GCSE Psychology Edexcel
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86 topics in 11 modules
βοΈ Topic 1: Development β How did you develop? 10 topics
- Early Brain Development
- The Role of Education and Intelligence
- Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development
- The Four Stages of Cognitive Development
- The Effects of Learning on Development Using Carol Dweck's Mindset Theory
- The Effects of Learning on Development Using Daniel Willingham's Learning Theory
- The Aims, Procedures and Findings (Results and Conclusions)
- Piaget and Inhelder (1956) Three Mountains Task
- Gunderson et al. (2013) Parent Praise to 1-to 3-Year-Olds Predicts Children's Motivational Frameworks 5 Years Later
- Understand Morality Issues in Psychology and the Individual
βοΈ Topic 2: Memory β How does your memory work? 8 topics
- The Structure and Process of Memory and Information Processing
- The Features of Short-Term and Long-Term Memory
- Retrograde and Anterograde Amnesia
- The Active Process of Memory through the Theory of Reconstructive Memory (Bartlett, 1932)
- The Structure and Process of Memory through the Multi-Store Model of Memory (Atkinson and Shiffrin, 1968)
- Bartlett (1932) War of the Ghosts
- Peterson and Peterson (1959) Short-term Retention of Individual Verbal Items
- Reductionism and Holism Debate
βοΈ Topic 3: Psychological problems β How would psychological problems affect you? 11 topics
- The Symptoms and Features According to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)
- The Incidence of Mental Health Problems Changes Over Time
- How Mental Health Problems Affect Individuals and Society
- The Influence of Genes as an Explanation
- The Use of Cognitive Theory as an Explanation of Depression
- The Use of Learning Theory as an Explanation of Addiction
- The Use of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) as a Treatment
- The Use of Drugs as a Treatment
- Depression: Caspi et al. (2003) Influence of Life Stress on Depression
- Addiction: Young (2007) Cognitive Behavior Therapy with Internet Addicts
- The Nature and Nurture Debate
βοΈ Topic 4: The brain and neuropsychology β How does your brain affect you? 7 topics
- The Structure and Function of the Brain
- The Lateralisation of Function in the Hemispheres
- Neurons and Synapses
- The Impact of Neurological Damage on Cognitions and Behaviour
- Damasio et al (1994) The Return of Phineas Gage: Clues About the Brain from the Skull of a Famous Patient
- Sperry (1968) Hemisphere Deconnection and Unity in Conscious Awareness
- How Psychology has Changed Over Time
βοΈ Topic 5: Social influence β How do others affect you? 9 topics
- Obedience, Conformity, Deindividuation, Bystander Effect
- Factors Affecting Bystander Intervention
- Conformity to Majority Influence
- Obedience to Authority Figures
- The Behaviour of Crowds and the Individuals within Them
- Possible Ways to Prevent Blind Obedience to Authority Figures
- Piliavin et al (1969) Good Samaritanism: An Underground Phenomenon?
- Haney, Banks, and Zimbardo (1973) A Study of Prisoners and Guards in a Simulated Prison
- Social and Cultural Issues in Psychology
βοΈ Topic 6: Criminal psychology β Why do people become criminals? 8 topics
- Operant Conditioning (Skinner, 1948)
- Social Learning Theory (Bandura, 1977)
- Biological Explanations of Criminality, Including Personality Types (Eysenck, 1964)
- The Effects of Punishments on Recidivism
- Token Economy Programmes
- Anger-Management Programmes
- Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961) Transmission of Aggression through Imitation of Aggressive Models
- Charlton et al (2000) Children's Playground Behaviour Across Five Years of Broadcast Television
βοΈ Topic 7: The self β What makes you who you are? 10 topics
- The Concepts of the Self and Self-Concept
- Erikson (1959) The Eight Stages of Identity Development
- Baumeister (2008) The Consequence of Belief in Free Will
- The Humanistic Theory of Self
- The Role of Internal and External Influences on the Self and Self-Esteem
- How Personality can be Measured
- Allport (1936) Cardinal, Central and Secondary Personality Traits
- Cattell (1946) 16PF Personality Factor Assessment
- Vohs and Schooler (2008) The Value of Believing in Free Will
- Van Houtte and Jarvis (1995) The Role of Pets in Preadolescent Psychosocial Development
βοΈ Topic 8: Perception β How do you interpret the world around you? 6 topics
- Examples of, and the Reasons for, Monocular and Binocular Depth Cues
- The Direct Theory of Perception (Gibson, 1996)
- Constructivist Theory of Perception (Gregory, 1970)
- Motivation, Expectation, Emotion and Culture
- Haber and Levin (2001) The Independence of Size Perception and Distance Perception
- Carmichael, Hogan and Walter (1932) An Experimental Study on the Effect of Language on the Reproduction of Visually Perceived Form
βοΈ Topic 9: Sleep and dreaming β Why do you need to sleep and dream? 7 topics
- The Functions, Features and Benefits of Sleep
- The Internal and External Influences on Sleep
- Symptoms and Explanations of Sleep Disorders
- Freudian Theory of Dreaming (Freud, 1900)
- Activation Synthesis Theory (Hobson and McCarley, 1977)
- Freud (1909) Little Hans, Analysis of a Phobia in a Five-Year Old Boy
- Siffre (1975) Six Months Alone in a Cave
βοΈ Topic 10: Language, thought and communication β How do you communicate with others? 7 topics
- The Possible Relationship between Language and Thought
- How Thought and Language Structures Affect Views of the World
- How Communication is Different in Humans to Animals
- Examples of Non-Verbal Communication
- Explanations of Non-Verbal Communication
- Yuki et al. (2007) Are the Windows to the Soul the Same in the East and West?
- Boroditsky (2001) Does Language Shape Thought?
βοΈ Topic 11: Research methods β How do you carry out psychological research? 3 topics
- Designing Psychological Research
- Data Analysis
- Issues and Debates
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GCSE Psychology Edexcel Revision Content
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GCSE Psychology Edexcel - Topic 1: Development β How did you develop? - Early Brain Development Content Preview
Topic 1: Development β How did you develop?
Early Brain Development
Early Brain Development
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Neurons, the basic working units of the brain, communicate with each other to transmit information in the nervous system.
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Initially, an infant's brain consists of around 100 billion neurons.
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The development of the brain at the earliest stages involves the formation of synapses.
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From birth to age three (a period of rapid cognitive growth), the number of synapses dramatically increases through a process known as synaptic pruning.
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Experience-dependent growth holds that the formation of synapses and strengthening of neural pathways is influenced by individual experiences and environmental stimuli.
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Right after birth, during sensitive periods, certain experiences will have a greater impact on the development of neural pathways and the brainβs basic functions.
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The term plasticity refers to the brain's ability to change its physical structure and function based on input from the environment.
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Gross motor skills (like crawling and running) and fine motor skills (like grasping objects) develop as different areas of the brain mature.
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The frontal lobes, responsible for higher cognitive functions such as problem-solving and self-control, are one of the last areas to mature.
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Bilingual children show increased grey matter in the areas of the brain associated with language, suggesting that early experiences (such as the acquisition of more than one language) can physically shape the brain.
Recap: Early brain development involves the formation and pruning of synapses, largely based on individual experiences and stimuli. Development during sensitive periods, particularly in infancy, can have a profound impact on an individual's abilities, influencing everything from motor skills to higher cognitive functions.
Question: What term is used to describe the brain's ability to change its physical structure and function based on input from the environment?
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