Issues and Debates

Sections Social Influence Cognitive

Ethical Issues
Practical Issues in the Design
and Implementation of
Research
Reductionism
Comparisons Between Ways of
Explaining Behavior Using
Different Themes
Psychology as a Science
Culture and Gender
Nature-Nurture Debate
An Understanding of How
Psychological Knowledge Has
Developed Over Time
Issues of Social Control
Issues Related to Socially
Sensitive Research
Ethical considerations in
researching obedience and
prejudice, including
informed consent and the
potential psychological
harm.
Informed consent and
deception in studies like
Milgram’s
Risk of oversimplification in
drawing conclusions from
social data.
Different theories of
prejudice like social identity
and realistic conflict.
Psychology as a Science
Influence of cultural factors
on prejudice and obedience.
Role of personality vs.
situational influences
Changes in social
psychology theories post-war
How authority influences
behavior.
Cultural differences in social
behavior
Confidentiality issues,
such as those in the case
of Henry Molaison (HM).
Designing questionnaires
to avoid social desirability
bias.
Focusing on specific brain
parts for memory studies.
Different memory models.
Laboratory experiments
and controls
Role of brain function and
environmental factors
Evolution of memory
models like the working
memory model.
Understanding memory to
control behavior.
Sensitivity around
memory loss

1. Can you identify ethical issues associated with theory and research within social
psychology?
o Ethical Issues: Research into obedience and prejudice, particularly those
conducted in the 1950s and 1960s, often involved ethical concerns such as the
removal of the right to withdraw, deception, and potential psychological harm.
For example, Milgram's obedience studies caused significant stress to
participants as they were ordered to administer shocks.
2. Can you comment on the practical and methodological issues in the design and
implementation of research in social psychology?
o Practical and Methodological Issues: Obedience research often deals with
demand characteristics, where participants might alter their behavior if they are
aware of the study's aims. Deception is frequently used to counter this.
 Additionally, prejudice research is complicated by social desirability bias, where
participants may not express their true prejudices.
3. Can you explain how theories, research, and concepts within social psychology might
be considered reductionist?
o Reductionism: Social impact theory and dispositional explanations can be seen
as reductionist. For instance, social impact theory reduces complex social
behaviors to equations and ignores individual and situational interrelations.
Similarly, personality explanations of prejudice may overlook the social
conditions influencing behavior.
4. Can you compare theories and research within social psychology to show different
ways of explaining and understanding memory?
o Memory Theories: In cognitive psychology, the multi-store model (MSM) views
memory as a series of separate stores, while the working memory model (WMM)
focuses on components like the central executive. The reconstructive memory
theory views memory as a process that is influenced by social factors and
experiences, indicating a more interactionist approach.
5. Are you able to discuss whether theories, concepts, research, and methodology
within social psychology are scientific?
o Scientific Nature: Social psychology has evolved to focus on experimentation
and scientific methods. Studies like Milgram's and Sherif's controlled variables
carefully, but the criticism remains that such experiments may not fully
generalize to real-world social dynamics, making it necessary to balance
experimental rigor with ecological validity.
6. Are you able to discuss how obedience and prejudice may be affected by culture and
gender?
o Culture and Gender: Research indicates that cultural and gender differences can
impact levels of obedience and prejudice. For example, collectivistic cultures
might show higher obedience due to social norms emphasizing group harmony.
Gender studies have shown mixed results, with some indicating higher
compliance in women, potentially due to methodological biases.
7. Are you able to discuss the nature-nurture debate in the context of social psychology,
in terms of which parts emphasize the role of nature and nurture or the interaction
between them?
o Nature-Nurture Debate: Personality explanations of prejudice (nature) focus on
dispositional traits, while intergroup dynamics and social identity theories
(nurture) emphasize situational factors. The interactionist approach considers
how both inherent traits and social conditions influence behavior.
8. Do you understand how social psychology has developed over time?
o Development Over Time: Social psychology has shifted from early race theories
endorsing supremacy to focusing on group dynamics and interactionist
approaches. This reflects broader social changes and historical events, such as the
aftermath of wars, which influenced the direction of research and theory
development.
9. Do you understand what is meant by social control and how research within social
 psychology may be used to control behavior?
o Social Control: Social psychology examines how social norms, authority
figures, and group dynamics can influence and control individual behavior.
Research on obedience (e.g., Milgram) and conformity (e.g., Asch) demonstrates
how social pressure and authority can lead to compliance and behavior
regulation.
10. Can you know how theories, concepts, and research within social psychology can be
used in a practical way in society?
o Practical Applications: Theories and research in social psychology can be
applied to various societal issues, such as improving intergroup relations,
developing anti-prejudice programs, enhancing leadership strategies, and creating
interventions to reduce destructive obedience.
11. Are you able to understand what is meant by socially sensitive research and explain
how research in social psychology might be considered to be socially sensitive?
o Socially Sensitive Research: Research in social psychology is socially sensitive
when it addresses topics that could have significant implications for individuals
and society, such as prejudice, obedience, and social norms. Ethical
considerations are paramount to ensure that findings do not harm participants or
reinforce negative stereotypes.