ISSUES AND DEBATES PSYCHOLOGICAL SKILLS  9.1 Methods  9.2 Synoptic review of studies  9.3 Issues and debates

A2: Paper 3: Psychological Skills  What are they looking for?  How might it be best to study for this section?

Issues and Debates  E P R C S C N D S U S Every person really can solve crimes! Not dinosaurs….. SILLY uncle Sven.

Issues and Debates EveryEthics PersonPractical issues ReallyReductionism CanCultural SolveScience (Ψ as a science) CrimesComparison of themes NotNature/Nurture DinosaursDevelopment (how Ψ has developed over time) SillySocial control UncleUsefulness SvenSocially sensitive issues

Reductionism  Would anyone like some cake? Served in the style of reductionism?

Or… would you like to see a picture of the MOST beautiful person in the world….

Reductionism  After seeing those pictures define reductionism.

Definition: Reductionism  Breaks behaviour into the smallest parts  simplest explanation  focuses on just one aspect of behaviour  isolates variables  cause and effect

Studies ClassicContemporaryOther BiologicalRaine: Brain Abnormality Brendgen et al: Social aggression LearningWatson and Rayer: Little Albert Becker et al: Eating Disorders SocialSherif: Intergroup Conflict Burger: Replicating Milgram CognitiveBaddeley: Working Memory Sebastian and Hernandez-Gil Developmental pattern of digit span

ReductionistHolism Social Cognitive Biological Learning Clinical Child

Issues and Debates- Learning Space Social Cognitive Biological Learning Clinical Child

HOT POTATO 5 minutes: Own thoughts 5 minutes: How is it evident in the approach. 5 minutes: How is it not evident in the approach. 5 minutes: How is it evident in the approach. 5 minutes: Factor checker Share with class.

ReductionistHolism SocialLatane: equation to calculate how people will behaviour. Ignores the interaction between the individual and the social situation. Sherif ignore personality characteristics The appropriate acknowledges that there are a range of factors that can influence behaviour.

ReductionistHolism CognitiveAtkinson and Shifrin: Breaking down Memory into segments: little acknowledgement about the interaction between the memory stores Brain scans help us to see how cognitive functions are a results of a more holistic approach. Eg: interactions between different areas of the brain is responsible for aspects such as memory (amnesia patients). Baddeley: Breaking down working memory into subsections.

ReductionistHolism BiologicalScientific methods are usually reductionists- establish cause and effect. Raine: brain activity was just one factor that would lead to criminal behaviour.

ReductionistHolism LearningBehaviour is the result of previous learning. (Skinner) The role models within the environment influences behaviour (Bandura).

Later- when you have more time. AO3  AO3  Social Cognitive Biological Learning Clinical Child

Issues and Debates EveryEthics PersonPractical issues ReallyReductionism CanCultural SolveScience (Ψ as a science) CrimesComparison of themes NotNature/Nurture DinosaursDevelopment (how Ψ has developed over time) SillySocial control UncleUsefulness SvenSocially sensitive issues

EVALUATION AO3  AO3 

EVALUATION AO3  AO3  Psychology as a Science: Able to establish cause and effect By conducting a study that has high controls and investigates a study in a way that there is only one variable that is manipulating the DV. Low ecological validity. The research is only looking at one explanation or variable, it doesn’t consider a real life setting. Usefulness:– treatment/intervention through a simplified explanation of our behaviours we can establish what causes stress. Not useful: Often leaves out other factors that might be important in explaining behaviour. Can often be overly simplified. Social Control: when it is used without taking other factors into consideration it can be used to make assumptions about the population and can lead to labelling, interventions Nature or Nurture Will tend to support either nature or nurture in how the research in conducted. Therefore the interactionist approach is not considered. Socially sensitive

Possible Exam Questions

Learning Objectives: Checklist AO3: Evaluate I can evaluate strength and weaknesses of reductionism and can link it to when it has been evident in research? AO2: Apply I can explain how reductionism is evident in SCBL(CC) studies AO1: Describe I can… state the key terms and key assumptions?

What would the world be like if we used a reductionist approach in our daily life…..  Meals?  Entertainment?  Social interactions?  Reasons for doing badly on a test?  Court cases?  Illnesses?