Psychology is the scientific study of individual thoughts and behaviours, not to be confused with sociology which is the study of the thought and behaviours of groups. During the course, you will examine the different influences that create mental processes then explore how these influences show themselves in real life situations. It puts particular emphasis on being scientific, analytical, rigorous and ethical; what you learn is based on research and you will also conduct research to test your own ideas and to challenge the ideas of others. Studying psychology will give you:
- A better understanding of yourself and other people and the ability to apply that understanding to your everyday life.
- An awareness of how psychological scientific knowledge is generated, developed and applied in human society.
- The ability to notice and challenge where this knowledge is applied unscientifically, unethically or ineffectively.
The course consists of four main areas:
- The core approaches: biological, cognitive and socio-cultural. Although we will study each perspective individually, there is an emphasis on a holistic approach to studying behaviour in which students should integrate different approaches whilst recognising the underlying complexity.
- The options: Abnormal psychology (SL and HL) The psychology of human relationships (HL only). These will be studied during the second year, and students will be expected to apply their understanding of the core perspectives to the options. They will be asked to problem solve based on given scenarios.
- Research methods. The nature of psychology is that knowledge and understanding are based on published theories and studies. Both SL and HL students are taught how to critically engage with research, with HL students going into greater depth. Throughout all lessons, ethical considerations are discussed.
- Simple experimental study. Students are expected to plan, carry out and evaluate a small research study. They will work in groups, write a brief literature review and statistically assess their results. This will be done towards the end of the first year and the beginning of the second year.
Students will be assessed through a mixture of exams and internal assessment.
Paper 1: 3 short answer questions and 1 essay over 2 hours. These questions are for all students and based on the core approaches.
Paper 2: Students complete an essay on the option (SL) or two options (HL) which they have been taught. This exam lasts 1 or 2 hours depending on how many essays they write.
Paper 3: (HL only) Students are asked to apply their knowledge of research methods to an unseen stimulus material
Internal assessment
Studying psychology allows you to explore and understand how and why humans behave the way they do. Students develop a highly critical approach to reading research. Students who study psychology are prepared well for a range of degree programmes.
Entry Requirements
Standard Level - GCSE English Language/Literature at Grade 4 and above
Higher Level - GCSE English Language/Literature at Grade 4 and above
For further information
Please contact Rachel Biltcliffe: rachel.biltcliffe@parksidecc.org.uk
Psychology Curriculum Map