Psychology Department

Aims
Psychology is a combination of science and practice. Psychologists are interested in how people act, react and interact as individuals and in groups.  Think of any question about how and why humans do the things they do, and the chances are that a psychologist somewhere will be researching it to find the scientific answer and further our understanding.

• In year one (AS-level) we study cognition (memory), development (childhood attachment), physiology (stress), individual differences (abnormality), social influence (conformity) and about how to design, develop, run and analyse a piece of psychological research.

• In year two (A2-level) we study social psychology and developmental psychology.  We then move onto studying how mental disorders are treated by Psychologists including biological treatments (e.g. Electroconvulsive therapy); behavioural treatments (e.g. systematic de-sensitisation); cognitive behavioural treatments (e.g. Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy); and psychodynamic treatments (e.g. word association).  Finally we work through a number of key debates including the extent to which human behaviour is determined by nature or nurture, and whether humans are determined or have free will.

AS Level (Year 1)

At AS Level you will develop a broad knowledge and understanding of the core areas of psychology (social, cognitive, developmental, biological and individual differences) through a range of topics, chosen for their accessibility and popularity.

Unit 1: Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology and Research Methods

• Cognitive psychology, including memory and eyewitness testimony
• Developmental psychology, including early social development, attachment and the effects of day care
• Research methods, in the context of the topic areas.

Assessment

Structured compulsory questions based on Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology and Research Methods.
Questions include short answer, stimulus material and one 12 mark question requiring extended writing in which quality of written communication will be assessed.

Unit 2: Biological Psychology, Social Psychology and Individual Differences

• Biological psychology, including stress, factors affecting stress, coping with stress and managing stress
• Social psychology, including majority and minority influence, obedience and independent behaviour
• Individual differences, including definitions of abnormality, approaches and therapies.

Assessment

Three compulsory structured questions; one based on Biological Psychology content, one based on Social Psychology content and one based on the Individual Differences content.
Questions include short answer, stimulus material and one 12 or more mark question requiring extended writing in which quality of written communication will be assessed.

A2 Level (Year 2)

At A2 Level, you will be able to study a range of topic-based options which bring together explanations from different psychological approaches along with debates in psychology.

Unit 3: Topics in Psychology

• Relationships
• Aggression
• Eating Behaviour
• Cognition and development
• Intelligence and learning

Assessment

Unit 4: Psychopathology, Psychology in Action and Research Methods

• Approaches: biological, behaviourism, social learning, cognitive, psychodynamic
• Comparison of approaches
• Debates in psychology
• Methods in psychology, inferential statistics, issues in research

Assessment