Jason Cameron

Exam Study Notes

2 min read

3 Disciplines

  1. Anthropology

    • Cultural Anthropology: Studies living cultures, customs, and behaviors.
    • Physical Anthropology: Focuses on human evolution and biological traits.
    • Archaeology: Analyzes ancient cultures through physical artifacts.
    • Ethnography: Examines existing cultures through immersive observation.
    • Key Theories:
      • Cultural Relativism: Avoid judging cultures without context.
      • Cultural Materialism: Societies develop based on practical needs/resources.
      • Feminist Anthropology: Critiques gender roles and power dynamics.

  2. Sociology

    • Studies social life, groups, and interactions.
    • Key Theories:
      • Structural Functionalism: Institutions maintain societal stability.
      • Conflict Theory (Marx): Power imbalances drive societal conflict.
      • Symbolic Interactionism: Meaning derived from social interactions.
      • Feminist Theory: Examines gender inequality.
    • Socialization Agents: Family (primary), peers, media, school (secondary).

  3. Psychology

    • Studies behavior and mental processes.
    • Key Theories:
      • Psychodynamic (Freud): Unconscious drives (Id, Ego, Superego); defense mechanisms (repression, projection).
      • Behaviorism:
        • Classical Conditioning (Pavlov): Associative learning (e.g., tuning fork → salivation).
        • Operant Conditioning (Skinner): Reinforcement/punishment shape behavior.
      • Humanism (Rogers/Maslow): Focus on self-actualization and growth.
      • Cognitive (Piaget, Bandura): Learning through observation (Bobo Doll Experiment).

Research Methods

  • Experiments: Controlled tests to establish causality.
  • Fieldwork:
    • Participant Observation: Immersive cultural study.
    • Nonparticipant Observation: Minimal interaction to avoid bias.
    • Case Studies: Long-term study of individuals/groups.
  • Surveys/Interviews: Collect self-reported data (risk of bias).

Key Concepts

Anthropology

  • Natural Selection (Darwin): Traits favoring survival are passed on.
  • Culture:
    • Components: Values, norms, customs, taboos, delicacies.
    • Linguistics: Historical (language evolution), Structural (sound-meaning), Sociolinguistics (cultural context).

Psychology

  • Developmental Stages:
    • Erikson: Psychosocial stages (e.g., Trust vs. Mistrust, Identity vs. Role Confusion).
    • Piaget: Cognitive stages (Sensorimotor → Formal Operations).
  • Brain Structures:
    • Frontal Lobe (decision-making), Amygdala (emotions), Hippocampus (memory).
  • Nature vs. Nurture: Genes vs. environment; epigenetics bridges the two.

Sociology

  • Prejudice/Discrimination: Subtle vs. blatant biases; institutional discrimination.
  • Groups:
    • Primary (close-knit: family), Secondary (goal-oriented: coworkers).
  • Origins of Sociology:
    • Key Figures: Comte (positivism), Durkheim (social facts/suicide), Marx (class conflict), Parsons (4 societal functions).

Quick Mnemonics

  • Freud’s Stages: Oral → Anal → Phallic → Latency → Genital.
  • Maslow’s Hierarchy: Physiological → Safety → Belonging → Esteem → Self-Actualization.
  • Skinner’s Operant Conditioning:
    • + Reinforcement: Add reward to increase behavior.
    • – Punishment: Remove privilege to decrease behavior.

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