Debates in Psychology and section B

Question 1

What is the definition of the free will debate

Answer 1

Some argue that human beings are entirely free to act as they choose and bear repsonsibility for the outcome of their behavior

Question 2

What are the strengths of free will

Answer 2

Exercising free will can allow us to take advantage of situational factors and make changes to our environment to improve behavior which is much more ethical than changing someones biology
Addressing free will is less socially sensitive as it empowers individuals to take control of their own actions to improve behavior

Question 3

What are the weaknesses of free will

Answer 3

Addressing free will can remove compassion for people who make the wrong choices as they have the ability to make good decisions as their behavior is their responsibility
People feel under pressure to change something about their lives or their behavior which may cause distress and harm if they are unable to

Question 4

What is the determinism debate

Answer 4

Suggest that we lack control of our behavior and that it is predetermined by factors such as our genes and past experiences

Question 5

What are the strengths of the determinism debate

Answer 5

Allows us to predict behavior based on predetermined factors increasing predictive validity meaning we can intervene to target this factor
Determinism allows us to establish a root cause that predetermine behavior as such increasing the scientific nature of behavior of deterministic explanations

Question 6

What are the weaknesses of the determinism debate

Answer 6

Can be socially sensitive as it stigmatizes those with certain pre determined factors that are out of their control
Often deterministic explanations are reductionist as they focus on one predetermining factor
Suggest that humans are more like machines being controlled by factors they have no control over making people feel powerless

Question 7

What does useful mean

Answer 7

Research that enhances our knowledge and understanding and can be applied to real world situations

Question 8

What are the strengths of usefulness

Answer 8

Always a strength in relation to the enhancement of knowledge and the ability to apply findings of research to improve human behavior with practical applications

Question 9

What is limited usefulness

Answer 9

Research that may lack credibility, generalizability or be difficult to apply outside of a research setting

Question 10

What is the nature debate

Answer 10

Sees biological factors as the explanation for thinking and behavior such as genetics nervous system and brain chemistry

Question 11

What are the strengths of the nature debate

Answer 11

A nature approach is more scientific as it is easier to understand a root biological cause of behavior which can be measure in an objective way with empirical evidence
Nature explanations are high in predictive validity as we can predict how people will behave depending on their biological factors meaning we can intervene if we predict negative behavior that may occur

Question 12

What are the weaknesses of the nature debate

Answer 12

Nature explanations are highly deterministic as it assumes that an individual has no control over their behavior as its predetermined by biological factors
These explanations are therefore socially sensitive as they suggest people cannot be held accountable for their actions thus removing from the individual when displaying negative behavior which is due to their nature

Question 13

What does the nurture debate state

Answer 13

Sees behavior as learned or acquired through experiences in the environment

Question 14

What are the strengths of the nurture debate

Answer 14

Much more ethical and practical to modify someones environment and learnt behavior so more effective practical applications
Allow us to take control of our own actions so give individualds free will to change their behavior for the better

Question 15

What are the weaknesses of the nurture debate

Answer 15

May stigmatise those individuals who have had faulty nurturing or role models and who may have learnt poor behavior within their environment
Often these explanations focus only on learnt behavior as therefore ignore individual explanations thus lowering the construct validity as not all aspects of behavior are explored

Question 16

What does the reductionism debate state

Answer 16

Attempts to break down behavior into its constituent parts and using single factors such as individual genes or paticular hormones to account for a given behavior

Question 17

What are the strengths of the reductionism debate

Answer 17

Reductionism is more scientific as it allows us to more easily establish a root cause of behavior when focusing on single factors alone
Reductionism also allows for more focused and effective practical applications when focusing on single factora

Question 18

What are the weaknesses of the reductionism debate

Answer 18

Reductionism reduces construct validity as we are not looking at multiple explanations or aspects of a behavior
Also less useful as we dont have a full enhancement to our understanding of certain behavior

Question 19

What does the holism debate state

Answer 19

Sees human behavior as too complex to be reduced to single explanations. Human beings are being seen as more than the sum of their individual parts and there are many factors contributing to their behavior

Question 20

What are the strengths of the holism debate

Answer 20

Higher in internal validity as it gives us insight into various aspects of behavior allowing for more in depth and holistic practical applications
By studying multiple factors face validity is increased as on the face of it we appear to be measuring behavior in a detailed way

Question 21

What are the weaknesses of the holism debate

Answer 21

Often to difficult to analyse in an objective way as there are multiple explanations which are difficult to separate
Studying multiple factors lowers the ability to predict what may be causing behavior lowering criterion validity

Question 22

What does the individual debate state

Answer 22

Individual explanations look to the person as the cause of behavior specifically their personalities or dispositions

Question 23

What are the strengths of the individual debate

Answer 23

We can predetermine and predict behavior based on individual charecteristics and create interventions to prevent future problematic behavior
Can remove blame from the individual as their actions were due to their own unique differences making people feel less accountable for behavior that is due to factors that may be out of their control

Question 24

What are the weaknesses of the individual debate

Answer 24

Lowers generlisability as we cannot suggest all individuals will behave in the same way if behavior is due to unique characteristics of a person
Largely reductionist as they suggest individual differences as the sole reason for our actions ignoring potential situational factors like our environment

Question 25

What does the situational debate state

Answer 25

Draw on situations around individual’s for example their group members or the environment context

Question 26

What are the strengths of the situational debate

Answer 26

Much more ethical and feasible to exercise your free will to make changes to ones situation rather than their individual nature in order to improve behavior
Consider the role of the environment making them less socially sensitive to the individual this means the environment can be modified which targets a wide variety of people as opposed to trying to find unique applications

Question 27

What are the weaknesses of the situational debate

Answer 27

Focuses only on the situation rather than the interaction between individual and situational can limit our understanding of the causes of behavior
May stigmatise those individuals who have experienced negative environments and who may have learnt poor behavior within their environment

Question 28

What are the 3 main causes of socially sensitive research

Answer 28

Causes stigma
Political consequences
Controversy

Question 29

Outline the principles/concepts of the ________ approach

Answer 29

If 2 marks you state one assumption but for 4 marks state 2 assumptions

Question 30

Outline the key principles of the _________ debate

Answer 30

If worth 2 marks give one definition of the debate if worth 4 marks give 2 definitions

Question 31

Explain how the ____ approach can be see as (insert debate)

Answer 31

Define the debate
Link the approach to the debate by using buzz phrases
Give an example of a behavior that falls under the approach and ho this behavior links to the debate

Question 32

Discuss the ________ debate in relation to the ______ approach

Answer 32

Define both debates
P- How the approach supports the first debate (use buzz phrases)
E- Use specific core study from the approach (behavior finding and link to the debate)
C- Why is this debate a strength (dont need to be specific)
(Do the same structure for other debate)
P- Why this debate is a weakness for the approach
E- Use a specific core study from the approach ( behaviour finding link to debate )
C- Wider implications - weakness

Question 33

Outline one application from the principles and concepts of the ___________ approach

Answer 33

Define the approach
State how knowledge is enhanced from this area - link to knowledge that falls under the bio approach
Explain a detailed practical application we can implement from this knowledge
DONT DIRECTLY NAME THE STUDY

Question 34

Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the social approach

Answer 34

Outline strength of social approach
Example- behavior finding and link
Why is it the key thingy
Strength of key finding
Do the same as a weakness

Question 35

What is individual diversity

Answer 35

Looks at the individual differences between participants like how the contemp study enhances knowledge on individual differences

Question 36

What is social diversity

Answer 36

Looks at the social group between participants like how the contemporary study uses a different social group

Question 37

What is cultural diversity

Answer 37

Looks at the culture of those studied like if the conteporary study studied a different culture or country

Question 38

To what extent does the study enhance our understanding to responses of people in need (5)

Answer 38

D- Define the diversities
P- Talk about the extent to which the contemporary study enhances understanding (explores different cultural group or social group etc)
E- Give and example of the classic study (behavior finding link)
C- Compare the contemporary study and how it enhanced our understanding
S- How does it enhance understanding

Question 39

Outline one similarity and one difference between _________ and ________

Answer 39

Point (state the similarity or difference )
Define (define the key term)
Example- First example- behavior finding and link
Example- second example- behavior finding and link
DO THIS AGAIN FOR DIFFERENCE

Question 40

Discuss ethical considerations in relation to the social approach.

Answer 40

2 PECCs. Point- include a guideline that has been violated in the approach using social buzz words. Example- a specific example from the studies that shows the guidelines has been violated. Comment- which principle has been violated and why is this a weakness for the social approach. Counter- on the other hand, what might be the benefit of breaking this guideline.

Question 41

Discuss the extent to which the _____ approach may support the view that behavior is determined

Answer 41

PEC X2
Only one core study is needed
How the approach is deterministic
How the approach considers free will

Question 42

Compare the biological approach with the social approach.

Answer 42

If 8 marks one similarity and one difference if 15 marks 2 similarites and differences
P- State the similarity
D-Link to how the social approach is by using buzz phrases for both the approach and the debate and same for biological
E- Use one example for social area - behavior finding and link to how it is situational
E- Use one example for biological area- behavior finding and link to how it is situational

Question 43

Outline one strength and one weakness of the ______ approach

Answer 43

PEC X2 -
Point- One strength of the ______ approach is_______ as it suggests____
Example- this is illustrated in a core study into- behaviour finding and link to the point
Comment- Why is this a strength
DO THE SAME FOR WEAKNESS