Paper 3 psychology: issues and opinions in psychology, Section A: Issues and Debates. Detailed but concise essay plans in note form, summaries of each issue + debate
issues:
- reductionism vs holism
- determinism vs free will
- nature-nurture
- idiographic vs nomothetic
debates:
- ethical i...
AO1 - describe AO1 - examples
★ Whether behaviour should be broken down ● Machine reductionism in cognitive
into smaller, simple components which can psychology: ‘units’ of human activity go thru
be studied separately, or if it should be processing system (brain), eg memory stores
studied as a whole system ● Lvls of explanation - gender
● Reductionism: breaking down behaviour into ○ Macro: social influence, media +
smaller systems, based on parsimony culture
(choosing simplest explanation to fit ○ Psychological: psychodynamic
evidence) ○ Micro: chromosomes + hormones
● Levels of explanation: diff ways to explain ● Biological reductionism: OCD- genetic +
behaviour: highest lvl is socio-cultural (macro, neural
multivariable explanation) → psychological → ● Environmental reductionism: phobias-
lowest lvl is physiological (micro, precise developed thru CC, maintained thru OC,
explanation) series of SR links
● Types of reductionism: biological (reducing to ● Holism: humanistic approach emphasises
physical lvl, brain, NTs, hormones, genes…); importance of individual → lack of unified
● environmental (reducing down to series of identity leads to mental disorder
stimulus-response links)
● Holism: looks at human behaviour as a whole
rather than parts; based on Gesdalt
psychology (perceiving things as whole) →
things make more sense when the whole
image is considered
AO3
● Reductionism is more scientific bc provides empirical evidence collected by controlled + replicable
experiments (eg observations), giving credibility to psychology as a science. Holism = based on
speculation, does not lend itself to science so testing is harder; cannot predict behaviour as no
establishment of cause + effect
● Bio reductionism is useful bc led to development of many drug therapies, eg SSRIs in OCS, so that it
is more accessible for patients, their disorder is less stigmatised, and a more humane form of
treatment is offered to patients vs bc holism combines sm factors, it is v diffictul to find effective
treatment; however, it can avoid over-pathologising patients by use of alt therapies eg CBT
● Reductionism lacks validity bc, eg, we can see how brain responds to something thru imaging
techniques, but not necessarily how we feel. Eg listening to music can activate a brain region that is
connected to fear but this does not mean we are scared when listening to music ⇒ lead to
incomplete explanations. Whereas, holism looks at bigger picture, eg in Zimbardo’s SPE the effects
of conformity to social roles + deindividuation understood by looking at how individuals interacted w/
eo
● Interactionism between reductionism + holism is better alternative → focusing on how diff lvls of
analysis interact w/ eo; tries to understand behaviour from interaction between lvls. Eg
diathesis-stress model combines biological reductionism when making diagnosis (genetic
predisposition) + holistic treatment eg CBT
, Free will + Determinism
AO1 - describe AO1 - examples
★ Whether we are free to make our own ● Hard = Skinner suggests behaviour is
decisions or whether our behaviour is shaped determined by accumulation of learned
by internal and external forces, and free will responses; biological approach
is just an illusion ● Soft = Bandura + SLT involves cognitive
● Determinism suggests behaviour is controlled mediating processes
by biological and environmental factors and ● Biological = MAOA-L gene, testosterone ⇒
∴ is predictable determine aggression
● There are two levels of determinism: hard ● Environmental = phobias are initiated +
(ONLY ext + int factors cause behaviour) or maintained by conditioning
soft (we are free to choose from repertoire of ● Psychic = psychodynamic approach, eg
predetermined behaviours, behaviour is Oedipus/Electra complexes in explaining
predictable but not inevitable) gender development
● Three types of det: biological (internal; innate ● Free will = in humanism, person is
+ determined by bio structures eg genes); responsible for own choices
environmental (external; ‘choices’ are sum ● Memory experiments demonstrate cause +
total of contingencies of reinforcement); effect: Loftus & Palmer manipulated words in
psychic (both; childhood experiences + innate question which caused diff. Responses from
drives) ppts
● Free will suggests humans have conscience
+ active role in behaviour
● Psychology places scientific emphasis on
causal explanations, ie importance of
establishing cause + effect so behaviour can
be predicted; determinism supports this, free
will does not bc conscious thoughts cannot
be broken down
AO3
● Ethical/legal implications of deterministic approaches: reduces individual responsibility in criminal
cases, eg Stephen Mobley killed Domino’s pizza manager and appealed that he was ‘born to kill’ bc
his family tree was linked w/ criminality (bio determinism); free will holds criminal accountable for
actions ∴ we should not take fully deterministic approach to behaviour
● Free will is associated w/ healthier mental state ⇒ adolescents w/ strong belief in fatalism (hard det)
are significantly at greater risk of depression than ppl w/ internal LOC (ie those who take
responsibility for actions) who were more mentally healthy; shows that the thought of free will have
+ve impact on mental health
● Purely deterministic or free will approach = inappropriate bc behaviour is not totally unpredictable,
some can be unforeseen; vast complexity of human behaviours means psychologists can never offer
100% true, complete explanations ⇒ suggested that individuals use free will to actively respond to
internal + external forces
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller nishiamin. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $12.34. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
