Demonstrating Understanding of the Concepts of Psychology

Introduction to PsychologyQuestion 1
The story presented below was written by a Psychology student who was tasked to demonstrate their understanding of the following FIVE concepts:
• external locus of control• fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement• hallucination• Piaget’s accommodation• self-serving biasAlex was a curious young boy who lived in a small village. One day, while exploring the forest, he stumbled upon a strange object. It was a magical crystal that had the power to grant him any wish he desired. Excited by his discovery, Alex wished for unlimited knowledge. The crystal glimmered and granted his wish, but with a catch. The knowledge would only make sense to him if he was able to understand it. From that moment on, Alex's mind started to change. He began to see the world in a different light and was able to understand things that were previously beyond his comprehension. He started to learn about the laws of nature and how things worked (Piaget's accommodation). However, as he continued to learn, Alex realised that his understanding of the world was limited by factors beyond his control. He realised that he couldn't always make things happen the way he wanted them to, no matter how hard he tried (external locus of control). As he continued to use the crystal, Alex found that his knowledge grew at a fixed rate. He learned that if he put in a certain amount of effort, he would always receive the same amount of knowledge in return (fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement). One day, while sitting under a tree, Alex closed his eyes and let his mind wander. Suddenly, he saw strange shapes and colours that seemed to be floating around him (hallucination). The experience was both scary and fascinating, and it made him question what was real and what was not. Despite the challenges he faced, Alex never lost sight of his goal. He always believed that he was capable of understanding the world and that he would be able to find the answers he was looking for (self-serving bias).
Apply your understanding of the FIVE concepts illustrated in the story to address the following questions.
a) At least three of the five concepts are not accurately illustrated in the story. Identify the three concepts and briefly describe why they are not accurately illustrated in the story. [Combined word limit = 150](20 marks) b) Of the three concepts you identified in (a), select any two concepts and re-write or amend the story segment to better illustrate them using the same storyline. [Combined word limit = 150]
Note: Re-write/amend only the portion of the story covering the two concepts. Do not rewrite the entire story(20 marks)

Question 2
a) Amy, a clinical psychologist, is assessing a client, Bob. Bob tells Amy that his wife passed away last year, and that since then he has been talking to her out loud. Bob says that his late wife not only listens to him, but also talks to him, sometimes telling him to do things or accusing him of bad behaviour. Bob states that the things that his late wife says sometimes upset him greatly, and that her presence sometimes affects his ability to concentrate on what he is doing. Based on your understanding of the general indicators of abnormality, discuss whether or not Bob could be diagnosed as having a mental health disorder.(15 marks)
b) After her session with Bob, Amy heads out for lunch with her colleague Rita. Along the way, they notice a crowd nearby. Deciding to investigate, they see that the crowd has gathered around Bob, who is lying on the floor and appears to be having some kind of seizure. Amy initially does nothing, but Rita, a trained paramedic, immediately pushes past the crowd to assist Bob, and Amy soon follows as well. Identify the social psychology phenomenon on display in this scenario, explain why it occurs, and why Rita and Amy stepped in to help.(15 marks)

Question 3
a) Brenda recently gave birth to her first children; a pair of twin boys. When she returned to work after her four months of maternity leave, she was immediately asked to set up a new department in her office, and was given minimal support to do so. Her parents, who live overseas, will be arriving next week to visit the new grandchildren, and will be staying at Brenda’s house. Discuss the sources of stress that Brenda is dealing with.(15 marks)
b) Explain how Brenda can cope with the sources of stress that you have identified in question 3a.(15 marks)


The End.