Hard-difficulty flashcards focusing on the interplay between psychological approaches, research methodology limitations, and thematic debates for A-Level exam success.
20 cards
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Epistemological Humility in Psychology
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The recognition that psychological knowledge is tentative and evolving. In essays, demonstrate this by evaluating theories as 'useful rather than true' and acknowledging that the Scientific Method cannot answer questions about subjective consciousness or the 'why' of human experience.
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Interactionism (Nature vs. Nurture)
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The view that behavior is a product of both biology (nature) and environment (nurture). Evaluation requires explaining how they interact (e.g., diathesis-stress model) rather than just treating them as separate, opposing forces. High-mark answers avoid 'nature vs. nurture' in favor of 'nature via nurture'.
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Nomothetic vs. Idiographic Approaches
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Nomothetic seeks general laws (e.g., Behaviorism, Biological) using group averages; Idiographic focuses on the individual (e.g., Humanism, Case Studies). A critical debate point is whether establishing general laws (Nomothetic) loses the richness of individual human experience (Idiographic).
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Determinism vs. Free Will (Hard Determinism)
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Hard determinism argues all behavior has a cause (internal/external), leaving no room for free will. While it makes psychology scientific and predictive, it is reductionist and undermines legal/moral responsibility (blaming the biology/upbringing instead of the person).
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Soft Determinism (Compatibilism)
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A compromise suggesting behavior is determined by our desires and intentions, even if those desires are themselves shaped by biology or environment. It allows for 'degrees of freedom' and moral responsibility while maintaining a causal framework for study.
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