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A-Level Psychology Revision

Issues & Debates

Free will vs determinism, nature vs nurture, reductionism, and gender and culture bias.

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What is the behaviourist view on the nature-nurture debate?

Issues & Debates is a core part of A-Level Psychology. Revise the key concepts and common mistakes below, then lock them in with the free games.

Key concepts

HolismBehaviour explained by whole system — Gestalt, humanistic.
ReductionismExplaining behaviour by simpler component parts.
Biological ReductionismReducing behaviour to genes, hormones, neurochemistry.
Environmental ReductionismReducing behaviour to stimulus-response chains.
IdiographicFocus on individuals (case studies, qualitative).
NomotheticFocus on laws applying to groups (experiments, surveys).
Hard DeterminismAll behaviour fully caused by internal/external forces.
Soft DeterminismBehaviour caused but allows some conscious choice (James).
Free WillWe choose our actions independent of biological/social causes.
NatureInnate, genetic, biological influences on behaviour.
NurtureEnvironmental and learned influences on behaviour.
Diathesis-StressInteraction: vulnerability triggered by stressor.
Alpha BiasExaggerating differences between men and women.
Beta BiasMinimising real differences between men and women.

What your exam board covers

Where Issues & Debates sits in each exam board's specification. Tap a board to see what it lists.

AQAIssues and debates in PsychologySpec 7182
  • Gender and culture bias
  • Free will and determinism
  • The nature–nurture debate
  • Holism and reductionism
  • Idiographic and nomothetic approaches
  • Ethical implications of research

Source: AQA A-level Psychology (7182) specification — Specification at a glance, accessed 23 June 2026.

EdexcelIssues and debatesSpec 9PS0
  • Issues and debates in psychology
  • Review of classic and contemporary studies

Source: Pearson Edexcel A-Level Psychology (9PS0) specification, accessed 23 June 2026.

Learn Issues & Debates step by step

Free interactive mini-lessons: short screens, worked examples and quick checks. Pick your exam board:

Other boards:OCR

Common mistakes to avoid

Questions where students often pick the tempting wrong answer — make sure you know the right one:

What is the behaviourist view on the nature-nurture debate?✗ Both nature and nurture equally.   ✓ Strongly nurture - we are shaped by environmental conditioning.

Practise Issues & Debates — free games

Test yourself with these quick revision games for this topic:

▶ Two Truths, One Lie▶ Reveal Race▶ Connections Grid▶ Falling Words▶ Word Web

See all 22 games in the Revision Arcade →

More A-Level Psychology topics

Social InfluenceMemory & CognitionAttachmentApproaches in PsychologyBiopsychologyPsychopathologyResearch MethodsApplied Psychology
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Teaching A-Level Psychology? Free interactive lessons to set as class work, homework or cover. No student login. AQA · Edexcel