Psychology

What is psychology?

Psychology is a science, but a very young one compared to other scientific disciplines. Although psychological theories continue to change and evolve, the main aim of psychology is to increase our understanding of the human mind and of human behaviour.

A wide variety of methods and approaches have been employed because of the complexity of psychology’s subject matter. These include experimentation and observation, the establishment of facts and the use of theories to make sense of these facts.

Psychology can be concerned with a variety of broad issues. For instance:

·         How the family and social conditions contribute to aggressive behaviour.

·         How the body responds to stress, what causes it and how it can be prevented.

·         Why we sleep and dream.

·         How psychological illnesses can occur and how they might be prevented.

·         Other concerns might be more specific. For instance, considerations of:

·         The effects that prolonged stress might have on the immune system.

·         Whether it is possible to devise computer models that reflect human thought processes.

·         Whether research into the nature and structure of memory can help in the treatment of people suffering from amnesia (loss of memory).

How does A Level relate to GCSE?

You can study for an A Level in psychology without having taken the GCSE.

What skills does it require?

You should be proficient in the following areas, preferably with at least a B grade in each:

English language: The course will involve reading about a topic and learning how to construct arguments debating the various theories by weighing up the available evidence from the studies. It is therefore advantageous if you have a good command of the English language.

Science: A good understanding of how to conduct a 'fair' test is important in order to have confidence in any results. You also need to be able to pick out methodological flaws in the design of the work of other people, which could cast doubt on any claims they may make. Hence a sound scientific approach to the subject is key.

Maths: Statistical analysis of results is essential if any claims are to be made. You have to be sure that your findings did not just happen by chance, but were due to a real difference. You therefore need to be confident in handling numbers.

 

How is it studied?

Psychology as an AS Level (Advanced Subsidiary) is completed in one year, followed by an A2, completed in the following year.

Workload?

You can expect a fair bit of reading and essay writing. You are expected to keep on top of current affairs relating to psychology through reading newspapers, listening to the radio, and keeping your eyes open for television programmes.

Further and higher education

In the same way that it is not necessary to study GCSE psychology in order to do the A Level or AS Level, it is not essential to have taken the A or AS Level in order to study psychology at university or college. However, your strong grounding in the basic techniques and approaches as a result of psychology A Level studies would give you a head start!

Other subjects?

If you are not thinking of studying psychology at degree level, you may still find the A Level qualification will provide you with a useful grounding for a wide variety of degree courses, e.g. medicine, law and English.

If you already have a particular degree course in mind, it would be good idea to check with the college/university admissions office whether they consider A or AS Level psychology an acceptable qualification for the course in question.

 

For details of the A Level curriculum visit www.aqa.org.uk