Psychology on the box…Week beginning 8th November

There is a mixture of programmes that may interest you this week, especially to resource the new specifications.

On Tuesday ( Channel 5, 8pm) ‘Britain’s Worst Crimes’ examines an attack from nearly 20 years ago committed against a mother and her two young daughters when they were out for a walk. The mother, Lin Russell and her youngest daughter Megan died from their injuries and the other daughter was injured, but survived. The background to the crime could be used to discuss the motives and possible explanations for why the attacker did what they did. This is appropriate for the Forensic section and approaches section of the new AQA specification. The 8 pm time slot suggests that although the content is very unpleasant, it will be suitable to use in class. It is best to check first though.

Keeping an eye on the new AQA specification, the documentary called Life Story (Thursday, BBC1 9 pm) could be a useful resource. If you opt to teach Aggression, the animal behaviour covered in this programme will help illustrate the ethological explanation, as the theme is based on power. There will be plenty of coverage of fixed action patterns designed to maximise survival and reproduction.

On Friday at 11am on Radio 4 there is a documentary called ‘The Baby Mothers Tale’. It considers the perspectives of women involved with gang members and interviews those who have fled the gang influence or been widowed through a gang killing. Although not asked about in the specifications, it could provide an audio stimulus for the approaches section of the new specification. The question could be ‘Which approach can explain the womens’ involvement in such a dangerous life?’ There is, of course, no right answer.