Psychology

Years 10 & 11

The psychology course aims to provide students with an insight into possible explanations that different theorists have given for why people behave the way they do.  Key topic areas include, how our memory works, how we learn, why people commit crimes, and our intellectual & moral development. We also focus on our society and how it influences our behaviour.  Students explore different methods of investigation used to illustrate key theories as well as looking at some key experiments from each topic.  Psychology teaches you to ask questions about individuals behaviour and why the may behave in that way.

Post 16

This course provides you with an overview of the main approaches in psychology.  In year 12 we begin the year by investigating how the memory works and why and how we form attachments to our parents.  We then move on after Christmas to look at what influences people and makes them conform, why some people are abnormal and how our body and mind deal with stress.  Within these topics, a range of approaches and experimental techniques are explored. 

In year 13, we pick from a range of topics depending on what we feel would best suit the group.  Possible topics include addiction, schizophrenia, gender, perception and relationships.

All units across both years are assessed by examinations.

Year 12 (AS)

Unit 1
Cognitive psychology - memory
Developmental psychology - attachment
Research methods

Unit 2
Biological psychology- stress
Social psychology –social influence and conformity
Individual differences -psychopathology

Year 13 (A2)

Unit 3
Sleep and biorhythms
Relationships
Gender

Unit 4
Addiction
Schizophrenia
Research methods