Updated: 8 July 2012
One of the primary purposes of this web site is to act as a resource base for people
interested in the behavioural sciences - professionals, researchers, students, politicians,
journalists, people motivated by ‘hot potato’ single issues...basically, anyone interested
in understanding what makes people think and behave as they do. The site is of particular
interest for those interested in how it all fits together...how it all can be integrated.
And also, of course, how the various theories, models and therapeutic techniques
can be applied practically to help change people’s lives for the better.
I coined the term 'Integrated SocioPsychology' in 2004 for a comprehensive and cohesive
approach I intuited could align and integrate all the different (and all too-often
bickering!) disciplines in the behavioural sciences.
To make cohesive sense of all the models and interventions in the behavioural sciences
and the complimentary 'hard sciences' (Biology, Neuroscience), I am using Spiral
Dynamics - and the Graves Model on which it is based - to underpin Robert Dilts’
Neurological Levels structure and develop the approach I think of as Integrated SocioPsychology.
The Dimensions of Temperament construct of Hans Eysenck serves well to describe individual
temperamental dispositions while the framework of 4Q/8L enables multi-context 'big
picture' views.
More on the cutting-edge theories and concepts which feed into Integrated SocioPsychology
can be found in the Models, Articles, Bio-Cognitive, Social, Learning, interactive
FAQs, Glossary and MeshWORKS pages. Practical applications can be found (alongside
theory) in the Lifespan, Interpersonal, Society, Global, Mental Health and Business
pages. My Blog often contains shortish pieces relevant to these kinds of issues.
The Blog is very important to me as it allows quick, intuitive responses to whatever
strikes me. The Blog is interactive and visitors are invited to make comments and
constructive criticisms in response to my posts. It is often through sharing, challenging
and debate that we learn. As Gregory Bateson (1972) said: “Knowledge comes from but
a single perspective. Wisdom comes from multiple perspectives.”
This web site carries a real flavour and much information as to how Integrated SocioPsychology
is being developed (by myself and others). However, greater detail and elaboration
can be found in my book, ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You: an Integrated SocioPsychology
Guide to Personal Fulfilment & Better Relationships’.
If, after studying what’s on this site, you feel you have something valuable to contribute
to ideas on how Integrated SocioPsychology will/should develop, please get in touch
via the Contact page to discuss this.
If are using this site to develop your knowledge of Spiral Dynamics, 4Q/8L, the models
of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) or any other aspects of what Integrated SocioPsychology
is becoming, then you will find much to interest and (hopefully!) challenge you.
Please look through the menus or use the Search feature on the Home Page or at the
bottom of this page to find what you are looking for. There is also much that will
support students of conventional/academic Psychology and Sociology.
Another primary aim of this site is to develop the paradigm of ‘Integrated SocioPsychology’
by ‘re-imagining’ the behavioural sciences - ie: putting Spiral Dynamics and certain
other key models at their core and assuming, from that premise, that all the differing
schools, concepts and models in the behavioural sciences can be aligned and integrated
along ‘the spine of the Spiral’.
The process of developing Integrated SocioPsychology is, inevitably, slow. There
is simply so much to record and interpret and map - and pertinent new research is
being published almost continuously. Such is the challenge I doubt this web site
will be anything like complete by the time I die!
For
academic students...a fundamental difference...
If you are using this site to find
information/resources for studying academic qualifications, then you can rest assured
that the material on this site will stand up to rigorous academic scrutiny. A substantial
portion of the material was originally developed with the aim of providing A-Level
and undergraduate students with resources to support their study. The intention is
to maintain those standards of academic integrity throughout the site. The Bibliography
provides a near-complete list of original sources referenced in the text on this
site.)
However, you will find that several of the Integrated SocioPsychology/'real world'
applications of Psychology and Sociology espoused on this site are non-specification!
Students need to be aware of a fundamental difference between pages on this site
and what is generally found in ‘academia’. Integrated SocioPsychology works to align
the different approaches in the behavioural sciences. However, the tendency in academia
- reflected in most exam specifications - is to be adversarial, rather than integrative.
(You should note that definitions in the Glossary are more integrative than adversarial
and reflect the broader theme of this site - ie: to integrate and align the behavioural
sciences.)
Overall the academic approach may not be much help in sorting out 'real world' problems;
but, to some degree, it is valid from a scientific point of view. Part of the scientist's
role is to test ideas and challenge 'givens', develop new theories and modify or
even refute existing ones.
Unfortunately the history of the behavioural sciences is littered with professional
challenges that developed into rather unprofessional disputes and conflicts. However,
without the willingness to challenge existing ideas, the development of knowledge
tends to be rather slow!
Also, there is the issue that sometimes what is taught in academia is influenced
by what is ‘in vogue’. As Paul Feyeraband (1975) points out, what is accepted in
academia is sometimes influenced by who shouts loudest rather than the quality of
the work. One of the most potent examples of the divide between academia and the
‘real world’ is the way Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is ignored in many Psychology
specifications - yet it is arguably the most widely-used psychological model outside
of academia, in a range of applications from social care to marketing to business
studies.
Students interested in developing their understanding of the behavioural sciences
beyond the exam specifications will find a wealth of information to deepen your understanding
of Psychology and Sociology and how they can be applied practically to make a positive
difference in the lives of ‘real people’. Consequently, you may find your exam board
specification limiting and frustrating.
What this site is not
It is not an online text book for any particular exam specification.
It reflects the 2 reasons the material on it has been created...
- Specifically the development and promotion of Integrated SocioPsychology, based around
certain key theories and models such as Spiral Dynamics
- Materials developed originally for teaching elements of standard academic specifications
which fit into the Integrated SocioPsychology framework and add to its overall body
of knowledge. Students are strongly recommended to be familiar enough with your chosen
exam specification to work out what you can use from this site in your studies and
what is beyond the specification. If in doubt, ask your teacher. If your teacher
is in doubt, they are invited to get in touch with me via the Contact page.
Using this site to source information
This site contains topic pages on models and theories, articles and features on topics,
case studies and key studies, and topic mind maps - the latter two having originated
from materials designed for delivering to standard academic specifications.
Topic mind maps form a substantial number of the resources for those studying for
academic qualifications. They are intended as skeletal outlines of key points on
which students can build a body of substantial revision notes. To help with this,
many branches contain extra hidden detail. Simply click on the pen & paper
symbol
to reveal the 'hidden notes'!
Other symbols and colour codes used in the mind maps are as follows:-
- Branches in standard black text provide basic information on theories, concepts and
experiments/investigations/studies
- Branches in green with a tick
symbol provide supporting evidence for a concept and/or
theory - Branches in red with a red stop
sign symbol provide evidence which does not support
and may even contradict findings, a concept and/or theory - Branches in dark blue with a question mark
indicate further research is required - Branches in purple with a bomb
symbol call into question assumptions being made - Branches in black with a caution
sign indicate some further care needed - Branches in black with a green arrow
symbolise one thing leading to another - Branches in light blue with a book
symbol indicate a link to a detailed key study
- eg: in APFCC format (Aims, Procedures/Methodolgy, Findings/Results, Conclusions,
Criticisms/Evaluation)
(To refresh yourself about the meaning of the symbols, simply click the Icon Legend
pop-up which accompanies the mind maps.)
Although a key aim of this site is to provide resources which meet academic standards,
another aim is to make them user-friendly to the non-academic. Thus, it is hoped
the language and presentation used are as user-friendly and accessible as intended.
I welcome all constructive suggestions as to how to improve the resources.
Students viewing these pages who do find any discrepancies between the resources
and what has been taught in their classes - you are advised strongly to consult
your teacher.
Teachers who find any error in the resources - please advise me of
the error so I can correct it as appropriate.
When reading about references to situations and/or research, visitors (academic or
otherwise) should please bear in mind that there is an inevitable cultural bias throughout
this site. Situations discussed either are located in the UK geographically or apply
to the UK socially/culturally - though the issues discussed may equally apply elsewhere
geographically. Situations and topics which have little or no relevance to the UK
or have global significance primarily are housed in the Global section. Psychological/sociological
research discussed will almost always have been carried out in the UK or the USA
unless indicated otherwise.
In a site this size covering so many domains in the behavioural sciences, keeping
every page up to date with the very latest research is a mighty challenge and inevitably
some pages may become out of date from time to time. All pages were accurate to the
best of my knowledge at the time of last updating.
Using materials from this site in presentations, lectures, lessons, etc
All pages, mind maps, graphics and articles are created/written by myself, unless
credited otherwise, and are subject to the usual copyright restrictions. Single pages
or sections of materials may be ‘borrowed’ on a one-off basis for non-profit making
purposes such as presentations or teaching, in accordance with ‘fair use’ (USA)/’fair
dealing’ (UK) concepts. However, the source (myself, this site) should be fully credited.
I do not have the right to give permission for use of materials on this site not
under my own copyright. If you wish to use such materials for presentations, etc,
you are strongly advised to get in touch with the copyright holders. (Copyright holders
are acknowledged on this site wherever known.)
Please get in touch via the Contact page if you are unsure whether your use of the
resources will breach my copyright.
