Social Psychology in Sec B

Question 1

Describe the assumptions of social psychology.

Answer 1

• focuses on studying individuals within a social context + so assumes behaviour is generally shaped by factors of ones environment
• assumes behaviour is influenced by others e.g. family / peers + social context in which it occurs
• types of behaviour investigated: social norms, prejudice, obedience and conformity
• investigates behaviour scientifically by observing how people behave in social situations

Question 2

Describe social psychology in the Nature vs Nurture debate. Link to a study.

Answer 2

• social approach supports nurture side of debate as argues behaviour is a product of social processes within environment

E.g. Milgram argued obedience is an ingrained behaviour established through process of socialisation + when pps are exposed to authority figures under certain environmental conditions they will obey.

Question 3

Describe social psychology in the Individual vs Situational debate. Link to a study.

Answer 3

• social approach supports situational side of debate

E.g. Bocchiaro found situation led a surprising no of pps to obey. No personality traits predicted obedience / whistle blowing.

Question 4

Describe social psychology in the Reductionism vs Holism debate. Link to a study.

Answer 4

E.g. Milgram’s research can be considered to be reaction district as it ignored role of individual diffs (e.g. Gender / age etc) + personality in influencing behaviour.

Question 5

Describe social psychology in the Determinism vs Free Will debate. Link to a study.

Answer 5

E.g. Milgram’s research can be considered deterministic as it assumes any individual, regardless of dispositional will obey authority figure if under same circumstances.

Question 6

Describe social psychology in the Usefulness of Research debate. Link to a study.

Answer 6

E.g. Milgram + Bocchiaro’s research have direct applications in understanding, predicting + tackling tendency to obey orders that directly / indirectly lead to harm + suffering for others, but, due to lab procedures used, findings may be diff to apply outside rear such setting, so, their utility can be argued to an extent, both useful and of limited usefulness.

Question 7

Describe social psychology in the Socially Sensitive Research debate. Link to a study.

Answer 7

E.g. Milgram’s research caused much distress to pps as believed they were administering real electric shocks to another person which conflicted their desire to obey authority figure.

Question 8

Describe social psychology in the Psychology as a Science debate.

Answer 8

E.g. Bocchiaro’s research supports psych as a science as lab procedures were used which allow for cause + effect establishment, and quantitative data collects, so was standardised w/ Hugh levels of control and so high in reliability and validity.

Question 9

State the strengths of the social approach.

Answer 9

• provides useful contributions to understanding of social behaviour
• attempts to conduct research within real life settings + so is high in ecological validity
• has provided many practical applications for society (e.g. Running of prisons)
• provides support for nuture side of nature vs nurture debate so allows us to recognise people not always to blame for behaviour
• uses scientific methodology to support theories, so high in validity + allows doe cause and effect establishment.

Question 10

State the weaknesses of the social approach.

Answer 10

• ignores nature side of nature vs nurture debate + so underestimates role of individual diffs + personality in explaining behaviour
• tends to breach ethical guidelines + so may cause some level of harm to pps within research
• explanations can be deterministic, as assume all behaviour is result of social processes, so ignores role of free will.