Keystage 4 - GCSE

Psychology stimulates and excites students' curiosity about events they experience and in the world around them. It also satisfies their curiosity and knowledge. Therefore, we are offering for the first time the GCSE course in response to the high level of requests from students wanting the opportunity to experience what Psychology has to offer.

GCSE Psychology 2010-2011 (Specification 4182)

Course overview for GCSE Psychology - 1 year course in Year 11

No coursework

2 Units of study, each equal to 50% of the overall GCSE qualification.

2 examination papers each 1.5 hours in duration and each worth 80 marks. 

Details of the examination : to be taken in the Summer of 2011 

Term 1 Overview

Unit 1           Making Sense of Other People

Memory:       explanations of memory

                    Why we forget

                    Accuracy of eyewitness testimony

Non-verbal communication: how do we communicate?

                                      Use of eye contact/facial expression/body language

                                      The importance of personal space

Development of personality: what is personality and how is it measured?

                                      What is Anti Social Personality Disorder?

                                      What causes Anti Social Personality Disorder?

Research Methods: What is the experimental method?

                           What are sampling methods?

                           How do we deal with data?

                           What are the ethical implications in research?

Term 2 Overview

Unit 1 continued... Making sense of Other People

Stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination: What is stereotyping?

                                                              What are prejudice and discrimination?

                                                              Is there prejudice and discrimination between groups?

                                                              How do we reduce prejudice and discrimination?

Unit 2           Understanding Other People

Learning: What is classical conditioning?

                What is operant conditioning?

                Application of conditioning to treatments of phobias

                Ethical considerations using some therapies

Social Influence: Conformity, obedience, social loafing and deindividuation

                        Factors affecting bystander intervention

                          Social influence in the real world

                          Practical implication of social influence research

Sex and Gender: Sex Identity and Gender Identity

                          Theories of gender development

                          Evaluation of theories of gender development

 

Term 3 Overview

Understanding Other People Continued...

Aggression: Three explanations of aggression

                   Evaluation of research into the development of aggression

                   Ways to reduce aggression

Further Research Methods: Using surveys to collect data

                                       Observation studies in psychology

                                       What are case studies?

                                       Working with correlations

Revision/Review of Topics: Recap and review of topic areas

                                       Practice papers

                                       Examination technique

                                       Data collection and analysis

Mock examination

Useful Websites:

• AQA - Awarding Body for A Levels, GCSEs and other exams
• PsYonline
• BBC Science and Nature: Human Body and Mind
• S-Cool Revision
• Your Amazing Brain

Useful Reading:

• Understanding Psychology Second Edition, Barbara Woods
• Any literature relating to psychology