Psychology
SUBJECT overview
Studying Psychology has become a very valuable tool in the world we currently live in with mental health being more acceptable in society and more people wanting to seek help to overcome mental health issues. With much more media material nowadays on mindfulness and improving your mental state readily available, the psychology course has been designed to allow for our young minds to understand the treatments available and causes around mental health. Learners will be given opportunities to extend their literacy and numeracy skills by studying research methodology and mathematical testing within this discipline. The scientific status of psychology has now fully been enveloped within the new specification and learners will get to see how it transpires within the real world.
Rationale for Sequencing
Teaching the social and cognitive topics first allows for a vast amount of methodology, key concepts and statistical tests to be learnt which are required throughout the rest of the course. It is followed by the biological approach to autism as a key issue, as learners are required to study this topic in more detail in Child Psychology in year 13. In addition, anorexia nervosa is the key issue taught for the learning approach, which is further expanded on in Clinical psychology in year 13. In Year 13, the last two topics (Clinical and Child) are covered which allow learners to enhance their critical use of the skills acquired at AS especially in the biological and learning approaches.
Unit overview - clinical psychology
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Topic 5 : Clinical Psychology |
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Skills |
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures within clinical psychology. Apply knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures from clinical psychology: ● in a theoretical context ● in a practical context ● when handling qualitative data ● when handling quantitative data Analyse, interpret and evaluate scientific information, ideas and evidence, including in relation to issues in clinical psychology such as how mental disorders have changed over time and the stigma attached to it. Make judgements and reach conclusions about various different clinical studies including their own practical investigation on attitudes of mental health disorders via the media. Prepare and refine a practical design and procedures using content analysis Write responses to extended essay questions using a structured method. |
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Knowledge |
5.1.1 Diagnosis of mental disorders, including deviance, dysfunction, distress, and danger. 5.1.2 Classification systems (DSM IVR or DSM V, and ICD) for mental health, including reliability and validity of diagnoses. 5.1.3 Description of symptoms of schizophrenia and anorexia nervosa Two biological explanations of schizophrenia and anorexia and one non-biological explanation of each. 5.1.4 Two treatments for schizophrenia and anorexia, one biological and one psychological. 5.1.5 Individual differences to show how cultural effects can lead to individual differences in mental health disorders, e.g. non-biological explanation for schizophrenia. In addition, how cultural effects can lead to different diagnoses of mental health disorders affecting reliability and validity. 5.1.6 Developmental psychology, which includes issues around genes and mental health, such as a genetic or biochemical explanation for schizophrenia, can affect development. Methods 5.2.1 Awareness of Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) guidelines for clinical practitioners. 5.2.2 Researching mental health with the use of longitudinal, cross-sectional, cross-cultural methods, meta-analysis, and the use of primary and secondary data. 5.2.3 The use of case studies, to include an example study: e.g. Lavarenne et al. (2013) Containing psychotic patients with fragile boundaries: a single group case study. 5.2.4 The use of interviews in clinical psychology, to include an example study: e.g. Vallentine et al. (2010) Psycho-educational group for detained offender patients: understanding mental illness. 5.2.5. Within the methods mentioned here, analysis of quantitative data using both descriptive and inferential statistics (chi-squared, Spearman's, Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U as appropriate), e.g. Analysis of qualitative data using thematic analysis and grounded theory. 5.3.1 Describe and evaluate the classic study of Rosenhan 5.3.2 Describe and evaluate one contemporary study on schizophrenia called Carlsson 5.3.6 Describe and evaluate one contemporary study from anorexia called Guardia. 5.4 Discuss a key question of relevance to today’s society, discussed as a contemporary issue for society rather than an academic argument. 5.5 Conduct a practical investigation using content analysis as a research method by comparing two films on mental health disorders. |
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Rationale |
Clinical psychology is about explaining and treating mental health issues, and of the different ways of treating them, including counselling and drug treatments which will prepare learners for a career in the clinical sector, ie, a hospital setting. This topic will provide encouragement to learners who are facing typical stressors in their current live be it simply dealing with the pressures of sixth form life. In addition, this topic encourages learners to be more aware of their own mental health situations and seek help if need be. It allows them to remove any stigmas of coping silently with a serious mental health issue. This topic creates opportunities for learners to explore the medical field via a psychological route. Individual differences and developmental psychology must be considered when learning about links between personality factors and mental disorders and genetic influences (nature) or environmental influences (nurture) within different explanations for mental health disorders. Studying this aspect allows learners to become familiar with how mental health affects different people in various different ways and how treatment must be individualised per person in order for it to be effective. |
Unit overview - child psychology
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Topic 7 : Child Psychology |
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Skills |
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures within child psychology. Apply knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures from child psychology: ● in a theoretical context ● in a practical context ● when handling qualitative data ● when handling quantitative data Analyse, interpret and evaluate scientific information, ideas and evidence, including in relation to issues in child psychology such as childhood attachment and how it affects later relationships and the effect of day-care on a child. Make judgements and reach conclusions about various different child psychology studies including their own practical investigation on conducting a semi-structured interview with parents and finding out about the impact of day care on their child. Prepare and refine a practical design and procedures using a semi-structured interview and carry out a statistical test such as Mann Whitney to show how significant the results are. Write responses to extended essay questions using a structured method. |
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Knowledge |
7.1.1 Bowlby’s work on attachment. 7.1.2 Ainsworth’s work on attachment, including types of attachment and the Strange Situation procedure. 7.1.3 Research into deprivation (short-term and long-term effects) and how negative effects can be reduced. 7.1.4 Research into privation and whether the negative effects can be reversed. 7.1.5 Research into day care, including advantages and disadvantages for the child, and what makes good and poor-quality day care. 7.1.6 Cross-cultural research into attachment types and nature-nurture issues that arise about development. 7.1.7 Autism including features and one biological and cognitive explanation of autism. In addition two therapies to treat autism. 7.1.8 Individual differences on how attachment type can affect individuals differently, such as issues of child temperament. In addition, how positive and negative aspects of day care can be affected by individual differences such as gender or temperament. Methods 7.2.1 Observation and the use of observational research methods in child psychology, including the gathering of both qualitative and quantitative data (including tallying). ● Types of observation: participant, nonparticipant, overt and covert. 7.2.2 The use of questionnaires/interviews in studying children and the issues with using them. 7.2.3 The use of the cross-cultural research method, including the Strange Situation, in child psychology, including nature-nurture issues and issues of cross-sectional versus longitudinal designs. ● The use of meta-analysis using cross-cultural research to draw conclusions about the universality of attachment types. 7.2.4 The ethics of research with children, including children’s rights and the UNCRC (1989), and issues around participation and protection. 7.2.5 Analysis of quantitative data using measures of central tendency, frequency tables, measures of dispersion (range and standard deviation). ● Analysis of, use of, and drawing conclusions from quantitative data using inferential statistics, including use of chi-squared, Spearman, Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon, and issues of statistical significance, levels of measurement, critical and observed values. 7.3.1 Describe and evaluate the classic study of Van IJzendoorn and Kroonenberg 7.3.2 Describe and evaluate one contemporary study called Cassibba 7.4 Discuss an issue of relevance to today’s society, explaining the issue and applying concepts, theories and/or research (as appropriate) drawn from child psychology, such as the importance of day care. 7.5 Prepare and conduct a practical investigation using a semi-structured interview discussing the effects of day care. |
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Rationale |
Child psychology is about the development of the individual from before birth to adolescence and beyond, in that what we experience as children affects our later development, thus enabling learners to grasp an overview of their own attachment types and personalities. This topic allows learners to expand upon their own values, relationships and attachments to the people closest to them. It opens their minds up to how and why certain children may behave the way they do based on the childhoods they experienced. This topic gives learners an insight into becoming a child psychologist in the future. It creates numerous opportunities for application-based responses which will help them when responding to paper 2 and 3 questions as the studies are all based upon real children and mothers. Individual differences and developmental psychology must be considered when learning about differences that can come from the child’s age, gender, social situation, privation and deprivation. This allows learners to form non-judgemental views of people in general. |
Unit overview - psychological skills
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Topic 9 : Psychological Skills |
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Skills |
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures within child psychology. Apply knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures for all psychology topics: ● in a theoretical context ● in a practical context ● when handling qualitative data ● when handling quantitative data Analyse, interpret and evaluate scientific information, ideas and evidence from scenario-based questions. Interpret and draw bar charts, histograms, scatter graphs and distribution graphs. Make judgements and reach conclusions about various different key studies, including their own practical investigations. Calculate using formulas for any of the 4 statistical tests. Write responses to extended essay questions using a structured method. |
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Knowledge |
Methods: 9.1.1 Types of data: qualitative and quantitative data; primary and secondary data. 9.1.2 Sampling techniques: random, stratified, volunteer and opportunity. 9.1.3 Experimental/research designs: independent groups, repeated measures and matched pairs. 9.1.4 Hypotheses: null, alternate, experimental; directional and non-directional. 9.1.5 Questionnaires and interviews 9.1.6 Experiments: laboratory and field; independent and dependent variables. 9.1.7 Observations: tallying; event and time sampling 9.1.8 Additional research methods and techniques: twin and adoption studies, animal experiments, case studies as used in different areas of psychology, scanning (CAT, PET, fMRI), content analysis, correlational research, longitudinal and cross-sectional, cross-cultural and meta-analysis. 9.1.9 Control issues: counterbalancing, order effects and the effects of the experimenter 9.1.10 Descriptive statistics and produce, handle, interpret data-including drawing comparisons (e.g. between means of two sets of data). 9.1.11 Inferential statistics and decision-making and interpretation ● Levels of measurement. Appropriate choice of statistical test. The criteria for and use of Mann-Whitney U, Wilcoxon, Spearman’s, chi squared (for difference) tests. Directional and non-directional testing. 9.1.12 Methodological issues: validity (internal, predictive, ecological), reliability, generalisability, objectivity, subjectivity (researcher bias), credibility. 9.1.13 Analysis of qualitative data (thematic analysis and grounded theory). 9.1.14 Conventions of published psychological research: abstract, introduction, aims and hypotheses, method, results, discussion; the process of peer review. 9.1.15 Ethical issues in research using humans (BPS Code of Ethics and Conduct) 9.1.16 Ethical issues in research using animals (Scientific Procedures Act 1986 and Home Office regulations). 9.2 Review of classic studies only by drawing and making conclusions Issues and Debates: 9.3.1 Ethical issues in research (animal and human). 9.3.2 Practical issues in the design and implementation of research. 9.3.3 Reductionism in the explanation of behaviour. 9.3.4 Comparisons of ways of explaining behaviour using different themes. 9.3.5 Psychology as a science. 9.3.6 Cultural and gender issues in psychological research. 9.3.7 The role of both nature and nurture in psychology. 9.3.8 An understanding of how psychological understanding has developed over time. 9.3.9 The use of psychology in social control. 9.3.10 The use of psychological knowledge in society. 9.3.11 Issues related to socially-sensitive research. |
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Rationale |
This is a synoptic section in which students will be asked to draw on other areas of the qualification in order to understand conceptual and methodological issues. Students will develop an understanding of how to use theories and evidence from many areas of psychology and apply them to the issues. Relevant psychological skills have been contextualised in Topics 1–8. This topic collects them together in order to ensure that all content has been covered. Students must consider issues and debates from across all topics in order to develop a general knowledge of key issues and debates. Therefore, this topic allows students to use various different issues and debates to give well thought out answers to extended responses in paper 3. This topic allows students to be challenged by various different research methods learnt and be able to apply concepts learnt when answering questions in paper 3. |
Knowledge Organiser
A knowledge organiser is an important document that lists the important facts that learners should know by the end of a unit of work. It is important that learners can recall these facts easily, so that when they are answering challenging questions in their assessments and GCSE and A-Level exams, they are not wasting precious time in exams focusing on remembering simple facts, but making complex arguments and calculations.
We encourage all pupils to use them by doing the following:
- Quiz themselves at home, using the read, write, cover, check method.
- Practise spelling key vocabulary
- Further researching people, events and processes most relevant to the unit.