Explanations for the success and failure of dieting

Psychological explanations for obesity, including restraint theory, disinhibition and the boundary model.

Biological explanations for obesity, including genetic and neural explanations.

Psychological explanations for anorexia: cognitive theory, including distortions and irrational beliefs.

Psychological explanations for anorexia: social learning theory, including modelling, reinforcement and media.

Psychological explanations for anorexia: family systems, including enmeshment, autonomy and control.

Biological explanations for anorexia nervosa, including genetic and neural explanations.

Neural and hormonal mechanisms involved in the control of eating behaviour, including the role of the hypothalamus, ghrelin and leptin

Explanations for food preferences: the role of learning in food preference including social and cultural influences.

Explanations for food preferences: the evolutionary explanation, including reference to neophobia and taste aversion.

Atypical gender development: gender dysphoria; biological and social explanations for gender dysphoria

The influence of culture and media on general roles

Social learning theory as applied to gender development

Psychodynamic explanation of gender development, Freud's psychoanalytic theory, oedipus complex; Electra complex; identification and internalisation

Cognitive explanations of gender development, gender schema theory

Cognitive explanations of gender development. Kohlberg's theory, gender identity, gender stability and gender constancy

Atypical sex chromosome patterns: Klinefelter's syndrome and Turner's syndrome

The role of chromosomes and hormones (testosterone, oestrogen and oxytocin) in sex and gender

Androgyny and measuring androgyny including the Bem Sex Role Inventory

Sex and gender. Sex-role stereotypes

Ethical implications of research studies and theory, including reference to social sensitivity.

Idiographic and nomothetic approaches to psychological investigation.

Holism and reductionism: levels of explanation in psychology. Biological reductionism and environmental (stimulus-response) reductionism.

The nature-nurture debate: the relative importance of heredity and environment in determining behaviour; the interactionist approach.