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Free will and determinism,: including definitions of these terms and arguments for and against their existence. The debate in relation to psychological theories and studies (e.g. Freud’s and Skinner’s theories). . FREEWILL & DETERMINISM Definitions of Freewill and Determinism Arguments for and against Freewill and Determinsim Apply the debate to psychological theories. Reductionism,: including reductionism as a form of explanation, examples of reductionism in psychological theories and studies (e.g. physiological, machine, experimental), and arguments for and against reductionist explanations. REDUCTIONSIM & HOLISM Reductionism as a form of explanation Examples of reductionism in psychological research Arguments for and against reductionism Psychology as science: including definitions/varieties of science, arguments for and against the claim that Psychology is a science (e.g. Kuhn’s concept of a paradigm, objectivity, and the use of the experimental method). PSYCHOLOGY AS A SCIENCE Definitions of science Varieties of Science Arguments for and against Psychology as a science Nature-Nurture: including definitions of the terms, assumptions made about nature and nurture in psychological theories and studies (e.g. Piaget’s theory and sociobiology), and different views regarding their relationship (e.g. gene-environment interaction). NATURE –V- NURTURE Definitions of Nature and Nurture Assumptions made about Nature and Nurture Nature and Nurture in Psychological theories Different views regarding their relationships (gene-environment) Explain what is meant by the terms ‘free will’ and ‘determinism’ (5 marks) A01 Define Freewill and then define Determinism : Give examples for synopticity Discuss the free will versus determinism debate with reference to two or more psychological theories (30 marks) A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 RIFT Humanistic Psychology research: Jahoda and Rogers FES Kim (1997) Stress research Not reductionist or deterministic Biological determinism: The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) One strength of the biological approach is that it takes on the nature approach. A weakness of the biological approach is that it is reductionist Environmental determinism: Attachment is determined by classical and operant conditioning. Also Behaviourist explanation of anorexia. One strength of the behaviourist approach is that it has practical applications. One weakness of behaviourist explanations is that they are reductionist. Psychic determinism: Dreaming: according to Freud, dreams are determined by unfulfilled wishes. A weakness of Freud’s theory is that it is difficult to falsify (prove wrong). A second weakness of Freud’s theory is that it is reductionist. Soft Determinism by James “The suggestion that human beings have free will is an illusion, we actually have very little control over our behaviour.” With reference to issues such as those in the quotation above, discuss arguments for and against free will (30 marks) Discuss arguments for freewill (30 marks) A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 RIFT Dr. Johnson: Most people believe they have freewill Can’t define freewill – E.g., cultural differences Individual can’t be responsible for their actions Moral development is biological (Piaget and Kohlberg) Materialists – Schizophrenia Dualists question materialist perspective Probabalistic: Dennett (2003) No causality Sciences lack of success: Loftus’ research Research has led to practical applications with the immune system Mischel people are not predictable The world is predictable Stephen Mobley Skinner: Freewill is an illusion Not 100% genetic Holland 56% concordance rate Genome Project: IQ IGF2R Soft Determinism by James Discuss arguments against freewill (30 marks) A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 RIFT Can’t define freewill – E.g., cultural differences Dr. Johnson: Most people believe they have freewill Moral development is biological (Piaget and Kohlberg) Individual can’t be responsible for their actions Dualists question materialist perspective Materialists – Schizophrenia No causality Probabalistic: Dennett (2003) Practical Applications immune system research Lab isn’t real life therefore lacks validity Psychologists can predict behaviour Mischel claims personality isn’t predictable Skinner freewill is an illusion Stephen Mobley Research into IQ IGF2R Not 100% genetic Soft Determinism Discuss arguments for determinism (30 marks) A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 RIFT Practical Applications immune system research Lab isn’t real life therefore lacks validity: Loftus Psychologists can predict behaviour Mischel claims personality isn’t predictable Skinner freewill is an illusion Stephen Mobley Research into IQ IGF2R Not 100% genetic No proof of freewill Cultural differences Dr. Johnson Moral development is biological: Piaget and Kohlberg Moral responsibility when committing a crime Dualists Materialists Cause and effect can be established Dennett - Probabalistic Soft Determinism Discuss arguments against determinism (30 marks) A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 Lab isn’t real life therefore lacks validity: Loftus Practical Applications immune system research Mischel claims personality isn’t predictable Psychologists can predict behaviour Stephen Mobley Skinner freewill is an illusion Not 100% genetic Research into IQ IGF2R Dennett – the world is probabilistic A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 RIFT Cause and effect can be established Dr. Johnson No proof of freewill Cultural differences Moral responsibility Moral development is biological: Piaget and Kohlberg Soft Determinism Reductionism: Explain what is meant by ‘reductionism’ in psychology (5 marks) A01 Define Reductionism : Methodology, Explanation and Philosophy With reference to two or more areas of psychology, discuss difference examples of reductionism (25 marks) A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 RIFT Physiological Reductionism: Schizophrenia Practical applications Reductionist Evolutionary Reductionism: Relationship formation Unfalsifiable Reductionist RIFT Matching hypothesis Proximate/Ultimate causes Environmental Reductionism: Attachments Reducationist Kohn Low Ecological validity Machine Reductionism: Multi-store model of memory Reductionist connectionist model Holism Describe and evaluate arguments for reductionist explanations in psychology (30 marks) A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 RIFT A02 Uses scientific approach: HPA and SAM Connectionist model of memory Appropriate for certain levels : Rose (1997) Rose 1997, anti-depressants and Wolpe 1973 Everyone’s made up of atoms Dualism and materialism Cannot dismiss all research done in the lab: baddeley Research not generalisable: Memory research Bahrick Modest success with drugs Inappropriate for psychology Higher levels lack predictive power Appropriate for certain kinds of questions Holism Describe and evaluate arguments against reductionist explanations in psychology (30 marks) A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 RIFT A02 Research not generalisable: Memory research Bahrick Cannot dismiss all research done in the lab: baddeley Inappropriate for psychology Modest success with drugs Appropriate for certain kinds of questions Higher levels lack predictive power Connectionist model of memory Uses scientific approach: HPA and SAM Rose 1997, anti-depressants and Wolpe 1973 Appropriate for certain levels : Rose (1997) Dualism and materialism Everyone’s made up of atoms Holism Is Psychology a science? Outline what is meant by science in the context of psychological research (5 marks) A01 Define science: Objective, controlled, predict, falsify, reliable Critically consider arguments for the claim that psychology is a science (30 marks)/OR/ Critically consider the view that psychology is a science (30 marks) A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 RIFT Objective: IQ IGF2R research Popper (1972) Falsifiable Popper (1972) Memory research Freud’s research not falsifiable Paradigm: Kuhn Pre-science state Replicable Low internal and external validity Anti-reductionism approaches – Triangulation Laing (1965) schizophrenia Williams Critically consider arguments against the claim that psychology is a science (30 marks) A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 RIFT Popper (1972) Popper (1972) Freud’s research not falsifiable Freud’s research not falsifiable Pre-science state Paradigm: Kuhn Low internal and external validity Replicable Laing (1965) schizophrenia Anti-reductionism approaches – Triangulation Williams Nature –v- Nurture: Discuss the nature-nurture debate with reference to two or more psychological theories and/or studies (30 marks) A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 Research into Nature: Bowlby or Evolution or Gender Bowlby doesn’t ignore environmental factors Transgenerational effects Research into Nurture: Bandura Bobo Doll or Double bind hypothesis Quinn 1979, mutant flies Nature and Nurture: Perception Cannot explain perceptual set Neural plasticity Nature and nurture: Intelligence Turkheimer 2003 Reductionist Head Start Nature and Nurture: Cognitive development Manipulation of variables Reductionist Explain what is meant by the terms ‘nature’ and ‘nurture’ (5 marks) A01 Define Nature and Nurture With reference to two or more psychological theories, discuss assumptions made about nature and nurture (25 marks) * “We are essentially a product of our genetic heritage, yet the environment plays an important role in determining how this heritage is manifested.” With reference to the issues in the quotation above, discuss the nature-nurture debate in psychology (30 marks). This is the same question but you must refer to the quote otherwise you will lose marks. A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 Give Assumptions of Nature and research: Bowlby/Evolution/Genger Bowlby doesn’t ignore environmental factors Transgenerational effects Give Assumptions about Nurture: Bobom Doll and Double bind theory Quinn 1979, mutant flies Research into Nature and Nurture: Perception Cannot explain perceptual set Neural plasticity Research into Intelligence Turkheimer 2003 Reductionist Head Start Nature and Nurture: Cognitive development Manipulation of variables Reductionist Discuss different views regarding the relationship between nature and nurture (30 marks) A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A01 A02 A02 A01 A02 The relationship between nature and nurture: The Diathesis Stress Model Ridley 2003 Phenotype and Genotype Adoption Studies Faber 1981 Transgenerational effect Form of interaction: Passive Reactive Active Reaction Range Scarr and McCatney 1983 Research into the relationship between Nature and Nurture: Perception Cannot explain perceptual set Neural plasticity Research into the relationship between Nature and Nurture: IQ Turkheimer 2003 Reductionist Head Start
