Psychology

The purpose of psychology is to give us a completely different idea of the things we know best.

Paul Valery

Psychology keeps trying to vindicate human nature. History keeps undermining the effort.

Mason Cooley

The chief difficulty for those who begin the study of scientific psychology is that all men indulge in popular psychology.

Karl Friedrich Munzinger

Psychology is a broad field that encompasses the study of human thought, behaviour, development, personality, emotion, motivation, and more. Gaining a richer and deeper understanding of psychology can help people achieve insights into their own actions as well as a better understanding of others.

Curriculum

KS4

Students can first study Psychology as a GCSE in Y10 and Y11. Detailed below are the topics covered.

Curriculum Intent and Map

Y10

Autumn term: Memory and Research Methods

Memory

Processes of memory: encoding (input) storage and retrieval (output)
Structures of memory
Memory as an active process

Research methods

Formulation of testable hypotheses
Types of variable
Sampling methods
Designing research
Correlation
Research procedures
Planning and conducting research
Ethical considerations
Quantitative and qualitative data
Primary and secondary data
Computation
Descriptive statistics
Interpretation and display of quantitative data
Normal distributions

Spring term: Perception and Development

Perception

Sensation and perception
Visual cues and constancies
Gibson's direct theory of perception – the influence of nature
Visual illusions
Gregory's constructivist theory of perception – the influence of nurture
Factors affecting perception

Development

Early brain development
Piaget’s stage theory and the development of intelligence
The role of Piaget’s theory in education
The effects of learning on development

Summer term: Social Influence and revision

Social influence

Conformity
Obedience
Prosocial behaviour
Crowd and collective behaviour

Y11

Autumn term: Brain and neuropsychology and Language thought and development

Brain and neuropsychology

Structure and function of the nervous system
Neuron structure and function
Structure and function of the brain
An introduction to neuropsychology

Language, thought and development

The possible relationship between language and thought
The effect of language and thought on our view of the world
Differences between human and animal communication
Non-verbal communication
Explanations of non-verbal behaviour

Spring term: Language thought and development and Psychological Problems

Psychological problems

An introduction to mental health
How the incidence of significant mental health problems changes over time
Effects of significant mental health problems on individuals and society
Characteristics of clinical depression
Theories of depression
Interventions or therapies for depression
Characteristics of addiction
Theories of addiction
Interventions or therapies for addiction

Summer term: Revision

Medium Term Plans

GCSE Subject Specification

Please click through to the links to view more information on the AQA website.

Psychology - AQA Exam Board

https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/psychology/specifications/AQA-8182-SP-2017.PDF

Y11 Revision materials

Learndojo

Enrichment opportunities

Every Thursday 3.20-4.30pm in the Media Lab: Y11/Y12/Y13 revision mentoring
Monday lunchtime in YG4: Y10 revision
Monday period 4 in YG1: Y13 extra revision class

Useful websites

www.aqa.org.uk

Things to see and do

KS5

As part of the LaSWAP consortium, Acland Burghley offers a Psychology A Level.

Useful revision resources: Learndojo

Acland Burghley School

Psychology

Head of Faculty for Computing, Media and Social Sciences

Head of Department

Subject Lead

Teachers