Issues and Debates

Question 1

GENDER BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Define androcentrism

Answer 1

Taking male behaviour/thinking as normal, regarding female behaviour/thinking as deviant, inferior or abnormal when it is different

Question 2

GENDER BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Give an example of androcentrism

Answer 2

Soloman Asch, male dominated view of social psychology. 123 men and 75% conformed. Projected this research onto women

Question 3

GENDER BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
What may androcentrism result in?

Answer 3

Alpha or beta bias

Question 4

GENDER BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Define alpha bias

Answer 4

May exaggerate differences in men and women

Question 5

GENDER BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Give an example of alpha bias

Answer 5

Sexual selection, women act on anisogamy whereas men all about reproduction. All men vs all women.
Freud and psychosexual development, ‘penis envy’, women defined by fact they aren’t men

Question 6

GENDER BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Define beta bias

Answer 6

Exaggerating the similarities between men and women, often happens when findings applied to women without additional validation

Question 7

GENDER BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Give an example of beta bias

Answer 7

Fight or flight reactions. Release of adrenaline created by looking at male responses to stress. An assumption that this is universal.

Question 8

GENDER BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
What does Taylor et al say?

Answer 8

Marked difference between men and women in stressful situations. Women tend and befriend, men more likely to become aggressive.

Question 9

GENDER BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
How is research methodology subject to biased conclusions?

Answer 9

Rosenthal: male research and gender of participants. Change behaviour on gender of participants, chivalry of effect.

Question 10

GENDER BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
What have contemporary psychologists attempted to look at?

Answer 10

Ways to reduce gender bias, an attempt to develop more theories that emphasise importance/value of of women. Ie Cromwell, women better at multitasking

Question 11

GENDER BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
What do feminist psychologists accept?

Answer 11

Biological differences, but say the stereotypes these create is what’s harmful

Question 12

GENDER BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
What do feminist psychologists argue?

Answer 12

Should research to ascertain gender facts then if leads to image of inferiority so long as results used in positive way. For example, men found to have better leadership qualities, so Eagly leadership programmes for women

Question 13

GENDER BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
How can feminist psychology backfire?

Answer 13

• Parental leave has increased for men, so women who don’t take option may have it thrown back
• Menopause, brain fog, equality

Question 14

GENDER BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
What is the conclusion?

Answer 14

• Women & men might respond differently to different research situations
• May be treated differently by research
• Creation of artificial differences and mask real ones
• Gender bias in research methods

Question 15

CULTURE BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Define culture bias

Answer 15

The tendency to judge all people and their behaviours in terms of your own cultural assumptions; a deep rooted issue in psychology

Question 16

CULTURE BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
What do samples reflect?

Answer 16

The country of residence.
- 73% of authors from US universities
- 99% of research western countries
- 96% of psychology samples come from country with 12% of the population

Question 17

CULTURE BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
What did Henrich propose about samples?

Answer 17

WEIRD

Question 18

CULTURE BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Define WEIRD

Answer 18

Western
Educated
Industrial
Rich
Democratic

Question 19

CULTURE BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Define ethnocentrism

Answer 19

Seeing things from a cultural pov but assuming this to be a superior perspective. It is when a cultures etic is imposed onto another, universal behaviour

Question 20

CULTURE BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
How does Ainsworth’s study emulate ethnocentrism?

Answer 20

Conducted in Baltimore US, Ainsworth says secure attachment the best, when mum is sensitive and attentive to childs needs. Measured by 4 behavioural categories. Imposes an etic of what a secure attachment is. US psychologist with a US sample. Leads to cultural discrepancy, deviation seen as inferior

Question 21

CULTURE BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
How do definitions of abnormality support ethnocentrism?

Answer 21

Jahoda deviation from ideal mental health. Self actualisation, extremely westernised concept. War torn, conflict, is self actualization really a relevant concept there?

Question 22

CULTURE BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
What is another example of ethnocentrism?

Answer 22

IQ tests

Question 23

CULTURE BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Define cultural relativism

Answer 23

The idea all cultures are worthy of respect, needing to understand all cultures to understand the world, an emic

Question 24

CULTURE BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
What did Margaret Mead look at in Papa New Gineau?

Answer 24

Looked at 3 tribes, most significantly the arapesh and Mundugumor tribes

Question 25

CULTURE BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY What did Mead conclude about the Arapesh tribe?

Answer 25

No form of aggressive behaviour, an emic

Question 26

CULTURE BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY What did Mead conclude about the Mundugumor tribe?

Answer 26

Differs from opposed etic, women more aggressive and violent

Question 27

CULTURE BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY What are some issues with Mead's study?

Answer 27

Similarities in behaviour are overlooked. Largely speaking human kind united in similarities

Question 28

CULTURE BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY What is the first way of tackling culture bias?

Answer 28

1: encourage indigenous psychology. Ie afrocentrism, differing heritage, appreciate culture differences. An emic approach

Question 29

CULTURE BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY What is the second way of tackling culture bias?

Answer 29

2: EMIC/ETIC distinction, can try and achieve a universal explanation whilst trying to avoid culture bias. Ie, Buss in his study of mate preference. Looked at 37 cultures, 3 different local researchers to tailer Buss' questions to cultures. More relevance

Question 30

CULTURE BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY What is the third way of tackling culture bias?

Answer 30

Use samples from different cultural groups, non 'WEIRD' samples, more representation

Question 31

CULTURE BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY What is the pneumonic to tackling cultural bias?

Answer 31

CRRISSE

Question 32

CULTURE BIAS IN PSYCHOLOGY What does CRISSE stand for?

Answer 32

Cross cultural research Representation Reflexivity Immersion Sensitivity Standards Emic

Question 33

REDUCTIONISM & HOLISM Define reductionism

Answer 33

Breaking components into amore simple phenomena. Often seen as desirable bc offers a simpler level of explanation

Question 34

REDUCTIONISM & HOLISM What are the levels of reductionist explanation?

Answer 34

Begins at highest element and works down. Highest level: cultural and social exp, Middle level: psychological exp, Lower level: biological exp

Question 35

REDUCTIONISM & HOLISM Define biological reductionism

Answer 35

Reducing behaviour to the actions of neurons and hormones

Question 36

REDUCTIONISM & HOLISM Define environmental reductionism

Answer 36

Stimulus response links ie reducing complex attachment emotions to reinforcement/rewards

Question 37

REDUCTIONISM & HOLISM Define experimental reductionism

Answer 37

Reducing behaviour to isolated variables,easier to conduct research and determine casual relationships

Question 38

REDUCTIONISM & HOLISM Strengths of reductionism

Answer 38

More scientific, drug therapy

Question 39

REDUCTIONISM & HOLISM Negatives of reductionism

Answer 39

Ignores context, personal exp may be overlooked

Question 40

REDUCTIONISM & HOLISM Define holism

Answer 40

Perception of whole person rather than singular components. Psychopathology and forensics, lacks scientific data in empirical evidence

Question 41

REDUCTIONISM & HOLISM What is the interactionist approach?

Answer 41

Diathesis stress model in relation to depression and sz. Leads to a holistic treatment, combining drugs w therapy

Question 42

REDUCTIONISM & HOLISM What did Howes and Murray compare?

Answer 42

Family therapy to individual therapy. Also receiving drug therapy aswell

Question 43

REDUCTIONISM & HOLISM What did Howes and Murray find?

Answer 43

Considerably lower relapse rates for those receiving family therapy. 11% relapse vs 50% for individual

Question 44

DETERMINISM VS FREE WILL How does determinism see behaviour?

Answer 44

As a product of forces beyond an individuals control. Argue internal and external forces control behaviour, therefore should be predictable

Question 45

DETERMINISM VS FREE WILL Define hard determinism

Answer 45

Forces outside our control ie biology or past exp shape behaviour. ALL behaviour can be predictable, incompatible w free will

Question 46

DETERMINISM VS FREE WILL Define soft determinism

Answer 46

Behaviour constrained by a certain extent by environment or biological makeup

Question 47

DETERMINISM VS FREE WILL What are the four types of determinism

Answer 47

- Biological -Environmental - Psychic - Scientific

Question 48

DETERMINISM VS FREE WILL Define biological determinism

Answer 48

Genes & inheritance, hard

Question 49

DETERMINISM VS FREE WILL Define environmental determinism

Answer 49

External factors, ie family life. Soft

Question 50

DETERMINISM VS FREE WILL Define psychic determinism

Answer 50

Freud, innate drives and early experience, soft, internal and external

Question 51

DETERMINISM VS FREE WILL Define scientific determinism

Answer 51

Based on the idea every event has a cause. IV -DV, cause& effect.

Question 52

DETERMINISM VS FREE WILL Give strengths of determinism

Answer 52

Scientific, isolates variables, society more accepting of these types of findings

Question 53

DETERMINISM VS FREE WILL Weaknesses of determinism

Answer 53

Mechanist, implies all behaviour can be predicted, individual diffs, takes away from individual responsibility

Question 54

DETERMINISM VS FREE WILL Define free will

Answer 54

Choosing certain behaviours, most pp feel they possess free will.Legal system structured on this premie. Implies behaviour unpredictable

Question 55

DETERMINISM VS FREE WILL Give strengths of free will

Answer 55

Individual choice, societal values

Question 56

DETERMINISM VS FREE WILL Give weaknesses of free will

Answer 56

Culturally relative ie collectivist, situational, unscientific

Question 57

IDIOGRAPHIC AND NOMATHETIC Define idiographic

Answer 57

Studying individuals, unique insight into human behaviour. Qualitative methods of research.

Question 58

IDIOGRAPHIC AND NOMATHETIC Give examples of idiographic studies

Answer 58

Little Hans, qualitiative research

Question 59

IDIOGRAPHIC AND NOMATHETIC Define nomothetic studies

Answer 59

Seeks to formulate general laws of behaviour using groups of people. More scientific in approach and favours quantitative method

Question 60

IDIOGRAPHIC AND NOMATHETIC Give examples of nomothetic studies

Answer 60

Biological approach, behaviourist approach. EPQ- a large amount of data to form general theories of personality

Question 61

IDIOGRAPHIC AND NOMATHETIC Can the two approaches be combined?

Answer 61

False separation bc generalisations will be made. No such thing as a unique individual because idiographic approaches end up being nomothetic. Propose research should start nomothetic and end up idiographic. Ie, Freud uses ideographic measures then makes general laws

Question 62

IDIOGRAPHIC AND NOMATHETIC Weaknesses of the idiographic approach?

Answer 62

- Doesn't produce general predictions abt behaviour - Too time consuming to make personal therapies for all individuals