Issues And Debates Flashcards
(23 cards)
What is cultural bias
A tendency to ignore cultural differences and interpret all phenomena through the ‘lens’ of one’s own culture.
What is ethnocentrism
Judging other cultures by the standards and values of one’s own culture.
What is cultural relativism
The idea that norms, values, ethics and moral standards can only be meaningful and understood within the social and cultural context that it originated
What is gender bias
When psychological research that does not justifiably represent the experience and behaviour of all genders.
What is alpha bias
theories that exaggerate and overestimate differences between genders that are assumed to be real and enduring
What is beta bias
theories that ignore and minimise differences between genders that are assumed to be insignificant
What is androcentrism
when ‘normal’ behaviour is judged according to the male standard
What is the holier and reductionist debate about
This debate is about the LEVEL at which it is appropriate to explain behaviour.
How simplified should our explanations be, if at all
What is Holism
The notion that it only makes sense to study an whole) system rather than its constituent parts
What is reductionism
The notion that behaviour is best explained by breaking it down into smaller, simpler parts
What is the free will determinism debate about
This debate is about the extent to which behaviour is determined by forces beyond our control
What is free will
The notion that each individual has the power to make choices about their behaviour that are not determined by biological or external forces
What is determinism
The view that an individual’s behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces rather than an individual’s will to do something
What is hard determinism
Implies that free will is not possible as our behaviour is always caused by internal/external forces beyond our control
What is soft determinism
All human behaviour is caused by external/internal forces, but there is room for conscious mental control over our behaviour
What are the three types of determinism
Environmental
Psych
Biological
What is the idiographic and nomothetic debate
This debate is about the approach to psychological investigation
What is idiographic
An approach to research that focuses on the individual and their unique experience, with no aim to compare or generalise.
What is nomothetic
An approach to research that focuses on large samples to develop general laws and principles.
What is the nature of- nurture debate about
This debate is about “the relative importance of heredity and environment in determining behaviour”
What is nature
the idea that behaviours are predetermined by biological structures such as genes, hormones
What is nurture
the idea that behaviours are predetermined by biological structures such as genes, hormones
What is interactionist approach
the idea that nature and nurture are linked to the extent that they should not be separated when explaining behaviour
