Issues and Debates Flashcards
(36 cards)
What is the idiographic approach?
Focuses on individuals and unique personal experiences. Uses qualitative methods (e.g., case studies, unstructured interviews).
What is the nomothetic approach?
Aims to establish general laws of behaviour. Uses quantitative methods (e.g., experiments, correlations).
Give an idiographic example.
Freud’s case study of Little Hans.
Give a nomothetic example.
Behaviourist approach (e.g., Skinner’s experiments).
Evaluate the idiographic and nomothetic approaches (PET).
Nomothetic: ✅ Practical – general laws (e.g., drug treatment); Idiographic: ✅ Theoretical – in-depth understanding. ❌ Idiographic lacks generalisability; Nomothetic oversimplifies individual experience.
What is the nature argument in psychology?
Behaviour is a result of innate biological or genetic factors.
What is the nurture argument in psychology?
Behaviour is learned through experience and environment.
Give a nature example.
Bowlby’s theory of attachment (innate need to attach).
Give a nurture example.
Behaviourist explanation of attachment (classical/operant conditioning).
What is the interactionist approach in nature-nurture?
Diathesis-Stress Model – genetic vulnerability + environmental trigger.
Evaluate the nature-nurture debate (PET).
✅ Practical – Interactionism used in therapy; ❌ Hard to separate both; ✅ Ethical – Nature-only risks biological determinism.
What is free will in psychology?
The belief that individuals have control over their behaviour.
What is determinism in psychology?
Behaviour is shaped by internal/external forces beyond our control.
What are the types of determinism?
Biological, Environmental, and Psychic.
Give examples of determinism and free will.
Determinism: Behaviourism; Free will: Humanistic approach.
Evaluate free will vs determinism (PET).
✅ Determinism practical – predicts & treats (e.g., drugs); ❌ Ethical – undermines legal responsibility; ✅ Theoretical – Free will reflects human experience but may be an illusion (Libet).
What is cultural bias in psychology?
When research ignores cultural differences and assumes findings apply universally.
What is ethnocentrism?
Judging other cultures by the standards of one’s own.
What is cultural relativism?
Recognising behaviour should be studied within its cultural context.
Give examples of cultural bias.
Ainsworth’s Strange Situation (ethnocentric); IQ tests biased to Western education.
Evaluate cultural bias (PET).
✅ Practical – Cross-cultural studies challenge bias; ❌ Theoretical – Misdiagnosis risk; ✅ Ethical – Cultural relativism promotes respect.
What is gender bias?
Misrepresentation or stereotyping of genders in psychological theories/research.
What is alpha bias?
Exaggerates gender differences (e.g., Freud – women inferior).
What is beta bias?
Minimises differences, generalises male data to all (e.g., Kohlberg).
