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AQA A-LEVEL: Issues and Debates - Nature and Nurture Debate

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NATURE AND NURTURE DEBATE NATURE Behaviour has roots in physiology e.g. genes, bodily functions - hormones and nervous system Stresses nature, reduces behaviour to a biological level- influence of genes and physical factors NURTURE Behaviour is largely driven by nurturing influences e.g. our environment (learning, socialisation, social norms etc) Those who stress nature reduce behaviour to environmental factors and claim we learn our behaviour from our environment INTERACTIONIST Both nature and nurture influence behaviour e.g. phenotypes Key genes may give individuals genetic predispositions to certain behaviours, however, this is moderated by environmental forces e.g. opportunities The Diathesis-Stress Approach is an example of interactionism  IMPORTANCE OF HEREDITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT  HEREDITY - The genetic transmission of mental and physical characteristics from one generation to another  ENVIRONMENT - Any influence on human behaviour that is non
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AQA A-LEVEL: Issues and Debates - Culture Bias

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CULTURE BIAS CULTURE BIAS : interpreting and judging behaviours/attitudes by standards inherent to one's own culture _________________________________________________________________________________ ETHNOCENTRISM : Tendency to use one ethnic group as a reference point for making judgements about other cultures behaviour Our Western culture is seen as "normal" and those which deviate from this are seen as "different" or even "primitive" and "unsophisticated" This may mean we ignore the views, or values of another society when interpreting research findings AN ETIC APPROACH  Where research is carried out across cultures in order to discover what elements of behaviour might be universal. E.g. Berry (1969) replicated Asch to see if conformity rates seen in the US would occur in Temne people of Sierra or Inuit Canada. Temne had high conformity rates but Inuit had low rates. The difference was due to the style of living (agricu
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AQA A-LEVEL: Issues and Debates - Gender Bias

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GENDER  BIAS GENDER BIAS - Differential treatment and/or representation of males/females based on stereotypes and not real differences. ANDROCENTRISM Refers to theories which are centred around males. For example, if there was an all male sample and the research from it is applied to both genders PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES  Oedipus Complex Penis Envy PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH (Which used male samples) Milgram Asch Zimbardo ALPHA BIAS Attempt to exaggerate differences between men and women E.g. Freud's theory of moral development Arguing women have weaker morals due to an underdeveloped superego, they have less of a conscious E.g. Evolutionary theory about mate preferences statesmen seek youth and attractiveness in partner whereas women look for wealth and status BETA BIAS Attempt to downplay differences between genders and assuming they're the same. Such as androcentric sample research being applied to women E.g. The fight or flight response
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AQA A-LEVEL: Issues and Debates - Free Will and Determinism

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FREE WILL AND DETERMINISM Whether behaviour is influenced by forces beyond our control or we have personal control FREE WILL Assumes individuals have an active role in controlling their behaviour and aren't controlled by bio or external factors Humanistic approach suggests we have free will to control our own behaviour regardless of external and internal pressures and we're able to work towards self-actualisation DETERMINISM Behaviour is shaped by external or internal factors rather than free will INTERNAL FORCES  Biofactors e.g. genes, NT, brain damage Innate behavioural tendencies (as discussed by Freud) Faulty thinking patterns (as discussed by cognitive approach) EXTERNAL FORCES Learnt associations Stimulus-response links (behaviourism) Imitating role models (SLT) HARD DETERMINISM Suggests all behaviour has a cause and that it's possible to identify and describe these factors. This approach is scientific as it can establish universa
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AQA A-LEVEL: Issues and Debates - Idiographic and Nomothetic Approach

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IDIOGRAPHIC AND NOMOTHETIC APPROACH Whether psychology should focus on the individual or on people in general IDIOGRAPHIC APPROACH Attempts to explain the NATURE of individuals. We should be studied as unique entities who have had our own subjective experiences, motivations and values which have contributed to out own individual development. Methods under the Idiographic approach tends to produce qualitative data that tries to describe the richness and detail of human experience  e.g. Interviews, questionnaires and case studies  The humanistic and Freud section of the psychodynamic are examples of idiographic approach NOMOTHETIC APPROACH Aims to produce GENERAL LAWS of human behaviour which can be used as a benchmark for people to be measured, classified or compared. From these general laws, future behaviour can be predicted or even controlled. The Nomothetic Approach has been said by Radford and Kirby (1975) to have produced 3 general laws in psychology Cl
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AQA A-LEVEL: Biopsychology - Disruption to Biological Rhythms

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DISRUPTION TO BIOLOGICAL RHYTHMS Jet lag and shift work cause the biological clock and internal physiological systems to be out of balance as our biorhythms are not equipped to cope with these large sudden changes so this has effects on our psychology and behaviour. JET LAG The effects we experience after crossing into a different time zone, our SCN takes several cycles to synchronise/entrain to a new environment.  WINTER et al - Calculated that it takes 1 day to adjust each hour of time change until then we experience symptoms such as fatigue concentration issues, reduced alertness and memory difficulties. EXPLAINING THE EFFECTS OF JETLAG When we're behind time our endogenous pacemakers will STILL release melatonin which makes us sleepy. Our new exogenous zeitgebers are out of sync with our endogenous cycle as i is still light which leads to tiredness and confusion. Takes time for our endogenous cycle to entrain to the new set of exogenous zeitgebers PHASE
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AQA A-LEVEL: Biopsychology - Biological Rhythms

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BIOLOGICAL RHYTHMS Any change in physiological activity that repeats periodically CIRCADIAN - Lasts 24hrs like the sleep/wake cycle, body temperature, hormones INFRADIAN - Lasts more than 24hrs like menstruation, hibernation and SAD ULTRADIAN - Lasts less than 24hrs like the stages of sleep, feeding  INFRADIAN RHYTHMS (24hrs+) There is a psychological disorder called seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in which sufferers experience depression in only the winter months.  Another example is the mensuration cycle which starts with The follicular phase is between 10-14 days where oestrogen and progesterone levels are low. Endometrium grows and prepares for pregnancy and the size of the eggs triple. Ovulatory phase where oestrogen levels increase and by day 14 the largest egg is released into fallopian tubes ULTRADIAN RHYTHMS (-24hrs) Feeding patterns of animals, and the patterns of human sleep which go through different stages every 90 minutes. CIRCADIAN RHYT
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