ALevel Psychology What is Psychology Psychology is a

A-Level Psychology

What is Psychology? Psychology is a science. A qualified psychologist only studies abnormal behaviour. A human being only uses 10% of their brain power. Everyone is able to think for themselves rather than following orders like sheep. Human memory is a faithful recording of events similar to those on a videotape or DVD. TRUE TRUE FALSE FALSE If babies are frequently separated from their mothers they may become affectionless psychopaths. TRUE FALSE You have OCD if you don’t like having the TV volume on number 13. People have arachnophobia (fear spiders) because they have learned to be scared of spiders. TRUE FALSE Psychology has been studied since the middle ages. Psychologists don’t believe that our biology affects our behaviour. A schizophrenic has multiple personalities. When it comes to romantic relationships, opposites attract. Logical people use the left side of their brains, creative people use the right side. Psychologists need to be able to use maths skills. Psychology is just common sense. TRUE TRUE FALSE FALSE

What is Psychology? Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and behaviour. Psychology is not mind reading nor does it involve manipulating other’s thoughts!

! E U R T Is psychology a science then? (some people could argue that it isn’t though!) Psychologists use scientific methods such as experiments and observations to find evidence to back up their theories.

! E S L FA Do psychologists only study abnormal behaviour? Psychologists study all behaviour!

! E S L FA Do we only use 10% of our brain power? Unfortunately this is a myth. The brain uses 20% of our calorie intake, despite accounting for only 2% of body weight.

! E S L FA Do we think for ourselves? https: //youtu. be/16 QMQXIj. YVU? t=2 m 11 s Want to find out more? Topic 1: Social Influence • Why do people conform to a majority? • Why do people conform to social roles? • Why do people obey authority figures? • Why do some people resist conformity and disobey? • How does social change happen?

! E S L FA Is our memory a faithful recording of events? https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=0 gr. ANlx 7 y 2 E It is estimated that 72% of convictions overturned by DNA evidence were the result of inaccurate eyewitness testimony. Want to find out more? Topic 2: Memory • • How are our memories stored? Why do we forget things? Why is EWT unreliable? What can be done to improve EWT?

Can the way infants are treated turn ! E U R T them into affectionless psychopaths? A study conducted in 1944 found that 86% of thieves who were unable to show affection or responsibility had experienced frequent separation form their mothers as infants (e. g. being in foster care). Want to find out more? Topic 3: Attachment • How do caregivers and infants interact? • How and why are attachments formed? • What happens when an attachment isn’t formed?

! E If I don’t like the number 13 S L FA does that mean I have OCD? There are two components to OCD: Obsessions (recurrent thoughts) and compulsions (behaviours carried out to alleviate thoughts). OCD symptoms cause severe anxiety and often people with the disorder struggle to lead their day-to-day lives. Around 1 -2% of the population suffer from OCD.

! E U R T Do people learn phobias? This is how behaviourist psychologists explain phobias, you learn to associate an object with a traumatic event. Want to find out more? Topic 4: Psychopathology (the study of psychological disorders) • How do we classify someone as “abnormal”? • What are phobias and how to behaviourists explain and treat them? • What is depression and how to cognitive psychologists explain and treat it? • What is OCD and how do biological psychologists explain and treat it?

! E Has psychology been around for S L FA a long time? The first psychology lab was opened in Germany in 1879. Some aspects of psychology, such as biological psychology, are even more recent. Want to find out more? Topic 5: Approaches in Psychology • How did psychology emerge as a scientific subject? • What are the different approaches in psychology and how does each one explain behaviour?

! E Does biology have anything to S L FA do with our behaviour? It absolutely does! Want to find out more? Topic 6: Biopsychology • How does the nervous system work? • How do neurons communicate? • What is the endocrine system and how does it work? • How do our bodies respond to stressful situations?

! E Do schizophrenics have multiple S L FA personalities? Schizophrenics experience hallucinations and delusions. “Multiple personalities” is a symptom of a rare condition called Dissociative Identity Disorder, which is not related to schizophrenia. Want to know more? Schizophrenia is a potential Year 2 topic.

! E S L FA Do opposites attract? Research suggests that we are attracted to people who are similar to us in terms of looks and personality. Want to know more? Relationships is a potential Year 2 topic.

! E S L FA Am I a left brained person? Although we have specialised areas of the brain for some tasks, the brain doesn’t handicap itself by favouring one part. Want to know more? Split brain research is a Year 2 topic.

! E U R T Do you need to use maths in psychology? Psychological research involves collecting and analysing lots of data. s e g a r e v A p s i D n o i ers Grap h s Dist s c i t s i t Sta ribu tion s

! E S L FA Psychology is just common sense right? We all have some theories about why people behave the way they do, but how do we know for certain that those theories are correct? Psychology is not just common sense because psychologists study human behaviour and mental processes scientifically. Want to find out more about how psychologists study behaviour? Topic 7: Research Methods • Experiments, observations, questionnaires, interviews, case studies, correlations etc.

A-Level Psychology: Year 1 (AS) Social Influence Approaches Memory Attachment Biopsychology Psychopathology Research Methods

Psychological Approaches There are numerous different areas of psychology. Each approach has it’s own way of explaining behaviour. The main approaches you will learn about are: • Behaviourism • Social Learning • Cognitive • Biological

Psychological Approaches Rules! ØYou can only write a maximum of 5 words on your whiteboard • Summarise the information ØYou can use as many onto your whiteboard so numbers and pictures as that you can report back to you like. your home group. • In your new group you will be given information about one area of psychology

What Is Behaviourism? Behaviourism can perhaps be best summed up by the following quote from the famous psychologist John B. Watson is often considered the "father" of behaviourism: "Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select -- doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors. " --John Watson (1930)

So what exactly is behaviourism all about? Behaviourism, also known as behavioural psychology, is a theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviours are acquired through conditioning. Conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment. Behaviourists believe that our responses to environmental stimuli shape our behaviours. According to this school of thought, behaviour can be studied in a systematic and observable manner with no consideration of internal mental states. It suggests that only observable behaviours should be studied, since internal states such as cognitions, emotions, and moods are too subjective.

Criticism of Behaviourism Many critics argue that behaviourism is a one-dimensional approach to understanding human behaviour and that behavioural theories do not account for free will and internal influences such as moods, thoughts, and feelings. Strengths of Behaviourism is based upon observable behaviours, so it is easier to collect data and information when conducting research. Effective therapeutic techniques such as intensive behavioural intervention, behaviour analysis, token economies, and reward systems in schools are all rooted in behaviourism. These approaches are often very useful in changing maladaptive or harmful behaviours in both children and adults.

What is social learning? In social learning theory, Albert Bandura (1977) states behaviour is learned from the environment through the process of observing others. Individuals that are observed are called models. In society children are surrounded by many influential models, such as parents within the family, characters on children’s TV, friends within their peer group and teachers at school. Theses models provide examples of behaviour to observe and imitate, e. g. masculine and feminine, pro and anti-social etc.

Basic Social Learning Concepts There are three core concepts at the heart of social learning theory. First is the idea that people can learn through observation. Next is the notion that internal mental states are an essential part of this process. Finally, this theory recognizes that just because something has been learned, it does not mean that it will result in a change in behaviour. In addition to influencing other psychologists, Bandura's social learning theory has had important implication in the field of education. Today, both teachers and parents recognize the importance of modelling appropriate behaviours. Other classroom strategies such as encouraging children and building self-esteem are also rooted in social learning theory.

Strengths of Social Learning Social learning theory has many useful applications, for example understanding criminal behaviour. Criticism of Social Learning Some people argue that there are many different things that influence our behaviour, and social learning theory is wrong to focus solely on imitation.

What is Cognitive Psychology? Cognitive psychology is a relatively young branch of psychology, yet it has quickly grown to become one of the most popular subfields. Topics such as learning styles, attention, memory, forgetting, and language acquisition are just a few of the practical applications for this science. Cognitive psychology is the branch of psychology that studies mental processes including how people think, perceive, remember, and learn. As part of the larger field of cognitive science, this branch of psychology is related to other disciplines including neuroscience, philosophy, and linguistics.

What is cognitive psychology all about? Cognitive psychologists focus on internal mental processes such as thoughts and attitudes. These concepts can not be directly seen or measured. They also view the brain as an “information processor”, similar to a computer. Input from our senses is transformed, reduced, elaborated, stored, recovered, and used.

Strengths of Cognitive Psychology This is a very scientific approach. Cognitive psychologists carry out controlled investigations in laboratory settings. Cognitive psychology has many useful applications, for example disorders such as depression are explained using “faulty thought patterns”. Criticism of Cognitive Psychology The approach has been criticised for comparing the human mind to a computer. Computers don’t make mistakes, ignore information or forget things!

What is biological psychology? Researchers who take a biological perspective on psychology might look at how genetics influence different behaviours or how damage to specific areas of the brain influence behaviour and personality. Things like the nervous system, genetics, the brain, the immune system, and the endocrine systems are just a few of the subjects that interest biological psychologists. This perspective has grown significantly over the last few decades, especially with advances in our ability to explore and understand the human brain and nervous system. Tools such as MRI scans and PET scans allow researchers to look at the brain under a variety of conditions. Scientists can now look at the effects of brain damage, drugs, and disease in ways that were simply not possible in the past.

How do biological psychologists explain psychopathology? Biological psychologists believe that disorders have an organic or physical cause. The focus of this approach is on genetics, neurotransmitters, neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, biochemistry etc. For example, in terms of biochemistry – the dopamine hypothesis argues that elevated levels of dopamine are related to symptoms of schizophrenia. The approach argues that mental disorders are related to the physical structure and functioning of the brain. For example, differences in brain structure (abnormalities in the frontal and pre-frontal cortex, enlarged ventricles) have been identified in people with schizophrenia.

Strengths of Biological Psychology This approach had lead to the development of drug therapy for psychological disorders, such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication. Criticism of Biological Psychology Critics argue that we cannot fully understand behaviour by focussing on one small component such as genes or brain structure. This approach does not take into account free will.