AS Psychology at JCG
The Study of Behaviour and Experience
2011-2012
Miss F Hutchings
Mr A Moss
AS Course Content
Students will be taught 15 core studies as they fall into one of five
approaches:
•
Physiological Psychology
–
•
Sleep, Split-Brains, hippocampi of taxi drivers.
Developmental Psychology
–
•
Cognitive development, Aggression, Phobias
Cognitive Psychology
–
•
Theory of Mind, Memory, Teaching communication through symbols
to a Chimpanzee,
Social Psychology
–
•
Obedience, Tyranny, Altruism
Psychology of Individual Differences
–
MPD, fruit machine gambling, Being Sane in Insane places
Developmental Psychology
• Developmental Psychology is interested in
discovering the psychological processes of
development. The core studies in this
section all focus on how children
develop. It is worth noting that
developmental psychologists also study
adulthood too.
Bandura
Cognitive Psychology
• Cognitive psychologists focus on our mental processes
or cognitions. These mental processes that cognitive
psychologists focus on include memory, perception,
thinking and language.
• The main concern of cognitive psychology is how
information received from our senses is processed by
the brain and how this processing directs how we
behave.
• Cognitive processes are examples of hypothetical
constructs. That is, we cannot directly see processes
such as thinking but we can infer what a person is
thinking based on how they act
Loftus
Social psychology
• Social Psychology is interested in studying
individuals in a social context, such as
family, friends, institutions, and wider
society. Social behaviour may involve
activity within a group or between groups.
• One of the debates in social psychology is
whether an individual's behaviour is a
result of their personality or their social
context.
Milgram
Psychology of individual differences
• Psychology often makes generalisations about
people. Depending upon your point of view this
can be seen as a great strength of Psychology
or a weakness or probably both.
• It is important that we recognise that there are
as many differences between people as there
are similarities
• There has been a tendency in Psychology to
ignore the experiences of people from different
cultures.
Rosenhan
Physiological Psychology
• Physiological Psychology focuses on the relationship
between our biological makeup and our behaviour and
experiences.
• This area of Psychology looks at the structure of our
nervous system (including our brains) and the action of
chemicals that can have an effect on our behaviour.
• Some physiological psychologists argue that behaviour
and experiences can be explained in terms of brain
structure and chemicals. This argument has lead to
such psychologists making great discoveries, for
example, in the affect of drugs on mood and behaviour.
• Other psychologists take the view that we cannot explain
complex human behaviour and experience just in terms
of brain structure and chemicals.
Maguire
AS Psychology Assessment
• Two mandatory units, which are externally assessed and
form 50% of the corresponding four-unit A-Level in
Psychology.
Psychological investigations (30%) January 2012
• Students will study and conduct four investigations.
• They will be assessed in a 1 hour examination.
Core studies
(70%) May 2012
• Students will study 15 core studies, which are classics
in Psychology or studies that raise interesting debates
and issues in Psychology.
• They will be assessed in a 2 hour examination.
Off Island Visits
University of Exeter and
London Conferences
On Island
Durrell and Brain Day
Every year since 2007 we have been
fortunate to have had the service of Dr
Guy Sutton who has excited and thrilled
the students with an informative day of
workshops, lectures and even
dissections on the brain.
The annual visit to Durrell to observe
the primates is a highlight for many
students.
UCAS Points
Year on Year Average A2 Points
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
9.36
8.57
7.55
9.14
8.05
6.3
2004
5.76
2005
2006
2007
Year
2008
2009
2010
Why Psychology?
A fresh start to learning a subject
Supports several other subjects
It is regarded as a ‘Science’ by most universities
It is interesting!
Why Psychology at JCG?
Off-Island visits to UK
Guest Speakers
Additional Qualifications from Jersey Autism