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Issues and Debates Flashcards

Paper 3 (65 cards)

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1
Q

Nature vs Nurture

A

Debate

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2
Q

Key terms

A

Interactionist- where environment and heredity interact, they work together rather than in opposition
Heredity- process by which traits are passed down onto offspring, usually refers to genetic inheritance.
Environment- everything outside our body including people, physical events. influence on behaviour that’s non-genetic.

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3
Q

Nature

A

These are inherited influences
Early nativists such as Descartes argued that human characteristics are innate- the result of our genes.
Psychological characteristics (personality/intelligence) are determined by biological factors.

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4
Q

Topics for Nature

A

Nature MAOA gene. Gene that is inherited (heritability) that makes you aggressive. This is a gene which can only be inherited and these influences of being aggressive are determined by biological factors.

+=More scientific research- niche picking your nature chooses your nurture.

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5
Q

Nurture

A

These are environmental influences
Empiricists (Locke)
Argued the mind is a blank slate at birth, and is shaped by interaction with the environment e.g. the behaviourist approach.
Two different experiences
- Prenatal terms (mother smoking)
-Postnatal experiences (conditions a child grows up in)

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6
Q

Topics in Nurture

A

SLT explanation of aggression. Bandura proposed behaviour is due to a result of operant and classical conditioning but also directly through vicarious reinforcement. Acknowledged the way a person expresses their anger is through environmental influences such as observing and imitating the way the methods of anger expressed by an identified role model.
+= more detailed research(qualitative/self report)

Epigentics= nature changes your nurture. theres a change in genetic activity without changing the genetic code. Maguire taxi study

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7
Q

Maguire Taxi study

A

Maguire et al study of london taxi drivers showed that theregion of their brains with s patial memory was bigger than in controls, this is because the hippocampi had responded this way. Maguire et al. studied the brains of London taxi drivers and found a larger grey matter volume in the mid-posterior hippocampus, an area of the brain associated with spatial awareness (skills needed for taxi drivers when they are
learning and completing ‘The Knowledge’ exam). There was a positive correlation between increasingly pronounced changes and an increasing length of time that individuals had been taxi drivers. This demonstrates the interactionist nature of empiricism and nativism, and gives further reason as to why the influences of the two cannot be separated.

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8
Q

Limitations of nature

A

Confounding variables of nurture
Adoption studies to fix

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9
Q

Limitations of nurture

A

Less scientific in their research methods.

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10
Q

Compromise

A

Interactionist approach
Diathesis-stress model behaviour is caused by a biological/environmental vulnerability (diathesis) which is only expressed when coupled with an biological/environmental trigger (stressor)
For example, a person who inherits a genetic vulnerability for OCD may not develop the disorder but combined with a psychological trigger ie a traumatic experience this may result in the disorder appearing.

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11
Q

Free will vs determinism

A

DEBATE

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12
Q

Key terms

A
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13
Q

Psychic determinism

A

freuds theory of personality suggests that adult behaviour is determined by a mix of early innate biological drives and unconscious conflict repressed in childhood.

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14
Q

Hard determinism

A

fatalism- suggests that all human action has a cause and it should be possible to identify these causes

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15
Q

Environmental determinism

A

behaviour is caused by previous experience such as through operant and classical conditioning. Our experience of choice us the sum total of reinforcement contingencies that have been acted upon us throughout our lives.

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16
Q

Biological determinism

A

The biological approach describes many causes of behaviour eg the ANS on stress or the influence of genes on mental health. Behaviour is always caused by internal biological forces beyond our control.

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17
Q

Soft determinism

A

all human action has a cause but people have freedom to make choices within a restricted range of option.

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18
Q

Causal explanations

A

are often descriptions of mechanisms, or how a change in one thing leads to a change in another.

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19
Q

Free will

A

Self-determining
Humans are free to make their own choices
There are biological and environmental influences on our behaviour but free will implies they can be rejected. (humanistic approach). Humans are responsible for their actions regardless of innate factors or early experience

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20
Q

Topics on free will

A

Internal locus control- explanation of resisting social influence, people believe they are in control of their own actions and behaviours and believe their choices have their own consequence they believe outcomes are due to the choices that they have made themselves.

Humanistic approach- self determining behaviour is an important part of human behaviour, as long as an individual remains controlled by other people they can take responsibility for their own actions. Only when individuals take self-responsibility self actualisation or personal growth occurs. Humanism is being seen as a positive approach seeing people as being able to ‘better’ themselves.

+= Good face validity can see in real life where people actually believe in free will an can see we appear to have free will in our day to day lives.

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21
Q

Limitations of free will

A

Lacks sciencificity can’t objectively be measured.

Benjamin Libet et al (1983) recorded activity in motor areas of the brain before the person had a conscious awareness to move their finger. Chun Soon et al (2008) found activity in the prefrontal cortex up to 10 seconds before a person was aware of their decision to act. This suggests that the motor activity preceding movement occurred before the conscious decision was made, and so implies that all behaviour is pre-determined by up to 10 seconds.

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22
Q

Determinism

A

Behaviour is caused by internal or external factors that acting upon the individual beyond their control

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23
Q

Topics for determinism

A

B- Chromosomes and hormones for gender
E-culture and media for gender
P- Oedipus and electra complex for gender

+= Practical application

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24
Q

Limitations of determinism

A

Legal system doesn’t agree with this view. In court offenders are heald resposible for their actions. Indeed the main principle of the legal system is that the defendant excercised their free will in committing a crime. This suggests that in real world the determinism argument doesnt work.

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25
Compromise
Soft determinism
26
Holism vs reductionism
Debate
27
Key terms
28
Holism
Only makes sense to study the system as a whole in the greater sum of its parts. For example humanistic psychology focuses on experience which can't be reduced to biological units, qualitative methods investigate themes. Perceives the whole experience rather than an individual feature.
29
Reductionism
Based on breaking into parts. All phenomena should be explained in its simplest most lowest level of principles
30
Biological reductionism
All behaviour can be explained through neurochemical, physiological and evolutionary and/or genetic influences. For example drugs that increase serotonin are used to treat OCD. Have therefore reduced oCD to a neurotransmitter activity.
31
Environmental reductionism
All behaviour is acquired through interactions with the environment. The behaviourist approach. stimulus to response links.
32
Levels of explanations
Different ways of viewing the same phenomena in psychology eg- social cultural,psychological,physical,physiological and neurochemistry. Reductionism suggests that the lower level explanation will eventually replace the higher levels, according to the reductionist view of science Sociology Psychology Biology Chemistry Physics. Explanations begin at the highest leveland reduce down the heirachy.
33
Topic on Holism
Zimbardo prison study, focused on conformity to social roles. Aiming to explain behaviour as a whole in the most complex level all factors which influenced behaviour of either acting in a particularly way as a prison or guard. Makes use of the holistic representation by looking at the interactions with and between groups. Provides a more complete whole explanation of behaviour. +=Can easily explain group behaviours which cannot be studied individually
34
Topic on Reductionism
E-behavioural explanations of phobias B- development of powerful drug therapies such as the use of SSRis to treat depression based on the view that a deficiency in serotonin causes depression. += More scientific aims to be able to control and predict behaviour> therefore consistent with the aims of science. Smaller constituent parts of behaviour are more easily controlled measured and manipulated under lab conditions.
35
Limitation of holism
Less scientific Lack of empirical evidence, holistic explanations may not be suited to more complex behaviours.
36
Limitation of reductionism
Doesn't explain the complexity of human behaviour. Wolpe misdiagnosis and treatment of women with phobia.
37
Compromise
Interactionist approach
38
Idiographic and Nomothetic
DEBATE
39
Idiographic
Detailed study of one particular individual or one group to provide in-depth understanding. Produces qualitative research- number of participants are often small often a single individual group. Research might include family or friends. Initial focus is about understanding the individual but generalisations may be made on findings. Qualitiative research= individual might be interviewed emergent themes identified and conclusions formed, which can help create treatment.
40
Topic in idiographic
Phineas Gage- updated the theory of localisation +=Unique oppurtunities to study to update theories.
41
Nomothetic
Study of larger groups with the aim of discovering norms, universal principles or 'laws' of behaviour. General principles of behaviour(laws) are developed which are then applied to individual situations such as in therapy. Quantitative research hypotheses are formulated samples of people are gathered and data is analysed for a statistical significance. Seeks to quantify(count) human behaviour.
42
Topic on nomothetic
Van Ijendoorn- cultutral attachment - created stages of attachment all children experience conducted in multiple countries. +=Find averages of behaviour to create theories=more data is more reliable=more scientific.
43
Limitation of idiographic
Can't ethically replicate individual unique situations (case studies) therefore less scientific.
44
Limitation of nomothetic
Loses the individuality of a person and unique cases are lost.
45
Compromise
Start with the nomothetic then case study and anomalous results. Basically combine both theories.
46
Gender Bias
ISSUE The differential treatment/ representation of men and women based on stereotypes rather than real differences.
47
Key terms
48
Alpha bias
Exaggerating the differences between men and women which are presented as fixed and inevitable. These differences tend to devalue women in relation to males.
49
Topic on alpha bias
Psychodynamic explanations for offending behaviour suggests that criminality occurs due to a deviant superego. According to Freud, since females do not experience castration anxiety, they are under less pressure and have less of a need to identify with the moral standards of their same-sex parent, as compared to boys. This suggests that females, in line with the psychodynamic approach, are less moral than males - an idea which has been refuted by Hoffman et al.
50
Beta bias
minimising the differences between males and females Sheridan and King puppy shock men 54% and women 100%
51
Evolutionary explanations of aggression can explain gender differences in aggression however females can be agressive gives males an excuse for aggressive behaviours in relationships.
52
Limitation
Gender biased research leads to discrimination-beta bais makes womens behaviour seem abnormal if they behave differently to men Gender biased research leads to discrimnation alpha bias can lead to harmful sterotypes about each sex. Men aren't allowed to show emtoion which leads to poor mental health.
53
Solution
Both males and females sample, If only study men state results are for men only.
54
Cultural bias
55
Ethnocentric
Judge others culture based on their own westernised view that is deemed to be culturally superior. Ainstowrth strange situation based on american and western norms of attachment
56
Cultural relativism
view that cultural views and behaviour should be understood in their own culutural standards. Takahashi Japenes children attachment style.
57
Universiality
Where cultural norms can equally be applied to every cultural without deeping one to be superior. Kohlbergs theory of gender development- universal supported by munroe.
58
Ethical implications/social sensitive research
ISSUE
59
Topics
Family dysfunction theory of SZ. Parents feel guilty and feel at blame for actively causing SZ. Benefit- family therapy aims to restore that relationship, provides communication and understanding.
60
Topics
Genetic explanation of OCD parents feel guilty for giving offspring that gene Benefit SSRIS drug therapy which helps to counteract OCD.
61
Limitations
Socially sensitive can lead to discrimination due to public policy -sterilisation of thousands due to genetic and IQ research.
62
Limitations
Lack of socially sensitive research can also lead to discrimination- homosexuality seen as a mental health disorder due to lack of research/understanding.
63
Cultural bias
Takano found that 13/14 studies when replicated from American to Japan found same results
64
Limitation
Leads to discrimination african americans are more liekley to be diagnosed with sz but theres no reason for the cultural differences. could be due to misinterpretations of hearing voices. Leads to discrimination meads research of gender lead to exaggerations of results of different cultures views. Each culture must all act the same no individual differrences.
65
Solution
All cultures in a sample. Use native psychologists. If only studying one culture state results are only for that one culture.

Psychology (4 decks)

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