How can i work ahead on psychology?

[molllz]

i have not completed units 1/2, what could i do to work ahead on the holidays?

[REBORN]

Learn Research Methods - Chapter 1 Grivas text.

[Camo]

It is vital that you understand research methods so maybe getting into the practice of writing a few ERA's will help as well as understanding consciousness and sleep. I was always a chapter ahead of my classmates so I treated class as revision roughly 2-3 weeks later, allowing me the ability to revise once again.


But yeah just learn research methods if that is all your concerned about.

[jaydee]

get yourself a copy of oxford text if you're using the grivas text (macmillan). definitely think it's worth reading both especially since grivas one has bits and piece missing

[REBORN]

get yourself a copy of oxford text if you're using the grivas text (macmillan). definitely think it's worth reading both especially since grivas one has bits and piece missing

Curious to know what these are. Not questioning you - I did use Oxford too - didn't find much difference though :S

[monkeywantsabanana]

Curious to know what these are. Not questioning you - I did use Oxford too - didn't find much difference though :S

I beg to differ.

Although both text books cover pretty much the same thing, one has it in extreme depth, the other one has it in just one paragraph. The definitions also differ a lot... (critical periods, sensitive periods, allostatic overload/load....etc). If you're a tad bright, I suggest combining the definitions? Make your own.

I also remember reading up on Gambling which one book says it is caused by a lack of dopamine, whilst the other says there's too much..

Always question the textbooks because it is... /surprise surprise/ written by humans.

[REBORN]

Grivas didn't include allostatic load v overload 'cause there's nothing to say except that overload is....too much load. Simple tbh.

And yes critical v sensitive = oxford only. However both books cover the SD in their own way, with Grivas being better overall.

[Camo]

Too much dopamine leads to high addiction to behaviour, low leads to lower levels of addiction.

It is best if your teacher uses a variety of textbooks, there was no mention of critical and sensitive teachers by mine, just sometimes you need to manage your own learning.

[monkeywantsabanana]

Grivas being better overall.

Agreed.

Too much dopamine leads to high addiction to behaviour, low leads to lower levels of addiction.

This is exactly my first understanding... however, in the Oxford text book, it says also " if a person has a reduced level of dopamine in their reward system pathway, then they may look for greater than normal levels of pleasure or reinforcement through behaviours such as gambling."

[Russ]

Both are true. Turns out everything isn't clear cut

[Camo]

Grivas being better overall.

Agreed.

Too much dopamine leads to high addiction to behaviour, low leads to lower levels of addiction.

This is exactly my first understanding... however, in the Oxford text book, it says also " if a person has a reduced level of dopamine in their reward system pathway, then they may look for greater than normal levels of pleasure or reinforcement through behaviours such as gambling."

Sounds dodgy. Hmm, might have to look that up.

How I got taught was that dopamine strengthens behaviour, therefore a lack of it will cause behaviour not to be strengthened.

[jaydee]

i used the grivas book and it was solid for all of unit 3 (except for the fact it didn't have anything on the amygdala which I managed to go over from lectures and additional texts) and for unit 4 grivas doesnt go through the difference between sensitive and critical periods, parts of brain involved in learning isn't set out as clear as oxford and the experience expectant and experience dependent learning too. Grivas textbook is great but it's always handy to have oxford there too ( especially since the chief assessor has written it)

[waleedm]

research methods is it hard

[aaackk]

Learn Research Methods - Chapter 1 Grivas text.

Just a question, how are research methods (and ethics too) relevant to the other chapters in the book? I havent done 1/2 so im a little confused how I would apply my understanding and knowledge of research methods?

[monkeywantsabanana]

You learn a lot about the brain and behaviour of humans and animals and you'll have to learn how to design and carry out the experiments to test your hypothesis as well as adhere to codes and ethics as you're dealing with living organisms.

Section C of each of your Psychology exams will have you create hypothesis(es) and identify variables and discuss depending on the scenario OR an extended response (not necessarily research methods)

If I remember correctly, in the unit of Sleep, you need to know a lot about research methods...EEG, EMG, EOG (don't worry they aren't as hard as they seem)

If you wanna do well in Psychology, learn your research methods really well! I know it's dry, it's monotonous, bland what have you... BUT it's really important! So get your head around it early!