Debates in Psychology

Nature vs Nurture Debate

The Nature vs Nurture debate is a longstanding discussion regarding the relative importance of an individual’s innate qualities (nature) versus personal experiences (nurture) in causing individual differences.
Individuals in the nature camp argue that behaviour is the result of innate biological factors, while those in the nurture camp argue that behaviour is the result of learning and experience.

Free Will vs Determinism Debate

This debate revolves around the extent to which our behaviour is the result of forces over which we have no control (determinism) or whether our behaviour is freely chosen (free will).
It’s one of the most fundamental debates in psychology, with different perspectives falling at different points along the continuum.

Holism vs Reductionism Debate

This addresses whether it’s more advantageous to study behaviour in a holistic manner, looking at all the interacting and complex factors involved, or whether behaviour is best studied in a reductionist way, dividing behaviour into constituent parts.
Similarly, this is a continuum, with different perspectives aligning themselves at different points.

Individual vs Situational Debate

This examines the influence of individual and situational factors in determining behaviour.
The crux of this debate is the extent to which our behaviour is due to personal characteristics as opposed to the influences of situational factors.

Psychology as a Science Debate

The question of whether psychology can be considered a science has been a topic of intense debate.
Those in favour argue that psychology uses scientific method, which lends objectivity and control, and allows the extrapolation of results. Those against argue that the complexities of the human mind cannot be studied using rigid scientific method.

These are key debates in psychology that often come up in different sections of the topic - it’s important to be familiar with them and the main arguments on both sides.