Issues and debates

• what is meant by socially sensitive research?

  The topic area can have implications on groups in society
• what are the ethical implications of socially sensitive reseach?

  1. the research question
  2. methodology used
  3. institutional context
  4. interpretation/application of findings
• what can researchers not control in socially sensitive research?

  • how findings are presented in the media
  • perception of group in wider society
• who can socially sensitive research impact?

  • families or friends
  • wider communities
• what is androcentrism?

  being centred around men
• what is alpha bias?

  Exaggerating differences between males and females
• what is universality?

  can the behaviour be applied to all - generalised
• what is beta bias?

  ignore differences between males and females
• what does Freud suggest about alpha bias?

  girls do not suffer the same oedipal conflict as boys - don't identify with mothers as they do with fathers - weaker superego
• what does Haratsy suggest about beta bias?

  women have a bigger broca's area
• what does Kholberg suggest about androcentrism?

  moral development is based on male reasoning

  claimed women reach a powerful level of development (alpha bias)
• discuss a limitation to gender bias research?

  wrongly give scientific justification to negative stereotypes

  • women are denied opportunities
• why might gender bias be common in research?

  • men carry out the majority of research
  • males more likely to have work published
• what is cultural bias?

  assuming everyone is the same based on your own culture
• what is an issue with research done in western regions?

  it is assumed that it can be applied everywhere
• what is ethnocentrism?

  The belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group.
• what is the extremes of ethnocentrism?

  claiming superiority and devaluing others
• what is imposed etic?

  behaviour can only properly understood in the context of that culture that it is occuring in
• what is emic?

  Cultural perspective.
• what is etic?

  Cross-cultural research perspective.
• what is free will?

  The ability to make choices and decisions independently.
• what is free will linked to?

  humanistic approach
• what is determinism?


  behaviour is shaped through internal and external forces
• what is hard determinism?

  all behaviour has a cause - no free will
• what is soft determinism?

  behaviour is constrained by the environment/ biological make-up but they still have a conscious choice
• what are the three types of determinism?

  • biological
  • environmental
  • psychic
• what is biological determinism?


  Belief that biology determines behaviour.
• what is biological determinism influenced by?

  • genetics
  • hormones
  • evolution
• what is environmental determinism?

  caused by environment out of our control - external influences
• what is psychic determinism?


  Belief that all thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are determined by unconscious processes.
• what does the psychic determinism suggest?


  No such thing as an accident
• what are the strengths for free will?

  • Face validity - makes cognitive sense that we exercise free-will through choices
  • Internal locus of control - mentally healthier
• what are the limitations for free will?

  • Neurological research - shows brain activity determines outcomes of simple choices before we are aware.
  • SOON et al - found activity in prefrontal cortex up to 10 seconds before person was aware of decision to act
• what are the positives of determinism?

  Predictability and control over behaviours has led to successful treatment programmes
• what are the negatives of determinism?

  • single cause of behaviour
  • identical twin studies - 80% in intelligence scores
• what is nature?

  our biology
• what is nurture?

  external factors
• Do nature and nurture always work together?

  yes
• what is a person called when they believe everything comes from nature?

  nativist
• what is a person called when they believe everything comes from nurture?

  empiricist