Issues and debates

• What are the main topics covered in the chapter?

  Ethics, reductionism, psychology as a science
• What are the four principles of the BPS code of ethics and conduct?

  • Respect
  • Competence
  • Responsibility
  • Integrity
• How should respect be shown in psychological research?

  By protecting privacy and confidentiality
• What is an example of a case study that highlights the importance of confidentiality?

  The case study of amnesic HM
• Why is informed consent important in research?

  It allows individuals to choose participation
• What challenges exist in obtaining informed consent from certain populations?

  Children and individuals with cognitive impairments
• What is the ethical concern regarding deception in research?

  It can prevent informed consent from being given
• What should researchers do if deception is necessary?

  Consult with an ethical committee
• What does competence require from researchers?

  To be skilled and up-to-date in their field
• Why is responsibility important in psychological research?

  It affects trust in psychology and health services
• What example illustrates the principle of responsibility in research?

  The study by Charles Hofling et al.
• What does integrity in research emphasize?

  Honesty and fairness in conducting studies
• What is the structure of a synoptic exam question related to ethics?

  • Assess ethical conduct in psychology
  • Discuss lying and harming participants
  • Provide balanced arguments for and against
• What does the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 regulate?

  The use of animals in psychological research
• What are the three Rs in animal research ethics?

  Replacement, reduction, refinement
• Why is animal research sometimes justified?

  More controls can be used than with humans
• What is a counterargument against animal research?

  We do not have the right to harm animals
• What is the relationship between validity and ethics in research?

  Ethical issues can compromise research validity
• What is reductionism in psychology?

  Explaining a whole in terms of its parts
• How does holism differ from reductionism?

  Holism considers interactions between parts

  
• What is an example of reductionism in psychology?

  Biological explanations of emotions
• What is machine reductionism?

  Humans as processors of information
• How does social learning theory exemplify holism?

  It considers environmental and cognitive factors
• What is the significance of the debate between reductionism and holism?

  It influences how psychological phenomena are explained

  
• What are the key considerations when assessing practical issues in research?

  • Validity of the research
  • Ethical implications
  • Reliability of the data

  
• What is the test-retest measure of reliability?

  Consistency of measurement over time
• What is inter-rater reliability?

  Comparison of data collected by different researchers
• Why is qualitative data often less reliable?

  It requires interpretation, leading to differences
• What does generalisability relate to in research?

  How well findings apply to the target population
• What is the significance of wider samples in research?

  They typically have greater generalisability
• What is a limitation of generalising from animal research?

  Human complexity may lack relevance to animals
• What are the key points to consider when assessing practical issues in research?

  • Validity may be compromised for ethical reasons
  • Reliability can be affected by qualitative data
  • Practical issues are not the only barriers to good research

  
• What does cognitive psychology reduce humans to?

  Processors of information
• What is 'machine reductionism'?

  Belief that human functions are units of activity
• What does social learning theory consider?

  Influence of models and cognitive characteristics
• How does the multi-store model differ from the working memory model?

  Multi-store model looks at three levels of memory
• What is the debate discussed in the material?

  Reductionism versus holism

  
• What is an example of a synoptic exam question linked to reductionism?

  • Assess whether learning theories and clinical psychology are reductionist. (20)

  
• Why are learning theories considered reductionist?

  They break ideas into smaller components
• What are the fundamental building blocks of learning theories?

  Stimulus and response