PSYCHOLOGY

A LEVEL

Course Overview

Psychology is concerned with all aspects of behaviour and with the thoughts, feelings and motivations underlying that behaviour. Psychology is a science and psychologists study human behaviour by observing, measuring and testing, then arriving at conclusions that are rooted in sound scientific methodology.

The course looks at important aspects of human life; relationships, stress, memory, aggression, obedience and mental health issues such as depression, schizophrenia or anxiety.

welcome Video

Target Audience

It is naturally suited to those who have an interest in people and who want to understand more about the causes of behaviour. Given the competing explanations of why people “do what they do” the best students are those with an “open mind” and a willingness to read around the “key issues” discussed.

Year 12 Units

Unit 1: Introductory topics in psychology

In this Unit students will learn about the introductory subjects in Psychology.

Firstly they will look at Social influences and the influence of groups on individuals behaviour through concepts such as conformity and obedience.

In the Memory module students learn about the different models of memory, types of memory, why forgetting occurs and the application of this to the accuracy of eyewitness testimony.

During Attachment the course will focus on the infant-caregiver interactions and if disruption of this can affect development in later life.

Finally in Psychopathology students will look at the validity of definitions of abnormality. Then study three prevalent mental disorders in the UK (Depression, OCD and phobias), focusing on the explanations for their development and the treatments available.

Unit 2: Psychology in context

In this second unit students will study the fundamental approaches in Psychology, starting with the foundations of psychology as a separate branch from philosophy and its development as a science in its own right.

Biopsychology focuses on the link between our biological mechanisms such as the endocrine system and its effects in human behaviour, for example the flight or fight response.

Research Methods underpins all elements of the Psychology course. Students will learn the importance of taking a scientific approach in Psychology research.

Year 13 Units

Unit 3: Options in psychology

This is a mixture of compulsory content and optional modules that have been selected.

The first compulsory module is Issues and Debates, which focus on the major discussions within Psychology. These include nature vs nurture, determinism and the ethical implications of conducting socially sensitive research in Psychology.

In Cognitive Development, we look at how cognitive abilities such as accommodation and assimilation, develop in children and how this underpins educational practices. We also look at autism, social cognition, the exciting world of mirror neurons and Theory of Mind research.

In the Aggression topic we look at the differing opinions of the causes of aggression and the application of this to media violence, and whether or not it should be restricted

For the Schizophrenia option model students learn about the development of this highly distressing mental disorder. We look at the the competing theories from the different psychological approaches and the different treatments they recommend, assessing their effectiveness.