ISSUES AND DEBATES

Flashcards on Issues and Debates in Psychology.

Gender Bias

Occurs when research or theories systematically misrepresent or ignore the experiences of one gender.

Alpha Bias

Emphasises or exaggerates differences between males and females, often portraying one gender as superior or inferior.

Beta Bias

Minimises or ignores differences between genders, assuming findings from one gender apply to all.

Androcentrism

Focusing primarily on men or a male perspective.

Feminist Psychology

Critiques gender biases and advocates for gender-fair research methods.

Culture Bias

Occurs when research assumes the norms and values of one culture are universal, leading to ethnocentrism.

Ethnocentrism

Judging other cultures by one's own cultural standards, often deeming others as 'abnormal' or 'inferior.'

Cultural Relativism

Understanding behavior in the context of the culture it occurs.

WEIRD Samples

Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, Democratic samples.

Imposed Etics

When a theory developed in one culture is applied to another without adjustment.

Cross-cultural Psychology

Challenges ethnocentrism and seeks culturally valid methodologies.

Nature vs Nurture

Debate over whether behavior is primarily determined by genetics (nature) or environment and experience (nurture).

Interactionist Approach

Genes and environment interact dynamically (epigenetics).

Diathesis-Stress Model

Genetic vulnerability + environmental stress = disorder.

Free Will

Humans have agency and can choose behavior.

Determinism

Behavior is caused by internal or external factors beyond free control.

Biological Determinism

Genes, neurochemistry influence behaviour.

Environmental Determinism

Conditioning, social forces influence behaviour.

Psychic Determinism

Freud's unconscious conflicts influence behaviour.

Soft Determinism (Compatibilism)

Allows conscious choice within limits.

Reductionism

Breaking behavior into simplest components for explanation.

Holism

Explaining behavior by looking at the whole system, including context and multiple causes.

Biological Reductionism

Explaining behavior through genes and neurochemistry.

Environmental Reductionism

Explaining behavior through stimulus-response.

Computational Reductionism

Explaining behavior through cognitive models.

Idiographic

Focuses on detailed understanding of individuals.

Nomothetic

Seeks to establish general laws across populations.

Ethical Implications

The effects of psychological research on society beyond the participants.

Socially Sensitive Research

Research that could impact society, groups, or individuals beyond participants.

Milgram's Obedience Study

Used mainly male participants; results were generalised to all, creating beta bias.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

Developed largely from male animals; Taylor’s ‘tend-and-befriend’ model challenged this.

Strange Situation

Developed and validated in Western samples, classifying Japanese infants as ‘insecure-resistant’.

MAOA gene ('warrior gene')

Variants increase aggression risk but only when coupled with childhood maltreatment.

Brain Plasticity

Illustrates nurture’s effect on brain structure, supporting interactionism.

Agentic State Theory

Reductionist, ignoring group dynamics and identity.

Social Identity Theory

More holistic than Agentic State Theory.

Maternal Deprivation Theory

Influenced policies that sometimes restricted mothers’ work.

Alpha bias example (Freud)

Freud’s view of women’s superego as weaker due to 'penis envy.'

Social Influence beta bias

Milgram’s obedience study used predominantly male particpants.

Attachment alpha Bias

Bowlby's focus on mother-infant bond neglects paternal roles and variations.

Attachment culture bias

Ainsworth's Strange Situation was created in the US.

Nature vs Nurture interaction

The MAOA gene only linked to aggression if childhood maltreatment experienced.

Memory reductionism

Multi-store model reduces memory to three stores.

Memory holism

Working Memory Model adds complexity.

Psychopathy reductionism

Biological explanations (genetics, brain abnormalities).

Psychopathy holism

Psychological and social factors provide nuance.

Idiographic methods

Case studies, qualitative interviews.

Nomothetic methods

Experiments, surveys.

Deterministic approaches

Biological and psychodynamic.

Free will approaches

Humanistic psychology