Practical examples for responses
Tuesday 24 June 2025
A concern of some teachers is how to guide their students to use practical examples, rather than studies, to answer questions. While the previous psychology course required extensive memorization of research details, this course emphasizes an understanding of theories and concepts, allowing for real-life examples to illustrate these concepts. You will be introducing some research, especially when explaining key theories; however, there will be no exam questions asking students directly about study details.
This post provides some examples of anecdotal evidence that can be used in the classroom. Ideally, your students will come up with these themselves as they develop their understanding of a theory or concept, but initially, you may find this helpful. Reliable online news sources can provide more material. Comparing news stories from different providers also allows links to be made to the concepts, especially bias and perspective. Suggestions have also been provided for linking the examples below to different concepts.
Health & well-being
The role of environmental factors in understanding/explaining mental health disorders
MDD: Poverty, poor housing, unemployment, being a victim of bullying, and caring for a sick family member are some of the environmental factors that can account for the development of MDD.
Eating disorders: The media, including social media, are the most obvious examples; however, family dynamics and engagement in sports, particularly ballet and gymnastics, could also be considered.
PTSD: Refugees from war zones, those who have escaped disasters, survivors of domestic violence, and those who have suffered accidents or ill health can all suffer from PTSD. (Link to responsibility.)
Human development
The effectiveness of stage theories and continuous models
Pre-school: Reference to key developmental stages is used to help health visitors and other professionals identify babies and toddlers whose development is delayed. However, continuous development models stress the flexibility of ages at which children develop. Reggio Emilia pre-schools can provide material for thought.
School: Many school curricula are organized by age groups and developmental milestones that students must achieve before advancing to the next level. If these milestones are not met, the child may be held back in their previous grade for up to a year. Would a more flexible, continuous model of education be feasible or beneficial? Montessori mixed-age classrooms could be researched. (Link to measurement.)
Human relationships
The application of social identity theory to explain and change group behavior(s)
SIT can be used to explain team membership, office politics, wearing a uniform, and the development of cliques, in-groups, out-groups, support groups, as well as group bullying and the development of stereotyping. The four stages of SIT provide a foundation for discussing at which point in the development of a social identity an intervention might change group behavior. (Link to concept of bias.)
Learning and cognition
The application of social learning theory to change behavior
SLT is relevant to following a health plan, improving a skill, and learning the norms of behavior at a new school. It is can also explain the role of social media influencers in changing behavior. Many influencers act as role models, changing their followers’ behavior in both positive and negative ways. Students could discuss how vicarious reinforcement acts when we follow influencers online. (Link to concept of change.)
Finally, when students research these topics, they will come across psychological studies, statistics, and other data. Of course, they can use these to support an argument, but they don't need to memorize them in detail; they may just use what is relevant for their purpose.
Upcoming post - more FAQs
The next blog post will look again at frequently asked questions regarding the new curriculum. The queries are coming in fast, mainly about schedule organisation, unit planning and integration of concepts, content and context. Please comment below with any other questions you would like answered.