A03

Question 1

Evaluate the Cognitive Approach in Explaining Depression

Answer 1

• Practical Applications (CBT)
• Blames the Individual
• Causality Issues ( Is it always that negative thoughts cause depression or that depression causes negative thoughts?)

Question 2

Evaluate the Interactionalist Approach in Explaining and Treating Schizophrenia

Answer 2

• Has real world applications (Tarrier)
• Does not take into account individual differences (Not everyone with a vulnerability will develop schizophrenia)
• It takes a Holistic view (Reflects schizophrenia more accurately)

Question 3

Evaluate the Definition ‘Failure to Function Adequately’

Answer 3

• Cultural Relativism (Collective cultures VS Individualistic cultures have a different definition of abnormality)
• Subjectivity ( Judging abnormality depends on who’s making the judgement and claiming someone as abnormal when they are not can have negative consequence)
• Context Dependent (Sometimes people may show signs of failure to function adequately but are not abnormal e.g being sick, being on a hunger strike, grieving a death)

Question 4

Discuss the Use of Ethics in Social Influence Research

Answer 4

Zimbardo’s Prison Experiment was not ethical because it caused psychological harm, there was deception, lacked informed consent and right to withdraw was made difficult. However:

• All participants were debriefed
• There was no deception in the newspaper advertisement (except the arrests)
• It lead to the creation of ethic committees
• The study ended after 6 days instead of 12 weeks. Therefore, there was some recognition of unethical behaviour
• Participants were psychologically tested to make sure they were psychologically healthy to prevent psychological breakdowns

Milgram’s Electric Shock Study was unethical because there was no informed consent, there was deception and there was potential for psychological harm. However:

• Participants were debriefed
• 83.7% of participants said they were actually pleased they took part
• Psychological harm was only short term
• Harm was only ever psychological and not physical