Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behaviour. Anything we do, think or experience can be studied by Psychologists. The subject is taught through groupwork, research, discussions, film, presentations and role play. As you study Psychology you will begin to understand the factors that affect your behaviour. You will learn about yourself and why you do the things you do. It can teach you about the ways people interact in social situations and give you a better understanding of your own feelings and attitudes. You will also learn techniques that may help you study more effectively.
Year 12 AS Level
Unit one: 1 ½ hour examination – 25% of A2 total
Unit two: 1 ½ hour examination – 25% of A2 total
AS content:
Unit One
- Cognitive Psychology involves the study of memory.
- Developmental Psychology examines how children develop attachments with others.
- Research Methods examines techniques used to conduct psychologicalresearch and their strengths and weaknesses.
- You will also look at how data from experiments is analysed.
Unit Two
- Biological Psychology looks at how our bodies respond to stress.
- Social Psychology examines why people conform and obey eachother, and how we might resist obedience.
- Individual differences examines what is considered to be abnormal and explains the causes and treatments of abnormal behaviour.
Year 13 A2 Level
Unit three: 1 ½ hour examination – 25% of A2 total
Unit four: 2 hour examination – 25% of A2 total
A2 content
Unit Three
- Biological rhythms and sleep examines the body’s internal biological rhythms and the effects of disruption to these, such as jet lag or shift work.
- Perception investigates whether the way we perceive the world is innate or learned.
- Aggression looks at biological and evolutionary explanations of aggressive behaviour.
Unit Four
- Psychopathology analyses different causes and treatments of depression.
- Addictive behaviour examines vulnerability to, and treatments of, addiction.
- Psychological research and scientific method focuses on designing investigations and analysing data.
There is no coursework requirement.
