Psychology

Psychology is a very popular A-level course at Bootham and spaces are limited. Our excellent results reflect students’ interest in the subject.

Why study Psychology?
The Psychology Department aims to nurture students’ natural fascination about human behaviour and the mind and to help students develop a disciplined, yet open-minded, approach to
their thinking.

Students will find studying Psychology a challenge. The course will compels them to hone their written expression as they weigh up and evaluate evidence. It’s a subject that will stretch any student in their capacity to think analytically and to write coherently.

Academic study in Psychology provides excellent training for further academic study, as well as for everyday life. Nearly all, medical schools accept Psychology as a Science for admission. The subject thoroughly deserves its popularity – it’s an all round excellent subject.

What is Psychology?
Many students know that they are interested in Psychology but most would like a clearer idea of what the subject really involves. There are a wide variety of fields within Psychology (e.g. Cognitive, Social, Neuro-psychology etc.) and a large number of areas of study within each field (Memory, Personality, Language etc.). This makes it impossible to sum up Psychology by describing a single approach or perspective. Most Psychology courses try to sample a range of fields. (See the course outline)

Far from being a “Mickey-mouse” Science or a pseudo-scientific subject, studying Psychology will deepen your understanding of the scientific method. When studying Chemistry or Biology, for example, much of the course involves learning established theory rather than studying the experiments that led to them. In contrast, as Psychology is a comparatively new Science, students examine the process of research as theories emerge. Furthermore, Psychologists have had to invent clever techniques and experiments to probe the complexities of the human mind.

STAFF
Harriet Ennis runs this department. She also teaches Biology to ages 11-18. Liz Gallagher-Coates shares the teaching of Psychology and specialises in Language and Thought.

EDUCATIONAL VISITS AND SPEAKERS
A visit to the viewer’s gallery at York Crown Court as part of the Cognitive Psychology Module (Memory - eyewitness testimony) at the end of the first half term of the AS course.

In liaison with The University of York, Psychology department there is a regular visit to see the Psychology dept.

Professor Alan Baddeley (famous in the field of Human Memory research) visits to speak to students.

THE COURSE
We follow the current AQA Specification A (Advanced Subsidiary 5181). It is taught within eight 35-minute periods per week (including double periods). See The COLLEGE CURRICULUM DOCUMENT and SCHEME OF ASSESSMENT for more information.

SCHEME OF ASSESSMENT - PSYCHOLOGY AS (AQA Spec. A

SCHEME OF ASSESSMENT - PSYCHOLOGY A2 (AQA Spec. A)

THE AS COURSE
The AS course follows the current AQA Specification A (Advanced Subsidiary 5181).

Christmas Break

Easter Break
Mock Exam - Unit 1, 2 and part of 3

Course Content
There are many different fields within Psychology.
Each approaches the scientific study of the mind and behaviour from a different perspective. Areas of Psychology covered in the AS & A2 courses include:

Social Psychology – the human in society e.g. conformity and obedience, relationships
Physiological Psychology – the biology of psychology e.g. stress, emotion, sleep
Cognitive Psychology – the study of mental processing –
e.g. memory, language
Developmental Psychology – development throughout the human life span e.g. attachment
Individual Differences – e.g. personality, abnormality
Comparative Psychology – comparing humans with other animals e.g. consciousness

Research Methods and Statistics
The AS and A2 course content overlaps many other subjects and provides transferable skills.

Why study Psychology?
Psychology is appropriate to many different students because it covers a wide range of useful skills. Studying psychology develops talents for clear scientific thinking and clear expression, involving students in the critical analysis of experimental research and theory.

Psychology is a relatively new science, which is constantly evolving and deeply involved in the process of new discovery. For this reason, research methods and findings are at the heart of any Psychology course. Humans are complex creatures, so to gain insight into their minds and behaviour, psychologists need to devise clever and inventive experiments. In contrast to other sciences, like Physics and Biology, where students learn to apply well established findings, psychology students are constantly analysing and questioning research and weighing up evidence

.Psychology is recognised by all universities and employers and many medical schools accept Psychology as a science for admission. Psychology is accepted as both an arts and science subject. The practical component enables students to gain useful experience of conducting research and gathering and analysing data statistically.

Scheme of Assessment

A2