Psychology
Are you an avid people watcher? Wondering why people don’t think or behave the same way you do? Then Psychology could be for you. Inspiring and fuelling your curiosity in behaviour, Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and behaviour. The subject seeks to describe, understand and predict behaviour, human thought and emotion through research and applied knowledge.
Possible Career Paths:
- Teaching
- Child Care
- Police
- Advertising
- Medicine
- Business
- Teaching
During the A Level course you will develop a number of transferable skills including:
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Course Content
In Year 12 Students explore the theoretical underpinnings of Psychology and will study:
- • Social Psychology: investigate how human behaviour is influenced by the situation and others. Focus on obedient behaviour and prejudice
- Cognitive Psychology: how behaviour is influenced by processing information, remembering and forgetting. Focus on memory and brain damage.
- Biological Psychology: considers the role of the brain, nervous system and hormones in influencing our behaviour. Focus on aggression and influence of recreational drugs)
- Learning Theories: effects of conditioning, reinforcement and punishment on the individual’s behaviour. Focus on behaviour modification and phobias.
In Year 13, this is Applied Psychology, using the theoretical assumptions learned in year one to explain abnormal and criminal behaviours. Students will study:
- Criminal Psychology: explanations of criminal/anti-social behaviour and therapy methods to reduce criminal behaviour, as well as factors that impact the legal system and jury decision making.
- Clinical Psychology: this is abnormal psychology, studying and defining what ‘normal’ is, so we can define abnormal. including the study of how to diagnose and treat Schizophrenia and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
- Issues and Debates: the study of key debates within psychology,