Psychology

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour, and is a very popular A-Level course at Highbury Fields School. It looks closely at the workings of the human brain and aims to explain behaviour using a range of approaches. Psychology students will develop their analytical, critical thinking and evaluation skills during the course and will also get the opportunity to conduct their own research. These skills learnt during the Psychology A-Level course will be particularly useful at university and in employment.

Students will have six timetabled lessons per week. Students receive homework on a weekly basis in the form of exam-style questions, research and extended reading.

Curriculum

The Year 12 course consists of two units:

Unit 1 (Social and Cognitive Psychology)

  • The Social approach looks into obedience to authority and reasons for prejudice and discrimination.

  • The Cognitive approach explores memory and forgetting and the reliability of eyewitness testimony.

Unit 2 (Understanding the Individual)

  • The Psychodynamic approach examines the unconscious mind and the impact of early experiences on an individual.

  • The Biological approach looks at the effect of genes, hormones and brain lateralisation on behaviour.

  • The Learning approach focuses on different ways behaviour is learnt such as conditioning, reinforcement, rewards and punishment.

The Year 13 course consists of two units:

Unit 3 Applications of Psychology

  • Criminological Psychology explores explanations of anti-social behaviour and eyewitness testimony.

  • Child Psychology looks at attachment, day care and explanations of Autism.

 Unit 4 How Psychology Works

  • Clinical Psychology covers mental health disorders such as Schizophrenia and Depression.

  • Issues and debates in Psychology, including ethics, Nature versus Nurture, and how far Psychology can be classed as a science.

Progression

Psychology is an extremely popular A-Level, and can help you access a range of fascinating university courses and careers, including:

  • Criminology

  • Forensic psychology

  • Politics and International Relations

  • Prison and probation services

  • Therapy

  • Law

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