Psychology

Course summary

This OCR led course is two years long and assessed by three two-hour examinations at the end of Year 13. The three components of the course are research methods, psychological themes through core studies, and applied Psychology (specifically issues in mental health, child Psychology, and criminal Psychology). Component 1 requires students to study four key psychological investigatory methods; experiment, observation, self-report and correlation. This component requires students to be able to plan and conduct their own research, record data and analyse data, also present results through report writing, and have an understanding of science in Psychology. Component 2 will assess students’ knowledge and understanding of five key psychological approaches; social, cognitive, developmental, biological, and individual differences (including a classic and contemporary study). In addition, students will focus on two key perspectives- behaviourist and psychodynamic. Finally, students will need to define key principles and concepts of a range of debates (nature / nurture, freewill / determinism, reductionism / holism) and Psychology as a science. Component 3 requires students to follow one compulsory topic of issues in mental health, along with two options of child Psychology and criminal Psychology. Each of the three topics requires students to explain and exemplify the background and consider relevant issues and debates, along with key research, and their application.