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Overview

What is this subject about?

Psychology is the scientific study of human behaviour and the mind, arguably the most complex machine on earth. It seeks to explain what makes us who we are as individuals in terms of how we think and feel, as well as understanding what influences our actions.Psychologists apply scientific methodology. They formulate theories, test hypotheses through observation and experiment, and analyse the findings using statistical techniques that enable them to draw conclusions that can be used to provide insight into human behaviour. You will acquire knowledge and understanding of psychological concepts, theories, research studies and research methods in relation to various aspects of human behaviour.

What will I study over the two years?

In the first year you will study five key topics:

• Approaches - the learning, cognitive, biological, psychodynamic and humanistic approaches to explaining behaviour;

• Biopsychology - the nervous and endocrine systems, localisation of brain function, functional recovery of the brain after trauma, studying the brain (e.g. fMRI, EEGs) and biological rhythms;

• Psychopathology - the nature of mental illness, including explanations and treatments for depression, OCD and phobias;

• Developmental Psychology - the formation of attachment and its relationship with the development of later relationships;

• Research Methods (to investigate human behaviour) - including experimental and non-experimental methods, scientific processes (e.g. theory construction, hypothesis testing, ethics), data handling and analysis, inferential testing (e.g. the Sign test). Research Methods is integrated throughout the course.

In the second year you will explore a range of topics that aim to build on material taught in the first year of the course.

• Cognitive Psychology - the study of the nature of memory i.e. how information is processed and stored, explanations for forgetting and factors affecting the accuracy of eyewitness testimony;

• Social Psychology - examining how people influence the behaviour of others: conformity, obedience and minority influence;

• Gender - biological and psychological explanations for gender development and gender dysphoria;

• Stress - the role of stress in illness, sources of stress (e.g. workplace stressors, life changes), and managing stress;

• Addiction - explanations and treatments for nicotine and gambling addiction;

• Issues and Debates - gender/culture bias in psychology, reductionism, nature vs. nurture, holism vs. reductionism, idiographic vs. nomothetic approaches to psychological investigation.
You will study Research Methods in greater depth and learn more complex inferential statistical techniques of analysis.

How is the course assessed?

The course is assessed by three written exam papers at the end of the two-year course. Questions vary in style from multiple-choice to short answer questions and those requiring extended writing in the form of full essay responses. Some questions require application of knowledge to novel scenarios.

What skills will I need and develop on this course?

Psychology is not usually available at GCSE, but the GCSE subjects that are closest to the ways in which you will need to work are Combined Science or Biology (where there are technical terms and theories to learn) and History (where there is an emphasis on essay writing). You need to enjoy getting to grips with ideas and issues through reading, and you need to be good at organising ideas on paper in extended writing. You also need to be comfortable with scientific and mathematical approaches. The course develops your skills in analysis, evaluation, research and the analysis of data.