Psychology
You probably know very little about the organ that governs your every perception and sensation, thought and behaviour. Choosing Psychology will help you address this: Psychology is the science of the mind. Although we can’t observe the mind directly, everything we do, think, feel and say is determined by its functioning. So psychologists take human behaviour as the raw data for testing their theories about how the mind works.
In Psychology you’ll investigate and evaluate research on new areas of learning including memory, abnormality and childhood, as well as disorders of various kinds. As Psychology is a Social Science, you’ll also develop and apply your knowledge of the methods required for investigations, and in A level will write analytical essays.
Some of the areas covered in Year 1 include:
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The way in which psychological investigations are carried out
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Memory processes and memory improvement
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Attachment relationships between young children and parents
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Obedience to authority and conformity
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Explaining and Treating Mental Health disorders
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Differing psychological Approaches to explaining behaviour
Areas covered in Year 2 of the A Level course include:
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Biopsychology
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Relationships
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Addictions
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Schizophrenia
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Understanding and practice of scientific methods
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The debates surrounding the causes of human behaviour e.g. Nature? Or Nurture? A result of Free Will? Or Determined?