Welcome To Psychology

Welcome to Psychology An Introduction to the A level course …… and what it is really like !

What is it ??? Psychology is the scientific study of behaviour and mental processes (mind)

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Some Psychologists you may have heard of :

Albert Bandura Konrad Lorenz Sigmund Freud Ivan Pavlov B.F Skinner

Psychology is.. 6 different areas of study COGNITIVE INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES ( Abnormal) DEVELOPMENTAL SOCIAL PHYSIOLOGICAL COMPARATIVE

COGNITIVE

Anatomy of Memory Amygdala: emotional memory and memory consolidation Basal ganglia & cerebellum: memory for skills, habits and CC responses Hippocampus: memory recognition, spatial, episodic memory, laying down new declarative long-term memories Thalamus, formation of new memories and working memories Cortical Areas: encoding of factual memories, storage of episodic and semantic memories, skill learning, priming.

Serial Position Effect

COGNITIVE Recall immediately after learning

Recall several hours after learning LTM

Recall from LTM

Recall from Primacy effect – remembering stuff at STM beginning of list better than middle

Recency Effect – remembering stuff at the end of list better than middle

Memory Strategies – Mnemonic devices are strategies to improve memory by organizing information – Method of Loci: ideas are associated with a place or part of a building – Peg-Word system: peg words are associated with ideas (e.g. “one is a bun”) – Word Associations: verbal associations are created for items to be learned – Distinctiveness: making something different from other (eg : Highlighter) – Context :put it into a sentence that makes sense

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES (Abnormal)

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES (Abnormal)

PHYSIOLOGICAL

Stress and the Immune System

• Immune system functioning is impaired by exposure to stress – This immune response leaves a person susceptible to disease

• General Adaptation Syndrome (Selye): – Stage 1: Alarm Reaction – Stage 2: Resistance – Stage 3: Exhaustion

PHYSIOLOGICAL

A.N.S

DEVELOPMENTAL

Experimentation into the development of attachment and love, maternal deprivation

DEVELOPMENTAL

Studies that look at how we learn…

A2 Psychology Choice : Personality development Pro and Anti social behaviour Attraction Sleep and dreaming Animal intelligence Schizophrenia, Depression and Phobias

What does a successful Psychology Student look like? Highly organised with notes Has a “study buddy” Reads the book for fun Completes all set tasks and asks for more! Can work alone & with others Enjoys discussion Has a good memory!

What is involved? Short 6 mark questions 12 mark essays An affinity with statistics Write fast Read the text book & extras

Welcome to Sociology An Introduction to the A level course …… and what it is really like !

What is it ??? Sociology is the systematic study of social groups, and their influence on the lives of others

Some Sociologists you may have heard of :

Emile Durkheim Karl Marx Talcott Parsons George Murdock Max Weber

Sociology is.. 2 divisions

Macro

( study of institutions within society)

Micro

(studies the individual within those groups)

Throughout Sociology we look at the methods of study and research eg : Quantitative and Qualitative methods

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Sociology will help you to help make sense of your own experiences in society. It can give you new ways of seeing the world around you. You will question aspects of it you previously taken for granted. It can provide you with the "tools" to become a better-informed and more socially-aware member of society.

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Sociology is a subject that most people know little about, therefore is often criticised for being "wishy-washy". This is not the case!!! Sociology teaches a number of key skills that will be useful in the work place: place

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Vital Research Skills Assess and evaluate differing viewpoints Interpretation and analytical skills Experience of using theories and research findings to "back-up" your arguments Use of and interpretation of statistics Develop your essay writing and presentation skills

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MICRO

Social roles and status Income and status Class Acquired status and social mobility Social stratification : Power, Prestige and property Social networks, subcultures Social control : religion, The Family, Education and Crime and Deviance

MACRO

Education Has it’s role changed? Class & achievement are they linked ? Ethnicity & achievement are they linked? Gender & educational achievement are they linked? How do pupils respond to education? Social control : Is education linked to the Economy

Emile Durkheim – a Functionalist • The emphasis on values an important feature of functionalism. • All parts consist to enable the society to function as a whole • The body analogy • Functionalism emphasises the unity of society and what its members share, share

Karl Marx – a Conflict theorist • Marx argued that capitalism will produce internal tensions which will lead to its destruction. • The Family ….he argues is “ An institution which allows for inequalities between the sexes and which will continue throughout the generations”

A2 Sociology Religion Crime and Deviance Theory and Methods

What does a successful Sociology Student look like? Highly organised with notes Has a “study buddy” Completes all set tasks and asks for more! Can work alone & with others Enjoys discussion

What is involved? Be positive & happy Short 6 mark questions 12 mark essays Discussion skills Be able to evaluate & criticize Write fast

Were you listening ??? True  or False  1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Sociology slides were blue…………….. Karl Marx is a sociologist……………. Religion is studied in Sociology………. Psychology looks at memory……………. Soc & Psy students need to write fast………….. Emile Durkheim was French…………………. Sigmund Freud looks like this…………….. There are 3 types of sociology…………………. Study buddies are used in social sciences…………….. This is the Greek symbol for Psychology……………