How To Understand And Understand Psychology

Transcription

1 At AS Level, we study six approaches to human. Unit 1 includes cognitive, social and cognitive developmental approaches. Unit 2 includes psychodynamic, learning and physiological approaches. Units 1 and 2 are examined, 2 x 1½ hour paper. Unit 3 involves students producing an independent research study which counts as their coursework. For A2 there are 3 further units including clinical psychology and criminal psychology, examined in January (1½ paper) Child psychology, research and statistical tests examined in Summer (1½ hour paper) and finally a synoptic module which revisits earlier work but also explores contemporary debates within the subject, examined in Summer (1½ hour paper) AS (Year 1) Key assumptions Cognitive Social Cognitive-developmental The Information Processing System Individuals and groups affect The importance of cognition and cognitive abilities The Computer Analogy Culture and society affect The focus on development over time (and stages) Research methods Laboratory experiments Field experiments Case studies Case studies of brain-damaged patients Surveys Discourse analysis Observations Experiments Scanning techniques Clinical interviews Longitudinal studies In depth areas of study The Multi-Store Model Atkinson & Shiffrin. Primacy/recency effect -Glanzer & Cunitz. Levels of Processing (Craik & Tulving Theories of obedience:- Milgrams agency Social power Theory of Jean Piaget Theory of Vygotsky Reconstructive memory Bartlett. Cue Dependent Forgetting Godden. Forgetting by Displacement Motivated Forgetting Theories of prejudice:- Social identity Realistic conflict Authoritarian personality Key studies Divers memory - Godden & Baddeley (1975) Obedience in a natural setting - the nurses study Hofling (1966) Naughty teddy and conservation (McGarrigle & Donaldson, 1974) Policeman doll (Hughes, 1975) The Smelly Museum- Aggleton & Waskett (1999) Obedience in the lab - Milgram (1963)

2 Key application The reliability of eye witness testimony The reduction of prejudice The influence of Piaget and Vygotsky on education Contemporary Issue Are recovered memories accurate? Why do people participate in genocide? Do computers help people learn? Key assumptions Learning Psychodynamic Physiological the environment the unconscious mind and motivation The importance of genetic influences on The Emphasis on stimulus and response the process of learning early childhood experiences The influence of the nervous system on Research methods Laboratory experiments Clinical interviews Brain scans Non-human animals in experiments Slips of the tongue Free association EEG Lesions, ablations and surgery Ethology Dream analysis and the analysis of symbols Twin and adoption studies Case studies In depth areas of study Classical conditioning Freud model of Circadian rhythm personality Sleep restoration Operant conditioning - psychosexual stages of development evolutionary Dreaming reorganisational Social learning Erikson s lifespan of development activation/synthesis Key studies Conditioned emotional response (Little Albert) Watson & Rayner (1920) The case study of Little Hans Freud (1909) Do eye movements tell us about dream content? Dement & Kleitman (1957) Imitating aggressive models (Bobo doll) - Bandura, Ross & Ross (1961) Is homophobia caused by reaction formation? Adams et al (1996) Bags of time to play Folkard (1996) Superstitious pigeons Skinner(1948) Key application The deliberate alteration of human Understanding mental health issues The effects of shift work and jet lag Contemporary Issue What are the effects on peoples Why do we all watch Why do people suffer from narcolepsy?

3 of media violence? Buffy? Year 2 Criminal Psychology Theories of offending Understand the different approaches to explaining crime The legal aspects of crime Offender profiling Eyewitness testimony Jury decision making Characteristics of the defendant Just world hypothesis Social and Media Influences on criminal Self-fulfilling prophecy Family influences Treating Crime Punishment, anger management training Zero tolerance Clinical Psychology Defining and classifying What is abnormality? DSM classification system Cultural factors affecting mental health Approaches and therapies Discuss each of the 6 approaches to mental disorder Discuss ONE therapy for each approach Specific mental disorders Describe the main feature of schizophrenia and anorexia nervosa Discuss the possible physiological, psychological and social causes of schizophrenia and anorexia nervosa Child Psychology Attachment Bowlby s Attachment types Criticisms of attachment research Deprivation and Privation

4 Short term deprivation Long term deprivation Privation Social Development Play Friendships Research Methods Describe and evaluate research methods Experiments, case studies, longitudinal studies, interviews, observations etc Understand and analyse data Measures of central tendency Measures of dispersion Understand inferential statistics Levels of significance Inferential tests Normal distribution Understand and analyse qualitative data Collaborative research Objectivity and subjectivity Synoptic Unit Contributions of approaches to society and psychology Psychology as a science Nature/nurture debate Ethical issues of using animals in psychological research Ethical issues of using humans in psychological research Social and moral issues in psychology Reading List Brain, C Advanced Subsidiary Psychology (course text) Jarvis,M., Russell, J., & Gorman, P Angles on Psychology (key text) Eysenck, M., & Flanagan, C Psychology for AS level Gross, R Psychology Gross, R Psychology: the science of mind and Cardwell, M. & Flanagan, C Psychology AS The complete companion Gross, R Key studies in Psychology Pennington, D Introducing Psychology Effective note taking Throughout your psychology course you will need to make notes. In order to build up your own file of material, you will need to make notes from books and articles as well as taking notes during lessons. You will also need to produce notes as preparation for essays and coursework. Effective note taking is a skill that needs to be developed and practised. A variety of techniques can be used: Use your own words don t simply copy. Dictation goes through your ears, down your arm and onto the paper without stopping at the brain!!

5 Write notes in point form with sub-headings- this is much easier to revise from than continuous paragraphs. Be concise, don t write every word. Teachers repeat themselves. Emphasise key points or psychologists names by highlighting or underlining, by using CAPITALS and developing a system of key phrases But However Method Evaluation Leave a space to add comments later and emphasise a change in context Develop your own techniques eg mind maps Some students always highlight psychologists names or provide a quick summary at the beginning or end eg Watson & Rayner (1920) Little Albert/ Classical conditioning Use abbreviations- there will be a whole range of key terms that are used frequently. Develop your own system and use recognised symbols eg Ψ Psychology Ps Participants Beh Behaviour Careers in Psychology Advertising Business Personnel Childcare Counselling Educational Psychologist Management Marketing Mental health professional Nursing Physiotherapy Police Force Prison Service Clinical Psychologist Psychiatry Psychologist Research Forensic Psychologist Social Services Sports Psychologist Teaching