Psychology

What is Psychology? 

When many people hear the word psychology, they often think of mental disorders and abnormal behavior. However, psychologists are not only concerned with extreme cases—they also study everyday aspects of human life, such as child development, memory, relationships, and gender. Psychology can be defined as the systematic study of human behavior and experience. Its goal is to describe, explain, predict, and influence behavior. It is a fascinating field because it explores ordinary people and seeks to understand what makes them tick.

What Will I Learn?

Unit 1:

Social Influence) – Explore topics such as obedience, conformity, and independent behavior.

Memory – Study models and types of memory, causes of forgetting, and the accuracy of eyewitness testimony.

Attachment – Learn about different types of attachment, caregiver–infant interactions, studies involving orphans, and how early attachment influences adult relationships.

Clinical Psychology and Mental Health– Examine definitions of abnormality and explore biological, cognitive, and behavioral explanations of psychological disorders, including OCD, phobias, and depression.

Unit 2:

Approaches in Psychology – Discover the learning, cognitive, biological, humanistic, and psychodynamic approaches in psychology
Biopsychology – Investigate the nervous system, neurons, and endocrine system, including the fight-or-flight response. Study brain structures and functions, techniques for studying the brain, and biological rhythms.
Research Methods – Gain an understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods, research design, data analysis, reliability, validity, and the scientific method. You’ll also learn how to plan, conduct, and write up psychological research.

Unit 3:

Issues and Debates - Argue the case for against whether we really have free will, whether behaviour should be simplified, predicted and generalised and look at bias and ethical issues in psychological research

Gender - Discover the biological, social and cognitive explanations of both cis and transgender development. 

Schizophrenia: Explore the diagnosis, explanations and treatments of schizophrenia in a clinical context

Forensic Psychology - What makes a criminal and how do we manage offending behaviour? This is a great module if you are interested in Criminology and the Law.

Entry Requirements

To study Psychology, students must have at least a grade 5 in English Language, Mathematics, and Science, with one of these subjects at grade 6 or above.
If you have previously taken GCSE Psychology, a minimum grade 5 is required.