Issues and debates

Question 1

Ethical issues in research

Answer 1

-The way participants are treated in research is an issue for psychologists because we do not have the right to cause other people to experience physical or psychological distress.
-Ethics raises issues because people have the right to privacy, confidentiality, safety, choices etc. Another reason is people could lose faith in psychology if investigations are distressing

Question 2

Practical issues in design of research

Answer 2

-Researchers need to be sure that the data they collect for a research project must be accurate and not affected by lying/guessing.
-Researchers must also make sure that if the study was to be conducted again, the result would be the same.
Example:
Loftus and Palmer
+Controlled environment
+Cheap and quick to run
-Results may not apply to real witness of traumatic events
-Narrow sample reduces generalisability

Question 3

Comparison of ways of exploring behaviour

Answer 3

-In psychology, we must consider different types of psychological explanations.
-This is an issue because we must consider how the factors in the environment affect how we act.
Example:
Social learning theory
+Practical application to education/treatment
-Reductionist

Question 4

Culture and gender issues in psychological research

Answer 4

-Arise from individual differences
-The problem is whether psychological theories reflect genuine culture or gender differences. Alternatively we could ask whether they treat everyone the same.
Example:
Sherif’s classic study
+Carefully marked groups, increasing reliability
-Subsequent research tailed to replicate findings
-Lacks generalisability

Question 5

Understanding of how psychological understanding developed overtime

Answer 5

-This is an issue because it is valuable to see if research conducted is within historical context and also to realise that knowledge improves overtime
Example:
Burger’s study
+Very ethical
-Lacks potency

Question 6

The use of psychology in social control

Answer 6

-The issue is psychological knowledge enables people to change the behaviour of others that can be good as well as bad
-This is an issue because psychologists can use techniques that are used to develop change in more sinister ways such as persuading someone to change their mind for political/financial gain
Example:
Agency theory
+Authoritarian structures can maintain order
-Restricts autonomy

Question 7

The use of psychological knowledge in society

Answer 7

-Psychology has many practical applications
-This is an issue because we must make the best use of our psychological knowledge in society
Example:
Operant conditioning
+Applied to childcare by giving children stars for behaving well

Question 8

Issues related to socially-sensitive research

Answer 8

-There are areas of study in psychology that can provoke intense feelings within communities
-This is an issue because psychologists have a duty to make their research available in responsible ways. This means ensuring that research is valid, that the findings can be verified and the impact of publication has been duly considered.
Example:
Raine et al
+Found differences in brains of murderers pleading NGRI
-Raises ethical issues around free will
-Risk of labelling or discrimination

Question 9

Reductionism in explanation of behaviour

Answer 9

-Reductionism says that cognitions, emotions and behaviour can be understood by breaking explanations down to the smallest parts
-The reductionist approach suggests individual elements are simpler, therefore more understandable, so can be studies and explained more effectively
Example:
Bandura (1961)
-Downplays biological predispositions

Question 10

Role of both nature and nurture in psychology

Answer 10

-Nurture uses explanations from genetics, such as the innate structure of the brain. Nature focuses on the effects of experiences and factors within the environment
Nature example:
Raine et al

Nurture example:
Bandura (1961)

Question 11

Psychology as a science

Answer 11

-Psychologists do a lot of experiments and that psychology is awash with scientific ideas such as controls, standardisations and inferential testing
-Freud’s approach is much less scientific. Some experiments cannot be falsified. Less scientific methods in psychology include those which are more subjective.