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Psychology (1PS0)
11 sections available · 65 chapters available
Free Psychology (1PS0) study notes for Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) students. Each chapter breaks down a key concept with examples and practice prompts you can turn into AI drills in the thinka app.
Paper 1
Paper 2
Topic 1: Development
Early brain development
Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development
Dweck's mindset theory
Willingham's learning theory
Study: Piaget and Inhelder (1956) Three mountains task
Study: Gunderson et al. (2013) parent praise
Issues and debates: morality and the individual
Topic 2: Memory
Structure and process of memory; amnesia
Theory of Reconstructive Memory (Bartlett, 1932)
Multi-store Model of Memory (Atkinson and Shiffrin, 1968)
Study: Bartlett (1932) War of the Ghosts
Study: Peterson and Peterson (1959) short-term retention
Issues and debates: reductionism and holism
Topic 3: Psychological problems
Unipolar depression: symptoms and features (ICD)
Addiction: symptoms and features (ICD)
Incidence over time and effects on individuals and society
Explanations: genes, cognitive theory, learning theory
Treatments: CBT and drugs
Study: Caspi et al. (2003) life stress and depression
Study: Young (2007) CBT with internet addicts
Issues and debates: nature and nurture
Topic 4: The brain and neuropsychology
Structure and function of the brain
Lateralisation of function in the hemispheres
Neurons, synapses and neurotransmitters
Impact of neurological damage on cognition and behaviour
Study: Damasio et al. (1994) The Return of Phineas Gage
Study: Sperry (1968) hemisphere deconnection
Issues and debates: how psychology has changed over time
Topic 5: Social influence
Key terms: obedience, conformity, deindividuation, bystander effect
Factors affecting bystander intervention
Conformity to majority influence
Obedience to authority and preventing blind obedience
Crowd and collective behaviour
Study: Piliavin et al. (1969) Good Samaritanism
Study: Haney, Banks and Zimbardo (1973) simulated prison
Issues and debates: social and cultural issues
Optional Topics 6-7: Criminal psychology and The self
Learning theories of criminality (Skinner, 1948; Bandura, 1977)
Biological explanations, punishment and rehabilitation (Eysenck, 1964)
Study: Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961) imitation of aggressive models
Study: Charlton et al. (2000) playground behaviour and television
Self, self-concept, identity and free will (Lewis; Rogers; Erikson; Baumeister)
Humanistic Theory of Self and trait theories of personality (Maslow; Allport; Cattell)
Study: Vohs and Schooler (2008) believing in free will
Study: Van Houtte and Jarvis (1995) role of pets
Optional Topics 8-9: Perception and Sleep and dreaming
Depth cues, visual illusions and constancies
Theories of perception (Gibson, 1996; Gregory, 1970) and perceptual set
Study: Haber and Levin (2001) size and distance perception
Study: Carmichael, Hogan and Walter (1932) language and visual form
Sleep stages, bodily rhythms and sleep disorders
Theories of dreaming (Freud, 1900; Hobson and McCarley, 1977)
Study: Freud (1909) Little Hans
Study: Siffre (1975) six months alone in a cave
Optional Topic 10: Language, thought and communication
Language and thought (Piaget, 1950; Vygotsky, 1981)
Linguistic relativism and linguistic determinism
Human and animal communication (Aitchison, 1983)
Non-verbal communication and its explanations (Darwin, 1872)
Study: Yuki et al. (2007) eyes and mouth as emotion cues
Study: Boroditsky (2001) language and conceptions of time
Topic 11: Research methods
Variables, controls and hypotheses
Sampling methods
Experimental and research designs
Reliability and validity
Ethical issues in psychological research
Research methods: experiments, interviews, questionnaires, correlation, case study, observation
Data analysis: descriptive statistics and graphs
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