Psychology is the scientific study of people, the mind and behaviour. Psychologists and psychological research affect all aspects of our lives, particularly, education, health, the economy, industry and social justice. Studying psychology is a fascinating and rigorous way of attempting to understand why people behave as they do.
A-level psychology provides a broad introduction to key areas of psychological enquiry and assumes no previous knowledge of the subject. It requires a willingness to explore new ideas and concepts, and to consider their application to our daily lives.
At AS level students study five key areas of psychological research - memory, early social development, stress, abnormality and social influence, plus research methods.
At A2 level students consider issues such as ethics, the nature/nurture debate, free will, determinism and reductionism, through studying topics in psychological research. These include relationships, aggression, perception, mental disorders and addiction.
Students attend conferences and workshops addressed by influential researchers in order to broaden their understanding of psychology:
2007 and 2010 - Prof. Philip Zimbardo on his classic Stanford Prison Experiment.
2009 - Phobia Study Day at the Zoological Society, London Zoo.
2011 - Professor David Buss, University of Texas on Evolutionary Psychology and Lord Robert Winston on the Human Brain.