Issues & Debates

Question 1

Gender bias - Definition

Answer 1

The differential treatment and or representation of males and females based on stereotypes not real differences

Question 2

Alpha bias - definition

Answer 2

Theories which exaggerate the differences between males and females

Question 3

Beta bias - definition

Answer 3

Theories which ignore or minimise differences often generalising findings from studies using just males equally to females

Question 4

Androcentrism - Definition

Answer 4

Theories focused on and centered around men

Question 5

Alpha bias - evolutionary approach

Answer 5

Been criticised for its alpha bias as it suggests that processes in the development of human species explain why men tend to be dominant and why women have more parental involvement in offspring.

However society has considered over recent years and it is argued that the evolutionary perspective should not be used to justify gender differences

Question 6

Beta bias - fight or flight response

Answer 6

Taylor provided evidence that females tend to use a tend and befriend response. The beta bias in the earlier animal studies towards fight or flight meant that for a long time the stress response was not fully understood and a real difference was ignored

Question 7

Gender bias - AO3

Answer 7

Psychologists attempt to develop theories which emphasise the importance and value of women. Cornwell - females are better at learning as theyre more attentive and organised

Feminist psychologists. Eagly - women are less effective leaders. Implications for more training programmes for more women to have leadership roles

Women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression due to stereotypes:
Women - “more emotional”
Men - idea of “toxic masculinity “

Problems with diagnostic system. Higher male suicide rates

Question 8

Determinism - Definition

Answer 8

The idea that free will is an illusion and our behaviour is governed by external forces over which we have no control

Question 9

What is the difference between hard and soft determinism?

Answer 9

Hard determinism - forces outside of our control (environmental or biological) shape our behaviour

Soft determinism - Behaviour is constrained by the environment or biology but only to a certain extent, there is an element of free will in all behaviour

Question 10

Free will - definition

Answer 10

We play an active role in and have choice over how we behave.

This makes a person responsible for their own actions, and it is impossible to predict human behaviour with precision

Question 11

Biological determinism

Answer 11

All human behaviour is innate and determined by genes

Chorley found a statistically significant association between IQ test scores and a gene which is involved in inteligence (IGF2r) on chromosome 6, intelligence is to some extent biologically determined

Question 12

Environmental determinism

Answer 12

Our behaviour is caused by our surroundings.

Bandura found that children with violent parents are more likely to become violent parents themselves, as a result of observational learning

Question 13

Psychic Determinism

Answer 13

Human behaviour is the result of childhood experiences and innate drives

Freuds psychosexual stages

Question 14

AO3 - Determinism

Answer 14

Humanistic psychologists claim that humans have free will and behaviour does not have any single cause.

Identical twin studies find an 80% similarity in intelligence scores and a 40% similarity in likelihoods of depression
at least 20% is caused by other, environmental factors
Demonstrates Biological determinism is unable to explain any particular behaviour

Freud supports deterministic views however psychoanalysis aims to help patients overcome the force of their unconscious, in controlling their thoughts and actions. Neo-freudians, such as Fromm have argued we all have the potential to control our lives however many of us are afraid too, therefore we give up our freedom and allow our lives to be controlled by other people or political ideology. This can be supported by agency theory too, and therefore backs up the concept of soft determinism, Fromm sees human freedom being in the choice of good or evil.

Legal experts do not favour determinism. 1981 Stephen Mobley argued he was born to kill, as his family has a disposition to violence and aggression, American court rejected this, as it was providing an excuse for this behaviour. This allows people to mitigate their own liability creating legal issues regarding responsibility and intent

Question 15

Sieber and Stanley’s socially sensitive research

Answer 15

1. The research question - Is it damaging to particular members of a group?
2. The methodology used - confidentiality and anonymity
3. The institutional context - how is the data being used and who is funding it? How do they intend to use the findings?
4. Interpretation of findings - How might they be interpreted in the real world?

Question 16

AO3 of socially sensitive research

Answer 16

Can lead to discrimination - early 1900’s to late 1960’s in the US 60000 individuals were forcibly sterilised under eugenic legislation and at least 2000 of these were on black women without their consent or knowledge

This was “justified” by Yerkes’ research which indicated lower IQ scores in black Americans

However some socially sensitive research can be beneficial to society - eye witness tesimony particularly the use of child witnesses. Flin - children can be reliable witnessses if questioned appropriately. Resulted in a positive relationship between psychologists and the legal system.

Question 17

Ethical implications - AO1

Answer 17

Consider the impact or consequences that psychological research has on the rights of people in a wider context, not just those taking part in the research

Question 18

Ethical implications of research studies:

Answer 18

Milgram - ppts were decieved and unable to give fully informed consent
They were also caused significant distress
However they were debriefed after the experiment and a follow up interview was conducted and they suffered no long term effects

Question 19

Ethical implications of theories

Answer 19

Bowlby’s theory of attachment
This encouraged the view that a woman’s place is at home with her children, which could make some mothers feel guilty for wanting to return to work following childbirth

Question 20

Idiographic - AO1

Answer 20

Focus on the individual and emphasise unique personal experience

Question 21

Nomothetic AO1

Answer 21

Concerned with establishing general laws

Question 22

Idiographc AO3

Answer 22

Shallice and Warrington - exposed a limitation of the MSM by finding evidence that our STM consists of at least 2 seperate components thru patient KF who could do visual tasks but not auditory

Question 23

Examples of Nomothetic

Answer 23

Biological psychologists when explaining psychological disorders such as OCD and depression - pinpoint neurotransmitters and use biological therapies to treat patients

Behaviourists conducted experiments with animals in order to establish laws of learning such as classical and operant conditioning

Question 24

Nomothetic AO3

Answer 24

Scientific so useful for predicting and controlling behaviour
Biological psychologists and OCD
However as drug treatments are not successful for all patients some psychologists argue that CBT which is based on the idiographic stance is better

Some psychologists claim it is superficial. Milgram’s experiment found that 65% of ppts obeyed to the max however did not provide an explaination as to why

Question 25

A combined approach (nomothetic and idiographic)

Answer 25

Holt argues that many approaches in psychology make use of both and therefore the two approaches should be viewed as complementary rather than contradictory Cognitive psychologists create general laws ie WMM and they make use of idiographic data thru KF.