First of all, it’s important to note that psychology is a science. As with the natural sciences, psychologists employ the use of the scientific method to gather evidence. This is very important as many important findings in psychology are counter-intuitive and defy expectations. In level Psychology, you will be analysing what scientific research has uncovered about fascinating questions including: Why do people unquestioningly obey destructive authority? Would I be likely to do the same in their position? Can we rely on the testimony of eyewitnesses who recall details of a crime? Is it possible to plant false memories in people’s minds? How and why do humans form attachments to their infants? What are the long-term consequences if this attachment is broken? What is going on in the brain of a person with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)? Is it better to treat OCD patients with drugs or talking therapies? There are many different ways to approach these types of questions. For example, if you consider the question ‘What causes depression?’, there are several different perspectives we could take. We could consider the genetic makeup of the person and their brain chemistry. Alternatively, we could consider the experiences of people with depression and how this has influenced their thought patterns. The A-level Psychology course considers a multitude of perspectives and year 12 students are introduced to the six ‘core’ areas of the discipline. Biological Psychology uses genetic, neural and evolutionary explanations to shine a light on our behaviour. This area of psychology investigates the biological underpinnings of behaviour including brain structure, neurochemistry and genes. Year 13 students delve more deeply into the fascinating complexity of the brain, learning about topics such as neuroplasticity and functional recovery. Cognitive Psychology focuses on the role of ‘thinking’ and how internal mental processes influence and shape our behaviour. Cognitive psychologists often focus their attention on areas such as perception, attention, intelligence and memory. The AQA specification focuses particularly on the cognitive processes involved in memory formation and – just as interestingly – memory loss! Social Psychology focuses on how human thinking and behaviour are shaped by our social interactions with others. Year 12 students are introduced to concepts such as conformity and obedience through the findings of some of the most controversial and influential studies in psychology. This classic research includes Zimbardo’s famous Stanford Prison Experiment and Milgram’s ‘shocking’ study investigating the power of destructive obedience. Developmental Psychology considers how people develop throughout their lifetime. At A Level, the focus is on the development of an infant’s attachment to a primary caregiver, and the problems that occur when this does not happen. Psychopathology is the study of mental disorders with research in this field aiming to give us an understanding of the underlying causes of these disorders. Alongside this, psychologists also aim to apply this knowledge to develop effective treatments. Across the A-level course, students will learn about the causes and treatments of a range of mental disorders including depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias and schizophrenia. In year 13, students will have the opportunity to investigate certain topics in more detail. Each year we select three optional topics from the following choices: 1 of Relationships or Gender or Cognition and development 1 of Schizophrenia or Eating behaviour or Stress 1 of Aggression or Forensic psychology or Addiction Psychology students need to understand the research methods that psychologists use to investigate the mind and behaviour. Research Methods is the most important topic in the A level and is taught throughout the two-year course. This topic helps students to understand how psychological studies are designed and carried out. Psychology students are also encouraged to be very critical in their thinking and to constantly analyse the effectiveness of these methods. What skills are involved? A Level of Psychology involves studying a wide range of topics, so there is a lot of information to absorb, importantly, you will need to learn how to apply and evaluate (weigh up the strengths and weaknesses) of these studies and theories. There are three assessment objectives that student performance is measured on in level Psychology: AO1: Knowledge and understanding → are you able to accurately describe the concepts, theories and studies you have learned about? AO2: Application → are you able to apply your knowledge to different theoretical and practical contexts? AO3: Evaluation → are you able to analyse and discuss the concepts, theories and studies you have learned and weigh up the strengths, limitations, applications and implications of this research? What background do I need? You don’t need any prior knowledge of Psychology to start the A-level course. The vast majority of students who join the A-level course have not done the GCSE course and have no prior experience with the subject. Since Psychology is a content-heavy subject, it favours motivated students who have a strong memory for facts and theories. To succeed in the A-level course, you do need a solid complement of GCSEs. Students with mostly C grades at GCSE may well find Psychology very demanding, especially the Research Methods component of the course. The requirement to write essays, in which you present arguments for and against an issue, means that you should also have a good grasp of the English language and be a competent writer. As previously outlined, psychology is a science, so a strong GCSE in Science (especially Biology) will be beneficial. At least 10% of the overall assessment of Psychology will contain mathematical skills so students taking the course need to be comfortable with numbers. Any student who has a passing grade in GCSE Maths should not have too much difficulty with the maths content in the A-level Psychology course. A level Psychology does favour the ‘all-rounder’, however, the most important prerequisite in taking the course is that you have a genuine curiosity about the way humans think and behave. An A Level Psychology course complements a range of other A levels and, as a result, the psychology classes at Ashbourne tend to include a varied mix of students with a range of subject combinations. Whilst psychology often draws in students who are studying other sciences, it also appeals to students who are strong at writing (e.g. English and humanities students) and students interested in business and economics.