Issues And Debates

Question 1

Define idiographic approach

Answer 1

Approach that focuses research on the individual case as a means of understanding behaviour

Question 2

Define nomothetic approach

Answer 2

Approach that attempts to study human behaviour through the development of general laws

Question 3

Example of idiographic approach in psychology

Answer 3

Humanistic psychology and psychodynamic approach

Question 4

Example of nomothetic approach in psychology

Answer 4

Behaviourism (Skinner), Biological (Localisation), and Cognitive (memory) approaches

Question 5

Define free will

Answer 5

Notion that humans make choices not determined by biological and external factors

Question 6

Define determinism

Answer 6

View that individuals’ behaviour is shaped by internal and external factors rather than an individual’s will

Question 7

Define ethical implications

Answer 7

impact psychological research may have in terms of rights of other people especially participants
Influencing public policy etc.

Question 8

Define social sensitivity

Answer 8

Studies in which there are potential consequences or implications for participants or class of individuals represented by research

Question 9

What are the implications for socially sensitive research?

Answer 9

o The wider effects of such should be carefully considered as it may bee seen as giving ‘scientific’ credence to prejudice and discrimination

Question 10

How are uses/public policy taken into account with socially sensitive research?

Answer 10

o Thinking about what the research will be used for and how it could be used for the wrong purpose
o Related to the idea that findings may be adopted the government for political ends or to shape public policy

Question 11

What is biological determinism and an example?

Answer 11

o Belief that behaviour is caused by biological influences that we cannot control
o Role of autonomic nervous system is out of our control

Question 12

What is environmental determinism and an example?

Answer 12

o Belief that behaviour is caused by features of the environment that we cannot control
o Skinner

Question 13

What is psychic determinism and an example?

Answer 13

o Belief that behaviour is caused by unconscious conflicts that we cannot control
o Freud, no such thing as an accident, parapraxes

Question 14

What is hard determinism?

Answer 14

Implies that free will is not possible as our behaviour is always caused by internal or external events beyond our control

Question 15

What is soft determinism?

Answer 15

All events, including human behaviour have causes, but behaviour can also be determined by our conscious choices

Question 16

What is scientific emphasis on causal explanation?

Answer 16

o All variables are controlled except for IV
o Use of control allows for causality to be inferred
o Change in DV is due to IV because of lack of extraneous variables