The Enduring Questions of Psychology Were Presented as Continua Anchored

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Examlex · Accepted Answer

The Answer is The enduring questions of psychology often involve debates that are framed as dichotomies, but in reality, these debates exist on continua with many possible positions between the two extremes. Here are some of the classic dichotomous positions in psychology, along with the possible points on each continuum:

1. Nature vs. Nurture:
- Purely Genetic Determinism (Nature)
- Gene-Environment Interaction (Various degrees of interaction)
- Purely Environmental Determinism (Nurture)

2. Free Will vs. Determinism:
- Absolute Free Will (Complete autonomy)
- Soft Determinism/Compatibilism (Some behaviors are determined, some are chosen)
- Hard Determinism (All behavior is determined by prior causes)

3. Individualism vs. Collectivism:
- Radical Individualism (Individual is the primary agent)
- Moderate Individualism (Individual agency with some social influence)
- Balanced Position (Individual and society are equally influential)
- Moderate Collectivism (Group norms influence individual behavior)
- Radical Collectivism (Group or society is the primary agent)

4. Stability vs. Change:
- Absolute Stability (Personality and behavior are unchanging)
- Relative Stability (Some traits are stable, others are malleable)
- Incremental Change (People change gradually over time)
- Potential for Significant Change (People can change considerably)

5. Rationality vs. Irrationality:
- Pure Rationality (All human thought is logical and reasoned)
- Bounded Rationality (Human reasoning is limited by cognitive biases)
- Mixture of Rational and Irrational Processes
- Predominantly Irrational (Emotions and biases heavily influence thought)
- Pure Irrationality (No logical reasoning in human thought)

6. Conscious vs. Unconscious Processes:
- All Conscious (All mental processes are within conscious awareness)
- Mostly Conscious with Some Unconscious Influences
- Balanced View (Conscious and unconscious processes are equally important)
- Mostly Unconscious with Some Conscious Influences
- All Unconscious (Most mental processes are outside of conscious awareness)

7. Universalism vs. Relativism:
- Strong Universalism (Psychological processes are the same across all humans)
- Moderate Universalism (Some universal processes, but cultural differences exist)
- Cultural Relativism (Psychological processes are shaped by culture)
- Strong Relativism (All psychological processes are culture-specific)

Each of these continua represents a spectrum of thought within psychology. Researchers and theorists may align themselves with different points on these spectra based on their interpretations of empirical evidence, theoretical perspectives, and philosophical beliefs. It's important to note that few psychologists would claim an extreme position on any of these continua; most recognize the complexity of human behavior and mental processes and adopt a more nuanced stance that incorporates elements from both ends of the spectrum.

The Enduring Questions of Psychology Were Presented as Continua Anchored

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