This article's title gets to the very heart of the science and art of psychology. Determining anything to be a certain quality - good or bad, best or worst, is subjective. That means it's based on opinion rather than fact. Of course, we could make arguments for why psychology is good or bad, but then, we would stray into the philosophical realm.
Nobody can decide for you what constitutes a good or bad A-Level. That judgment depends on many factors. The careers you'd like to pursue, for instance, and the level of interest you have in this subject.
However, we can lay out objective reasons to consider including psychology on your A-Levels list. Such would include:
- the topics A-Level psychology covers
- the resources available to help you master these concepts
- the skills and personal qualities needed for a psychology career
- the types of careers that demand a psychology degree
The most anyone can do is present you with as much unbiased information as possible. Such would include course particulars, the wealth of resources to study effectively, and what the exams are like. Once you know a bit about this course and what it takes to succeed in it, you can decide whether psychology A-Level meets your definition of 'good'.
What is Psychology A-Level?
Wilhelm Wundt, the father of experimental psychology, split contemplations of the human mind from philosophical studies in 1879. Thus, psychology became a science; something to study in laboratory conditions, while philosophy remains an art.
Dr Wundt was the first person to call himself a psychologist. He came from a well-to-do family and studied medicine at university. However, he couldn't keep from straying into the field of psychology. Indeed, his earliest writings revolved around physiological psychology.
Nothing is in the intellect that was not first in the senses, except the intellect itself.
Wilhelm Wundt
It didn't take students long to discover Wundt's laboratory. Soon, learners from all over the world went there to learn how to conduct psychological experiments.
As a psychology A-Level candidate, you too will conduct lab experiments. In fact, you will follow in Dr Wundt's footsteps as you study biopsychology and the effects of the body's rhythms on a person's psyche. You'll also learn more about Dr Wundt and his methodologies.
In general terms, A-Level psychology entails studying human behaviour. Your course covers psychological theories, debates and social influences on human psychology. You'll further study psychological disorders and their treatments.
The A-Level psychology course covers a lot of ground and has many applications in the real world. For these reasons, it is a popular selection. Still, it is a demanding subject; commitment and discipline are necessary ingredients for success. Your psychology tutor can help you muster those qualities as they guide you through your studies.
A-Level Psychology Topics
A-Level Psychology explores the brain and the patterns associated with human behaviour. As a psychology student, you will learn fundamental psychology concepts throughout this A-Level course.
The A-Level Psychology course remains the same, regardless of which exam board's papers you'll test on. For instance, the AQA exam board tests you on four introductory topics in psychology. They are: social influence, memory, attachment, and psychopathology.
The social influence section covers types of conformity. It explains why humans are obedient in certain contexts, and some reasons why humans resist social influence. Also, A-Level students analyse how social influence spurs social change.
The memory section identifies the differences between short and long-term memory. This component reviews the working memory model that all humans possess. It also explores for forgetting and solutions for improving the accuracy of eyewitness testimony.
The topic of attachment, explains this concept. It draws on theories such as Bowlby's monotropic theory. You'll further explore the early influence of attachment on child and adult relationships.
The final section of the introductory topics of A-Level Psychology is known as psychopathology. It covers behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics of phobias, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. You'll also discover how mental health professionals treat conditions.
These four topics form the course's framework. Against the backdrop they weave, you'll gain exposure to different approaches in psychology and some of the most current research methods. Those include inferential testing methods and strategies, as well as data handling and analysis.
To enhance your knowledge of research methodology, you'll study various scientific processes. Those include ethical considerations in research, as well as experimental designs - how to set up experiments. And, in a nod to this discipline's founder, you'll learn to define and use biopsychology as a diagnostic tool.
Besides these key mandatory topics, you may choose to study psychological aspects related to gender, relationships and/or cognitive development. The optional topic( s) you select depend(s) on which direction you plan to take your studies.
For instance, a career in education or behavioural therapy would benefit from cognitive development studies. Conversely, future marriage counsellors, anthropologists, and sociologists need the other two electives.
Let us reiterate that this is a general outline of topics A-Level psychology courses covers. Some exam boards may offer different optional subjects. You may decide against A-Level psychology if the optional topics your exam board offers don't align with your career goals.
Summary of A-Level Psychology Topics
| Topic | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Social Influence | How people's behavior is affected by others' presence, opinions, or actions. |
| Memory | The process by which information is encoded, stored, and retrieved. |
| Attachment | The emotional bond that forms between individuals, often starting from infancy. |
| Psychopathology | The study of mental disorders, including their symptoms, causes, and treatments. |
| Approaches | Different perspectives or methods used to understand and study psychology. |
| Research Methods | Techniques and tools used to conduct scientific studies in psychology. |
| Ethical Considerations | Principles that guide the conduct of research to ensure safety and dignity of participants. |
| Experimental Design | The planning of research to test hypotheses and establish cause-and-effect relationships. |
| Biopsychology | The study of how biology influences behavior, combining biology and psychology. |
| Gender | The study of gender differences and roles and their psychological implications. |
| Relationships | The examination of how individuals connect, interact, and bond with each other. |
| Cognitive Development | The study of how thinking, problem solving, and intelligence evolve over life. |
What Is Psychology A-Level - Skills and Personal Qualities
It takes skill to succeed in any academic discipline at a secondary school or university level. You might think the ability to learn takes the top spot on that list, but that's too vague a description. Processing the knowledge you acquire, and learning how to use it, is the better definition.
The cognitive skills in question allow you to reason through what you learned, argue specific points and reflect on others' input. Clinicians and researchers hone those skills throughout their careers. Thus, it should be no surprise that cultivating them starts at the earliest stages of psychology training.
As an A Level psychology student, you will present findings in class, either orally or in writing. You may also form a study group to debate and discuss your lessons. That suggests the ability to make clear your thoughts and ideas. This is great training to build the communication skills you'll need throughout your working life.
You may rightly argue that listening is a component of communication. However, you must acknowledge the difference between, say, listening to your mates drone on and listening with a critical ear. This type of effective listening is crucial, particularly for clinical psychologists.
Expressing ideas and effective listening imply your ability to think critically. Critical thinking means analysing information, identifying patterns of behaviour, and establishing connections between seemingly unrelated points. You must also learn to examine evidence objectively, so your research and ideas can be as free of bias as possible. In psychology, critical thinking is fundamental.
You'll discover and start building these transferable skills throughout secondary school. However, college-level curricula emphasises them, and psychology studies even more so. But these aren't the only skills you need.
Earlier, we mentioned commitment and discipline are two necessary ingredients for A-Level success. Determination and a strategic mindset also matter.
You shouldn't consider A-Level Psychology simply because it's easy, interesting or 'good'. This course helps pave the way to numerous career paths, from business management to research and clinical work. That's one reason to commit to this A-Level.
Another, perhaps far more important one, is the skills you learn throughout this course. Transferable skills are just that: they transfer across career fields. So, even if you later decide psychological research isn't for you, the skills you build in these courses will benefit you everywhere you decide to go.
A-Level Psychology Study Resources
No A-Level Psychology guide would be complete without a list of resources to draw on. As you might guess, your exam board's website is the best place to start. There, you can learn everything about your challenge, including what your exam will be like. You can also discover your course's grade structure.
Begin with the end in mind.
Stephen Covey, motivational speaker
This sound advice suggests that learners must first have a goal to strive for, and then make every effort to reach it. Knowing how your exam papers are structured and graded helps you set your learning goals. They can even help you decide whether this A-Level is 'good' for you.
Your school and local libraries offer reference materials, biographies, and psychology case studies. You may read these alongside your textbooks and other course materials. If you're not sure which books to check out, your teacher and/or psychology tutor can suggest a few.
You might also consider online resources to advance your studies. Such might include everything from productivity apps like a Pomodoro timer to Quizlet flashcard study sets. You may turn to mind maps to help you connect concepts and create a visual tool to track your learning.
Don't forget about the Student Room! There, you can discuss thorny psychology issues with other students taking this course. You may even visit your local university's psychology faculty, especially if that campus presents an open-invite activity.
Résumer avec l'IA :
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
