Psychology

Initial course / subject summaryFirst 4-5 lessons

In this presentation

• Don’t be quiet – ask if needed• Take notes in your own format• Work quickly• Answer if asked directly; volunteer answers if the

question is open• Challenge & criticise one another – reasonably• Be focused on the material at all times

Will we always work like this?

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?

Where other subjects?

What is Ψ adjacent to?

Depth versus breadth

• Particle physics: very deep, very narrow• Sociology: very broad, very shallow

Ψ ranges 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.)

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 Ψ focuses on?

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

Unit 1

• Cognitive Ψ (topic) – mind /memory processes• Developmental Ψ (topic) – development of

children

• Research methods (techniques, not topic) – how studies in Ψ work / measure / prove outcomes

Why do we need to study RM separately?

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?

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.”

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 did you choose it?

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.

Timings

• 12 weeks per unit (3 topics per unit)• = 4 weeks per topic (c 48 textbook pages)– 2 weeks on theory, 1 week on “in everyday life”– 1 week revise-test-review

• but we also need practical time!

i.e. about 30 pages of the textbook / week= realistically, 4 double pages a lesson.

Different forms of notes

You will need separate styles of notes for all of:• general notes (but NB all teacher material online)• specific studies (APFC)• tabulated differences in theories• our own experiments (class or home study)• revision summaries

The distinction must be clear at a glance to the teacher. You can file by topic or type.

APFC?Theoretical(“what they THOUGHT”)

Practical(“what they DID”)

Experimenter creates: Aims Procedures

Participant creates: Conclusions Findings

Aims: I decide what I’m trying to find out aboutProcedures: I decide a way to investigate it, and run the experiment / observation

Findings: what happens as a result of the experiment / what data is observedConclusions: what does this prove about my original question / idea?

Like in any science, you must have• a testable HYPOTHESIS• a CONTROL group

Key to APFC notes / memorising

• Make the APFC sections distinct and clear• Title the page “Author (Date) / Topic”• A / C = 2 lines will usually do• P / F = vary, but can be much longer; in many studies,

one is very simple• It often helps to write PF first, then C, then A

• Date isn’t necessary but will probably impress• MUST include criticisms / counter-crits• References section at back lists locations

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

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. Be precise. Stick with it.

Test your procedures

• With your AIM, your teacher will either have– approved it– told you to change it– let you continue but said there will be problems!

• Now defend your PROCEDURES to class– another group will choose which 2 speak for you– class: point out failures in their design– your other members can redesign as you go

Lessons from designing expts

• Refining an AIM is difficult; must be PRECISE• Procedures are unbelievably COMPLEX!• Criticism should be easy... RANGE of criticism

requires more imagination and intelligence

• Group design is necessary to spot fault• Seek to criticism real studies’ designs

• Design = poor expt = worthless

Methodological / ethical

Methodological problems = “did the study actually do what it says it did?” (we just did this)

Ethical problems = “should the study have been done this way?” (NB subjects / participants)

M probs are always present.E probs are mostly historical – we’re much more limited

now than we used to be.

What would be unacceptable in a Ψ experiment?

Technical glossaries

• Note bold items in the Index

• Make your own “Key words” boxes in notes as you go – they must stand out at a glance

• Definitions CANNOT be inexact – they must be spot-on (or it’s grade E for you)

Review

What is Psychology?Is it a science?

What are the areas of study?Where will it take you in life?

What is APFC?Will our study include practical?

What will my notes include?What are ethics?

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

• You will work alone at first, trying a full written answer (min ½ page of A4 each problem)

• Share ideas in groups; produce joint mindmap• Now improve your full written answer

“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?”

“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?”

“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?”

“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?”

Initial test

All that we’ve talked about relates to the syllabus but is not directly from any unit.

The aim has been to give you an overview of Ψ.

You’ll be asked to review the experience.

Now, in pairs, go back over your notes. You’ll be tested on your update to determine your suitability for the course.

Independent learning task (Pair)

Create a brochure+display combo detailing as fully as possible the nature of the subject for younger students.

Use this PP as a prompt, and research further. Bluff to sound more knowledgeable than you are – but outright wrong = FAIL.

Use clear sections. Create effective, attractive presentation for wall display. COMPETE. WIN.