Psychology – KS5 overview: Topic Map
Autumn Term 1
Year 12
Autumn Term 2
Unit 1: Cognitive
Psychology,
Developmental
Psychology & Research
Methods:
30 hours
Unit 1: Cognitive
Psychology,
Developmental
Psychology & Research
Methods:
30 hours
Key Topics:
Key Topics:
Cognitive Psychology:
Developmental
Psychology:
Models of memory
 Multi-store model of
memory (sensory
memory, short term
memory, long term
memory).
 Working model of
memory (central
executive, phonological
loop, visuo-spatial
sketchpad).
 Key studies, both in
support and
contradiction of the two
models.
 Strengths and
limitations of both
models.
Attachment
 Theories of attachment
-evolutionary and
learning theory.
 Types of attachments –
secure, insecureavoidant, insecureresistant.
 Mary Ainsworth’s
strange situations.
 Cultural variations in
attachments.
 Effects of deprivation,
privation and
institutions.
 Day care.
Research Methods:
Eye witness testimony
 Factors affecting eye
witness testimonies
e.g. age.
 Leading questions.
 Cognitive interviews.
 Strategies to improve
Investigation design
 Designing, running and
reporting on research.
 BPS Code of Ethics.
Data analysis &
Spring Term 1
Spring Term 2
Unit 2: Biological
Psychology, Individual
Differences and Social
Psychology.
30 hours
Unit 2: Biological
Psychology, Individual
Differences and Social
Psychology.
30 hours
Key Topics:
Key Topics:
Biological Psychology:
Individual Differences:
Stress
 Bodily responses to
stress.
 Stress related illnesses.
 Sources of stress – daily
hassles and life changes.
 Workplace stress.
 How our personality can
influence stress and
stress management.
 Stress management –
psychological and
physiological methods.
Psychopathology
 Treating abnormal
behaviour from the
different
Psychological
perspectives.
Individual Differences:
Psychopathology
 Defining abnormal
behaviour.
 Explaining abnormal
behaviour from different
Psychological
perspectives; biological,
cognitive, behavioural
and psychodynamic.
Social Psychology:
Social Influence
 Conformity
 Informational and
normative social
influence.
 Obedience - including
Milgram’s study.
 Resisting conformity
and obedience.
 How social influence
research has lead to
social change.
Summer
Term 1
Summer
Term 2
Revision &
Examination
preparation
Examinations/
Study Leave
Examinations/
Study Leave
Begin
preparation for
A2
memory recall.
Research Methods:
Methods & techniques
 Experiments, case
studies, correlations,
observations and selfreport techniques
.
Investigation design
 Experimental design.
 Selection of
participants.
 Reliability and validity.
Autumn Term 1
presentation
 Presenting and
interpreting of both
qualitative and
quantitative data.
 Measures of central
tendency.
 Measures of
dispersion.
 Correlation coefficients.
 Content analysis.
Autumn Term 2
Spring Term 1
Unit 3: Topics in
Psychology
30 hours
Unit 3: Topics in
Psychology
30 hours
Unit 4: Psychopathology &
Research Methods
30 hours
Key Topics
Key Topics
Key Topics
Biological Rhythms &
Sleep:
Eating Behaviour:
 Factors influencing
attitude towards food
and eating e.g. mood,
culture and health
concerns.
 Explanations of
success or failure at
dieting.
Psychopathology:
Year 13
Spring Term 2
Unit 4: Psychology in
Action & Research
Methods
30 hours
Key Topics
Biological Rhythms
 Circadian, infradian
and ultradian rhythms.
 How endogenous
pacemakers and
exogenous zeitgebers
influence circadian
rhythms.
 Disruption of biological
rhythms, e.g. shift work
and jet lag.
Sleep
 Nature of sleep and
how it changes over
our lifespan.
 Stages of sleep.
 Explanation of sleep;
Biological explanations
of eating behaviour
 Neural mechanisms
involved in controlling
eating.
 Evolutionary
explanations of food
preferences.
Eating Disorders
 Psychological
Schizophrenia
 Clinical characteristics.
 Issues with diagnosis.
 Explanations of
Schizophrenia;
biological, behavioural,
cognitive,
psychodynamic and
socio-cultural.
 Treatment for
Schizophrenia from the
different Psychological
perspectives.
Research Methods:
 What is a science?
 Designing Psychological
investigations.
 Ethical considerations.
Research Methods
 Data analysis.
 Statistical tests.
 Type 1 & 2 errors.
 Reporting on
investigations.
Psychology in Action:
Media Psychology
 Media’s influence on
pro- and anti-social
behaviour.
 Positive and negative
effects of video
/computer games on
behaviour.
Media and Persuasion
 Hovland-Yale model
Summer
Term 1
Summer
Term 2
Revision &
Examination
preparation
Examinations/
Study Leave
Examinations/
Study Leave

Evolutionary and
Restoration.
Explanation of sleep
disorders e.g.
insomnia, sleep
walking and
narcolepsy.
+ 1 more option

explanations.
Biological explanations,
including neural and
evolutionary
explanations.


Elaboration Likelihood
Model.
Explanations of TV
advertising
effectiveness.
Psychology of Celebrity
 Attraction of celebrity;
psychologically &
evolutionarily.
 Explanations of
stalking.
+1 more option to study during the Autumn term (spilt over 1 & 2). Options available = relationships, aggression or cognition and development. To be decided at a later
date, with students input / vote.