ISSUES AND DEBATES

APPROACHES IN PSYCHOLOGY Section A: Approaches in psychology Learning approach: the behaviourist approach, including classical conditioning and Pavlov’s research, operant conditioning, types of reinforcement and Skinner’s research. Learning approach: social learning theory including imitation, identification, modelling, vicarious reinforcement, the role of mediational processes and Bandura’s research. The cognitive approach: the study of internal mental processes, the role of schema, the use of theoretical and computer models to explain mental processes; the emergence of cognitive neuroscience. The biological approach: the influence of genes, biological structures and neurochemistry on behaviour; genotype and phenotype, genetic basis of behaviour, evolution and behaviour. ISSUES AND DEBATES IN PSYCHOLOGY Section B: Issues and debates in psychology Free will and determinism: hard and soft determinism: biological and environmental determinism; the scientific emphasis on causal explanations. The nature-nurture debate: the relative importance of heredity and environment in determining behaviour; an interactionist approach. Holism and reductionism: levels of explanation in psychology; biological reductionism and stimulus response (environmental) reductionism. Psychology and science: objectivity and the empirical method; replicability and falsifiability; theory construction and hypothesis testing. APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY: WORK AND THE INDIVIDUAL Section C: Applied psychology: work and the individual Group processes and individuals: social facilitation, social loafing; group decision-making: group polarisation, risky shift and groupthink; group membership effects: deindividuation and social identity theory, including in-group favouritism and out-group bias. Communication at work: non-verbal communication, including eye contact, facial expression and personal space; cultural universals in facial expression and cultural differences in personal space; effects of e-mail communication: lack of non-verbal cues, egocentrism and feedback. Job motivation and satisfaction: need theory, expectancy theory, goal-setting theory; job characteristics and well-being (Warr). Workplace stress: the effects of workload and control; the job demands-resources (J D-R) model.