Understanding Psychology

Perspectives on Psychology 2001 (38 mins)

This DVD begins by looking at what psychology is, how it differs from common sense and the questions it asks about human behaviour. It then explores some of the areas where psychologists have looked for answers to these questions: in the human brain (biological), the unconscious (psychodynamic) and the environment (behaviourist).

Mental Disorder 2003 (42 mins)

The DVD begins by introducing two case studies: Alison who has depression and Karen who has an anxiety disorder. It goes on to explore the problematic idea of ‘abnormality’ and how mental disorders might be recognised and classified. The major part of he programme is devoted to explaining, illustrating and analysing three psychological perspectives on mental disorders: mental disorder as a disease of the body (biological), as a disease of the mind (cognitive) and as socially defined (social construction).

Experimental Research Methods 2004 (35 mins)

This DVD looks at attractiveness research with young people. What variables affect a person’s perception of another and can it be manipulated? Do the findings remain the same in both laboratory and field experiments? Using materials from the two experiments we explore some of the issues common to all experimental methods: demand characteristics, ethical issues and reductionism. What is the future of experimental methods in Psychology?

Non-Experimental Research Methods 2006 (35 mins)

In Britain alone we send over a billion texts a month. But little is yet known about the psychological effects of the mobile phone. Is it changing the way we relate to each other and if so, is it for better or worse? How can psychologists research these questions? This DVD follows three psychological research projects studying mobile use through questionnaires, semi structured interviews and naturalistic observation. Anchored in real life research it goes on to illustrate some of the advantages and limitations of each method.

Classic Studies in Psychology (Short Cuts) 2007 (40 mins)

A compelling set of bite sized DVDs illustrating five of psychology’s most important studies: The Strange situation, Bandura on Social learning, Elizabeth Loftus on Eye Witness Testimony, Milgram’s experiment on obedience and the Stanford Prison Experiment. This compact DVD features original footage, up to date expert analysis with reinforcing graphics bringing these five major studies to life.
With supporting materials available on the website.

Research in Context (Short Cuts) 2008 (28 mins)

This DVD, which consists of five short videos, has been designed to help with the difficult task of integrating science and research. The idea is to bring to life some of the more abstract and complex issues in research by contextualising them in accessible, easy to understand examples. For instance, we see the cycle of science illustrated with Naughty Teddy’s challenge to Piaget’s theory of conservation, a record producer using descriptive statistics to help him chose between two rival rock bands and we follow a lonely heart dating study to see different types of data meet their ideal pie chart, line graph and bar chart partners.
With supporting materials available on the website.

The BBC Prison Study 2009 (29 mins)

In this accessible and engrossing DVD Alex Haslam and Steve Reicher tell the story of the largest field study in social psychology for over 30 years using original illustrative film from the BBC series. The film is in five sections: Setting Up, Early Days, Conflict and Order, Rise and Fall of the Commune and Conclusions. In four additional sections Haslam and Reicher discuss in more detail some of the core things to emerge from the research: Social identity and its implications, The ethics of the study, Their sources of data
 and Comparisons with the Stanford Prison Study.

Applied Psychology

Eyewitness Testimony 2001 (30 mins)

Eyewitness testimony remains one of the most important sources of evidence in criminal investigations. Even in cases where there is only eyewitness evidence 75% result in a conviction. This DVD explores the reliability of eyewitness testimony and what this can tell us about the nature of memory itself. It also examines the concept of schemas and the nature of constructive memory. Using witnesses' evidence it illustrates the effect of leading questions and planting false information. It concludes by looking at three ways to improve eyewitness testimony: hypnosis, police reconstructions and the cognitive interview.

Day Care 2001 (30 mins)

With an increasing proportion of mothers in full time work the demands for day care has escalated. Located in a day care nursery and looking at the views of parent, carers and psychological experts this DVD discusses some of the possible effects on children. It begins by looking at the concept of attachment and the question of whether periods in day care may be harming children’s development. What does psychological research into the effects of day care on children’s emotional, cognitive and social development tell us? How have ideas about day care changed over time, and what might be done to help parents combine work and child care more effectively.

Stress Management 2001 (30 mins)

Stress has been called the most prevalent disease of modern society: a new epidemic brought about by the pace of modern life and the pressure to succeed in a climate of increasing job insecurity. Stress management is big business. But what do stress counsellors do? How effective are their remedies? And are we becoming a nation of stress addicts? The DVD is divided into three self-standing sections: What is Stress, Stress Management and Addicted to Stress

Eating Disorders 2001 (30 mins)

Although food has never been more plentiful in developed countries, an apparently increasing number of young people don't want to eat, or want to get rid of what they've eaten as quickly as possible. Eating disorders now have one of the highest mortality rates of all psychiatric conditions.
We begin with some brief case studies of anorexics and establish what psychologists mean by an eating disorder. This leads into exploring the main causes of eating disorders, which are located in three self-standing sections:
A biological basis, Thin equals good and Happy Families.

Obedience and Ethics 2001 (30 mins)

Conformity is essential to social life. But behind the familiar order of everyday life lurk some uncomfortable truths. Psychological experiments have shown that our desire to conform can lead us into mistrusting our own experiences, turning a blind eye to the suffering of others, and even inflicting harm on others. But these findings come at a price - the possible harm to those being studied. Should psychologists be doing this type of research? This programme explores some of the key ethical issues arising from psychological research into obedience and conformity. It is divided into three self-standing sections: Obedience, Ethics in Action and Ethics Rule OK?

Bystander Intervention 2009 (25 mins)

A compelling DVD filmed on location in Liverpool using the James Bulger case to illustrate three key approaches to bystander behaviour:
1. Darley & Latane: the bystander effect uses case studies to illuminate the bystander effect, how Darley & Latane illustrated it and how pluralistic ignorance and diffusion of responsibility may be applied to the Bulger case.
2. Piliavins: costs & benefits of intervention looks at the New York subway study and a contemporary British test, the Piliavins cost/benefit model and how these ideas might be applied to non-intervention in the Bulger cases.
3. Levine: social identity: Mark Levine explains his football shirt study, social identity theory and its application to non-intervention in the Bulger case.

Understanding Sociology

Theory and Method 1996 (40 mins)

This DVD has been designed to facilitate understanding of this difficult but essential topic. It demonstrates the major theoretical perspectives from classical sociology, positivism, interpretivism and realism. The link between theory and method and its connection with the concept of sociology as a science is explained in a clear and entertaining way. Case studies and student based research are an integral part of this DVD.
Supporting booklet available on the website.

Making Sense of Sociological Theory 1997 (60 mins)

This DVD is designed to help students understand some of the major theoretical perspectives in Sociology. It explains the role of theory, the distinction between structure and action, and illuminates three of these perspectives (Structural functionalism, Marxism and Interactionism) by looking at their origins, key ideas and showing how they can be applied to case study examples. Whilst grounded in students and teacher’s experiences of education it also contains contributions from leading theorists.
Supporting booklet available on the website.

From Modernity to Postmodernity 1999 (40 mins)

We live in a dramatically changing world described by some as a transition from Modernity to Postmodernity. This DVD provides a clear and entertaining introduction to postmodern theory. It explores the nature of modernity, the case for a postmodern world and the challenge of postmodern theory to sociology. The aim here is to make these issues more accessible by placing them into the context of students' everyday lives.
Supporting booklet available on the website.

Crime and Deviance (Key Issues in Sociology) 2003 (42 mins)

In this DVD we take a journey through time to show how ideas about crime have moved in and out of fashion, how some of the latest strategies of crime prevention go back to the 19th Century and how thinking about crime and deviance is influenced by wider social changes. It is organised around three distinct sociological approaches to crime and deviance: social causes, social construction and social control of crime and deviance. Case study examples help bring this topic to life.
Supporting booklet available on the website.

Families and Households (Key Issues in Sociology) 2005 (39 mins)

Filmed on location, this DVD makes the topic of families more accessible by interweaving key sociological ideas with real people's experiences of family life. It is divided into three inter-connected but self-standing sections: Sociological Approaches to ‘The Family’, Fragmentation and Diversity and Contemporary Approaches to family life. It looks at how changes in families can be linked to changes in wider society and ends up asking if families have a future.
Supporting booklet available on the website.

Doing Sociological Research (Short Cuts) 2007 (40 mins)

This DVD is a compelling set of bite-sized films illustrating sociological research methods in action. It is designed to give teachers the flexibility to integrate illustrative video material into their lessons in whatever way they choose. Research in action, up to date expert analysis and reinforcing graphics helps bring survey research, interviews and observation methods to life.
With supporting materials available on the website.

Core Concepts in Sociology (Short Cuts) 2007 (40 mins)

The Short Cuts package consists of a number of short DVD programmes designed to give teachers the flexibility to integrate illustrative video material into their lessons in whatever way they choose. This compact DVD features three bite-sized films capturing, illustrating and clarifying the key ideas behind these foundational concepts: culture, socialisation and identity.
With supporting materials available on the website.

Researching Health 2010 (30 mins)

In this DVD, research methods are applied to health as we see sociologists using surveys to study health inequalities, interviews to look at smoking in young women and participant observation to explore gym culture. Three programmes on one DVD:

1. Questionnaire Survey: Health Inequalities: This programme shows questionnaire surveys being used to investigate the relationship between social background and health behaviour among young people.
2. Interviews: Women and Smoking: Here we see in-depth interviews being used to explore the meaning of smoking among a sample of young working class mothers.
3. Participant Observation: Get to the Gym: We follow a sociologist using participant observation to investigate the meaning and effects of gym culture.

The Classic Collection

Every so often a book is published that changes the way we look at particular sociological issue. The Classic Collection tells the inside story of some of these seminal works. The authors discuss the book with Steve Taylor, talking about how the study began, how the research was actually done, what they found and what they think of the work today.

Eileen Barker on The Making of a Moonie 1999 (25 mins)

In our interview with Eileen Barker she talks about her 1984 research into the ‘Making of a Moonie’ Here she asked did people choose to become Moonies or were they brainwashed? For her the Moonies also seemed an excellent case study to explore the wider sociological issue of the relationship between the individual and society.
Preview The Making of a Moonie

Stan Cohen on Folk Devils and Moral Panics 1999 (25 mins)

In this DVD Stan Cohen describes his research in a number of seaside resorts, researching newspaper reports, visiting social control agencies in suit and tie and changing to do participant observation research on the beaches in the clubs. He illustrates the distorted media reporting of mods and rockers, the ensuing panic and how this amplified the phenomenon itself by giving the kids a ‘script’ to perform in front of the cameras. In the final section he looks back at the book’s contribution, and particularly at the concept of moral panic.
Preview Folk Devils and Moral Panics

Anthony Giddens on Capitalism & Social Modern Theory 2004 (25 mins)

In this DVD Anthony Giddens talks about how he conceived the project on Capitalism and Modern Social theory, why he chose to examine Marx, Durkheim and Weber and why he centred the work on the genesis and consequence of capitalist society. He then discusses the theoretical basis, key concepts and political sociology of each theorist and considers their continuing relevance to contemporary sociology.
Preview Capitalism & Social Modern Theory

Anne Oakley on Housewife 2005 (25 mins)

In this programme Ann Oakley talks about how she started her research on housework and the opposition she encountered. She goes on to discuss her sampling methods, her interview techniques, the importance of keeping some social distance as well as avoiding leading questions.
Oakley talks about her findings: her surprise at the number of hours women were spending on housework and the isolation and dissatisfaction many of her interviewees were expressing. Finally, she looks back on the book and discusses its relevance today and some of its conclusions.
Preview Housewife

Sue Sharpe on Just Like a Girl 2000 (25 mins)

In this programme Sue Sharpe explains how and why her work came to be focused on working class girls, her shift from quantitative to qualitative methods and her use of content analysis. She discusses the correspondence she found between the images of femininity portrayed in popular culture and the aspirations of the majority of girls she interviewed to leave school as soon as possible, get an office job and settle down to have children. She also talks about her follow-up study 20 years later, where she found a much more cynical attitude to marriage and family but little change in girls’ educational and career aspirations.
Preview Just Like a Girl

Michelle Stanworth on Gender & Schooling 2001 (25 mins)

In the 1970’s the majority of secondary school students were being educated in mixed comprehensives, with girls and boys getting much the same education. But were they? Michelle Stanworth set out to explore this question and her study became a benchmark for feminist approaches to the sociology of education. In the programme she explains why she adopted semi-structured interview methods, how she obtained her quota samples and why interviewees were not fully aware of the purposes of the research. She then discusses her major findings: the gendered nature of teacher-pupil relationships, the greater time given to male pupils and how these differential reactions influenced students’ identities..
Preview Gender & Schooling

Peter Townsend on Poverty in the UK 2003 (25 mins)

It was widely believed that poverty in Britain had been all but eliminated with the construction of the welfare state and post War affluence. But while politicians were telling people they had never had it so good, social scientists were re-discovering poverty. The most influential of these was Peter Townsend, whose study of poverty in the 1960’s and 70’s was one of the most detailed ever undertaken in Britain. In this programme Peter Townsend discusses the background to the study, how he arrived at his concept of poverty and indicators, and his sampling methods. He explains how surprised he was at the extent of poverty in Britain and how much the official figures had under estimated the extent of the problem.
Preview Poverty in the UK

Paul Willis on Learning to Labour 1999 (25 mins)

In this programme Willis talks about how his interest in culture and counter culture led him into exploring working class culture and its reproduction from the inside. He discusses his ethnographic research methods, how he chose his subjects and his relationship with the notorious ‘lads’. Willis argued that the lads he observed were deliberately failing themselves in recognition of the inevitable manual working future that awaited them. In the final section Paul Willis talks about the persistence of counter school cultures in contemporary societies in spite of the drying up of manual labouring jobs
Preview Learning to Labour

Jock Young on The Drugtakers 2001 (25 mins)

The Drugtakers is one of the clearest and most dramatic examples of deviance amplification. In this programme Jock Young discusses what is meant by a ‘sociological approach’ to drug use, the importance of looking at societal reaction and some of the benefits and difficulties of using ethnographic methods. He describes how his research illustrated the ways in which media fantasies about drug use were translated into realities. Young talks about drug taking in contemporary societies and how much worse the problem has become, something anticipated in The Drugtakers.
Preview The Drugtakers

Carolyn Jackson: Lads and Ladettes in School 2009 (25 mins)

What motivates laddish behaviour?
Are girls becoming more laddish?
And, if so, why?
In this DVD Carolyn Jackson talks about the origins, methodologies, findings and the implications of her work for teachers and schools. Lads and Ladettes is an important, contemporary, study that links perfectly into the new AS Specification requirement to relate research methods to education.
Preview Lads and Ladettes in School

Introducing Sociology 2004 (15 mins)

What do you say when your students ask, "What is Sociology"? In this DVD today’s students and lecturers explain what sociology is about, what sociologists do and illustrate how thinking sociologically brings a very different perspective to everyday things like the mobile phone and the security camera.
This DVD is for students just starting sociology and for showing prospective students on Open Days.
Preview Introducing Sociology

Crime and Deviance Channel

The Crime and Deviance Channel has been designed to offer a range of teaching tools (based around four major categories: Text, PowerPoint, Video and Audio resources) that can be integrated into both classroom and VLE-based schemes of work. For an annual subscription of £25 (+VAT) teachers gain access to a wide range of resources designed to bring the topic to life in lively and informative ways. The Channel currently contains over 1 hour of audio and 1 hour of video material, plus extensive text and PowerPoint resources, tailored to the A2 Specification - with more materials being continually added.
Preview The Crime and Deviance Channel

eBooks

AS Sociology For AQA

The second edition of Livesey and Lawson's popular A-level textbook has been completely updated to cover the 2008 AQA AS-Level Sociology Specification and is now available as a digital download.
Go to Ebooks Home Page

GCSE Sociology

This section includes a wide range of eBooks on the following topics:
Crime and Deviance
Family Life
People in Society
Research Methods
Social Inequality
Go to Ebooks Home Page

Health and Social Care

Researching Health (new for level 3) 2008 (25 mins)

This DVD resource makes research methods accessible in a health context.
 It contains three bite sized videos illustrating different aspects of health research: why researchers use a particular method, how to do good questionnaires, interviews and observations and what the advantages and limitations of each method are.
Preview Researching Health

The Social Toddler 2005 (30 mins)

Aimed at those who work with families as well as parents, this 30 minute DVD provides a fascinating insight into the world of the toddler. By untangling the mysteries of why toddlers behave the way they do, parents and carers are better able to respond in ways that avoid conflict and maximise enjoyment. The presenters, Helen and Clive Dorman are child behaviour specialists with over ten years experience bringing academic research into the public domain in a way that is clear for all to understand. Their work is non-patronising, child centred and based on respect, empathy and listening.
Preview The Social Toddler

Philosophy for Children

Philosophy for Children: Thinking Together 2004 (35 mins)

This exciting video tells how teachers at a primary school in east London came to use the Philosophy for Children programme right across the curriculum with children from years one to six creating communities of enquiry in every classroom. It explains the P4C approach and demonstrates the significant impact of this on children’s emotional and social development as well as improving their verbal reasoning and critical thinking.
Preview Thinking Together, Philosophy for Children

Philosophy for Children: Trainer Pack 2004 (35 mins)

The Thinking Together Trainer Pack is a 3-DVD box set which includes the original Thinking Together DVD as well as two full-length enquiries lasting 60 minutes each. These enquiries were filmed at Gallions Primary School in east London in February 2006 with a Year 2 and Year 6 class and you will see teachers using the Philosophy for Children (P4C) approach to shape communities of enquiry in their classrooms.
Preview Philosophy for Children Thinking Together Trainer Pack

Sports Studies

Skills Classification Coaching and Practice (Short Cuts) 2008 (40 mins)

Following the success of the original Skills Classification, Coaching and Practice DVD, here we see it updated for 2008 into three bite sized DVDs. Filmed at a leading PE Department this video uses clear explanatory graphics and practical, sports-based illustrations to demonstrate the following key criteria: What is Skill? Skills Classification, and Training and Practice.
Preview Skills Classification Coaching and Practice

Theories of Learning 2006 (25 mins)

This DVD uses a number of practical examples to explore four key psychological theories and their application to learning sporting skills: Social Learning Theory, Operant Conditioning, Cognitive Theory and Schema and Skills Transition.
Preview Theories of Learning

Business Studies

Enterprise and Entrepreneurs 2008 (40 mins)

This DVD focuses on enterprise and developing business plans. It brings the topic to life by introducing a range of entrepreneurs from the inventor who's just getting started to those who have already made their mark. Entrepreneurs, advisors and government agencies give an insight into the purpose and contents of business plans as well as their views on their importance. It is divided into four bit sized DVDs: Motives ad traits of entrepreneurs, Risks and Rewards, Developing Business Plans and Sources of Support ant Guidance.
Preview Enterprise and Entrepreneurs

History

The Origins of WW1 and WW11 2008 (25 mins)

This DVD shows key moments from 20th century History brought to life with original footage and clear, accessible commentary. It is divided into three sections: the Origins of World War 1, Versailles and the League of Nations and The Rise of Germany.
Preview The Origins of WW1 and WW11

Critical Thinking

Assumptions (2009)

Part 1: Key ideas: This section uses a number of accessible examples to illustrate what we mean by assumptions, how we find them and use the negative test, and how finding them can help to illuminate arguments.
Part 2: Case Study: Students are asked to test their Critical Thinking skills by looking for the assumptions in a location based film and studio discussion on the rise in binge drinking amongst girls.
Part 3: Analysis: Critical Thinking author and former Chief Examiner Dr. Roy van den Brink Budgen gives his analysis of the case study and provides follow up support material.
Preview Assumptions

Credibility (2009)

Part 1: Key ideas: This section explores the concept of credibility and illustrates the key criteria of motive, bias, vested interest, neutrality, ability to perceive and expertise.
Part 2: Case Study: A reconstruction of a famous murder case from the 1920s is used to provide the material for students to evaluate the credibility of the evidence that was used.
Part 3: Analysis: Dr. Roy van den Brink Budgen provides his analysis of the case study and follow up support material.
Preview Credibility

Evidence in Argument (2009)

Part 1 Key ideas: This section illustrates the meaning and significance of evidence and the presentation of evidence in numbers, percentages, rates and over time.
Part 2: Case Study: The case against zoos is used to give students the opportunity to evaluate and question how evidence is being used to support the arguments being made.
Part 3: Analysis:Dr. Roy van den Brink Budgen provides his analysis of the case study and follow up support material.
Preview Evidence in Argument

Bumper Pack (2009)

The Critical Thinking Bumper Pack combines Assumptions, Credibility and Evidence in Argument at a greatly reduced price.
Preview 3-DVD Bumper Pack

Religious Studies

Sex and Ethics (2009)

Sex and Ethics, written and directed by Joe Jenkins, has been designed to provide teachers with a range of video materials for lessons on sexual ethics. The complete package consists of nearly 90 minutes of video material split into four self-contained films that give teachers a flexible way of integrating video material into their lessons.
Film 1: Natural Law: This first film provides a brief but informative “history of sex” – from the thoughts of Aristotle and Aquinas to the ground-breaking work of Kinsey – that examines the ethical theories that have dominated sexual ethics for the past two millennia…
Film 2: Situation Ethics: This second film examines questions of love and sex in the context of Joseph Fletcher’s groundbreaking “Situation Ethics” (1966).
Film 3: Utilitarianism: This third film looks at contemporary ideas about sexual freedom in modern societies, exploring ideas about relativistic values (“If it feels good, just do it”) and their relationship to the greatest good for the greatest number of people. The film also explores the question of ethical decision-making – are the consequences of people’s choices all that really matter?
Film 4: Kant and Sex: The fourth film explores and applies Kant’s ideas about rationality and morality to consider the question of whether or not sex involves intrinsically manipulative behaviour.
The DVD includes a range of teaching resources designed to accompany and complement the teaching and learning process.. These include questions, exercises and discussion pieces.
Preview Sex and Ethics

Please Note: Some of these DVDs contain exam advice which is reflected in the running times.