Psychology

Course summary

This exciting course aims to give you the opportunity to explore what makes us behave the way we do. You will study a number of different perspectives on behaviour such as biological, cognitive, and social, and explore topics including psychopathology, attachment, and forensic psychology. This course will enable you to make links between psychological concepts and your own life. We will explore questions such as: What makes some people develop eating disorders? What are the long-term effects of maternal deprivation? Why do we have phobias? You will also learn how psychologists conduct research, analyse data, and then form theories based on what they have found. Throughout the course you will have the opportunity to complete your own psychological research to enrich your understanding. Psychology is a vast subject and looks at the most complex machine on earth: the human mind. It seeks explanations for the behaviour of some notorious individuals who have had a significant global impact (e.g. Hitler) to everyday phenomena like being unable to remember where you left your house keys. It also explores topics including different types of mental illness and the possible causes. Within A-Level Psychology, there is a strong emphasis on learning scientific research methods and in the application of psychological issues to real-world situations. Psychology is a subject which opens many doors and imposes few limitations on those who study it. Many graduates, who are accepted into Law and Medical degrees, have Psychology as an A-Level.