Specifications that use this resource:

AS and A-level Psychology 7181; 7182

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Assessment structure

Paper 1

AQA – A-level Psychology	Eduqas – A-level Psychology
Introductory topics in psychology	Past to present
Written exam	Written exam
2 hours	2 hours 15 minutes
96 marks (33.3% of A-level)	100 marks (33.3% of A-level)

Paper 2

AQA – A-level Psychology	Eduqas – A-level Psychology
Psychology in context	Research methods
Written exam	Written exam
2 hours	2 hours 15 minutes
96 marks (33.3% of A-level)	100 marks (33.3% of A-level)

Paper 3

AQA – A-level Psychology	Eduqas – A-level Psychology
Issues and options in psychology	Implications in the real world
Written exam	Written exam
2 hours	2 hours 15 minutes
96 marks (33.3% of A-level)	100 marks (33.3% of A-level)

Subject content

Paper 1

AQA – A-level Psychology	Eduqas – A-level Psychology
1. Social influence 1.1 Types of conformity 1.2 Conformity to social roles 1.3 Explanations for obedience 1.4 Explanations of resistance to social influence 1.5 Minority influence 1.6 Role of social influence in social change 2. Memory 2.1 Multi-store model of memory 2.2 Long term memory 2.3 Working memory model 2.4 Forgetting 2.5 Factors affecting accuracy of eye witness testimony 2.6 Improving the accuracy of eye witness testimony 3. Attachment 3.1 Caregiver-infant interactions 3.2 Animal studies of attachment 3.3 Explanations of attachment 3.4 Ainsworth’s Strange Situation 3.5 Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation 3.6 Influence of early attachment on childhood and adult relationships 4. Psychopathology 4.1 Definitions of abnormality 4.2 Behavioural, emotion and cognitive characteristics of phobias, depression and OCD 4.3 Behavioural approach to explaining and treating phobias 4.4 Cognitive approach to explaining and treating depression 4.5 Biological approach to explaining and treating OCD	Five approaches To include an assumption, therapy, classical piece of research and contemporary debate attached to each approach. Biological psychology Evolutionary influences Localisation of brain function Neurotransmitters Psychodynamic psychology Influence of childhood experiences The unconscious mind Tripartite personality Behaviourist psychology Blank slate Behaviour learnt through conditioning Humans and animals learn in similar ways Cognitive psychology Computer analogy Internal mental processes Schemas Positive psychology Acknowledgement of free will Authenticity of goodness and excellence Focus on the good life

AQA – A-level Psychology

Eduqas – A-level Psychology

1. Social influence

1.1 Types of conformity
1.2 Conformity to social roles
1.3 Explanations for obedience
1.4 Explanations of resistance to social influence
1.5 Minority influence
1.6 Role of social influence in social change

2. Memory

2.1 Multi-store model of memory
2.2 Long term memory
2.3 Working memory model
2.4 Forgetting
2.5 Factors affecting accuracy of eye witness testimony
2.6 Improving the accuracy of eye witness testimony

3. Attachment

3.1 Caregiver-infant interactions
3.2 Animal studies of attachment
3.3 Explanations of attachment
3.4 Ainsworth’s Strange Situation
3.5 Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation
3.6 Influence of early attachment on childhood and adult relationships

4. Psychopathology

4.1 Definitions of abnormality
4.2 Behavioural, emotion and cognitive characteristics of phobias, depression and OCD
4.3 Behavioural approach to explaining and treating phobias
4.4 Cognitive approach to explaining and treating depression
4.5 Biological approach to explaining and treating OCD

Five approaches

To include an assumption, therapy, classical piece of research and contemporary debate attached to each approach.

Biological psychology
- Evolutionary influences
- Localisation of brain function
- Neurotransmitters
Psychodynamic psychology
- Influence of childhood experiences
- The unconscious mind
- Tripartite personality
Behaviourist psychology
- Blank slate
- Behaviour learnt through conditioning
- Humans and animals learn in similar ways
Cognitive psychology
- Computer analogy
- Internal mental processes
- Schemas
Positive psychology
- Acknowledgement of free will
- Authenticity of goodness and excellence
- Focus on the good life

Paper 2

AQA – A-level Psychology	Eduqas – A-level Psychology
Approaches in psychology Learning approach Cognitive approach Biological approach Psychodynamic approach Humanistic psychology Comparison of approaches Biopsychology Divisions of the nervous system Structure and functions of neurons and synaptic transmission Endocrine system Fight or flight response Localisation of function in the brain Ways of studying the brain Biological rhythms Research methods Experimental method: lab and field, natural and quasi experiments Observational techniques: Naturalistic, controlled, overt, covert, participant Self-report: questionnaires and interviews Correlations: analysis of the relationship between co-variables Content analysis Case studies Scientific processes Aims Hypotheses: directional and non-directional Sampling: random, systematic, stratified, opportunity, volunteer Pilot studies Experimental designs: Independent measures, repeated measures and matched pairs designs Observational design: behavioural categories, time and event sampling Variables: independent and dependent, extraneous variables, operationalisation of variables Control: standardisation, counterbalancing and randomisation Demand characteristics and investigator effects Ethics Peer review Implications of psychological research for the economy Reliability: across all methods; test-retest and inter-rater reliability Validity: across all methods; face validity, concurrent validity, ecological validity and temporal validity Features of science: objectivity, empirical method, replicability and falsifiability, theory construction, hypothesis testing, paradigms and paradigms shifts Reporting psychological investigations: abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion and referencing Data handling and analysis Quantitative and qualitative data Primary and secondary data: including meta-analysis Descriptive statistics: measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, percentages and positive, negative and zero correlations Graphs and charts Distributions: normal and skewed Correlation co-efficient Levels of measurement: nominal, ordinal and interval Content analysis and coding: thematic analysis Inferential testing Sign test Probability and significance: Statistical tables and critical values, Type I and Types II errors When to use the following tests: Spearman's rho Pearson's r Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney related t-test unrelated t-test Chi-square test	Social psychology Developmental psychology Research methods Deciding on a research question Methodologies Both quantitative and qualitative data should be included Both primary and secondary sources should be included Location of research Participants Experimental design Levels of measurement Graphical representation Descriptive statistics Inferential statistics Reliability Validity Ethics The role of the scientific community in validating new knowledge

AQA – A-level Psychology

Eduqas – A-level Psychology

Approaches in psychology

Learning approach
Cognitive approach
Biological approach
Psychodynamic approach
Humanistic psychology
Comparison of approaches

Biopsychology

Divisions of the nervous system
Structure and functions of neurons and synaptic transmission
Endocrine system
Fight or flight response
Localisation of function in the brain
Ways of studying the brain
Biological rhythms

Research methods

Experimental method: lab and field, natural and quasi experiments
Observational techniques: Naturalistic, controlled, overt, covert, participant
Self-report: questionnaires and interviews
Correlations: analysis of the relationship between co-variables
Content analysis
Case studies

Scientific processes

Aims
Hypotheses: directional and non-directional
Sampling: random, systematic, stratified, opportunity, volunteer
Pilot studies
Experimental designs: Independent measures, repeated measures and matched pairs designs
Observational design: behavioural categories, time and event sampling
Variables: independent and dependent, extraneous variables, operationalisation of variables
Control: standardisation, counterbalancing and randomisation
Demand characteristics and investigator effects
Ethics
Peer review
Implications of psychological research for the economy
Reliability: across all methods; test-retest and inter-rater reliability
Validity: across all methods; face validity, concurrent validity, ecological validity and temporal validity
Features of science: objectivity, empirical method, replicability and falsifiability, theory construction, hypothesis testing, paradigms and paradigms shifts
Reporting psychological investigations: abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion and referencing

Data handling and analysis

Quantitative and qualitative data
Primary and secondary data: including meta-analysis
Descriptive statistics: measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, percentages and positive, negative and zero correlations
Graphs and charts
Distributions: normal and skewed
Correlation co-efficient
Levels of measurement: nominal, ordinal and interval
Content analysis and coding: thematic analysis

Inferential testing

Sign test
Probability and significance: Statistical tables and critical values, Type I and Types II errors

When to use the following tests:

Spearman's rho
Pearson's r
Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney
related t-test
unrelated t-test
Chi-square test

Social psychology
Developmental psychology
Research methods
- Deciding on a research question
- Methodologies
- Both quantitative and qualitative data should be included
- Both primary and secondary sources should be included
Location of research
Participants
Experimental design
Levels of measurement
Graphical representation
Descriptive statistics
Inferential statistics
Reliability
Validity
Ethics
The role of the scientific community in validating new knowledge

Paper 3

AQA – A-level Psychology	Eduqas – A-level Psychology
8. Issues and debates in psychology 8.1 Gender and culture in psychology 8.2 Free will and determinism 8.3 Nature-nurture debate 8.4 Holism and reductionism 8.5 Idiographic and nomothetic approaches 8.6 Ethical implications and social sensitivity Option 1 – choose one from: 9. Relationships 9.1 Evolutionary explanations for partner preference 9.2 Factors affecting attraction 9.3 Theories of romantic relationships 9.4 Virtual relationships in social media 9.5 Parasocial relationships 10. Gender 10.1 Sex and gender 10.2 Role of chromosomes and hormones 10.3 Cognitive explanations of gender development 10.4 Psychodynamic explanations of gender development 10.5 Social learning theory as applied to gender development 11. Cognition and development 11.1 Piaget 11.2 Vygotsky 11.3 Bailliargeon 11.4 The development of social cognition Option 2 – choose one from: 12. Schizophrenia 12.1 Classification of schizophrenia 12.2 Biological explanations of schizophrenia 12.3 Psychological explanations of schizophrenia 12.4 Drug therapy 12.5 Cognitive behavioural therapy 12.6 Interactionist approach 13. Eating behaviour 13.1 Explanations for food preferences 13.2 Neural and hormonal mechanisms involved in controlling eating behaviour 13.3 Biological explanations for anorexia nervosa 13.4 Psychological explanations for anorexia nervosa 13.5 Biological explanations for obesity 13.6 Psychological explanations for obesity 14. Stress 14.1 The physiology of stress 14.2 Role of stress in illness 14.3 Measuring stress 14.4 Individual differences in stress 14.5 Managing and coping with stress Option 3 – choose one from: 15. Aggression 15.1 Neural and hormonal mechanisms in aggressions 15.2 The ethological explanation on aggression 15.3 Social psychological explanations of aggression 15.4 Institutional aggression 15.5 Media influences on aggression 16. Forensic psychology 16.1 Problems in defining and measuring crime 16.2 Offender profiling 16.3 Biological explanations of offending behaviour 16.4 Psychological explanations of offending behaviour 16.5 Dealing with offending behaviour 17. Addiction 17.1 Describing addiction: physical and psychological dependence 17.2 Risk factors in the development of addiction 17.3 Explanations for nicotine addiction 17.4 Explanations for gambling addiction 17.5 Reducing addiction 17.6 Application of the theory of planned behaviour and Prochaska’s six-stage model of behaviour change	Students must study three options from the following: Addictive behaviours Autistic spectrum disorders Bullying behaviours Criminal behaviours Schizophrenia Stress For each option chosen: two biological explanations, two individual differences explanations, two social psychological explanations and two methods of modifying the behaviour. Controversies in psychology Cultural bias Ethics Non-human animals Scientific status Sexism For each of the five controversies, it will be necessary for students to: Understand the issue and why it is controversial Apply knowledge and understanding to controversies in psychology Make judgements and come to conclusions about the controversies from a psychological perspective

AQA – A-level Psychology

Eduqas – A-level Psychology

8. Issues and debates in psychology

8.1 Gender and culture in psychology
8.2 Free will and determinism
8.3 Nature-nurture debate
8.4 Holism and reductionism
8.5 Idiographic and nomothetic approaches
8.6 Ethical implications and social sensitivity

Option 1 – choose one from:

9. Relationships

9.1 Evolutionary explanations for partner preference
9.2 Factors affecting attraction
9.3 Theories of romantic relationships
9.4 Virtual relationships in social media
9.5 Parasocial relationships

10. Gender

10.1 Sex and gender
10.2 Role of chromosomes and hormones
10.3 Cognitive explanations of gender development
10.4 Psychodynamic explanations of gender development
10.5 Social learning theory as applied to gender development

11. Cognition and development

11.1 Piaget
11.2 Vygotsky
11.3 Bailliargeon
11.4 The development of social cognition

Option 2 – choose one from:

12. Schizophrenia

12.1 Classification of schizophrenia
12.2 Biological explanations of schizophrenia
12.3 Psychological explanations of schizophrenia
12.4 Drug therapy
12.5 Cognitive behavioural therapy
12.6 Interactionist approach

13. Eating behaviour

13.1 Explanations for food preferences
13.2 Neural and hormonal mechanisms involved in controlling eating behaviour
13.3 Biological explanations for anorexia nervosa
13.4 Psychological explanations for anorexia nervosa
13.5 Biological explanations for obesity
13.6 Psychological explanations for obesity

14. Stress

14.1 The physiology of stress
14.2 Role of stress in illness
14.3 Measuring stress
14.4 Individual differences in stress
14.5 Managing and coping with stress

Option 3 – choose one from:

15. Aggression

15.1 Neural and hormonal mechanisms in aggressions
15.2 The ethological explanation on aggression
15.3 Social psychological explanations of aggression
15.4 Institutional aggression
15.5 Media influences on aggression

16. Forensic psychology

16.1 Problems in defining and measuring crime
16.2 Offender profiling
16.3 Biological explanations of offending behaviour
16.4 Psychological explanations of offending behaviour
16.5 Dealing with offending behaviour

17. Addiction

17.1 Describing addiction: physical and psychological dependence
17.2 Risk factors in the development of addiction
17.3 Explanations for nicotine addiction
17.4 Explanations for gambling addiction
17.5 Reducing addiction
17.6 Application of the theory of planned behaviour and Prochaska’s six-stage model of behaviour change

Students must study three options from the following:

Addictive behaviours
Autistic spectrum disorders
Bullying behaviours
Criminal behaviours
Schizophrenia
Stress

For each option chosen: two biological explanations, two individual differences explanations, two social psychological explanations and two methods of modifying the behaviour.

Controversies in psychology

Cultural bias
Ethics
Non-human animals
Scientific status
Sexism

For each of the five controversies, it will be necessary for students to:

Understand the issue and why it is controversial
Apply knowledge and understanding to controversies in psychology
Make judgements and come to conclusions about the controversies from a psychological perspective

Specifications that use this resource:

AS and A-level Psychology 7181; 7182