Psychology

Psychology A Level teaches students to ‘analyse like a scientist and reason like a lawyer’.

An interest in ‘people’ is essential to the study of Psychology. Lessons are interactive and students are expected to develop their skills in constructing logical arguments on paper, as well as being willing to contribute to class discussions. Critical evaluation is a key skill which students will practise throughout the course. We help students to structure their notes and practise exam skills by providing workbooks for each topic. We use the excellent OUP textbook series, and provide students with the accompanying Revision Guides co-authored by the Head of Department, Ms Moody, who is also an AQA Examiner for Psychology.

Course structure and content

The first year of the course gives a broad introduction to Psychology, and students start to evaluate evidence and theories. Topics include: • Social influence – why people conform and obey, and how social change can occur. • Psychopathology – looking at the symptoms of three common mental illnesses, along with explanations and treatments. • Memory – different theories of how memory works and how we can improve the accuracy of eye-witness testimony. • Attachment – why it is so important for babies to form good attachments with their parents. • Neuroscience - how the brain affects behaviour. • Research methods – how psychological research works. Students will experience the processes of planning experiments or observational studies, collecting and analysing data. In the Upper Sixth, topics are studied in more depth, including: • Forensic psychology – why people commit crimes and how society should deal with criminals. During the Upper Sixth we visit the Royal Courts of Justice to take part in a mock trial. • Schizophrenia – symptoms, explanations and treatments. • Gender – how our biology and experience influence gender identity. • Philosophical debates relating to Psychology - nature-nurture, free will versus determinism, and issues of gender and culture bias in Psychology.

Assessment We follow the AQA specification. There are three examination papers, all taken at the end of the Upper Sixth. They include a mixture of multiple choice, short and longer questions, with the longest requiring about 500 words of writing. There is no assessed coursework but students undertake their own psychological research, with guidance, during the Lower Sixth. This includes a day of animal observation at Marwell Wildlife, group projects throughout the year, and an individual project in the summer. Some students have successfully developed these into an EPQ. Progression Psychology is recognised by universities as a rigorous and demanding Science A Level, and is valuable for students who may wish to progress to degree courses in clinical subjects (medicine, physiotherapy, veterinary sciences, nursing), social work, and education. A Psychology degree is essential for Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology and Forensic Psychology, and can lead to many other specialist fields such as Sports Psychology and Human Resources. It is also very useful for other careers such as business, journalism and law.

Students can succeed in Psychology if they have strengths in Science or Humanities subjects, as it incorporates skills from both areas.