Area & Perspectives- strengths and weakness

Question 1

Social- strengths

Answer 1

Both types of data collected
Measures ‘natural behaviours’- high ecological validity.
Theoretically useful
Environmentally deterministic- behaviour can be predicted

Question 2

Social- weaknesses

Answer 2

Ethics
Simplistic
Socially sensitive

Question 3

Cognitive- Strength

Answer 3

Cause and effect- use of scientific research methods e.g. lab setting and strict controls.
Applications- Improved interviewing witness techniques (L+P)
Quantitative data

Question 4

Cognitive- weakesses

Answer 4

Restricted samples
Simplification

Question 5

Developmental- Strength

Answer 5

Holistic
Applications- watershed
Both types of data collected

Question 6

Developmental- weaknesses

Answer 6

Tends to focus on children- hard to generalise results to adults.
Difficult to operationalise- measurement of behaviour may not be valid.
Ethics- focuses on children.

Question 7

Biological- Strength

Answer 7

Cause and effects
Useful- insight into way brain can influence behaviour.
Quantitative data

Question 8

Biological- weaknesses

Answer 8

Simplistic/reductionist
Socially sensitive- biologically deterministic so removes responsibility from individual, can cause stigma.

Question 9

Individual differences- strength

Answer 9

Applications- findings useful for society
Insight into unusual and unique behaviours

Question 10

Individual differences- weaknesses

Answer 10

Lack validity- variety of research methods used such as case studies and self-report.
Socially sensitive- may involve working with vulnerable groups of people and results may increase stigma.

Question 11

Psychodynamic perspective- strength

Answer 11

Favours case study- highly detailed research and gives good insight into behaviour.
Application- psychoanalysis

Question 12

Psychodynamic perspective- weaknesses

Answer 12

Environmentally deterministic- Theories difficult to test empirically- not classed as scientific.
Small samples- can’t generalise findings.

Question 13

Behaviourist perspective- strength

Answer 13

Cause and effect- Favours scientific research methods e.g. lab setting and strict controls.
Useful- insight into ways behaviourism can shape behaviour e.g. SLT and role models.

Question 14

Behaviourist perspective- weaknesses

Answer 14

Environmentally deterministic- removes responsibility e.g. Bandura- maladaptive behaviour is learnt.
Simplistic- focuses only on nuture