issues and debates

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alpha bias
exaggerates differences between gender
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example
sociobiological theory: explain sexual attraction via survival efficiency. best for men to impregnate as many women as possible to ensure lost of offspring. suggests sexual promiscuity rewarded in men
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beta bias
minimises differences between gender
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example
fight or flight response: only studied on men but assumed to apply to women also. later suggested female biology adapted later to flight or fight response, it wasn't as inate as in male animals.
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androcentricism
if research of normal behaviour comes from men, then women behaviour will be seen as 'abnormal', such as emotions during PMS
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issues with gender bias evaluation point
may lead to misassumptions about female behaviour, e.g being denied a job due to bad PMS. could lead to negative consequences
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promotes sexism evaluation point
lack of women in psychology conducting research, and men more likely to be published. female participants may be referred to as irrational to male investiagtors due to imposed etic.
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reflectivity evaluation point
many researchers embrace bias as an important aspect of research, such as conducing studies to why this bias still exists today - is it society or biological? therefore cannot try to eliminate biases as they are there and important
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feminist psychology evaluation point
suggests there are ways to avoid gender bias, such as: including male and female participants, diversity between types of women studies to gather broad range.
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culture bias
western culture has been assumed to be applicable all over the world, however studies such as Asch found different results. means a culture bias may be present in some research.
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ethnocentrism
the belief of superiority over cultural groups, and behaviour that doesn't comply to western ideals is deficient
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example
ainsworths strange situation saw german mothers children as 'insecure resistant', however germany mothers are not cold and rejecting but rather encourage independence.
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cultural relativism
idea that 'facts' are only 'facts' from one cultural perspective
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imposed etic
looks at behaviour from outside different cultures and assumed it is universal
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imposed emic
looks at behaviour from inside cultural group and assumed it applies to them only.
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individualism vs collectivism evaluation point
idea that cultures (more western) value independence and others (more eastern) value groups. however, modern research shows lazy distinction between the two, arguing that earlier suggetions based on lesser knowledge of less western cultures.
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recognition of etic
good if the recognition is there, however need to also asses there are some universal behaviours such as interactional synchrony
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demand characteristics
western culture may be more likely to have demand charactertiscs as they may be more aware of what psychological research is like due to influence of the western media. therefore, may not accurately depict reality in western cultures.
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cross-cultural research
research that included both western and eastern cultures gives off a greater sense of knowledge, as comapirsions and contrasts can be drawn. leads to a greater understanding overall
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holism
people and behaviours should be studied as a whole system, can only be understood as a whole and breaking down behaviour inappropriate. valued by humanist approach
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reductionism
breaking down of behaviour to get a greater understanding at a deeper level. known as 'parisomomy'
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biological reductionism
at a psychological, neurochemical level. reduces people to genetic and chromosomal influences as we are all biological beings.
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environmental reductionism
at a physical level of stimulus response. suggests all behaviour is based on stimulus response, not conerned with cognitive aspects
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levels of explanation in relation to OCD
socio-cultural: behaviour regarded as odd, physicological: obsessive thoughts, physical: movements involved in behaviours, physiological: hypersensitivity in basal ganglia, neurochemical: lack of serotonin
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holism explanatory power evaluation point
some behaviour that occurs in group situations cannot be explained by reductionist approaches, for example conformity and obedience studies by Asch and Milgram.
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holism impractical evaluation point
holistic approaches do not use rigorous scientific methods which lessens its validity, e.g many factors for depression = not sure which therapy is best suited
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scientific credibility for reductionist evaluation point
uses a lot of scientific research and studies that are controlled with clear formalised, standardised procedures. means more creditable and reliable
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lack of validity in reductionism evaluation point
fails to analyse the social context that comes hand in hand with certain behaviours. also, the specific meaning of an action. for example, someone may point, but social context is needed to regard behaviour as impolite or normal
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ethical implications of studies
arise when there is a conflict between participants rights and aims of the study, wider implications may occur due to media interpretation of data
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socially sensitive research
this is research regarding taboo subjects such as race, gender, sexuality ect. these must be careful as e.g a study on genetic basis of criminality may have widespread effects
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implications of studies giving prejudice scientific credibility
can be used for wrong purposes to shape public policy, study needs to be viewed as objective as could later be fraudulent
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example: burns research
burt collated the 11+ exam in the UK, meant to measure childs natural intelligence. he assumed intelligence based on genetics as he used twin studies. however, data he used was later found to be fraudulent. 11+ remained for a number of years after.
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benefits of research evaluation point
studies of socially sensitive groups such as homosexuals can lead to a wider unserstading of the prejudice this understanding may lead to a lack of prejudice over time as people know more about groups.
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understanding how to frame studies evaluation points
badly framed questions may lead to discrimination, such as holding a homosexual couple to the same norms as a heterosexual couple. may be differences missed if used same techniques.
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socially sensitive research used for control evaluation point
1920's psychologist in the U.S did studies that deemed certain type of people 'feeble minded'. therefore many were deemed unfit to breed. means can be negative consequences of this research if used for social control
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costs and benefits evaluation point
ethics committee and bps code of conduct may not be able to accurately suggest if something is not harmful if it hasn't happened yet. therefore may allow potentially harming info into the public eye.
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ideographic approach
the study of unique experience, aims to describe nature of individual. studies people as own subjective experience, no attempt to make universal.
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ideographic data
qualitative date is used as this gives detailed insight. associated with use of case studies and unstructured interviews to get best overall understanding.
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ideographic approaches applied to
humanistic approach: maslow interested in behaviour for each individual and feelings of self rather than group laws. psychodynamic: feud used case study method however did apply to all people, so unsure of approach
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positives of ideographic approach
provides complete and global account of individual, generate basis for further study e.g HM study meant understanding of procedural memories
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negatives of ideographic approach
objective nature as it may be lacking in scientific rigour. freud uses unconscious processes that are all based on one study of little hans.
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the nomothetic approach
production of general law that is applicable to all people, future behaviour can be predicted
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nomothetic data
use of questionnaires that can be compared, as well as psychological tests that are deemed scientific. studies include large number of people as basis for comparison
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nomothetic approaches applied to
behaviourist, cognitive, and biological approaches: this is because data is analysed for statistical significance.
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positives of nomothetic approach
processes can be applied to scientific research which gives it more credibility in line with natural sciences. use of standardised procedures helps this.
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negatives of nomothetic approach
accused of losing the person and individual by suggesting all people fit into one algorithm. lab tests of memory focuss on scores and overlooks experience.
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nature debate
behaviour based on inate and genetic influences, agreed all characteristics are inate, however some do not align such as IQ scores.
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nurture debate
behaviour based solely on environmental influences. mind is blank slate and experience moulds it. prenatal = mothers experience whilst pregnant. postnatal = once the baby is born
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relative importance
impossible to answer as environment influences begin the second you are born. cannot separate the two, unethical to split monozygotic twins.
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interactionism
focus on interaction between the two. for example biological influences how people act and environment response shapes further behaviour
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diathesis- stress model
uses both as it suggests that a biological predetermination needs to be met with an environmental stressor in order for mental illness to occur.
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epigenetics
change in genetic activity without changing genetic code. behaviours such as smoking can change code and be passed down to children. nature or nurture?
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real world implications evaluation points
extreme beliefs can implicate how human behaviour is viewed. being biologically reductionist may lead to incorrect assumptions about race and gender
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co founding variables evaluation points
individual differences mean siblings live differently to eahother due to age/time/experience. this in turn can effect interaction with world, meaning cannot compare family lifestyles for nurture.
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gene environment interaction evaluation point
suggestion that people as they grow create own envornimnet, such as who they choose to be friends with. means cannot determine nurture as the envionrment is chosen, can't separate as effects overall development
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gene environment interaction evaluation point
passive interaction is when parents have an interest so push on children, e.g musically gifted parents involve children in music from young age. may be a combination of genes and environment if they are talented.
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free will
human begins have their own choices of thoughts and actions, free will implies can reject biological and enivornmental effects of behaviour. humanistic view.
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hard determinism
all human actions have a cause, assumed that what we do is dedicated soleley by external and internal influences that we cannot control
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soft determinism
all actions have a cause but we have mental control, scienice can explain forces, but we make our own choices how to act on these
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biological determinism
physiological = not under concious control of thing such as autonomic nervous system genetic = may determine behaviours and characteristsics such as mental illness hormones = infleunce behaviours such as role of testosterone in aggresssion
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environmental determinism
free will is an illusion, all behaviour is a result of conditioning our idea of choice is just a variation of reinforcement of experience. behaviour is shapeed by events and people.
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psychic determinism
we are directed by unconcious conflicts and desires. fruedian slip = uncocnious influence behaviour determined by unconcious such as repressed chidhood issues
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use of science
basic principle is that science can seek to find what determines what according to general laws, e.g controlled experiment determines cause and effect
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consistent with science determinism evaluation point
places psychology on similar level to science in assuming behaviour is determined, increases credibility. also alows for an increase in therapies and treatments for mental disorders.
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hard determinism issues evaluation point
offenders are morally accountable for their actions, rarely let off unless severe cases. means causes of behavhiour need to be consistent or can cause conflict within social systems.
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free will and choices evaluation point
many people have trauma in childhood such as abusive parents but do not make bad choices despite these factors, suggests free will has more face validity and positive imapact on people
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free will and neurological evidence
brain activity related to choice making shows areas light up 10 second before particpants are conciously aware. shows that thoughts and decisons are determined even if seemingly chose.
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example

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sociobiological theory: explain sexual attraction via survival efficiency. best for men to impregnate as many women as possible to ensure lost of offspring. suggests sexual promiscuity rewarded in men

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beta bias

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example

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androcentricism

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