Psychology

Course summary

Psychology, the science of human mind and behaviour, is an exciting and popular option for any student interested in why people behave the way they do. This course has been designed to help students see the implications of psychology for everyday life and to reflect on their own behaviour and experiences. Any student thinking about working with people or entering the “caring professions” will find that embarking on A level Psychology is both an interesting and appropriate start to their journey. In Year 12 the course first looks at the range of methods used to gather evidence and approaches which underpin many of the explanations of behaviour we study. We investigate topics such as social influence, looking at why we obey and conform, models of memory and explanations of forgetting, explanations and treatments of disorders such as phobias and OCD, to name a few topic areas. In Year 13 we focus on the option units which are forensics, schizophrenia and gender. The course covers a wide variety of areas of interest such as the diagnosis of mental illness, explanations and treatments of schizophrenia, how we develop gender identity and how we explain and deal with offending behaviour. As in any A level subject, students are expected to take responsibility for their learning and become increasingly independent. Much time in class is spent in discussion rather than following a textbook, which students will read independently. Psychological terminology is really important and students will have many new terms to learn which they will become confident with over time. Students will also benefit from learning opportunities outside of the classroom, by attending conferences and lectures from outside speakers.