E-Book Overview
This revision guide provides concise coverage of the central topics within Biological Psychology, presented within a framework designed to help you focus on assessment and exams, and matching the requirements of the BPS.
The text is organised so that the basic principles are outlined first and then expanded upon with a consideration of higher order functions. Revision of the basic principles from the early chapters is revisited in later chapters in the context of higher order psychological functioning. Sample questions, assessment advice and exam tips drive the organisation within chapters so you are able to grasp and marshal your thoughts towards revision of the main topics. Features focused on critical thinking, practical applications and key research will offer additional pointers for you in your revision process/exam preparation.
A companion website provides supporting resources for self testing, exam practice, answers to questions in the book, and links to further resources.
E-Book Content
Psychology
Psychology
The Psychology Express undergraduate revision guide series will help you to understand key concepts quickly, revise effectively and make sure your answers stand out. ‘A great little guide that gives you the main points and encourages further reading . . . it’s concise, clear and open to a variety of abilities.’
Prepare for exams and coursework using sample questions and assessment advice
Make your answer stand out
Q
Sample question
Biological Psychology
Katie Towers, Psychology student at Anglia Ruskin
Essay
Critically evaluate the risks to development during the prenatal period
Maximise your marks and approach exams with confidence
It is really easy to fall into the trap of simply describing a number of teratogens and how they affect human development during the prenatal period. A good answer will remember to take a critical stance, evaluating the impact of the risk for later development and will focus clearly on psychological aspects of development including cognitive, social and emotional. Linking your evaluation to what you know about other periods of development will demonstrate your ability to synthesise the information you have learnt. Evaluating the methodological approaches of any research studies cited will also make your answer stand out.
Quickly grasp key research and methodological issues
KEY STUDY Mattson, S. N., et al. (2010) Toward a neurobehavioral profile of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Alcoholism, Clinical & Expimental Research, 34(9), 1640–50 Excessive prenatal alcohol exposure can result in a number of developmental difficulties including problems with cognitive functioning and behaviour. However not all infants exposed to large amounts of alcohol prenatally go on to develop FAS. A primary goal of recent research is to enable better and quicker diagnosis of problems in alcohol exposed infants to enable more timely interventions. The study by Mattson and colleagues is a good example of recent work which has attempted to use neuropsychological data to develop a battery of tests to identify and differentiate FAS. The researchers were able to distinguish children with FAS from a control group not exposed to alcohol prenatally with 92% accuracy. More importantly they were able to distinguish children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure but without FAS and nonexposed controls with 84.7% accuracy. Overall the neuropsychological test battery was more successful at distinguishing the groups than IQ testing. Measures of executive function and spatial processing were found to be especially sensitive to prenatal alcohol exposure.
Biological Psychology
Use the subject-specific companion website to test your knowledge, try out sample exam quest