Section B

What are the principles of the Individual differences area?

• Individuals differ in their thinking and behaviour

• We can measure individual differences through the use of psychometric testing

What are some useful applications for this area?

• Doctors or paediatricians

  • Give children exhibiting symptoms of autism a standardised test for Autism such as the Sally-Anne test (more for children) or the Eyes test

  • Lower scores show children lack theory of mind so we are able to diagnose them

How is this area useful?

• We understand why people differ and can help treat them

• For example, Hancock allows us to analyse the language of psychopaths

• Freud allowed us to see how we can treat phobias

How is this area hollistic?

• We take into account more factors affecting behaviour which increases validity

• Gould examined not only scores on Yerkes’ tests, but also the tests themselves, in the way that questions were made and the way the test was administered

• Baron Cohen does multiple different tests such as they eyes test and gender recognition test

What is the issue with samples in this area?

• Small sample sizes

• Less generalisable to the target population

• Freud used only Little Hans

• Hancock used 52 male murderers, only 14 were psychopathic

What issues does this area have in terms of ehtics?

• Breaks ethical guidelines through psychological harm which may also harm credibility so people don’t want to partake in your research

• Yerkes and Hancock are socially sensitive

  • Yerks led to the Immigration Restriction Act of 1924 meaning Jews couldn’t escape the holocaust

  • Hancock’s study may lead people to thinking everyone diagnosed with psychopathy is a bad person when it’s a condition someone cannot control

• Freud- Little Hans may grow up and be embarassed