PSYCHOLOGY

Head of Science: Mrs A Bushill

What is Psychology?

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and why we behave in the way that we do. It is a science and applies equally well to the behaviour of both animals and humans. It involves observing behaviour in both a natural setting, for example children at a playgroup, or within a laboratory setting.

Who is interested in Psychology?

People have always had a very strong interest in understanding the basis for particular behaviours. For example, the philosopher Aristolte considered the nature of intelligence and whether a person’s intellectual capability was influenced by their environment. Anne Bronte was one of the first people to write about a technique now known as aversion therapy  to control  alcoholism in her novel “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall”.

Who will enjoy Psychology A level?

No previous experience of psychology is necessary and this course will appeal to students who:
·        Enjoy exploring issues dealing with how and why people behave in certain ways
·        Want to find out more about the link between people’s behaviour and their environment
·        Enjoy planning and carrying out investigations to look for any patterns and explanation in the behaviour of children and adults

Which syllabus do we study?
We follow the EDEXCEL syllabus - 8PS01 and  9PS01

Course Content as from September 2008

AS level (1st year) A2 level (2nd year)

Unit 1: Social and Cognitive Psychology:

  • Obedience
  • Prejudice
  • Memory
  • Forgetting

 

Unit 3 : Applications of Psychology :

  • Criminological psychology eg explanations for criminal behaviour
  • Child psychology eg deprivation and its effect on the development of the child

Unit 2: Understanding the Individual:

  • Psychodynamic Approach to Psychology eg the work of Sigmund Freud
  • Biological Approach to Psychology eg sleep and dreaming
  • Learning Approach to Psychology eg Conditioning

 

Unit 4: How Psychology works

  • Clinical psychology eg mental health and its treatment
  • Issues and debates eg the importance of nature versus nurture in child development

 

Career Opportunities

Psychology is a very flexible subject and would enable you to follow a range of careers including occupations in the fields of psychology, social science, nursing, teaching, advertising and human resources.

 

 

USEFUL WEBSITES FOR SCIENCE

http://www.nhm.ac.uk (The Natural History Museum)

http://www.nmsi.ac.uk/welcome.html (The Science Museum)

http://www.nasa.gov

http://www.newscientist.com

http://www.vega.org.uk

 

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St George's School, Wells Lane, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7DZ  Telephone: 01344 629900
E-mail: office@stgeorges-ascot.org.uk