Psychology
We would expect students to have met the expectations for entry to 6th form and to have a grade 5 in Psychology if studied. We welcome conversations with individual students about their suitability for the course.
Psychology is the scientific study of people, the mind and behaviour. Psychologists set out to examine why people behave the way they do and an A-Level in Psychology introduces you to the scientific study of a wide range of behaviours.
First year of AQA A-level Psychology will include:
- Social Influence – Social Psychologists believe that many of our everyday decisions are the result of pressures to conform to the opinions and behaviours of others.
- Memory – Cognitive Psychologists largely agree we have a short- term and a long-term memory. Stressful situations create anxiety and this can affect what we later remember as eye-witnesses.
- Attachment – Developmental Psychologists are interested in the emotional bond that develops between two individuals and its lifelong impact.
- Approaches in Psychology – We examine some of the key approaches in Psychology and their suggestions as to how we should investigate and understand human behaviour.
- Psychopathology – This is the explanation and treatment of psychological disorders such as depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This module looks at the different ways to approach these conditions.
- Research methods - This looks at the main methods of investigation e.g. Experiments, Observational techniques, Self-report and Correlations and their data analysis. The mathematical content can be found here
Second year of AQA A-level Psychology will include:
Issues & debates in psychology
- Nature v nurturer debate
- Holism v reductionism
- Freewill v determinism
- Gender & culture bias
- Ideographic & nomothetic approaches
- Ethical implications of research
Schizophrenia (Sz)
- Diagnosis & classification of Sz
- Biological explanations of Sz
- Biological treatment of Sz
- Psychological explanation of Sz
- Psychological treatment of Sz
- Interactionist explanation of Sz
- Interactionist treatment of Sz
Look at the following to see:
Family therapy for Sz CBT for Sz Token economies for Sz
Cognition & Development
- Piaget’s theory of cognitive development
- Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development
- Baillargeon’s explanation of early infant abilities.
- The development of social cognition, including; Selman’s levels of perspective takin, Baron-Cohen’s theory of mind explanation of autism & the role of the mirror neuron system
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Look at the following websites to see:
Some of Piaget’s tests for cognitive development Baillargeon’s violation of expectation experiment
A Q & A session with Selman Baron-Cohen’s Sally-Anne task
Baron-Cohen’s eye task
Research methods/scientific processes/data analysis
- Case studies
- Content analysis
- Inferential testing
- Different types of validity & reliability
- Features of Science
- Forensic psychology
Biopsychology
- The nervous system & endocrine system
- Localisation of brain function
- Plasticity and functional recovery of the brain
- Hemispheric lateralisation of the brain
- Biological rhythms
Approaches
- Humanistic approach
- Psychodynamic
Forensic psychology
- Offender profiling, top down & bottom up approaches
- Biological explanations of offender profiling; historical approach, genetics, neural explanations
- Psychological explanations of offending behaviour
- Dealing with offending behaviour
Look at the following websites to see:
Top down offender profiling Bottom up offender profiling
You will be expected to be able to describe, explain, apply, analyse, evaluate & synthesize all the above topics covered in the second year.
The recommended text book is AQA Psychology for A level, Year 2, authors: Flanagan, Berry, Jarvis & Liddle
All exams are taken in the second year, there are 3 papers to sit:
Paper 1 Introductory topics (year 12 topics)
Paper 2 Psychology in Context (research methods/approaches/biopsychology)
Paper 3 Issues & Options in Psychology (issues & debates/schizophrenia/cognition & development/forensic psychology)
Unfortunately, there is no course work for A level psychology
All students who study psychology will be expected to design, conduct, analyse and write up psychological research
If you have any further queries about this subject please email enquiries@beverleyj6.co.uk
Career Opportunities:
Psychology is not just a ticket to becoming a “Psychologist.” As a very popular A’level subject, it has many applications that are valued in management, personnel, social services, as well as in the field of Psychology itself such as in roles in: Sports Psychology, Educational Psychology and as a Neuropsychologist, concerned with the rehabilitation of brain trauma patients. The British Psychological Society has a useful website about various career options. Follow the link here
The NHS also has a very useful link to Psychology related careers within the NHS here
‘The reason I chose Psychology is because it is introduced in year 12, and the thought of studying something completely new interested me. I enjoy Psychology because the things that you learn inside the classroom are applicable to real life situations. It is necessary to put the time in outside of school to get the grades in school.’ Nathan Psychology student
If you would like more information about any aspect of this course, please contact either Ms Forsyth or Mr Proud: