Stage 1 and 2 Psychology Levels of Explanation

2 Aspects of Importance (4) knowledge and understanding; application to social issues and/or personal growth; methods of investigation; ethical issues.

3 Levels of Explanation (4) Biological processes Basic psychological processes Person enacting the behaviour Socio-cultural processes

4 Framework (two dimensions) Levels (4) knowledgeapplicationmethodsethics biological basic processes person socio- cultural Aspects of Importance (4)

5 Levels of Explanation Biological level explanations Stimulus/response Drugs Hormones Nerve damage

6 Levels of Explanation Basic processes level explanations Psychological processes that are universal (or at least very widespread) across humans –Cognition (memory and thinking) –Learning

7 Levels of Explanation Person level explanations individual differences in behaviour

8 Levels of Explanation Socio-cultural level explanations influence other people exert on behaviour; behaviour in social and cultural contexts

9 Human Behaviour Biological factors –Brain activity –Drug effects Basic Processes –Attention –Perception –Word finding Person characteristics –Intelligence –Personality Social and cultural context –Audience number and identity –Social meaning of interaction

10 Tasks Advertising is based on psychological processes View the advertisements, bearing the 4 levels of explanation of behaviour in mind

11 Task What physiological responses might this ad stimulate? (Biological bases of behaviour) How memorable is this ad likely to be? (Basic processes) What type of person is this ad targeting? (Person characteristics) Would this ad offend any groups of people? (Socio-cultural factors)

End Session Prepared by Drs. Julie Robinson and Carla Litchfield, and the Psychology Subject Advisory Committee. Copyright SACE Board of South Australia.