Units 1&2 Transition Program for 2014 VCE Psychology Units 1&2 Transition Program for 2014

What is Psychology Psychology is a systematic study of behaviour and mental processes including perception, cognition and emotion Structured & Organised Visible action, talking, covert behaviours Mental processes of organising sensation into meaningful patterns State of physiological arousal, changes in facial expression, adaptive behaviour Thinking, knowing, processing information

The Goals of Psychology Describe Try to describe how people think, feel and act in a given situation. Explain Try to understand why people think, feel and act in the way they do. Predict Try to estimate when, where and under what circumstances this behaviour will occur Control Try to influence the behaviour

Why Study Psychology Psychology is a fascinating science concerned with the study of the mind and behaviour. It has links with a variety of disciplines such as the biological, computer and forensic sciences, as well as with the humanities such as sociology, philosophy and literature.

Why Study Psychology The common factor linking people who study psychology is curiosity and the search for knowledge.

Psychology is Exciting ! Is there a relationship between psychological disorders and brain biochemistry? Why do people dream? Can one person possess two or more distinct personalities at the same time? What are the physiological responses to stress?

Psychology is Challenging Does psychotherapy help people overcome psychological problems such as depression and anxiety? Can we change people's attitudes? Can the study of cognitive disorders inform our understanding of normal cognition?

Psychology is Useful Psychology has a broad range of real world applications in everyday life, ranging from stress, health, mental illness, education, artificial intelligence and human-machine interaction, to personal development, social interaction and the environment, to name but a few.

Psychology and Careers There are a large number of careers in psychology, but the skills you learn will also readily transfer to many other careers. These skills include oral and written communication, computer literacy, numeracy, problem-solving and the ability to carry out independent research.

Activity: Psychological Myths As a class discuss the following statements and based on your knowledge or personal experience decide whether each is true or false

Answer - True or False? A person with schizophrenia has a split personality. FALSE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2atzoaA2NI Schizophrenia literally means "a split mind," and this may be where the misconception of split personality took root. Eugen Bleuler, a Swiss psychiatrist, first used the term in 1911 to describe patients whose thought processes seemed disconnected. Contrary to popular belief, it does not involve a "Jekyll-and-Hyde" type of split personality. Instead, it means that all the attributes that go into the makeup of the human personality - logical thinking, feelings and expression, perception, and relating to others - become separated from one another.

By feeling peoples’ faces, blind people who have never seen can visualise how they look in their minds. FALSE How people show that they are happy depends on their culture and upbringing.

True or false Some people never dream. FALSE

The best way to ensure that a desired behaviour will persist after training is completed is to reward the behaviour every single time it occurs during training. FALSE

All newborn babies form an emotional attachment to their mothers. FALSE

The high correlation between parenting styles and particular behaviours in children proves that parenting styles cause these behaviours. FALSE

Punishment is the most effective way to encourage ‘good’ behaviour in children. FALSE Hypochondriacs are people who pretend to be sick.

Most people would not intentionally harm another person even when directed to do so by an authority figure. FALSE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcvSNg0HZwk

Hypnosis can help people remember things they have forgotten. FALSE

What Will You Study? Unit 1: Introduction Unit 2: Self & Others AOS 1: What is Psychology? AOS 2: Lifespan Psychology Unit 2: Self & Others AOS 1: Interpersonal & group behaviour AOS 2: Personality and Intelligence

Assessment Tasks: Research investigation Test Essay Oral Presentation Debate Data Analysis Evaluation of Research Media Response Visual Presentation eg: poster, concept map Folio of practical activities

Holiday Work Read & Summarise Unit 1- chapter 1 “Intro to Psychology” & complete the chapter review at the end of the chapter. Text: Psychology for the VCE student Units 1 & 2. J Grivas & L Carter 5TH EDITION Notes must be comprehensive & typed on word. Find out how to use the electronics of the text Other tasks outlined on pg 4 of booklet.

Suggested Workbook set up Theory – notes Review questions ERA’s – experiment write up Chapter summaries Assessment tasks