Issues and debates

Question 1

what is gender bias

Answer 1

the differences between genders are misrepresented

Question 2

what is alpha bias + examples

Answer 2

researcher exagerates the difference between men + women e.g. psychodynamic approach (Freud) women are inferior to men

Question 2

studies are gender biased if

Answer 2

1. exagerate/ignore differences between men + women
2. observe behaviour in 1 gender and ignore the other
3. define behavioural categories in an incomplete way

Question 2

what is beta bias + examples

Answer 2

researcher minimises/ignores differences between men + women e.g Asch, Zimbardo, Milgram (all pps in studies where men but generalised findings to women also)

Question 2

What is andocentrism

Answer 2

research focuses on male pps

Question 2

Androcentric bias

Answer 2

research lacks validity + reliability as it focuses on male pps

Question 2

why does Freud’s theory suffer from androcentric alpha bias

Answer 2

says that there are enormous permanent psychological differences between men + women, female traits are abnormal + inferior

Question 2

what is gynocentrism

Answer 2

research focuses on female pps

Question 2

what is gynocentric bias e.g

Answer 2

research makes invalid conclusions by using mainly female pps but drawing conclusions about everyone (generalising) e.g. Moscovici + Ainsworth

Question 2

what is cultural bias

Answer 2

researchers misrepresent differences between cultures

Question 2

what is ethnocentrism

Answer 2

when someone focuses on their own cultural perspective, assuming their own cultural perspective is correct/more important +other cultures as abnormal and inferior.

Question 2

what is universality

Answer 2

theory of behaviour that applies to everyone/generalise findings to everyone

Question 2

Name 3 studies that has ethnocentric bias

Answer 2

Mary Ainsworth + Asch + Milgram

Question 2

consequences of ethnocentric bias

Answer 2

-lead to harmful stereotypes (diff=worse), cultures being devalued
-decrease/lack external validity +reliability
-misdiagnosis, eyecontact = normal in US, if reduced =autism. eyecontact not normal in cultures (abnormal)

Question 3

what is ethnocentric bias

Answer 3

research lacks reliability/validity due to researchers ignoring other cultures completely/studying other cultures without understanding their cultural perspective

Question 3

How is Asch + Milgram ethnocentrically bias

Answer 3

only involved American pps but claimed universality by assuming all ppl from other cultures behave like Americans

Question 3

How is Ainsworths research ethnocentrically bias

Answer 3

• All pps middle class american mothers
  -additional research shows babies from collectivist cultures are more likely to have insecure resistant attachment
  -judging babies from other cultures by standards of Western social norms

Question 4

What is cultural relativism

Answer 4

Person’s behaviour must be understood from their own culture’s persepctive

Question 5

What is cross cultural research

Answer 5

research being carried out in different cultures to see if theories generalise/cultural variations. -> minimise risk of ethnocentric bias

Question 6

What is free will

Answer 6

full control over behaviour, Internal LOC

Question 7

What is determinism

Answer 7

never have control over our behaviour, External LOC

Question 8

3 types of determinism

Answer 8

~biological determinism (biology)
~psychic determinism (unconscious mind)
~environmental determinism (environment)

Question 9

what is falsifiability

Answer 9

idea that we are able to disprove a prediction about our behaviour

Question 10

is free will falsifiable

Answer 10

no as we cant make predictions, no way to know how ppl will act, cannot study cause + effect

Question 11

is determinism falsifiable

Answer 11

no, can only falsify claims about specific causes for behaviour

Question 12

pg 3,4

Question 16

NATURE vs NURTURE

Answer 16

relative contributions of hereditary + environment contribute in determining behaviour

Question 21

what is reductionism

Answer 21

understanding things by breaking them down to simpler parts

Question 22

what is holism

Answer 22

to understand smth we must look at it as a whole

Question 23

3 levels of explanations from most reductionist → most holistic

Answer 23

biological → psychological→ social +cultural

Question 24

order the 6 approaches from most reductionist →more holistic

Answer 24

1. biological reductionism 2. environmental reductionism (behaviour in terms of stimulus + response) 3. cognitive approach 4. SLT 5. Psychodynamic (breaks personality down to 3 parts) 6. Humanistic

Question 25

are reductionist explanations scientific

Answer 25

YES, can be tested using scientific methods as they reduce behaviour down to cause + effect relationships, empirically testable + falsifiable

Question 26

are holistic explanations scientific

Answer 26

NO, they insist behaviour shouldn't be broken down into cause +effect relationships

Question 27

what is the principle of parisomy

Answer 27

if there are several diff explanations that completely explain smth we should choose the simplest explanation

Question 28

strengths/weaknesses of reductionism

Answer 28

+ supported by principle of parsimony + scientific and falsifiable + can be used to treat symptoms of mental disorders - can be more effective to consider more holistic explanations

Question 29

strengths/weaknesses of holism

Answer 29

+ more effective to treat psychological disorders with holistic approach - breaks principle of parsimony -less scientific than reductionism

Question 30

strengths/weaknesses of interactionism

Answer 30

- violates principle of parsimony, introduces higher levels of explanation - involves more holistic levels of explanation, difficult to test scientifically + fits the evidence we have about the causes of conditions of depression

Question 31

what is nomothetic

Answer 31

* establish general laws for everyone *lab experiments *quantitative data *correlational study (establish general conclusions about whether 2 variable are associated)

Question 32

what is idiographic

Answer 32

* focus on individual differences *case studies/detailed studies *qualitative data * unstructured interviews/open questions

Question 33

is nomothetic scientific is idiographic scientific

Answer 33

~YES, aim to establish general laws about an entire population ~NO, dont try to establish general laws

Question 34

weakness for idiographic methods

Answer 34

- conducting interviews + interpreting qualitative data takes a long time, involves fewer pps - It isn't possible to generalise findings from idiographic research to general populations due to restricted sample size, unique +subjective nature of idiographic studies, limiting overall usefulness of research

Question 35

strengths for idiographic methods

Answer 35

+ more feasable, involves fewer pps + less money + comprehensive, global understanding of the individual this level of detail leads to better insight into complex + multi-layered nature of individual experience e.g. insight informs therapies designed to suit individual needs e.g. psychotherapy or Roger’s client-centred approach

Question 36

strengths of nomothetic methods

Answer 36

+ uses the features of science in methodology, studies are controlled, objective, standardised, has good reliability +

Question 37

weaknesses of nomothetic

Answer 37

- - Samples in psychological research aren't always large enough to generate laws of behaviour e.g. Milgram’s (1963) obedience study used only 40 (male) pps, sample + study findings aren't generalisable