Psychology
Field Day 2011: trip to Paignton Zoo - read about our visit (PDF document).
Board and Syllabus
As of September 2011, psychology students at Blundell’s will undertake the AQA ‘A’ specification in Psychology A Level. This is an exciting and engaging course, which explores many key areas of Psychology as well as more contemporary areas of research. It is therefore one of the best introductions to the subject, particularly for those considering further study at university.
As with the previous specification OCR, there is no coursework and the grade is based upon two exams at AS Level and two at A2 Level. Unlike OCR, the exams are equally weighted, contributing 25% each to the final A Level, which should help to alleviate the exam pressure.
Content of the AS Modules
Unit 1 - PSYA1: Cognitive, Developmental and Research Methods
This unit will introduce two psychological approaches; cognitive and developmental and assess students’ knowledge of research methods. The ethos behind the AQA A specification is research and application, therefore in all of the AS approaches we will explore a key area of research and then apply it to a real life situation. In the case of cognitive psychology we will look at memory and then issues surrounding eyewitness testimony and in developmental we will look at attachment and the effects of day care.
Research methods will require students to have an understanding of research techniques such as experiments, correlations and observation as well as the design of investigations and data analysis/presentation. Their knowledge of these key building blocks of psychological research will continue into A2 Level.
Unit 2 - PSYA2: Biological Psychology, Social Psychology and Individual Differences
This second module follows a similar path to the first. In biological psychology, students will look at stress and then explore stress in everyday life. In social psychology they will look at social influence (i.e. conformity, resistance and obedience) and then look at the implications of this using real life examples such as the Holocaust or civil rights movement. Finally, individual differences will look at psychological abnormality and apply it to treating abnormality.
Both of these units are worth 50% of the final AS Level and, as noted above are worth 25% of the overall A Level. Both exams are 1 hour and 30 minutes and candidates will be examined in the Summer Term.
Content of the A2 Modules
Unit 3 – PSYA3 Topics in Psychology
In this unit, students will look at various topics of interest in contemporary psychology and it is a good introduction to the kinds of research areas currently covered in UK Psychology degrees. There are eight areas offered but students are only required to understand three for the exam, which requires them to answer three essay style questions, one each for the topics they study in the year. The eight topics available are biological rhythms and sleep, perception, relationships, aggression, eating behaviour, gender, intelligence & learning and cognition & development. We will follow our chosen three as a class.
This exam is 1 hour 30 minutes and is worth 25% of the total A Level marks.
Unit 4 – PSYA4 Psychopathology, Psychology in Action and Research Methods
This unit features three sections for each of the above. The psychopathology section will offer a choice of three questions relating to three different psychological disorders (schizophrenia, depression or anxiety disorders). In this case we will look at anxiety disorders and students will need to understand the clinical symptoms of a disorder, different explanations and different approaches to treatment of that disorder.
Psychology in action will also offer three areas of study (media psychology, addictive behaviour and anomalistic psychology) and one will be pursued for students to answer an essay-style question on. Here students must apply their knowledge of methods, approaches, issues and debates and consider the practicalities of applying psychology to everyday life.
Finally, research methods will require students to build upon their understanding of it at AS and develop a more advanced comprehension of Psychology as a science.
This exam is also worth 25% of the final A Level, but is 2 hours long in order to allow planning time in each of the sections.
Information for current Upper Sixth students
Our current Upper Sixth students (2010-11) are studying the OCR specification and will continue to do so at A2 Level. This is what they can expect to cover in the academic year 2011-12.
Unit 3 – G543: Options in Applied Psychology
Candidates will look at two out of four options offered by OCR. This year we will focus on Sport Psychology and Health and Clinical psychology (including dysfunctional behaviour and psychological disorders). Each option features four key areas each with three sub-units.
The exam is taken in June and is worth 25% of their final A Level. From the two options we study the exam will feature a choice of four extended answer questions from which students must select two for each topic to answer. They are asked to describe and evaluate particular areas in the light of psychological theories, studies and evidence.
Recent changes to this exam mean that students have 2 hours on the paper and examiners have stated that the four questions will only focus on three of the sub-units in each topic rather than one question option from each.
Unit 4 – G544: Approaches and Research Methods in Psychology
There will also be a psychological investigations section which will examine candidates on: -
- Research methodology, where candidates are required to design a practical project after being given a research scenario.
- Structured synoptic questions on approaches, perspectives, methods, issues and debates (these should also relate to the topics covered at AS).
This exam is 1 hour 30 minutes and is worth 25% of the final A Level. Students are examined in the January exam season and will find that questions are flexible to allow them to use both AS and A2 evidence in order to support their arguments.
