AQA Psychology A-level: Issues and Debates

Part 1: Gender Bias

Key Concepts

• Gender Bias: Differential treatment or representation of men and women based on stereotypes.
• Alpha Bias: Exaggerates differences between sexes, often devaluing women.
• Androcentrism: Male standard used as a norm, neglecting female experiences.
• Beta Bias: Ignores or minimizes differences between men and women.

Examples

• Alpha Bias: Freud's theory on criminality and Wilson's sociobiological theory.
• Androcentrism: Perception of PMS and fight or flight responses.
• Beta Bias: Kohlberg's moral reasoning theory generalized from male samples.

Evaluation

• Feminist Psychology: Highlights real differences and aims to counter gender stereotypes.
• Bias in Research Methods: Gender bias affects study outcomes; fewer women in senior roles.
• Reverse Alpha Bias: Emphasizes women's strengths to challenge stereotypes.

Part 2: Cultural Bias

Key Concepts

• Cultural Bias: Judging others by one's own cultural norms.
• Cultural Relativism: Understanding behaviors within their cultural context.
• Ethnocentrism: Viewing the world from one's own cultural perspective.

Examples

• Cultural Relativism: Variations in obedience studies across cultures.
• Alpha Bias: Assumes enduring differences between cultural groups.
• Beta Bias: Ignores cultural differences, as seen in IQ tests.

Evaluation

• Research Method Bias: Overrepresentation of Western studies.
• Consequences of Cultural Bias: Misinterpretation and stereotyping of other cultures.
• Universal vs. Culture-Bound Behaviors: Recognizing both universal and culture-specific behaviors.

Part 3: Free Will and Determinism

Key Concepts

• Determinism: Behavior is controlled by external/internal factors.
• Free Will: Ability to make choices free of external/internal constraints.
• Hard vs. Soft Determinism: Hard denies free will entirely, soft allows for some influence.

Evaluation

• Challenges to Determinism: Genetic determinism unsupported; behavior is complex.
• Benefits of Determinism: Provides treatment methods for mental disorders.
• Critique of Free Will: Challenges from neuroscience; good face validity.

Part 4: Nature vs. Nurture Debate

Key Concepts

• Nature: Influence of genetics on behavior.
• Nurture: Influence of environment on behavior.
• Interactionist Approach: Nature and nurture work together.

Evaluation

• Diathesis-Stress Model: Genetic predispositions activated by environmental stressors.
• Nurture Affects Nature: Environmental effects on brain structures.
• Epigenetics: Interaction of genes and environment across generations.

Part 5: Holism and Reductionism

Key Concepts

• Holism: Viewing behavior as a whole.
• Reductionism: Breaking down behavior into simpler components.

Evaluation

• Strengths of Holism: Comprehensive understanding of behavior.
• Critiques of Reductionism: Loss of validity by ignoring social context.
• Practical Application: Reductionism's role in developing drug therapies.

Part 6: Idiographic and Nomothetic Approaches

Key Concepts

• Idiographic: Focuses on individual experiences.
• Nomothetic: Seeks general laws of behavior.

Evaluation

• Idiographic: Rich data but limited generalizability.
• Nomothetic: Scientific methods but may neglect individual experiences.
• Complementary Approaches: Both approaches can enhance understanding.

Ethical Implications of Research

Key Concepts

• Socially-Sensitive Research: Research with potential social consequences.

Evaluation

• Importance of Research: Can challenge stereotypes and inform public policy.
• Risks of Misuse: Potential for research to justify discrimination.
• Cost-Benefit Analysis: Weighing research benefits against ethical implications.