The intent of the Psychology GCSE is to introduce students to the scientific method underpinning psychological research. Students explore this in the context of a wide range of theories and studies from different eras and approaches in Psychology. Students complete the course with a sound understanding of the complexity and diversity of the subject.
Topics covered include:
Year 10
- Memory: this topic explores the early cognitive models of memory, such as the Multi-store Model, and critiques with evidence for and against, helping develop evaluation skills of laboratory-based research, alongside scientifically descriptive writing.
- Perception: this topic explores how cultural and experiential differences between individuals can change how we perceive stimulus in our visual field. It explores how we process visual information to make sense of it.
- Child Development: here we explore how humans develop cognitive skills such as logical reasoning between babyhood and teenage years. We explore how observational techniques can be used reliably and scientifically to create credible learning theories.
- Research Methods: running throughout the course, this component focuses on how we investigate behaviour, and the issues with choosing one method over another. This includes the maths content that makes up 10% of the final grade.
Year 11
- Social Influence: Exploring some of the most famous studies into conformity and obedience, we explore the question “How do others influence our behaviour?” We also explore the ethical questions that psychological research creates.
- Language, Thought and communication: We ask the question “What comes first, language or thought?” and explore the evidence for both hypothesis. We also look at how non-human animal evidence may act as support and the limitations of using this research.
- Brain and Neuropsychology: The most biological of the components, this topic explores the structure and functions of different brain areas. This includes theories of how our brains process and organise information, such as Hebb’s theory suggesting neurons that “Fire together, wire together”.
- Psychological Problems: Here we explore theories and treatments for the psychological disorders of Unipolar Depression and Addiction. We consider how research can be applied to real life situations.
A full break down of the specification can be found at: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/psychology/gcse/psychology-8182
GCSE Psychology Revision: https://learndojo.org/gcse/aqa-psychology/