data
• interpretation and application of findings - consider how findings may be applied and interpreted,
- may inform policymaking
- may be used for other purposes than intended
state general examples of ethical implications, and apply them to studies or theories
- labelling - deviation from social norms, those who choose to live differently may have stigma around them and be treated differently by peers, employers, teachers
- discrimination - bowlby suggesting father care is less important in child development
- stereotyping - bowlby suggesting mothers best role is at home
- scientific racism (research supporting a researchers’ racist views) - e.g. Jensen using flawed methods to find that IQ differences in black people are lower than in white people
- gender bias (maternal deprivation theory- suggest father can’t become primary caregiver, economic implications)
- culture bias (see German parenting as cold an rejecting based on attachment type being insecure avoidant)
define andocentrism
effects
the male dominant view in psychology
- lead to neglecting an excluding experience of women
define alpha bias
effects
example
exaggerates difference between men and women
- devalue one gender compared to the other (usually women)
- female behaviour seen as abnormal compared to male standards
(FREUD)
define beta bias
effects
example
minimises difference between men and women
– needs of one gender is ignored
(MILGRAM)
not in advanced info
define universality
the aim of psychologists to develop theories that apply to all people regardless culture, gender, time or experience
define ethnocentrism
effects
judging other cultures by the standards and norms of your one culture
- lead to belief of superiority of own culture, and prejudice or discrimination of other cultures
define cultural relativism
effects
idea that behaviour and ethical standards can only be meaningfully understood within the culture (or social contexts) it was found in
– findings are geographically limited to where they apply
not in advanced info
define an imposed etic approach to research
a theory or technique is developed in one culture, and used to study the behaviour of people in another culture
(ethnocentrism)
not in advanced info
define an emic apporach to research
- when individual cultures are studied and generalisations made within that culture
not in advanced info
define WEIRD cultures
psychological research is usually based on research in Western Educated Industrialised Rich Democratic so isn't therefore universal
– behaviour in non WEIRD cultures is seen as abnormal
