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Psych Taster

Psych Taster. Definition. Ψ is the science of Mind Brain Behaviour What’s the difference? Take notes from the discussion. Sciences and social sciences. Particles Atoms Molecules Cells Organisms People Groups Societies. Which end is which? Where does Ψ go?

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Psych Taster

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  1. Psych Taster

  2. Definition • Ψis the science of • Mind • Brain • Behaviour • What’s the difference? • Take notes from the discussion

  3. Sciences and social sciences • Particles • Atoms • Molecules • Cells • Organisms • People • Groups • Societies • Which end is which? • Where does Ψ go? • Where other subjects? • What is Ψ adjacent to?

  4. Depth versus breadth • Particle physics: very deep, very narrow • Sociology: very broad, very shallow Ψranges inbetween. Biological end = a SCIENCE. Social end = a SOCIAL SCIENCE. (Separately, there is a therapeutic offshoot. This is medical but very general, off the edge of SocSci.)

  5. The adjacent subjects • Biology • Ψ: • Physiology, Neuropsychology • (Behavioural) Ψ • (Cognitive / Social) Ψ • Sociology, Politics From this flow of topics, can you guess what each area of Ψfocuses on?

  6. AQA Course (AS) • Two units • Two fixed exams • No coursework • 5 topics + “Research methods” • Sit Unit 1 in January – NB you can’t fall behind and “catch up later” = you will FAIL if you try

  7. Unit 1 • Cognitive Ψ(topic) – mind /memory processes • Developmental Ψ(topic) – development of children • Research methods (techniques, not topic) – how studies in Ψwork / measure / prove outcomes Why do we need to study RM separately?

  8. Unit 2 • Biological Ψ(topic) – how bodily functions affect behaviour • Social Ψ(topic) – interactions in behaviour between people • Individual differences (topic) – identifying the range of human behaviour Which of the 5 topics interests you most? Why?

  9. Top 5 reasons not to choose Ψ • “I would like to read people’s minds.” • “I want to fix my own issues. Argh.” • “I want to help those with mental illness.” • “I want to be a therapist and tell everyone it’s their mother’s fault.” • “I suck at everything else. This must be easier.”

  10. Good reasons to choose Ψ • Very high employment rate for graduates • Good science complement for arts / humanities; good social science for sciences • “In the middle” study = can go in any direction • Modern subject so more tied in to modern life • More people choose it for the wrong reasons – Why is this good, if you’re not one of them? So why might you choose it?

  11. Year overview • Sept – Nov: Unit 1 • Dec: prep for Unit 1 exam • Jan: Unit 1 analysis • Feb – Apr: Unit 2 • May: prep for Unit 2 exam. The exam dates vary so we have to accommodate that. You may be starting Unit 2 before the Unit 1 exam. The Unit 2 exam may be in May.

  12. Some example aims • To prove short-term memory has limited capacity • To prove long-term memory has unlimited duration • To prove children understand other people’s feelings • To test people’s reactions to provocation • To research the range of attitudes to bulimia • To measure the effect of stress hormones on feelings of self-esteem • etc

  13. Try your own APFC In groups, decide a thing you’d like to find out about. • Write an AIM to investigate. How will you find out about / prove this so that others believed you? • Write PROCEDURES for an expt. This is very difficult and will take time and repeated effort and refinement. We won’t manage it now.

  14. Real world psychology Types of conformity – what’s the difference? • Compliance • Identificiation • Internationalisation Police officer, teacher, manager, government minister, social leader, partner, parent – exemplify an interaction of each.

  15. Overview-of-Ψ exercises • Remember: mind, brain and behaviour • Read the following real-world problems • Seek to explain each in terms of only TWO of the above words

  16. “A young man is depressed. One professional advises he takes a low dosage of a medication – called an SSRI – and says this alone will make him happier. Another professional advises he keeps a diary of his feelings, reviews them at meetings with the professional. Both are recognised treatments. What idea underlies the methods of treatment?”

  17. “A high jumper facing a challenge tries to talk herself up to it. She has never beaten this competitor, and would need to beat her personal best to do so this time. She stands at the start of the runway literally talking to herself, aloud. Why is she doing this? What is going on?”

  18. “You remember the moment you nearly died in a car crash when you were younger. A car hit your parents’ car at speed. You have a ‘flashbulb memory’ of seeing it coming in the last second through the side window. More happily, you also vividly remember your fifth birthday. Yet you can’t remember which day you have your PE kit, or when homework is due. What is going on with your memory?”

  19. “A young person has an eating disorder. They know their BMI says they’re underweight, and they know others are concerned. They avoid talking about it. They still feel they themselves are fat. They avoid eating wherever possible. Is this a mind, brain or behaviour problem?”

  20. Questions?

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