Psychology (Edexcel)
Psychology is about the study of human - and to some extent animal - behaviour. The discipline contains many schools of thought that have different approaches to what-it-is-to- be-human. For example, at the social level you will learn that our behaviour is influenced by others. At the biological level, conditions such as schizophrenia may be caused by excessive chemical activity in the brain. Psychology is a science and you will be expected to develop your statistical and mathematical skills.You will also be expected to participate in and conduct experiments and research.
Entry Requirements
5 GCSEs at grade C or above, including English Language and Mathematics.
Course Content
AS Unit 1: Social & Cognitive Psychology 1 hr 20 mins exam
This unit introduces the social and cognitive approaches to psychology through the development of key content areas. The unit is divided into two parts, Social Psychology: obedience and prejudice; and Cognitive Psychology:memory and forgetting. Within each part the content includes a selection of basic concepts of the social and cognitive approaches.
AS Unit 2: Understanding the Individual 1 hr 40 mins exam
This unit introduces three approaches in Psychology: the Psychodynamic Approach, the Biological Approach and the Learning approach. This aims to develop students' understanding of psychological issues of development, individual difference, and biology, through the study of these approaches.
A2 Unit 3: Applications of Psychology 1 hr 30 mins exam
This unit enable students to study how psychology can be applied to the real world. Each of the four applications within this unit is related to vocational contexts in which a psychology graduate (with the appropriate training) may operate. In this sense, the unit to further contextualises and makes real the understanding of approaches. There is a focus on evaluation, assessment, application and comment as well as on knowledge.
Students must select two of the following four applications:
• criminological psychology
• health psychology: substance misuse
• child psychology
• sport psychology
A2 Unit 4: How Psychology Works 2 hr exam
This focuses on the debates between approaches within contemporary Psychology. In the clinical psychology section, students study aspects of clinical psychology, which include how different approaches in psychology explain and treat mental health issues. In the issues and debates section, students will be asked to draw on other areas of the subject in order to understand conceptual and methodological issues. Students will develop an understanding of how to use theories and evidence from different areas of Psychology and apply them to issues.