GCSE Exam & Specification
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A Level Exam Board: |
AQA Psychology |
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Link to Psychology Specification: |
AQA | AS and A-level | Psychology | Specification at a glance |
Specification
In Psychology we aim to impart core knowledge and develop understanding of psychological concepts, theories, research studies, research methods and ethical issues in relation to the specified context of each paper. This is so that students can:
Apply psychological knowledge and understanding of the specified knowledge of each paper in a range of contexts
Analyse, interpret and evaluate psychological concepts, theories, research studies and research methods in relation to the specified Paper content
Evaluate therapies and treatments including in terms of their appropriateness and effectiveness.
Assessment
This course of study comprises of three 2-hour exam papers with no coursework. The emphasis is on applying knowledge and understanding, thereby developing students' transferable skills of analysis, evaluation, and critical thinking. The A level Psychology qualification will give you a fundamental and lasting insight into human behaviour, thinking and reasoning. This will help you to cope better with your own life, but also it will help you to gain better understanding of others. By studying the nature of memory and techniques for memory improvement you will learn methods of successful study skills, which should help you with other subjects as well. These qualifications are linear. Linear means that students will sit all the of their A-level exams at the end of their A-level course. A-level Subject content topics Assessment: 3 written exam papers;
Paper 1 (33.3%) - Introductory Topics in Psychology (96 marks) 2 hours
Paper 2 (33.3%) – Psychology in context (96 marks) 2 hours
Paper 3 (33.3%) – Issues and Options in psychology (96 marks) 2 hours
Curriculum Intent
The Psychology curriculum is knowledge rich linked to clear objectives; it has made clear to students each lesson what precise knowledge they will acquire in the lesson, and how this links to previous and future learning. Our curriculum is designed to meet the needs of our students in our local context and is underpinned by these 4 guiding principles:
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Rich and Powerful Knowledge: In Psychology we equip all students with the ability to think critically and study different approaches that influence human behaviour. Research has demonstrated that prolonged rehearsal (repetition) does not facilitate long term storage of information, rather elaborative rehearsal (where knowledge is linked to pre-existing concepts) does. As such certain topics areas are designed to be interleaved and activities and home learning are designed to ‘transform knowledge’ or ‘think hard’ rather than just repeat/ copy knowledge.
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Objective and Question Driven: Through our carefully sequenced curriculum, students build foundational knowledge on theoretical perspectives and research. The curriculum is designed to facilitate maximum opportunities for interleaving. For instance, Paper 2 focuses on developing learner’s core knowledge of Psychology. The approaches in psychology allow learners to construct a solid theoretical foundation on which to build all other knowledge of psychological research. They will consider the origins of psychology as a discipline as well as the six different psychological approaches (cognitive, social learning, behaviourist, humanistic, psychodynamic, and biological) and how they form the basis for all human/ animal thought and behaviour. This paper will also contain knowledge of research methods in Psychology which can appear across all examination papers. In this way knowledge of both the approaches in Psychology and research methods can be assessed within the context of other topics.
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Mastering The Foundations (Literacy and Numeracy): As Psychology is an essay-based subject; key vocabulary is explicitly taught and the use of this is expected within written answers and verbal discussion. As the basis of successful writing lessons focus on students learning core knowledge (evidenced by an ability to retrieve this from long term memory). However, students are explicitly taught the successful components of effective analytical writing within the subject domain. In Research methods we revisit mathematical skills and explicitly teach statistics to support and develop understanding of data analysis. Overall, at least 10% of the marks in assessments for Psychology will require the use of mathematical skills. These skills will be applied in the context of A-level Psychology.
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Inclusive and Ambitious: In Psychology we cover a wide range of topics from biological to social factors. It includes studies on Biopsychology, brain structures to Gender, social construct of gender identity which help students understand and appreciate different perspectives and experiences. Knowledge checks are implemented every single lesson; these include MCQ questions which can be quantified in their answer. Students complete a tracker and so know what their areas of strength/ development are. Students in Psychology know what they do not know; they also know where to access topic-based practise questions to fill any learning gaps. Those that are secure are encouraged to engage with extended learning.
The following curriculum map outlines the ambitious curriculum your child will experience at AINA.
Year 12 - Psychology
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Approaches in Psychology How do you analysis and evaluate psychological research effectively? Can psychology be considered a scientific discipline? What are the different approaches/ ways of explaining behaviour? This topic links to: This knowledge underpins all other topics in Psychology and therefore can be linked to all topics Assessment (16 marks Approaches, outline and evaluate) Research Methods What methods of investigation do psychologists use to conducting their research? What are the constituent components of the experimental method? What is ‘data’ in psychology? What are the different ways to display and analyse data? Qualitative data analysis- how do we analyse non numerical data? How can we ensure that Psychological research is both reliable and valid? This topic links to: This knowledge underpins all other topics in Psychology and therefore can be linked to all topics Assessment (A02 Applied questions – relate to scenarios) |
Mock examinations/ interim assessment Research Methods Inferential statistics- What is meant by statistical significance in Psychology and why is it an import part of the scientific process of conducting research? What are the different tests of significance in psychology and when should each be used? What is the process of carrying out the Sign Test? What is the process of data analysis to determine statistical significance of research? This topic links to This knowledge underpins all other topics in Psychology and therefore can be linked to all topics This topic links to: This knowledge underpins all other topics in Psychology and therefore can be linked to all topics Social influence Majority influence- what behaviours do we demonstrate when conforming/ obeying authority figures in society? Explanations for conformity/obedience- What are the key reasons to explain why we conform to the majority/ obey figures of authority? This topic links to: Research methods- observations in psychology, ethical issues and how to overcome them, social sensitivity, the experimental method Assessment (AO3, evaluation 16 markers) |
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Social influence Minority influence- how do small groups facilitate important changes in society? What are the steps to create a social change? This topic links to: Research methods- observations in psychology, ethical issues and how to overcome them, social sensitivity, the experimental method. Assessment (Section A 2024 marks) Psychopathology How do we define what is and what is not normal behaviour? How does an individual with OCD, depression and a phobia think, feel and act? Explanation for mental health disorders- why do we develop depression/ phobias/ OCD This topic links to This topic links to: The biological, behaviourist and cognitive approach |
Psychopathology Treatment for menta health disorders- how can we use the approaches in Psychology to treat and improve mental health? This topic links to The biological, behaviourist and cognitive approach Assessment (Section D introduce comparison questions) Spring IA Attachment What are the key interactions between caregivers and infants which build strong attachments? What is the role of the father in building attachment? How can studying animal attachments further our understanding of the human attachment system? Explanations for attachment? What is the purpose of forming human attachments? The ‘ strange situation’ What research methods can we use to study attachment between an infant and their caregiver? Do attachment styles vary across cultures? What is the impact of our early attachments on our relationships in later life? This topic links to The learning approach, the biological approach, the implications of psychological research and the economy, extrapolation of animal and human research |
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Memory What is sensory, short term and long term memory and how are these memory stores unique/ separate from each other? Explanations for memory- how do our memory stores work to process information and create memories? Explanations for forgetting- how can we use interference theory and the encoding specificity principle to explain why we forget information Eyewitness testimony- how and why does misleading information and anxiety effect the accuracy of eyewitness testimony? Using our explanations of memory and forgetting, how can we improve the accuracy of eyewitness testimony? This topic links to Research methods- the experimental method Assessment (Two sections A and B) |
Research methods Implications for research and the economy Features of a scientific report Peer review This topic links to This knowledge underpins all other topics in Psychology and therefore can be linked to all topics Assessment EOY |
Year 13 - Psychology
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Biological Psychology What is the structure and function of the nervous and endocrine system? How do both systems effects behaviour The brain - how is our brain structured? Which parts of the brain carry out specialist roles? What are the different methods used to study the brain? Biological rhythms- how to internal and external factors impact our bodily rhythms? This topic links to The biological approach in psychology, psychopathology- biological explanations and treatments for OCD Forensic Psychology Explanations of crime- what are the psychological and biological factors which can be used to explain criminal behaviour? How can we treat offending behaviour using: custodial sentencing, anger management, restorative justice and behaviour modification? What are the different methods of profiling offenders? This topic links to Approaches in Psychology Research methods |
Gender What is the difference between sex and gender? What are the biological factors which effect gender and gender related behaviour? What are the psychological factors which effect gender and gender related behaviour? Gender dysphoria- why do some individuals feel their sex and gender do not correspond? This topic links to Approaches in Psychology Research methods Eating behaviour Why do we prefer some foods over others? What are the biological mechanisms in the body which influence when we feel hungry and when we feel full? Anorexia nervosa and obesity what are the biological and psychological explanations for these disorders? Why do some attempts to diet fail while others succeed? This topic links to Approaches in Psychology Research methods |
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Issues and Debates in Psychology What are the key debates in Psychology? What are the issues which we need to consider when researching and conducting psychological research? How can I use my knowledge across all topics in psychology as examples and evidence when discussing the issues and debates in psychological research? |
Revision |
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Support from Home
Core Textbooks:
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AQA Psychology for A Level Year 1 & AS Student Book – 2nd Edition
Cara Flanagan, Matt Jarvis, Rob Liddle
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AQA Psychology for A Level Year 2 Student Book: 2nd Edition Boost eBook
Cara Flanagan, Matt Jarvis, Rob Liddle
Useful Websites
Tutor2U - https://www.tutor2u.net/psychology
A Level Psychology - http://www.a-levelpsychology.co.uk/online/
The Psychologist - http://www.thepsychologist.org.uk/
Psychology Podcasts - http://podspsy.sm4.biz/
Psychology Review, Phillip Allen - http://www.hoddereducation.co.uk/Psychology?pid=2#&pid=2&limit=true&type=0
Simply Psychology - http://www.simplypsychology.org/a-level-psychology.html
Feedback
Our aim is to ensure feedback helps drive student achievement by providing meaningful information that helps to address misconceptions and close curriculum and knowledge gaps.
Every piece of feedback given to our students should results in an action by the student. The following types of feedback that are given to students at AINA are:
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Self and peer assessment
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Written feedback
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Verbal feedback
Students receive written teacher feedback after formative diagnostic or interim assessments. The cycle is as follows:
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A score/percentage for the assessment
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Precise teacher comment/s linked to the curriculum/knowledge gap written in red
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A response/action/redo by the student in green pen
Career Pathways
AQA A level Psychology offers a wide range of career options students will learn the fundamentals of the subject and develop skills valued by Higher Education (HE) and employers, including critical analysis, independent thinking, and research. Careers include;
Clinical Psychologist: Work with individuals facing mental health challenges, conducting assessments and providing therapy.
Counselling Psychologist: Focus on helping clients manage emotional, social, and psychological issues.
Educational Psychologist: Support children's learning and development in educational settings.
Forensic Psychologist: Apply psychological principles within the legal and criminal justice systems.
Industrial-Organizational Psychologist: Improve workplace productivity and employee well-being.
Researcher: Conduct studies to advance knowledge in various psychological fields.
Health Psychologist: Focus on how psychological factors affect health and illness.
Sports Psychologist: Work with athletes to enhance performance and mental resilience.
Social Worker: Help individuals and families cope with challenges through support and advocacy.
Market Research Analyst: Use psychological principles to understand consumer behaviour and inform marketing strategies.
Human Resources: Understanding human behaviour helps in recruitment, training, and employee relations.
Social Services: Work in community organizations, focusing on support and advocacy for various populations.
Business Management: Skills in understanding team dynamics and motivation can enhance leadership roles.
Public Relations: Crafting messages that resonate with audiences can benefit from insights into human behaviour.
Law Enforcement: Skills in understanding human behaviour can aid in roles such as detective work or community policing.
Journalism and Media: Writing and reporting on social issues, mental health, and human interest stories can be informed by psychological insights.