Psychology: The Study of Human Behaviour (26 Parts)

Synopsis

Introductory programmes on basic topics and issues in pshychology.
1: Covers the nature and practice of psychology, which undertakes to understand, predict, and control or modify individual human behaviour and mental processes. Introduces major perspectives, including the ‘five families’ of the clinincal approach and their sub-divisions into over 300 forms of psychotherapy currently being practised.
2: Demonstrates the importance of sound scientific methodology and the impact of psychological research, and discusses possible consequences if these are not practised. Examines an influential but unsound theory on autism that had tragic impacts on many sufferers and parents and shows police use of ‘cognitive interview techniques’.
3: Introduces basic components of the human nervous system and notes that research is revealing more and more about how it generates and regulates behaviour. Describes neurotransmission and shows how computer imaging helps to understand it.
4: Explores how the brain influences thought, behaviour, culture and environment. Looks at the nature of human mental capacity and the brain’s plasticity and adaptability. Studies separation of functions between the cerebral hemispheres, how the hemispheres intercommunicate, apparent physical differences between male and female brains, and reported gender-related differences in intellectual ability.
5: Examines medical and psychological aspects of sleep, and theories of sleep and dreaming. Shows how sleep, dreams, and body rhythms influence our lives and affect performance. Observes brain activity during dreaming. Evaluates Freud’s psychoanalytic theory of dream interpretation, describes the process of dreaming, and discusses techniques and devices of dream research.
6: Looks at how the brain processes visual information. Looks at the influences of expectations, emotions, illusions and misperceptions and at biological and psychological factors at work in the perception and inhibition of pain.
7: Covers classical and operant conditioning, its applications in behavioural psychology, and how conditioning provides a scientific basis for learning. Includes a 1959 interview with B F Skinner. Shows the principles of operant conditioning used with hyperactive children suffering from attention disorders. Discusses the use of classical conditioning principles in chemotherapy.
8: Coverss theories and research on the nature and workings of memory. Describes what people with memory disturbances experience and identifies research advances in amnesia and Alzheimer’s disease. Looks at eyewitness testimony and explains how the recollections of eyewitnesses can be distorted.
9: Focuses on the idea that both rationality and irrationality influence human thought. Defines reasoning, explains the differences between decision-making and problem-solving, and identifies factors that limit our ability to make sound judgements. Distinguishes deductive from inductive reasoning, explains the problem-solving process, and demonstrate how computers help to both solve problems and develop problem-solving skills.
10: Explains language as a product of learning and environmental influences, describes how it is organised in the brain, and what language disorders caused by brain damage have revealed about the nature of our ability to use and comprehend language. Evaluates research into animal language skills and details the stages of language development in children.
11: Discusses the universality of human emotions and how facial expressions communicate various emotions. Looks at anger and agressive behaviour and dramatically portrays the impact of emotion on performance.
12: Asks why we think, behave and make the choices we do. Considers what motivates individuals in job choice and to try to perform, succeed, and excel. Examines expectancy and self-esteem. Discusses Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
13: Discusses factors that influence people’s warmest feelings towards one another, the nature of love, and what is ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’. Studies gender differences in sexual attitudes, motives, and behaviour, and in expectations of intimacy and closeness. Discusses the exchange theory of interpersonal relations and the impact of norms, relative dependency, and resources in the balance of power in close relationships.
14: Focuses on questions such as ‘how do people get to be the way they are?' and ‘does personality change, and if so, how?'. Examines the practical value of personality theories and evaluates interaction between environment and personality characteristics. Introduces research into the biological foundations of personality.
15: Explains the origins, functions, and pitfalls of intelligence. Asks whether IQ tests measure aptitude or achievement.
16: Describes and critically analyses the work of Piaget and demonstrates children’s developing cognitive skills, looing at how their ability to think, reason, remember, and use language develops. Shows that cognitive development is influenced by cultural factors and depends on emotion and social interaction.
17: Covers the physical, social and psychological changes in the transition from childhood to adulthood. Looks at emotional aspects of adolescence and identifies features of their intellectual and moral development.
18: Delineates Erikson’s psychosocial theory of development and identifies its limitations. Distinguishes child development from adult development, identifies factors that contribute to successful, enjoyable parenthood, and defines retirement as the ‘option years’. Examines transitions of adulthood.
19: First-hand testimony on coping with stress demonstrates how mind and spirit help the immune system fight disease. Discusses Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome, the relationship between stress and physical illness, and strategies for coping with psychological stress. Describes the physical symptoms of stress, distinguishes disease from dis-ease, defines psychoneuroimmunology.
20: Explains what has come to be regarded as the distinction between normal and abnormal and why such working definitions continue to be debated. Studies the nature and causes of psychological disorders, for example investigations into the biochemical nature of the relationship between stress and depression. Also deals with Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the controversy over its approach and its value.
21: Examines the effects of a major psychological disturbance on the lives of the patient, friends and families. Characterises schizophrenia, identifies its signs and symptoms, discusses causes and treatments, and evidences a strong genetic component.
22: Observes a client during psychoanalytic, humanistic and cognitive therapy sessions. The therapists discuss eclectic approaches that combine techniques and suggest how one can select the right therapist.
23: Discusses and evaluates group therapy, family therapy, and self-help groups.
24: Behaviour is influenced by the social roles people play and the norms governing those roles. Looks at the scapegoating theory of prejudice. Shows test groups biased against each other and identifies how they work to reduce that bias. Discusses the fundamental attribution error and defines the self-serving bias. Uses the Zimbardo prison study to demonstrate the power of social roles to influence behaviour.
25: Examines why and how people conform to group pressure, obey authority, or follow their own conscience. Defines conformity, discusses how people view dissent, explains how groups use rewards and punishments to enforce conformity, and describes different types of leaders. Discusses how an individual’s behaviour changes in response to being part of a group and explores the nature and impact of group dynamics.
26: Psychologists examine issues facing psychology, discussing how to view psychology describing their own specialities. They offer insights about what psychology may be expected to contribute to the lives of individuals and to society as a whole.

Language

English

Country

United States

Medium

Video; Videocassette. VHS. col. 26 x 30 min.

Year of production

1990

Availability

Out OF Distribution; 1999 sale: £12.75 (+VAT inc. p&p) each part

Uses

Ages 16 and up.

Subjects

Psychology

Keywords

behavioural psychology; brain; cognitive development; conformity; decision-making; emotional development; facial expressions; gender issues; intelligence; language development; motivation; perception; personality - psychology of personality; problem-solving skills; psychosomatic disorders; psychotherapy; sleep; social psychology; stress - psychological

Sections

Title

What is psychology?

Synopsis

1: Covers the nature and practice of psychology, which undertakes to understand, predict, and control or modify individual human behaviour and mental processes. Introduces major perspectives, including the 'five families' of the clinincal approach and the

Title

Research methods

Synopsis

2: Demonstrates the importance of sound scientific methodology and the impact of psychological research, and discusses possible consequences if these are not practised. Examines an influential but unsound theory on autism that had tragic impacts on many s

Title

Biology of behaviour, The

Synopsis

3: Introduces basic components of the human nervous system and notes that research is revealing more and more about how it generates and regulates behaviour. Describes neurotransmission and shows how computer imaging helps to understand it.

Title

Brain-mind connection, The

Synopsis

4: Explores how the brain influences thought, behaviour, culture and environment. Looks at the nature of human mental capacity and the brain's plasticity and adaptability. Studies separation of functions between the cerebral hemispheres, how the hemispher

Title

Sleep and dreaming

Synopsis

5: Examines medical and psychological aspects of sleep, and theories of sleep and dreaming. Shows how sleep, dreams, and body rhythms influence our lives and affect performance. Observes brain activity during dreaming. Evaluates Freud's psychoanalytic the

Title

Sensation and perception

Synopsis

6: Looks at how the brain processes visual information. Looks at the influences of expectations, emotions, illusions and misperceptions and at biological and psychological factors at work in the perception and inhibition of pain.

Title

Learning

Synopsis

7: Covers classical and operant conditioning, its applications in behavioural psychology, and how conditioning provides a scientific basis for learning. Includes a 1959 interview with B F Skinner. Shows the principles of operant conditioning used with hyp

Title

Memory

Synopsis

8: Coverss theories and research on the nature and workings of memory. Describes what people with memory disturbances experience and identifies research advances in amnesia and Alzheimer's disease. Looks at eyewitness testimony and explains how the recoll

Title

Decision making and problem solving

Synopsis

9: Focuses on the idea that both rationality and irrationality influence human thought. Defines reasoning, explains the differences between decision-making and problem-solving, and identifies factors that limit our ability to make sound judgements. Distin

Title

Language

Synopsis

10: Explains language as a product of learning and environmental influences, describes how it is organised in the brain, and what language disorders caused by brain damage have revealed about the nature of our ability to use and comprehend language. Evalu

Title

Emotion

Synopsis

11: Discusses the universality of human emotions and how facial expressions communicate various emotions. Looks at anger and agressive behaviour and dramatically portrays the impact of emotion on performance.

Title

Motivation3

Synopsis

12: Asks why we think, behave and make the choices we do. Considers what motivates individuals in job choice and to try to perform, succeed, and excel. Examines expectancy and self-esteem. Discusses Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

Title

Gender and relationships

Synopsis

13: Discusses factors that influence people's warmest feelings towards one another, the nature of love, and what is 'normal' or 'abnormal'. Studies gender differences in sexual attitudes, motives, and behaviour, and in expectations of intimacy and closene

Title

Personality 1

Synopsis

14: Focuses on questions such as 'how do people get to be the way they are?' and 'does personality change, and if so, how?'. Examines the practical value of personality theories and evaluates interaction between environment and personality characteristics

Title

Intelligence

Synopsis

15: Explains the origins, functions, and pitfalls of intelligence. Asks whether IQ tests measure aptitude or achievement.

Title

Cognitive development 2

Synopsis

16: Describes and critically analyses the work of Piaget and demonstrates children's developing cognitive skills, looing at how their ability to think, reason, remember, and use language develops. Shows that cognitive development is influenced by cultural

Title

Adolescent development

Synopsis

17: Covers the physical, social and psychological changes in the transition from childhood to adulthood. Looks at emotional aspects of adolescence and identifies features of their intellectual and moral development.

Title

Adult development

Synopsis

18: Delineates Erikson's psychosocial theory of development and identifies its limitations. Distinguishes child development from adult development, identifies factors that contribute to successful, enjoyable parenthood, and defines retirement as the 'opti

Title

Health, stress and coping

Synopsis

19: First-hand testimony on coping with stress demonstrates how mind and spirit help the immune system fight disease. Discusses Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome, the relationship between stress and physical illness, and strategies for coping with psych

Title

What is normal?

Synopsis

20: Explains what has come to be regarded as the distinction between normal and abnormal and why such working definitions continue to be debated. Studies the nature and causes of psychological disorders, for example investigations into the biochemical nat

Title

Psychotic disorders

Synopsis

21: Examines the effects of a major psychological disturbance on the lives of the patient, friends and families. Characterises schizophrenia, identifies its signs and symptoms, discusses causes and treatments, and evidences a strong genetic component.

Title

Approaches to therapy

Synopsis

22: Observes a client during psychoanalytic, humanistic and cognitive therapy sessions. The therapists discuss eclectic approaches that combine techniques and suggest how one can select the right therapist.

Title

Therapy choices

Synopsis

23: Discusses and evaluates group therapy, family therapy, and self-help groups.

Title

Social psychology

Synopsis

24: Behaviour is influenced by the social roles people play and the norms governing those roles. Looks at the scapegoating theory of prejudice. Shows test groups biased against each other and identifies how they work to reduce that bias. Discusses the fun

Title

Conformity, obedience and dissent

Synopsis

25: Examines why and how people conform to group pressure, obey authority, or follow their own conscience. Defines conformity, discusses how people view dissent, explains how groups use rewards and punishments to enforce conformity, and describes differen

Title

Issues in psychology

Synopsis

26: Psychologists examine issues facing psychology, discussing how to view psychology describing their own specialities. They offer insights about what psychology may be expected to contribute to the lives of individuals and to society as a whole.

Production Company

Name

Coast Telecourses

Distributor

Name

Resources in Training & Education Ltd

Contact

Donald Hill, Mark Brady

Email

admin@riteltd.net

Web

http://www.riteltd.net External site opens in new window

Phone

01749 689027

Fax

01749 689027

Address

26 Lower Chapel Court
South Horrington
Wells
Somerset
BA5 3DF

Notes

Probably no longer in business (2009)