1
Topic 1
Health and Psychological Wellbeing
Depression, health behaviour and treatment
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Topic 1
Health and Psychological Wellbeing
Depression, health behaviour and treatment
Understanding Mental Health Conditions
Genetic influences on major depressive disorder, neurotransmitter activity, animal-based research, Beck’s cognitive model, schemas, cultural influences, cross-cultural differences, operant conditioning, and social support.
Psychological Factors in Health Problems
Patterns in obesity and smoking, cultural influences on health behaviour, social learning explanations of obesity, and the relationship between cortisol, stress and weight-related outcomes.
Preventing & Treating Psychological Disorders
Drug-based treatment for major depressive disorder and nicotine dependence, biological reductionism in pharmacological approaches, and cognitive behavioural therapy for depression and nicotine addiction.
2
Topic 2
Human Growth and Development
Brain development, cognition, attachment and identity
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Topic 2
Human Growth and Development
Brain development, cognition, attachment and identity
Theories & Processes of Development
Brain maturation, neuroplasticity across development, Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, and the development of theory of mind.
Formation of Identity & the Self
Bowlby’s attachment theory, the consequences of disrupted attachment, enculturation and self-development, social identity and peer influence, and the developmental effects of childhood poverty and exposure to war.
3
Topic 3
Social Behaviour and Relationships
Group behaviour, culture and personal relationships
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Topic 3
Social Behaviour and Relationships
Group behaviour, culture and personal relationships
Behaviour Within Groups
Acculturation and psychological wellbeing, commitment as a compliance technique, conformity in group settings, cultural dimensions, social identity theory, and social learning explanations of group behaviour.
Interpersonal & Romantic Relationships
The role of dopamine in romantic attachment, the matching hypothesis, self-disclosure in relationship formation, and social exchange theory as an explanation of interpersonal relationships.
4
Topic 4
Learning, Thinking and Memory
Bias, conditioning, schema and memory models
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Topic 4
Learning, Thinking and Memory
Bias, conditioning, schema and memory models
Thinking & Learning Processes
Anchoring bias, confirmation bias, classical conditioning, operant conditioning, dual-process approaches to thinking, schema theory, and applications of social learning theory.
Memory & Cognitive Processing
The effects of brain damage on memory, the multi-store model, cognitive load and working memory, comparisons between memory models, cultural influences on memory, spatial memory, cultural schemas, and the effects of computer gaming.
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Topic 5
Psychological Research and Investigation
Research methods, design and evaluation
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Topic 5
Psychological Research and Investigation
Research methods, design and evaluation
Methods Used in Psychological Research
Experimental research, observational methods, surveys and questionnaires, interviews, correlational studies, and case-study approaches.
Designing & Evaluating Research
Reliability, validity, generalisability, researcher and participant bias, reflexivity, transferability, credibility, and different approaches to participant sampling.