Why Study Psychology?

Do you regularly find yourself questioning the behaviour of others?

Are you interested in understanding how we can investigate human behaviour from a scientific point of view?

Does your future career involve working with other humans?

If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to any of these, then Psychology may be for you! But, if you’re more interested in solving murders, mind reading and learning about counselling, then it's unlikely you’ll fulfil those needs in this course.

What does the course involve?

Over two years, you will explore 11 topics with specialist teachers. By the end of the course, you’ll have a foundation of knowledge in various areas of psychology, such as Social Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Psychopathology, Biopsychology and Research Methods, which will prepare you for focused exploration at university.

Topics that you will explore in Year 12 include:

• Approaches: Explore the various perspectives of Psychology that aim to explain behaviour and understand how psychology developed into a Science.
• Memory: Understand the elements that form your memory and begin to understand why humans forget, how we learn and how our memory is flawed.
• Social Influence: Investigate why the majority of people conform and obey instructions but also understand why some don’t.
• Biopsychology: Explore behaviour from a biological perspective, identifying neural structure, neurochemistry and the biological rhythms that control the body.
• Psychopathology: Understand the aetiology, diagnosis and prognosis of Depression, OCD and Phobias.
• Attachment: Explore the purpose of attachment and why it’s an essential part of development, including the consequences of a disrupted relationship.

Psychology is one of the most popular subjects at Hinchingbrooke Sixth Form and the 2nd most popular subject nationally (Gov, 2020).

How will I be assessed?

Three, 2-hour exams usually in May/June of Year 13. You’ll be assessed on your ability to explain your knowledge and understanding of theories and research, apply your knowledge to scenarios and your ability to effectively evaluate theories and research.

Paper 1: Introductory Topics in Psychology: Social Influence, Memory, Attachment, Psychopathology.

Paper 2: Psychology in Context: Approaches in Psychology, Biopsychology, Research Methods.

Paper 3: Issues and Options in Psychology: Issues and Debates, Gender, Schizophrenia and Aggression.

Leading to a career in?

An understanding of human behaviour will help you in any career where there are humans. Most students continue to study Psychology at degree level, with many choosing a career in Clinical Psychology, Law or Legal professions, Teaching, Researching their own investigations, Business and Marketing, Medicine, Forensic Psychology, Neurology, Sports Psychology or Counselling and therapy routes.