A Level Psychology Years 12 and 13

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Specification

AQA - The specification and assessment structure can be found at the link: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/psychology/as-and-a-level

The Psychology course has been designed to provide a broad and engaging introduction to the scope and nature of Psychology as a science. The emphasis is on applying knowledge and understanding rather than just acquiring knowledge, thereby developing students’ transferable skills of analysis, evaluation and critical thinking.

Year

In year 1, the specification includes approaches and methods related to the core areas of Psychology – cognitive, social, biological, developmental, individual differences and research methods.

Topic	Further details about the topic
Social Influence	Conformity Obedience Explanations of resistance to social influence Minority influence The role of social influence processes in social change.
Memory	Models of memory Explanations for forgetting Factors affecting the accuracy of eyewitness testimony Improving the accuracy of eyewitness testimony
Attachment	Caregiver-infant interactions in humans Explanations of attachment Types of attachment Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation. Effects of institutionalisation. The influence of early attachment on childhood and adult relationships
Psychopathology	Definitions of abnormality Phobias, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The behavioural approach to explaining and treating phobias The cognitive approach to explaining and treating depression. The biological approach to explaining and treating OCD
Approaches	The behaviourist approach The cognitive approach The biological approach The psychodynamic approach Humanistic Psychology
Biopsychology	The divisions of the nervous system The structure and function of sensory, relay and motor neurons The function of the endocrine system Ways of studying the brain Biological rhythms
Research methods	The scientific process Data handling and analysis Inferential testing

Year 2

In year 2, there is a range of topic-based options which bring together explanations from different approaches and engage students in issues and debates in contemporary Psychology.

Topic	Further details about the topic
Issues and debates	Gender and culture in Psychology Free will and determinism The nature-nurture debate Holism and reductionism Idiographic and nomothetic approaches to psychological investigation. Ethical implications of research studies and theory
Schizophrenia	Classification of schizophrenia Biological explanations for schizophrenia Psychological explanations for schizophrenia: Drug therapy Cognitive behaviour therapy and family therapy The diathesis-stress model.
Relationships	The evolutionary explanations for partner preferences Factors affecting attraction in romantic relationships Theories of romantic relationships Virtual relationships in social media Parasocial relationships
Aggression	Neural and hormonal mechanisms in aggression The ethological explanation of aggression Social psychological explanations of human aggression Institutional aggression in the context of prisons Media influences on aggression

Examinations

Paper 1 - 96 marks (2 hours)

Memory, attachment, social influence and psychopathology.

Paper 2 – 96 marks (2 hours)

Approaches, biopsychology, research methods.

Paper 3 – 96 marks (2 hours)

Issues and debates, schizophrenia, aggression, relationships

Examination Assessment Overview

Paper 1: Markets and Market Failure	Paper 2: National and International Economy	Paper 3: Economic Principles and Issues
What’s assessed? Content 1-8 above	What’s assessed? Content 9-14 above	What’s assessed? Content 1-14 above
Assessment Written exam: 2hours 80 marks 33.3% of A Level	Assessment Written exam: 2hours 80 marks 33.3% of A Level	Assessment Written exam: 2hours 80 marks 33.3% of A Level
Questions Section A: data response questions requiring written answers, choice of one from two context worth 40 marks. Section B: essay questions requiring written answers, choice of one from three worth 40 marks.	Questions Section A: data response questions requiring written answers, choice of one from two context worth 40 marks. Section B: essay questions requiring written answers, choice of one from three worth 40 marks.	Questions Section A: multiple choice questions worth 30 marks. Section B: case study questions requiring written answers, worth 50 marks

Year 12

	Topic	Further details about the topic	Skills
Autumn Term
1 & 2	Social Influence	Conformity Obedience Explanations of resistance to social influence Minority influence he role of social influence processes in social change.	Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of psychological concepts, theories, research studies, research methods and ethical issues Apply psychological knowledge and understanding Analyse, interpret and evaluate psychological concepts, theories, research studies and research methods Evaluate therapies and treatments including in terms of their appropriateness and effectiveness. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research methods, practical research skills and mathematical skills
1 & 2	Memory	Models of memory Explanations for forgetting Factors affecting the accuracy of eyewitness testimony Improving the accuracy of eyewitness testimony	As above
1 & 2	Attachment	Caregiver-infant interactions in humans Animal studies of attachment Explanations of attachment Types of attachment Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation. Effects of institutionalisation. The influence of early attachment on childhood and adult relationships	As above
2 & 2	Psychopathology	Definitions of abnormality Phobias, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The behavioural approach to explaining and treating phobias The cognitive approach to explaining and treating depression. The biological approach to explaining and treating OCD	As above
Spring Term
1 & 2	Approaches	The behaviourist approach The cognitive approach The biological approach The psychodynamic approach Humanistic Psychology Comparison of approaches	As above
1 & 2	Biopsychology	The divisions of the nervous system The structure and function of sensory, relay and motor neurons The function of the endocrine system Ways of studying the brain Biological rhythms	As above
1 & 2	Research methods	The scientific process Data handling and analysis Inferential testing	As above
Summer Term
1 & 2	Memory Biopsychology Research methods Revision of topics Introduction to year 2	Models of memory Explanations for forgetting Factors affecting the accuracy of eyewitness testimony Improving the accuracy of eyewitness testimony. The divisions of the nervous system The structure and function of sensory, relay and motor neurons The function of the endocrine system Ways of studying the brain Biological rhythms	As above

Year 13

	Topic	Further details about the topic	Skills
Autumn Term
1 & 2	Issues and debates	Gender and culture in Psychology Free will and determinism The nature-nurture debate Holism and reductionism Idiographic and nomothetic approaches to psychological investigation. Ethical implications of research studies and theory	Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of psychological concepts, theories, research studies, research methods and ethical issues Apply psychological knowledge and understanding Analyse, interpret and evaluate psychological concepts, theories, research studies and research methods Evaluate therapies and treatments including in terms of their appropriateness and effectiveness. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research methods, practical research skills and mathematical skills
1 & 2	Schizophrenia	Classification of schizophrenia Biological explanations for schizophrenia Psychological explanations for schizophrenia: Drug therapy Cognitive behaviour therapy and family therapy The diathesis-stress model.	As above
Spring Term
1 & 2	Relationships	The evolutionary explanations for partner preferences Factors affecting attraction in romantic relationships Theories of romantic relationships Virtual relationships in social media Parasocial relationships	As above
1 & 2	Aggression	Neural and hormonal mechanisms in aggression The ethological explanation of aggression Social psychological explanations of human aggression nstitutional aggression in the context of prisons Media influences on aggression	As above
Summer Term
1	Revision

Assessments

Resources	Topic	Type of assessment
CAT 1	Research methods/social influence/memory	Past paper questions from AQA
CAT 2	Research methods/ attachment/psychopathology	Past paper questions from AQA
CAT 3	Research methods/social influence/approaches/attachment/ psychopathology/memory.	Mock examination
CAT 4	All year 1 topics plus issues and debates and schizophrenia.	Past paper questions from AQA
CAT 5	All year 1 topics plus schizophrenia/issues and debates/aggression.	Past paper questions from AQA

Main Resources

Resource	Details	Term
Text books and support materials	AQA psychology for A level Year 1 and AS (978-1-908682-40-6) Flanagan et al AQA psychology for A level Year 2 (978-1-908682-41-3) Flanagan et al	All
Recommended reading	Psychology Review magazine accessed through Frog or at https://my.dynamic-learning.co.uk/	All
Recommended websites	AQA (http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/psychology/as-and-a-level/psychology) Brain Freeze psychology	All
Equipment	Pen, pencil, ruler, calculator, folder	All

Enrichment opportunities

Activity	Day and time or term

Where Next

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