Issues and Debates Flashcards
(53 cards)
Define Cultural Bias
Minimizing differences between Cultures and view psychological phenomena through the lens of ones own culture
Define Ethnocentrism
a form of “Cultural Bias” where in ones own culture is seen as superior to others
Define Cultural Relativism
The view that behavior can only be understood in the context of ones own culture
Define Gender Bias
Refers to two forms of bias
-Alpha bias
-Beta bias
misjudging differences within men and women
Define Alpha bias
Alpha bias is the act of over exaggerating the differences between males and females
Define Beta bias
Beta bias is the act of underestimating a difference between males and females in research
Define Androcentrism
Basing research around men viewing them as superior or more dominant
Define Universality
the idea that all observed behaviours apply to all humans (where applicable) despite differences in Gender, culture and other factors
Examples of Alpha bias
-Research into mental illness labeling anxiety as a typical “female” attribute (Freud - Hysteria)
-Research into moral development that suggests women’s morality might be less sophisticated than men
(Kohlberg - women less morally developed)
Examples of Beta Bias
-Research on the fight or flight adrenaline hormone androcentric
(Women’s stress response may differ)
-Important research with male only samples
(Asch, Milgram, Zimbardo)
Nurture in its most extreme form is referred to
Empiricism
Nature in its most extreme form is referred to as
Nativism
Give a brief explanation of the NATURE debate
Human behaviours and traits are innate and the product of evolution
Our individual differences are the result of unique genetic code
Give a brief explanation of the NUTURE debate
Humans are born as a blank slate (tabula rasa)
Behaviours and capabilities are learned
Our individual differences are a result of our upbringing and environment
Give a brief explanation of the INTERACTIONIST APPROACH
The idea that both pur genes and our environments make up differences
Within the context of the Interactionist approach, define epigentics
Epigenetics is the idea that the way our genes are expressed is due to our environment
2014 Epigenetics study with Mice
Dias and Kessler
Give a brief overview of:
Dias and Kessler (2014)
Study on Trans-generational epigenetics
-Mice were given an electric shock when exposed to a perfume
-Classically conditioned to fear the perfume smell
-Mice have offspring
Offspring exposed to perfume
Result : Mice offspring also scared of perfume without direct classical conditioning
How does Nestadt et al. (2010) support the NATURE debate
MZ twins 68% concordance and DZ twins 31% concordance (nearly 1/2)
-it expresses a genetic predisposition to share OCD
-suggests behaviour (OCD) is innate
Examples in curriculum which support the NATURE debate
-Biological preparedness in phobias (threat in evolutionary history)
-MOAO (Low activity) gene predisposes aggression
-Variations in the SERT gene (affects seretonin transport) lead to OCD
-Memory models (in everyone)
-Fight or flight innate response
-Bowlbys monotropic theory;
Innateness of attachment Social releases
Examples in curriculum which support the NUTURE debate
-Internal Working Model:
Bailey et al. (GM&M = M&C)
Hazen and Shaver (Attachment = Relationships)
44 Thieves (IQ bad, AP)
Kokkinos (Type A - Bully, Type C - Bullied)
Romanian Orphans (Institute Effects)
-Ellis’ ABC activating events
-Negative Schema in depression (Childhood)
-Two process model in phobias (conditioning)
What are some issues and evidence of issues in separating Nature and Nurture
-Nature and Nurture interact, so it is difficult to establish which aspects of an observed traits are which
-Niche-picking (Plomin) - our innate traits will lead us to choose certain environments
-Dias & Kessler (2014) - trans-generational epigenetics
-Diathesis Stress Model (predisposed + stress)
Define Reductionism
Reductionism is the belief that the best way to understand human behaviour is by breaking it down to smaller constituent parts
Explain what the levels of explanation are
We can reduce a complex behaviors or psychological phenomenon to a variety of levels ranging from Lower, more reductionist levels to higher more holistic levels
