Mark Newman and Gerald Levey are identical twins, separated at birth. They share the same genes, but were raised by different parents in different environments. In this investigative programme we examine studies of separated twins and adopted siblings are providing insight into the relative impact of genetic and environmental influences, and the extent to which variation among individuals can be attributed to their differing genes. Molecular geneticist...

Sally Magnusson investigates poor standards of care for people with dementia. Natalie Graham explores schemes helping those afflicted with the condition to live fulfilling lives.

Emotions chart the landscape of life, the highs, the lows, and the periods in between. In this informative programme, Paul Ekman, Dacher Keltner, Bob Levenson, and others pre-eminent in the field examine the distinguishing characteristics of emotion and probe such long-debated issues as: which comes first, physiological arousal or emotional experience, the relationship between thinking and emotion, the measurement of emotion, the impact of culture...

Until recent decades, little was known about how to treat psychological disorders. People who were seriously disturbed were hidden away or confined to institutions, and treated in ways that look appalling by today's standards. This program investigates intently both psychological and biomedical therapies, and combined approaches that are proving successful in the treatment of mental illnesses. The role of the therapist and the support of community...

Our desire to lose weight is often no match for the pull of a cheeseburger. It's no wonder our minds and appetites are in a constant battle for the driver's seat! This lesson explores multiple elements of psychological motivation including hunger for air, eating disorders, the desire for sex, and the need to belong. Other important topics include sexual orientation, motivation in the workplace, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's concept of flow.

Samuel Barondes, author of 'Better Than Prozac' characterises psychological disorders as 'exaggerations of what we all experience'. These disorders however that fill hundreds of pages in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, make life more challenging for our neighbour next door and across the world. This programme examines the incidence and symptoms of anxiety disorders, in all of their many variations, and personality...

If a stressful day can make us sick, how does stress get under the skin? This lesson seeks answers, exploring various topics of health psychology, including the fight-or-flight response, lymphocytes, cytokines, heart disease, and the psychosocial lure of cigarette smoking. Cancer survivor, Cindy Lauren and her support group are a window for discussion of important issues such as control, social support, resilience, and the search for meaning.

With the microscopic union of sperm and egg, the delicate process of human development begins. From conception to infancy and childhood, this program examines the physical, cognitive, and social changes during the early stages of life. Developmental psychologists debate findings from the Yale Infant Cognition Lab that asserts babies' abilities to add and subtract. This program is an excellent resource for students of psychology, sociology and human...

Psychology touches virtually every aspect of our lives. Many of its current themes can be traced back to questions that have confronted scholars throughout history. But today the study of behaviour, thoughts and feelings is bolstered by new scientific tools and approaches. As a result the field is expanding in directions that would have been unheard of just a few decades ago, providing us with new insight into the magic of the mind.

"Everything psychological, is ultimately biological", says author and researcher David Myers. This lesson plunges into the expanding field of neuroscience and the biology behind behaviour, exploring how areas of the brain and brain chemistry can alter mood and cognition. Pioneering researchers discuss their role in the first split-brain surgeries, and a 20 year-old stroke survivor receives a breakthrough treatment to regain use of his affected arm....