Task 15: Are you studying the correct topics? Devise a study plan
Quick overview of the Alison syllabus.
You should review your progress and check you are studying the correct topics.
Also note which topics you have not studied yet and maybe devise yourself a study plan.
Really, the bare minimum is 10 hours of study.
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Module One - Biology and Behaviour Classical conditioning
This course covers classical conditioning, also known as respondent or Pavlovian conditioning.
Topics in this module:
Classical (respondent or Pavlovian) conditioning Ethical issues in conditioning human behaviour Key terms in classical conditioning
The main elements in classical conditioning
Operant conditioning
This course covers topics in operant conditioning such as learning, punishment, and operant conditioning in practice.
Topics in this module:
Operant (instrumental) conditioning Learning: schedules of reinforcement Punishment (including negative effects of punishment) and ways to maximise effectiveness
Elements in operant conditioning Operant conditioning in practice Comparison of classical conditioning and operant conditioning
Learning theory
Topics in this module:
Introduction to learning theory Learning by insight Learning set
States of consciousness
This course covers topics related to states of consciousness such as waking consciousness, sleep, dreams, and sleep deprivation.
Topics in this module:
Altered States of Consciousness: Measurement of Physiological Responses Altered States of Consciousness: Measurement of Heart Rate The ways to study sleep As sleep progresses Characteristics and patterns of stages of sleep Stages of sleep one to four Effects of sleep deprivation Sleep disorders Types of dreams States of consciousness Definition of consciousness Streams of consciousness Characteristics of normal waking consciousness High level and lower level awareness Controlled Processes Automatic Processes Daydreaming Common characteristics of altered states of consciousness Disturbed time sense Description of pain Purpose of sleep
The biological basis for behaviour
This course covers topics related to anatomy and function of the nervous system such as the cerebral hemispheres, the spinal cord, somatic and automatic nervous systems, and the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
Topics in this module:
Biological bases of behaviour The structure of the cerebral cortex Cerebral hemispheres: corpus callosum Cerebral hemispheres: the functions of the four lobes Cerebral hemispheres: parietal lobe Cerebral hemispheres: occipital lobe Temporal Lobe Hemispheric specialisation Hemispheric specialisation Functions of the spinal cord Distinction between sensory and motor neuron activity Somatic and automatic nervous system Sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions
Stress
This course covers physiological and psychological affects of prolonged exposure to arousal states such as stress.
Topics in this module:
Physiological and psychological effects of prolonged or intense arousal The relationship between stress and disease
Module Two - Memory and Cognition
Visual perception
This course covers topics in visual perception such as how light is focused on the retina, factors that affect visual perception, depth perception, and monocular and binocular depth perception.
Topics in this module:
Visual perception The Way in Which Light is Detected and Focused on the Retina Rods Psychological factors Factors that affect visual perception Gestalt Principles Depth perception Binocular depth cue Monocular depth cues Visual constancies Alcohol Old age Old age continued
Visual Illusions
This course covers topics related to visual illusion such as the Muller-Lyer illusion, the Moon illusion, and the Ames room.
Topics in this module:
Fallibility of perception as demonstrated by visual illusions Muller-Lyer illusion Ames-room Ponzo Moon illusion
Enhancing retrieval and memory
This course covers topics associated with memory such as mnemonics, acronyms, acrostics, narrative chaining, and the peg word method.
Topics in this module:
Mnemonic devices which use imagery, rehearsal or association Memory: method of loci Memory: peg word method
Memory: narrative chaining Memory: acrostics Memory: acronyms
Memory
This course covers aspects of memory such as encoding, storage, and retrieval, and how to measure retention.
Topics in this module:
Memory Memory: encoding, storage and retrieval Measures of retention: recall, recognition, relearning
Memory revision crossword
This course is an interactive game to revise the topic of memory .
Topics in this module:
Memory and rhymes
Sensory, short term and long term memory
This course covers topics in memory such as sensory, short-term and long-term memory, the semantic netwrok theory, the serial position effect, and maintenance and elaborative rehearsal.
Topics in this module:
The relationship between and properties of sensory memory, short-term memory and long term memory Memory: maintenance and elaborative rehearsal Memory: the semantic network theory Memory: the serial position effect
Theories on forgetting
This course covers topics associated with forgetting such as Ebbinghaus and the Forgetting curve, amnesia and Alzheimer's disease.
Topics in this module:
Memory: Ebbinghaus and the forgetting curve Organic causes of forgetting
Module Three - Research Methodology
Research methods in Psychology This course covers topics associated with research methods such as participant selection and allocation, the placebo effect, controlof extraneous variables, hyoptheses, inferring from data, correlation, and consent procedures.
Topics in this module:
Research methods in Psychology
Participant selection: random and stratified sampling Participation allocation: control and experimental groups Placebo effect and experimenter effect: single-blind and double-blind procedure Ways to minimise the effects of extraneous variables; a brief overview of three experimental designs Definition of operational hypothesis Inferring from data; meaning of statistical significance; interpretation of p values Research methods in psychology: appropriateness of conclusions and generalisations based on results obtained Measures of relationship: correlation and strength of correlation Research methods in psychology: scatter diagram Positive correlation Negative correlation Patricipants' rights Psychology and informed consent procedures Psychology and debriefing Research methods in psychology: professional conduct An overview of ethical considerations
Empirical research
This course covers empirical research in psychology and how to write references from journals, books, the Internet, and CD-ROMS.
Topics in this module:
A guide to writing each section of an empirical research activity References References obtained from secondary sources Referencing books Referencing journals Referencing internet web sites Referencing CD-ROMs
You should review your progress and check you are studying the correct topics.
Also note which topics you have not studied yet and maybe devise yourself a study plan.
Really, the bare minimum is 10 hours of study.
--------------------------------
Module One - Biology and Behaviour Classical conditioning
This course covers classical conditioning, also known as respondent or Pavlovian conditioning.
Topics in this module:
Classical (respondent or Pavlovian) conditioning Ethical issues in conditioning human behaviour Key terms in classical conditioning
The main elements in classical conditioning
Operant conditioning
This course covers topics in operant conditioning such as learning, punishment, and operant conditioning in practice.
Topics in this module:
Operant (instrumental) conditioning Learning: schedules of reinforcement Punishment (including negative effects of punishment) and ways to maximise effectiveness
Elements in operant conditioning Operant conditioning in practice Comparison of classical conditioning and operant conditioning
Learning theory
Topics in this module:
Introduction to learning theory Learning by insight Learning set
States of consciousness
This course covers topics related to states of consciousness such as waking consciousness, sleep, dreams, and sleep deprivation.
Topics in this module:
Altered States of Consciousness: Measurement of Physiological Responses Altered States of Consciousness: Measurement of Heart Rate The ways to study sleep As sleep progresses Characteristics and patterns of stages of sleep Stages of sleep one to four Effects of sleep deprivation Sleep disorders Types of dreams States of consciousness Definition of consciousness Streams of consciousness Characteristics of normal waking consciousness High level and lower level awareness Controlled Processes Automatic Processes Daydreaming Common characteristics of altered states of consciousness Disturbed time sense Description of pain Purpose of sleep
The biological basis for behaviour
This course covers topics related to anatomy and function of the nervous system such as the cerebral hemispheres, the spinal cord, somatic and automatic nervous systems, and the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
Topics in this module:
Biological bases of behaviour The structure of the cerebral cortex Cerebral hemispheres: corpus callosum Cerebral hemispheres: the functions of the four lobes Cerebral hemispheres: parietal lobe Cerebral hemispheres: occipital lobe Temporal Lobe Hemispheric specialisation Hemispheric specialisation Functions of the spinal cord Distinction between sensory and motor neuron activity Somatic and automatic nervous system Sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions
Stress
This course covers physiological and psychological affects of prolonged exposure to arousal states such as stress.
Topics in this module:
Physiological and psychological effects of prolonged or intense arousal The relationship between stress and disease
Module Two - Memory and Cognition
Visual perception
This course covers topics in visual perception such as how light is focused on the retina, factors that affect visual perception, depth perception, and monocular and binocular depth perception.
Topics in this module:
Visual perception The Way in Which Light is Detected and Focused on the Retina Rods Psychological factors Factors that affect visual perception Gestalt Principles Depth perception Binocular depth cue Monocular depth cues Visual constancies Alcohol Old age Old age continued
Visual Illusions
This course covers topics related to visual illusion such as the Muller-Lyer illusion, the Moon illusion, and the Ames room.
Topics in this module:
Fallibility of perception as demonstrated by visual illusions Muller-Lyer illusion Ames-room Ponzo Moon illusion
Enhancing retrieval and memory
This course covers topics associated with memory such as mnemonics, acronyms, acrostics, narrative chaining, and the peg word method.
Topics in this module:
Mnemonic devices which use imagery, rehearsal or association Memory: method of loci Memory: peg word method
Memory: narrative chaining Memory: acrostics Memory: acronyms
Memory
This course covers aspects of memory such as encoding, storage, and retrieval, and how to measure retention.
Topics in this module:
Memory Memory: encoding, storage and retrieval Measures of retention: recall, recognition, relearning
Memory revision crossword
This course is an interactive game to revise the topic of memory .
Topics in this module:
Memory and rhymes
Sensory, short term and long term memory
This course covers topics in memory such as sensory, short-term and long-term memory, the semantic netwrok theory, the serial position effect, and maintenance and elaborative rehearsal.
Topics in this module:
The relationship between and properties of sensory memory, short-term memory and long term memory Memory: maintenance and elaborative rehearsal Memory: the semantic network theory Memory: the serial position effect
Theories on forgetting
This course covers topics associated with forgetting such as Ebbinghaus and the Forgetting curve, amnesia and Alzheimer's disease.
Topics in this module:
Memory: Ebbinghaus and the forgetting curve Organic causes of forgetting
Module Three - Research Methodology
Research methods in Psychology This course covers topics associated with research methods such as participant selection and allocation, the placebo effect, controlof extraneous variables, hyoptheses, inferring from data, correlation, and consent procedures.
Topics in this module:
Research methods in Psychology
Participant selection: random and stratified sampling Participation allocation: control and experimental groups Placebo effect and experimenter effect: single-blind and double-blind procedure Ways to minimise the effects of extraneous variables; a brief overview of three experimental designs Definition of operational hypothesis Inferring from data; meaning of statistical significance; interpretation of p values Research methods in psychology: appropriateness of conclusions and generalisations based on results obtained Measures of relationship: correlation and strength of correlation Research methods in psychology: scatter diagram Positive correlation Negative correlation Patricipants' rights Psychology and informed consent procedures Psychology and debriefing Research methods in psychology: professional conduct An overview of ethical considerations
Empirical research
This course covers empirical research in psychology and how to write references from journals, books, the Internet, and CD-ROMS.
Topics in this module:
A guide to writing each section of an empirical research activity References References obtained from secondary sources Referencing books Referencing journals Referencing internet web sites Referencing CD-ROMs