Issues And Debates

Question 1

Gender bias

Answer 1

Seek universality but bias may be inevitable

Question 2

Alpha bias

Answer 2

Exaggerates differences between genders devalue women
Weaker superego

Question 3

Beta bias

Answer 3

Underestimates differences when conducting research
Fight or flight response

Question 4

Androcentrism

Answer 4

Leads to alpha or beta bias normal behaviour is judged from male standard
PMS - female aggression
Male aggression seen as rational

Question 5

Cultural bias

Answer 5

68% of research pp from the USA
80% are students
WEIRD westernised educated people from industrialised rich democracies

Question 6

Ethnocentrism

Answer 6

Superiority of own cultural group others are deficient
Eg ainsworths attachment types

Question 7

Cultural relativism

Answer 7

Etic - study behaviour from outside culture eg Starbucks
Emic - study behaviour from inside eg McDonald’s
Imposed etic = ainsworth and abnormality

Question 8

Free will

Answer 8

Humans are free to make own choices - humanistic approach

Question 9

Hard determinism

Answer 9

All human action has a cause

Question 10

Soft determinism

Answer 10

People have freedom to make choices within a restricted range of options

Question 11

Biological determinism

Answer 11

Genetic on mental health, influence of ans on stress

Question 12

Environmental determinism

Answer 12

Free will is an illusion
Choice is the sum of our reinforcement contingencies

Question 13

Psychic determinism

Answer 13

Human behaviour determined by conflicts in childhood no such thing as an accident slip of tongue = unconsc

Question 14

Nature belief

Answer 14

Behavioural and cognitive aspects based on genetics and hormones etc
Mental disorders affected by genetics eg 50% conc rate with schizophrenia

Question 15

Nurture debate

Answer 15

Empiricists - everything is learnt and is caused by environment
Behaviourism - classical and operant conditioning
SLT behaviour = observe others eg Bandura

Question 16

Holism

Answer 16

The whole is greater than the some of its parts
Humanistic approach and qualitative data

Question 17

Reductionism

Answer 17

Reducing the whole to its simplest parts and principles
Ocd explained different levels
Psych = least reductionist science

Question 18

Biological reductionism

Answer 18

Neurochemical physiological evolutionary and genetic influences cause behaviour
OCD reduced to serotonin levels

Question 19

Environmental reductionism

Answer 19

All behaviour acquired from environment conditioning
Attachment slt link to milk

Question 20

Idiographic approach

Answer 20

One person/group studied doesn’t aim to produce general laws
Qual research - unstructure interviews
Examples unconditional positive regard derived from in depth talking therapy
Freud little hans phobia develop and Oedipus

Question 21

Nomothetic approach

Answer 21

Establish laws or norms
Quant research - hypothesis testing statistical analysis quantify behaviour
Example Sperry split brain study repeat and test basis for understanding HL

Question 22

Objective vs subjective

Answer 22

Nomothetic assumes objective measurements possible
Idiographic believes only individual experience matters

Question 23

Social sensitivity

Answer 23

Research that has consequences for the participants or groups they represent

Question 24

Implications for research process

Answer 24

-Research question - narrow focus alternate relationships = Hetero. bias
-Dealing w participants - victims of domestic abuse may worry about confidentiality
-Way findings are used - may give scientific credence to prejudice eg US iq test used to restrict immigration