Sixth Form Psychology

Psychology is a popular choice of subject for A Level.  Many of the students who take A Level Psychology go on to study the subject at university.

So – what is Psychology?

Psychology is a science, with most advances happening over the past 150 years or so.  However, its origins can be traced back to ancient Greece, 400 – 500 years BCE.  The emphasis was a philosophical one, with great thinkers such as Socrates influencing Plato, who in turn influenced Aristotle.  It is the study of behaviour and a subject that forms a link between the biological sciences and the social sciences.  It is a good way to better understand why people behave in certain ways.  However, if you want to be able to read people’s minds this course won’t teach you how to do that! Psychology has recently been classified as a Science by the QCA, and it combines well with both Arts and Science courses at A Level.

Aims of the course

This course encourages students to:

• Study psychological theories, research, terminology, concepts, studies and methodologies.
• Develop skills of analysis, interpretation and evaluation.
• Develop an understanding of different areas of Psychology, including the core areas of Cognitive, Social, Developmental and Physiological Psychology as well as Research Methods.
• Design and report psychological investigations and analyse and interpret data. Use statistics.
• Develop an understanding of ethical issues in Psychology, including the ethical implications of psychological research.