Key term
Eduqas A-Level Psychology A290QS
Biological Approach
Topic overviewAssumptions and evaluation of the approach: Evolutionary influences and Localisation of brain functionAssumptions and evaluation of the approach: Neurotransmitters and Weaknesses of the approachTherapy derived from the approach: Drug therapyTherapy derived from the approach: PsychosurgeryClassic research: the methodology and proceduresClassic research: the findings, conclusions and evaluationContemporary debate
Psychodynamic Approach
Topic overviewAssumptions and evaluation of the approach: Influence of childhood experiences and Unconscious mindAssumptions and evaluation of the approach: Tripartite personality and Weaknesses of the approachTherapy derived from the approach: Dream analysisTherapy derived from the approach: PsychodramaClassic research: Methodology and ProceduresClassic research: Findings and ConclusionsClassic research: Ethical issues and social implicationsContemporary debate: the mother as primary care-giver — the argumentsContemporary debate: the mother as primary care-giver — the evidence and conclusion
Behaviourist Approach
Topic overviewAssumptions and evaluation of the approach: Blank slate and Behaviour learnt through conditioningAssumptions and evaluation of the approach: Humans and animals learn in similar waysTherapy derived from the approach: Aversion therapyTherapy derived from the approach: Systematic desensitisationClassic research: Methodology and ProceduresClassic research: Findings and ConclusionsClassic research: Ethical issues and social implicationsContemporary debate: using conditioning to control children — the argumentsContemporary debate: using conditioning to control children — the evidence and conclusion
Cognitive Approach
Topic overviewAssumptions and evaluation of the approach: Computer analogy, Internal mental processes and SchemasAssumptions and evaluation of the approach: Strengths of the approach and Weaknesses of the approachTherapy derived from the approach: Cognitive behavioural therapyTherapy derived from the approach: Rational emotive behaviour therapyClassic research: Methodology and ProceduresClassic research: Findings and ConclusionsClassic research: Ethical issues and social implicationsContemporary debate: the reliability of eye-witness testimony — the argumentsContemporary debate: the reliability of eye-witness testimony — the evidence and conclusion
Positive Approach
Topic overviewAssumptions and evaluation of the approach: Acknowledgement of free will and Focus on 'the good life'Assumptions and evaluation of the approach: Strengths of the approach and Weaknesses of the approachTherapy derived from the approach: MindfulnessTherapy derived from the approach: Quality of life therapyClassic research: Methodology and ProceduresClassic research: Findings and ConclusionsClassic research: Ethical issues and social implicationsContemporary debate: the relevance of positive psychology today — the argumentsContemporary debate: the relevance of positive psychology today — the evidence and conclusion
Comparing the Five Approaches
Core Studies in Social and Developmental Psychology
Topic overviewSocial psychology core study: Milgram (1963) — Method and procedure, ResultsSocial psychology core study: Milgram (1963) — Conclusions and Evaluation of the studyDevelopmental psychology core study: Kohlberg (1968) — Method and procedure, ResultsDevelopmental psychology core study: Kohlberg (1968) — Conclusions and Evaluation of the study
Planning Psychological Research
Topic overviewDeciding on a research question: Aim of the research and Independent variablesDeciding on a research question: Co-variables, Operationalisation of variables and Extraneous variablesMethodologies: Experiments, Participant observations and Non-participant observationsMethodologies: Content analysis, Structured interviews / questionnaires and Correlational studiesMethodologies: Case studies, Cross-sectional studies and Self-reportsLocation of researchParticipants and sampling: Target populations, Sampling frames and Opportunity samplingParticipants and sampling: Systematic sampling, Stratified sampling and Quota samplingParticipants and sampling: Self-selected samplingExperimental design
Data Handling, Statistics and Mathematical Skills
Topic overviewLevels of measurementGraphical representation: Frequency tables and Graphical representation (including line graphsGraphical representation: Distribution curves (including normal, positive and negative skewedDescriptive statistics: Measures of central tendencyDescriptive statistics: Measures of dispersion and Calculating from a set of resultsInferential statistics: Chi Square testInferential statistics: Mann Whitney U test and Critical values from tablesMathematical requirements (Appendix A): Standard form and unit conversionMathematical requirements (Appendix A): Calculations for statistical tests
Evaluating and Validating Research
Topic overviewReliabilityValidity: Internal validity, External validity and Specific validity issues (including researcher biasValidity: Ways of dealing with issues of validityEthics: Confidentiality and Risk to the participants’ valuesEthics: Valid consent and Managing the risk posed by ethical issues (including the use of ethicsThe role of the scientific community: Peer review and its purposes, Criticisms of peer reviewThe role of the scientific community: Sections of a psychological report
Personal Investigations and Novel Research Scenarios
Topic overviewPersonal investigations: applying — Hypotheses and variables, Methodology and experimental designPersonal investigations: applying research methods to first-hand investigations — SamplingPersonal investigations: applying research methods to first-hand investigations — Inferential statisticsApplication of research methods to a novel scenario
Addictive BehavioursAddictive
Topic overviewCharacteristics of the behaviour: What the behaviour is, How it is recognised and diagnosedCharacteristics of the behaviour: How common it is, Effects on the individual and on societyBiological explanations: Addiction genes and Disease of the brainBiological explanations: DopamineIndividual differences explanations: Cognitive biases and Field dependenceIndividual differences explanations: Lang's addictive personality traitsSocial psychological explanations: Co-morbidity with mental and Peer pressureSocial psychological explanations: Role of the mediaMethods of modifying the behaviour: Agonist and antagonist substitutionMethods of modifying the behaviour: Aversion therapy
Autistic Spectrum BehavioursAutistic spectrum
Topic overviewCharacteristics of the behaviour: What the behaviour is, How it is recognised and diagnosedCharacteristics of the behaviour: How common it is, Effects on the individual and on societyBiological explanations: Amygdala dysfunction and Chloride ions at birthBiological explanations: Genetic predispositionIndividual differences explanations: Gender differences and Theory of mindIndividual differences explanations: Weak central coherence theoryExtreme male brain and empathising-systemising theoriesThe refrigerator mother theory, and evaluationMethods of modifying the behaviour: Picture Exchange Communication SystemMethods of modifying the behaviour: Relationship Development InterventionMethods of modifying the behaviour
Bullying BehavioursBullying
Topic overviewCharacteristics of the behaviour: What the behaviour is, How it is recognised and diagnosedCharacteristics of the behaviour: How common it is, Effects on the individual and on societyBiological explanations: Bullying genes and Evolved gender differencesBiological explanations: HormonesIndividual differences explanations: Cognitive biases and Narcissistic personalityIndividual differences explanations: Threatened egotism, narcissism and theory of mindSocial psychological explanations: Cultural differences and In-group / out-groupSocial psychological explanations: Moral disengagementMethods of modifying the behaviour: Creating A Peaceful School Learning EnvironmentMethods of modifying the behaviour: Olweus Bullying Prevention ProgrammeMethods of modifying the behaviour
Criminal BehavioursCriminal
Topic overviewCharacteristics of the behaviour: What the behaviour isCharacteristics of the behaviour: How it is recognised and diagnosedBiological explanations: Disinhibition hypothesis and Inherited criminality personality theoryBiological explanations: Role of the amygdalaIndividual differences explanations: Eysenck's criminal personalityIndividual differences explanations: Intelligence factors and Psychopathic personalitySocial psychological explanations: Differential associationSocial psychological explanations: Gender socialisation and Normalisation theoryMethods of modifying the behaviour: Anger managementMethods of modifying the behaviour: Restorative justice
SchizophreniaSchizophrenia
Topic overviewCharacteristics of the behaviour: What the behaviour is, How it is recognised and diagnosedCharacteristics of the behaviour: How common it is, Effects on the individual and on societyBiological explanations: Dopamine hypothesis and Enlarged ventriclesBiological explanations: Cannabis, genetics and the diathesis-stress modelIndividual differences explanations: Thought disorderIndividual differences explanations: Schizophrenogenic mother and Sex differencesSocial psychological explanations: Cultural normsSocial psychological explanations: Dysfunctional familiesSocial psychological explanations: Expressed emotionMethods of modifying the behaviour: Antipsychotic drugsMethods of modifying the behaviour: Cognitive behavioral therapy
StressStress
Topic overviewCharacteristics of the behaviour: What the behaviour is, How it is recognised and diagnosedCharacteristics of the behaviour: How common it is, Effects on the individual and on societyBiological explanations: Adrenaline and Evolutionary adaptationBiological explanations: Stress genesIndividual differences explanations: Type A behaviour and hardinessIndividual differences explanations: Self-efficacySocial psychological explanations: Daily hassles and Life eventsSocial psychological explanations: Locus of control and control at workMethods of modifying the behaviour: Beta blockersMethods of modifying the behaviour: Stress inoculation training
Controversies in Psychology
Topic overviewCultural bias: Cross cultural studies and Difference or biasCultural bias: Ethnocentrism, Historical and social contextEthical costs of conducting research: Benefits to society and the economy, Individual participantsEthical costs of conducting research: Potentially negative consequences for societyThe use of non-human animals: Why animals are used, comparative psychology and ethologyThe use of non-human animals: Therapy, speciesism and the BPS GuidelinesScientific status of psychology: Features of science, Popper and KuhnScientific status of psychology: Methods, benefits and costs of being a scienceSexism: Gender difference or gender biasSexism: Heterosexism, Historical and social context, 'invisibility' of women in psychology
Controversies in Psychology
Cultural bias: Ethnocentrism, Historical and social context
- 3 things to know
- Component 3 Controversies
Overview
Recall questions on Ethnocentrism, Historical context and social context.
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
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Numbers
Why is the universality of emotion recognition still treated as an open dispute?
Numbers
Give a historical example of psychological testing that carried cultural bias into public policy.
Questions from this subtopic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
What did Snarey's (1985) review conclude about the cross-cultural evidence for Kohlberg's stages?
Model answer
The stages appeared in the same order in every culture reviewed, but post-conventional reasoning was rare or absent in non-Western and rural samples, which may reflect the scale rather than the reasoners.
- 2
How did Miller and Bersoff (1992) challenge the idea of a culture-free morality?
Model answer
They found that Indian participants treated interpersonal obligations as binding moral duties where American participants treated them as matters of personal choice, suggesting the moral domain itself is defined differently across cultures.
- 3
What evidence from Ekman and Friesen (1971) supports the claim that some psychological findings are genuinely universal?
Model answer
Members of the Fore people of Papua New Guinea, who had little contact with Western societies, matched the same facial expressions to the same emotional situations as Western participants.
- 4
Why is the universality of emotion recognition still treated as an open dispute?
Model answer
Later work using free-response methods, such as Gendron et al. (2014) with Himba participants, failed to reproduce the matching, so researchers disagree over whether the earlier result reflects universal emotions or the forced-choice method used.
- 5
What do cross-cultural replications of Milgram's obedience study suggest, and what is the limitation of that evidence?
Model answer
High levels of obedience have been reported in many countries, which supports some generality, but most replications were carried out in industrialised societies, so the sampling problem is repeated rather than solved.
- 6
Give a historical example of psychological testing that carried cultural bias into public policy.
Model answer
The intelligence tests administered to United States army recruits by Yerkes from 1917 assumed American schooling and literacy, and the low scores of recent immigrants were then used to argue for restricting immigration.
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