practical applications and provides insight into behaviour that can improve peoples lives
reductionism
in order to understand a behaviour we must break it down into its key components in order to identify the crucial causal factor
holism
cannot fully understand a behaviour without examining all the factors involved and considering the interaction between these smaller parts to help us understand the whole behaviour
free will
behaviour down to humans having the unique intellectual capacity to make their decisions on how they behave in a situation
environmental determinism
behaviour shaped by factors in the environment that are beyond an individuals control
biological determinism
behaviours shaped by factors within the individual eg brain structure that are beyond the individuals control
nature
factors that shape behaviour that are inherited eg hormones and genes
nurture
factors that shape our behaviour that are in our environment eg childhood
situational
behaviour caused by influences that occur outside the individualeg people around you
individual
characteristics within the individual shape behaviour eg genetic and physiological makeup
ethics
psychologists should adhere to ethical guidelines eg respect, competence, responsibility and integrity
socially sensitive
psychological research that has wider implications that affect wider groups of society eg creating stigma or stereotypes
