Gross Guides to Psychology: AQA (A) A2

Summary:
Use this stripped down guide to make sense of the specification one chunk at a time. Whether you learn visually, take lots of notes, or like to set up study sessions with friends, you are not alone in finding Psychology a big and complicated subject! That's why we've created this colourful, topic-by-topic reminder of:
- Headline factual knowledge you need to get basic marks: have you covered it all?
- Evaluation summaries: check you know enough for the big marks!
- Psychology as a science: how do topics fit together for top grades?

• One spread, one topic, every topic on the spec.
• Visually stimulating, colourful presentation designed to help info stick.
• Gross plus Examiner for the board you are studying - a combination you can trust.
• Use as spec guide, use for revision, use to identify areas of weakness.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Biological rhythms and sleep
Biological rhythms
Disruption of biological rhythms and the nature of sleep
Evolutionary and restoration explanations of sleep
Explanations for insomnia, sleepwalking and narcolepsy
Chapter 2: Perception
Gregory and Gibson's theories
Development of perceptual abilities and infant and cross-cultural research
Bruce and Young's theory of face recognition
Studies and explanations of prosopagnosia
Chapter 3: Relationships
Formation, maintenance and dissolution of relationships
The relationship between sexual selection and human reproductive behaviour
Sexual differences in parental investment
The effect of childhood on adult relationships
Chapter 4: Aggression
Social psychological theories of aggression and institutional aggression
Neural, hormonal and genetic factors in aggression
Evolutionary explanations including infidelity and jealousy
Evolutionary explanations of group display
Chapter 5: Eating behaviour
Factors influencing attitudes to food and eating and explanations for dieting success or failure
Neural mechanisms and evolutionary explanations of food preferences
Psychological explanations of obesity
Biological explanations of obesity
Chapter 6: Gender
Kohlberg's theory and gender schema theory
The role of hormones and genes and evolutionary explanations
Biosocial approach and gender dysphoria
Social and cultural influences on gender role
Chapter 7: Intelligence
Psychometric and information processing theories
Simple learning in animals and intelligence in non-human animals
Evolutionary factors in human intelligence
Genetic and environmental factors in IQ test performance
Chapter 8: Cognition and development
Piaget and Vygotsky's theories and their application to education
Kohlberg's theory of morality
Development of the child's sense of self and understanding of others
Biological explanations of social cognition
Chapter 9: Psychopathology
Schizophrenia
Depression
Phobic disorders
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
Chapter 10: Media psychology
Explanations of social influences and pro- and anti-social behaviour
Hovland-Yale and the Elaboration Likelihood model
Social, psychological and evolutionary explanations of the attractiveness of celebrity
Research into intense fandom
Chapter 11: The psychology of addictive behaviour
Models of addictive behaviour
The application of models of addiction to smoking and gambling
Risk factors in the development of addiction and media influences on addictive behaviour
Theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and types of intervention and their effectiveness
Chapter 12: Anomalistic psychology
Pseudoscience and the scientific status of parapsychology
Coincidence and probability judgements
Personality factors and explanations for superstition and magical thinking
Explanations and research concerning psychic healing, OBEs and NDEs and psychic mediumship
Chapter 13: Psychological research and scientific method
The application of scientific method in psychology
Designing psychological investigations
Data analysis and reporting on investigations
Chapter 14: Exam guidance
Making the most of examinations
Preparing for examinations

About the Author(s):
Jean-Marc Lawton is a Senior Examiner at AS and A2 for a major awarding body, and has been teaching Psychology for over 20 years. He has written several textbooks, revision and unit guides and makes regular contributions to 'Psychology Review'. Jean-Marc also delivers revision conferences and teacher support sessions on both AS and A2 Psychology units.

Richard Gross is the leading author in Psychology publishing in the UK. His bestselling titles include 'Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behaviour', 'Key Studies in Psychology' and 'Themes, Issues and Debates in Psychology'.

Readership:
A-Level