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 PY1 exam - Thursday 8th January
This exam is one hour and fifteen minutes. You will be asked to answer FIVE questions on the four approaches. You will be asked to descibe the assumptions (briefly) and the theory of one approach; you will be asked to explain how the assumptions are APPLIED to the therapy of another approach; you will be asked to explain and evaluate the methods used by a third approach; you will be asked to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the last approach; the final question will ask you to compare two approaches - you should explain how they are similar (possibly by sharing assumptions, methods and evaluation points e.g. reductionist) and you should explain how they are different. Any of the four approaches can appear in any of the first four questions.
 
 Four approaches
 Psychodynamic Approach
   Assumptions
   Theory - Freud's personality theory
   Therapy - Dream analysis
   Methods - Case studies and psychoanalysis (free association)
   Strengths and weaknesses 
 Behaviourist Approach
   Assumptions
   Theory - Bandura's SLT of aggression
   Therapy - Aversion therapy
   Methods - experiments and animal studies
   Strengths and weaknesses 
 Biological Approach
   Assumptions
   Theory - Selye's GAS theory of stress
   Therapy - Psychosurgery
   Methods - invasive (surgery) and non-invasive (scans)
   Strengths and weaknesses
 Cognitive Approach
   Assumptions
   Theory - Attribution theory
   Therapy - REBT
   Methods - Case studies and experiments
   Strengths and weaknesses
 Possible exam questions
 Question 1 - two parts
a. Explain two key assumptions of the .........approach.
b. Describe the theory of the ........approach
 Question 2
Explain how the assumptions of the ..........approach can be applied to one therapy.
 Question 3
a. Evaluate two strengths of the ..............approach.
b. Evaluate two weaknesses of the ...............approach
 Question 4 - two parts
Explain and evaluate the methods used by the .................approach.
Question 5
   Compare the ............approach and the ..............approach in terms of similarities and differences.
 The exam
You will be asked five compulsory questions and you will have one hour and fifteen minutes to answer all five questions.
 
Your answers should be in essay format - you should aim to train yourself to answer each essay in 10 minutes. This gives you time to plan and to re-read your answers and make any additions or changes if necessary.
The Powerpoint slides from the lessons have been simplified and summarised so that you can print them off (remember to click on the handout view or it will use a LOT of paper). You will need to save the link when prompted (otherwise you will open the slides in Powerpoint Viewer only).
Freud overview (pdf file)
Biological approach slides (47 slides) - slides for the method are not included in this presentation. They are saved on the computer at school so I cannot access them but the table we completed in class should contain all of the information that you need.