Subjects

Curriculum Content Overview

If you have an interest in explaining behaviours, including your own as well as that of others around you, then is the course for you.

A Level Psychology will provide you with the skills required of an undergraduate. An inquiring mind is needed for this subject. You will develop the ability to use scientific research findings to support and challenge various claims about why people behave the way that they do.

Following the AQA 7181/7182 specification, you will study a range of universal behaviours and issues that play a prominent role in modern life. We will discuss how individuals can create social change and in contrast to this, the impact of conformity to rules and social roles. We will also consider the impact of early life on development and adult life. We will look at the role played by memory in forming personality and life as you understand it to be as well as the limitations of memory the impact that such limitations can have. We will also look at the role played by different parts of the brain in creating behavioural patterns and in some cases psychological disorders.

At A Level, we will look at one disorder, Schizophrenia, in greater depth by assessing different views on what causes the symptoms and what differing treatments are available to reduce symptoms. We will research studies that aim to explain how and why relationships form and break down. We will also examine criminal behaviour, exploring methods for offender profiling and explanations of offending behaviour, as well as the ways that offending is dealt with, including the use of custodial sentencing and restorative justice programmes.

By the end of the course, you should have a better idea of what factors lead to the creation of personalities and behaviours, including what factors may have led to the creation of your own behavioural characteristics. We will examine and debate differing theories that underpin explanations for all behaviours. You will also learn how a Psychologist completes an investigation and practise small-scale research yourself.