Issues & Debates [U8X]

Question 1

Kinsey et al.’s positive socially-sensitive research

Answer 1

• Homosexuality listed as “sociopathic personality disorder” in 1st DSM edition
• Kinsey interviewed 5000 men & 6000 women anonymously about their sexual behaviour
• A socially inappropriate topic, but it revealed the normalcy of sexual behaviours
• In 1973, homosexuality was removed credited largely to Kinsey
• Also reduced stigma around condition
• SS research can have positive interpretation and finding

Question 2

Role of psychology in affecting social policy

Answer 2

• Policy makers rely on socially-sensitive research to alter sectors
• Childcare, education, mental health, judiciary
• Led to the development of the ONS, a politically-independent organisation tasked with collecting and disseminating objective stats about the UK’s economy, society & population
• High quality research on socially-sensitive topics is pivotal to ensure these policies and organisations are properly informed

Question 3

Issue of poor research design in socially-sensitive studies

Answer 3

• Studies, when they’re socially-sensitive, tend to have an impact independent of their validity
• Cyril Burt, the Tripartite system & the 11+ exam. Still in use in some areas of the UK
• Consequences can span many generations and ruin many lives, so research needs to heavily filtered and vetted

Question 4

Holt on the indistinction of idiography & nomothetics

Answer 4

• There is little practical distinction between both approaches
• Many researchers will apply both as appropriate to exploit their advantages and counter their disadvantages
• E.g. Cognitive Psychologists, where case studies inspire cognitive models
• They are used interchangeably to the maximum effect

Question 5

Nomothetics & treatments

Answer 5

• Use of scientific principles & methods enables prediction & control of behaviour, through treatments
• Example : Schizophrenia, dopamine & anti-psychotics
• Idiography would require personalised treatments for each sufferer, whereas nomothetics apply the most widely effective treatments to achieve the best impact

Question 6

Allport on the predictability of human behaviour, and the flaws of nomothetics

Answer 6

• “By understanding a person as that person, only then can we begin to predict their behaviour” - Allport
• Obeying in Milgram’s study tells nothing of why you obeyed, being in the 1% of schizophrenics says nothing about your life or condition
• Idiography places the focus of psychology back on the individual level and resurrects its relevancy

Question 7

Reductionism & the scientific approach

Answer 7

• Holism does not allow operationalisation of behaviour, and thus makes it impractical to test and experiment on
• Also doesn’t allow isolation of variables and rejects using controlled environments
• The strength of reductionism is in this control and the ability to establish causal relationships
• Both biological and environmental reductionism support scientific investigation

Question 8

Real world application of biological reductionism

Question 10

Hebb on the indistinction of Nature & Nurture

Answer 10

• Both contribute an indisputable amount to behaviour and should always be considered in tandem - “Hebb”
• Phenylketonuria (PKU)
• Heritable condition that prevents phenylalanine metabolisation, causing brain damage
• A low protein diet prevents expression of the involved genes