Issues and debates

• CULTURAL BIAS

  Cultural relativism

  Universal

  L

  T

  U

  Racism

  Ethnocentrism

  Behaviour- acceptable/ appropriate

  Imposed etic

  Asch

  Strange situation
• Gender bias

  Beta bias eg ASCH

  Alpha bias eg Bowlby monotropic
• Nature vs nurture

  Nature eg. OCD inheritance - COMT & SERT gene

  Nurture eg. Two process model /social learning theory - Bandura
• Reductionism vs Holism

  depression

  reductionism- faulty genes / neurotransmitter inbalance eg serotonin

  Holism- range of cultural and social factors eg. poverty and career
• Idiographic vs Nomothetic

  based on :

  Number of particpants eg. I= one N= multiple

  Methods of research eg. I= nonscientific N= scientific

  Data produced eg. I= Qualitative N= Quantative
• Idiographic vs Nomothetic

  eg. Idiographic- Humanistic approach

  Nomothetic - Biological approach
• Free Will vs Determinism

  Free will- control

  Determinism - no control due to = Biological (OCD) , environmental (social learning) & psychic (freud)
• Ethical implications and social sensitivity

  Ethical Implications - external to the research - effect on wider public eg. law changes, attitudes to groups and prejudice (monotropic theory and Yerkes IQ)

  Social senstivity- in the research- confidentality, effect on particpants and ensure results arent bias
• culture bias -examples

  imposed ethic- Ainsworth

  Ethnocentrism- Asch

  Exaggerating differences - Yerkes IQ test
• what is a weakness of the nature nurture debate?

  it is deterministic- removes our personal responsibility for our actions
• What is a strength of reductionism?

  can be tested scientifically- Maguire's study
• weakness of Nomothetic research

  ignores individual differences

  makes generalisations that we all act the same
• what is a strength of determinism?

  helps to devise treatments

  can be tested scientifically
• what is meant by the scientific emphasis on causal explanations.

  • All variables are controlled except the IV

  • Any change in the the DV must therefore be due to/caused by the manipulation the IV

  • Use of control enables the researcher to infer causality/cause and effect
• weakness of nature nurture debate?

  in isolation- each may not accurately explain why behaviour develops
• example of alpha bias - law changes

  paternity leave- 2 weeks
• example of beta bias- asch

  females may not feel the same pressure to conform
• what is a weakness of ethical implications?

  can be used for social control eg yerkes IQ test
• what is an example of cultural relativism?

  hearing voices

  schizophrenia = Western cultures

  normal and respected part of religious or spiritual practices in some other cultures. 
• what is a way that cultural bias could be reduced?

  using a researcher from that culture

  objectively test cultures without researcher ideals
• what is psychic determinism?

  unconscious mind determines behaviour

  result of fixations in the psychosexual stages

  eg. oral= chewing a pen

  anal= obsession with cleaning
• environmental determinism

  praise is a example of positive reinforcement

  No free will in behaviour
• how does reductionist level of explanation have useful applications?

  because if behaviour can be isolated to one variable development of drug therapy

  eg. antidepresents work to increase serotonin levels by inhibiting the reuptake meaning more serotonin is absorbed by receptor sites
• what is a example of reductionist level of explanation being tested objectively?

  loftus and palmer

  tested leading questions by isolating/ controlling every other factor
• what is an example of social sensitivity?

  data being released could lead to discrimination of a certain group

  Bowlby's monotropic theory
• paradigm shift

  explaining one way to another which becomes the most dominant

  eg. wundt to freud
• what is ethnocentrism?

  idea that culture is superior to other

  expecting people from other cultures to behave in same way as people from one culture
• what is an example of nurture?

  aggression
• how does systematic desensitation work as a nurture treatment?

  fear hierarchy is established

  relaxation techniques learnt

  associate relaxation with tasks - counterconditioning
• how does the little hans case study support psychodynamic explanation for gender?

  he had a dream where a plumber removed his bum and his father said so you want to be like me? Little hans said he wanted to have facial and body hair like his father

  suggest identification
• example of an interactional approach

  capsi looked at warrior gene and abuse

  found aggressive people with the gene also experienced abuse as a child
• why does slaby and fray's research lack ecological validity?

  he used dolls when asking questions

  dolls do not have a gender so children may have been confused
• fixed action pattern- additional details

  universal within species

  example of symbollic aggression- sign to stay away

  deterministic- once stimuli is shown there is an automatic response (uncontrollable)
• dispositional explanation of institutional aggression

  part of who they are (personality traits)
• why is determinism bad for removing personal responsibility?

  problematic in court of law

  difficult to punish offenders