PYC1512 Assignment 1 Semester 1 Due March 2026

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA (UNISA)

College of Human Sciences · Department of Psychology

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PYC1512
Foundations of Sub-disciplines in Psychology


Semester 1 | Assignment 1 | 2026
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Assignment Details

PYC1512
Module Code:

Foundations of Sub-disciplines in Psychol-
Module Name:
ogy

Semester 1, Assignment 1
Assignment:

111217
Unique Number:

2026
Year:

25 Marks
Total Marks:

6 Questions
Questions:




Submitted in partial ful
lment of the requirements for PYC1512 · University of South Africa · 2026

,UNISA | PYC1512 Foundations of Sub-disciplines in Psychology




Contents




1 Question 1: CNS vs PNS (4 marks) 4



Question 1: CNS vs PNS 4


1.1 1.1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4


1.2 1.2 The Central Nervous System (CNS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4


1.3 1.3 The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4


1.4 1.4 Comparative Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5




2 Question 2: Functions of the Autonomic Nervous System (2 marks) 6



Question 2: Autonomic Nervous System Functions 6


2.1 2.1 What is the Autonomic Nervous System? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6


2.2 2.2 Two Main Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6




3 Question 3: Epigenetics and Life Experiences (4 marks) 8



Question 3: Epigenetics 8


3.1 3.1 What Are Epigenetic Changes? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8


3.2 3.2 How Life Experiences In
uence Gene Functioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8




4 Question 4: Social Development in Children (6 marks) 10



Question 4: Social Development 10


4.1 4.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10


4.2 4.2 Process 1: Socialisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10


4.3 4.3 Process 2: Internalisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11




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, UNISA | PYC1512 Foundations of Sub-disciplines in Psychology




4.4 4.4 How the Two Processes Work Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11




5 Question 5: Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development (5 marks) 13



Question 5: Piaget's Cognitive Stages 13


5.1 5.1 Whose Theory? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13


5.2 5.2 The Four Stages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13




6 Question 6: Erikson's Psychosocial Crisis (4 marks) 16



Question 6: Erikson's Psychosocial Crisis 16


6.1 6.1 Erikson's Concept of Psychosocial Crisis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16


6.2 6.2 A Stage Relevant to Adolescence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16




Reference List 18




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