Psychology
Subject Leader: Mrs T Harris
Subject Leader Email Address: teresa.harris@swale.at
Dont become a mere recorder of facts, but try to penetrate the mystery of their origin.
IVAN PAVLOV
Subject overview
A-level Psychology provides an understanding of the way people think and why people behave in certain ways. It introduces students to the scientific study of the human mind and behavior, focusing on core theoretical approaches, research methodologies and real-world applications. Foundational topics such as social influence, memory, attachment, psychopathology and biopsychology give students essential foundational knowledge. Students explore major psychological perspectives, including cognitive, behavioral, biological and psychodynamic approaches. Students develop skills in research methods, data analysis and ethical evaluation. The curriculum also extends into specialised options like forensic psychology, relationships, schizophrenia and childhood development. Students develop the skills to critically analyse scientific evidence and understand the complexities of human nature.
Year 12
Term 1
Topic: Psychological research methods, including variables, ethics, and sampling. The core psychological perspectives and debates that explain human behavior.
Enquiry Question:
What explains human behaviour?
Term 2
Topic: evaluate foundational concepts of reliability and validity alongside introductory descriptive statistics. Investigate social psychological frameworks and milestone studies behind conformity, obedience and social change.
Enquiry Question: To what extent can foundational concepts of reliability, validity and descriptive statistics evaluate the empirical strength of milestone social psychological studies in conformity, obedience and social change?
Term 3
Topic: Understand data reliability, validity and introductory descriptive statistics whilst investigating the mechanisms of conformity, obedience and social change through milestone psychological frameworks and studies.
Enquiry Question: How does data reliability and validity affect our understanding of the mechanisms behind social influence and social change?
Term 4
Topic: Conduct statistical analysis and report psychological investigations whilst exploring definitions, characteristics, explanations and treatments for abnormality, phobias, depression and OCD.
Enquiry Question: To what extent do statistical analyses of psychological investigations enhance our understanding of the definitions, characteristics, explanations and treatments for abnormality, specifically regarding phobias, depression and OCD?
Term 5
Topic: Memory models, capacities and theories of forgetting whilst reviewing prior units to correct misconceptions and consolidate learning.
Enquiry Question: How can evaluating theories of forgetting and memory models help us correct previous misconceptions and optimise mock exam performance?
Term 6
Topic: Understand eyewitness testimony accuracy and cognitive interview procedures.
Enquiry Questions: To what extent can advanced cognitive interview procedures eliminate the inherent flaws of eyewitness testimony?
Year 13
Term 1
Topic: Analyse the biological structures and rhythms underlying human behavior. Evaluate how these physiological processes intersect with core psychological issues and debates like nature versus nurture.
Enquiry Question: How do underlying biological structures and rhythms interact with environmental factors to shape human behavior and define our position within core psychological debates?
Term 2
Topic: Examine how biological, cognitive and psychodynamic factors shape sex and gender development. Offender profiling in forensic psychology.
Enquiry Question: To what extent do biological maturation and cognitive milestones determine a child's understanding of gender compared to environmental and cultural influences?
Term 3
Topic: evaluate the biological and psychological explanations and treatments for criminal behavior and schizophrenia. Assess methods of offender rehabilitation and custodial sentencing.
Enquiry Questions:
How effectively do competing biological and psychological frameworks explain the origins of offending behavior and schizophrenia.
To what extent do their corresponding interventions successfully rehabilitate individuals?
Terms 4 and 5
Topic: Consolidation of learning and exam preparation.
Enquiry Question: How can we effectively retrieve and apply two years of psychological knowledge to maximise marks across all three exam papers?
How is the course assessed:
At the end of Year 13 students will sit 3 exams.
Paper 1: Introductory topics in Psychology.
Paper 2: Psychology in context.
Paper 3: Issues and Options in Psychology.