Psychology

Course summary

Ever wondered if prison really does change criminal behavior? Or why some people conform? Or perhaps if the experiences you had before the age of five really do shape the person you are today? A-level Psychology will give you an understanding of the way people think and why people behave in certain ways. Throughout the course you will learn a range of topics from how society influences individuals’ decisions to our current understanding of memory including detail of the multi-store model, the working memory model and different types of long-term memory. Interference and retrieval failure as explanations for forgetting are also explored in more detail. Factors affecting the reliability of eye-witness testimony are also developed further with the inclusion of the use of the cognitive interview to improve accuracy. Current issues in Psychology will be studied along with various ‘debates’ that are relevant to explaining behavior: nature-nurture, free will and determinism, holism and reductionism, and idiographic and nomothetic approaches to investigation. You will learn a variety of skills including analytical thinking, improved communication, problem-solving and many more that will prepare you for an exciting future with the possibility of a range of fantastic careers.