Specification
The WJEC A level GCE in Psychology is changing as from September 2008.
Therefore current pupils taking Psychology (2008-2010) will begin the new course.
Year 13 pupils beginning the A2 course September 2008 will continue with the
current specification.
SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT
This specification is divided into a total of four units, 2 AS units and 2 A level units.
AS (2 units)
PY 1 20% 1 hour 15 minutes Written Paper 60 marks (80 UMS)
Approaches in Psychology
Candidates answer five compulsory questions based on Approaches in Psychology.
PY 2 30% 1¾ hours Written Paper 90 marks (120 UMS)
Psychology: Core Studies and Applied Research Methods
Section A and Section B questions are based on the Core Studies and candidates
answer three compulsory questions in each section. Section C is based on Research
Methods and candidates answer one question from a choice of two.
ADVANCED (A further 2 units)
PSY 3* 20% Coursework Project
Psychology: Student Investigation
A report of up to 3,000 words that assesses the candidate's knowledge,
understanding, and evaluation of research and data analysis based on the individual
investigation carried out.
PSY 4* 30% 2½ hours Written Paper
Psychology: Controversies, Topics and Applications
Section A (Controversies): candidates must answer one question from a choice of
two.
Section B (Topics) and Section C (Applications): candidates must answer three
questions from Sections B and C, including at least one from each section.
UNIT 1 (PY 1) – APPROACHES IN PSYCHOLOGY
Four major psychological approaches form the basis of this Unit:
The Biological (Physiological/Medical) approach, the Psychodynamic approach, the
Behaviourist approach, and the Cognitive approach.
For each of these approaches it will be necessary to focus upon:
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the main assumptions of each approach
how each approach can be applied in one form of therapy;
how each approach can be applied to one theory;
the strengths and weaknesses of each approach;
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the four approaches in terms of similarities and/or differences (compare and
contrast);
an explanation and evaluation of the methodology of each approach.
Students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how each
approach has been applied to a theory and a therapy. Students should also be able
to assess critically each approach in terms of its strengths and weaknesses and in
terms of similarities and/or differences with other approaches. In addition, it will be
necessary to explain and evaluate the methodology of each approach.
The theories and therapies relevant to each approach are set out in the table below:
Theory
Approach
Therapy
Selye's General Adaptation
Syndrome
Social Learning Theory of
Aggression
Freud's theory of
personality
development
Attribution theory
BIOLOGICAL
Psychosurgery or
Chemotherapy
Aversion Therapy or
Systematic Desensitisation
Dream analysis or free
association
BEHAVIOURIST
PSYCHODYNAMIC
COGNITIVE
Cognitive Behavioural
Therapy or Rational
emotive therapy
UNIT 2 (PY 2) – PSYCHOLOGY: CORE STUDIES AND APPLIED RESEARCH METHODS
The core theme for this unit is psychological research. It is designed to encourage
students to explore the nature and practice of psychological enquiry. The unit
comprises two parts: the Core Studies and Applied Research Methods.
Core Studies
The ten Core Studies cover research drawn from the main areas of Psychology. The
focus for the Core Studies is for students to be able to demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of psychological research, reflecting the diversity of psychological
enquiry.
Students will also be expected to be able to assess critically each of the Core Studies
in terms of its methodology and in terms of complementary/alternative research
findings.
The following table illustrates how the Core Studies cover the main areas of
Psychology: Social, Physiological, Cognitive, Developmental Psychology and
Individual Differences.
SOCIAL
PHYSIOLOGICAL
COGNITIVE
DEVELOPMENTAL
INDIVIDUAL
DIFFERENCES
Asch
(1955)
Rahe et al (1970)
Gardner &
Gardner
(1969)
Langer and Rodin
(1976)
Buss (1989)
Milgram
(1963)
Bennett-Levy and
Marteau (1984)
Loftus &
Palmer
(1974)
Gibson & Walk
(1960)
Rosenhan
(1973)
For each Core Study, students should be able to describe:
• Aims and Context
• Procedures
• Findings and conclusions
• For each core study, candidates must be able to evaluate:
• The methodology used in the core study
• The findings/conclusions in comparison with complementary/alternative
research findings
Applied Research Methods
The focus of this section is for students to apply their knowledge of research
methods to a novel situation.
Students should be able to:
• Define and offer advantages and disadvantages of qualitative and quantitative
research methods including laboratory experiments, field experiments,
natural experiments, correlations, observations, questionnaires, interviews
and case studies.
• Issues of reliability and ways of ensuring reliability (split-half, test-retest,
interrater).
• Issues of validity (experimental and ecological) and ways of ensuring validity
(content, concurrent, construct).
• Ethical issues relating to research including a lack of informed consent, the
use of deception, a lack of the right to withdraw from the investigation, a lack
of confidentiality, a failure to protect participants from physical and
psychological harm.
• Define and offer advantages and disadvantages of different sampling methods
including opportunity, quota, random, self-selected (volunteer), stratified and
systematic.
• Define and offer advantages and disadvantages, and draw conclusions from
the following ways of describing data, including:
o Development of a coding system - Mean - Scattergraphs
o Content analysis - Median - Bar charts
o Categorisation - Mode - Histograms
o Range
Unit 3 (PY 3)
This unit will assess the students’ knowledge, understanding and evaluation of
research methods and data analysis through an investigation of approximately 3,000
words. The content of the project must be drawn from an area of the specification.
This Unit is an individual investigation. The design, implementation, analysis,
interpretation and presentation of the report must be the work of the individual
student. This Unit incorporates synoptic aspects of the course.
Students must consider ethical issues in the design and implementation of the
investigation. Appropriate methods of collection may include experiments,
correlations, questionnaires and interviews.
This Unit develops candidate's knowledge, application and evaluation of research
methods acquired in PSY 2.
Students have the opportunity to investigate a wide range of topics. Past
investigations have focussed on:
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Factors influencing memory
Eye witness testimony
Body image
The effect of positive reinforcement
Gender differences in friendship groups
Unit 4 (PY 4)
Section A Controversies
Students develop a synoptic understanding by consolidating knowledge drawn from
earlier study and applying it to wider issues of controversy in Psychology. Students
will study four controversial issues:
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Methods of dealing with ethical issues involved in research with human
participants
Use of non-human animals in psychology
Issues of gender bias in psychology
Issues of cultural bias in psychology
Section B Topics
The focus within these topics is for candidates to be able to describe, analyse and
evaluate information. Students will study:
Adolescence and Adulthood
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Lifespan theories of development (e.g. Erikson’s ‘Eight ages of man;
Levinson’s ‘Seasons of a man’s life; Gould’s ‘Evolution of adult
consciousness’).
Explanations of Adolescent Identity (e.g. Blos’ psychoanalytic theory;
Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development; Marcia’s theory).
Conflict during Adolescence including storm and stress and alternative
views.
Effects of events during Middle adulthood (e.g. marriage, parenthood,
divorce).
Effects of events during Late adulthood (e.g. retirement, adjustment to
old age, bereavement).
Section C Applications
Students are expected to be able to describe and evaluate the following:
Forensic Psychology
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Approaches to profiling (e.g. the US ‘Top down’ approach, the British
‘Bottom-up’ approach and geographical profiling).
Decision-making of juries (e.g. minority influence, majority influence and
characteristics of the defendant).
Theories of crime including biological and social/psychological influences.
Factors affecting the accuracy of eyewitness testimony (e.g.
reconstructive memory, face recognition, attributional biases, the role of
emotion).
Treatment and punishment of crime (e.g. cognitive therapies, behavioural
therapies and zero tolerance).
Abnormal Psychology
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Issues of bias in diagnostic systems (e.g. culture and gender).
Aetiologies of Schizophrenia including physiological and psychological
explanations.
Two treatments for Schizophrenia (e.g. chemotherapy, behavioural
therapies, cognitive therapies, humanistic therapies).
Aetiologies of Unipolar Depression including physiological and
psychological explanations.
Two treatments for Unipolar Depression (e.g. behavioural therapies,
cognitive therapies, humanistic therapies).
Entry requirements
Students are expected to achieve a minimum of 5 GCSEs to include:
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GCSE English
GCSE Maths
GCSE Science
grade B
grade C
grade C
Our expectations within the Social Science Department
Within this department, we work very hard to ensure students and staff are treated
fairly. In order for this to be achieved, we require that students attend all lessons
and submit the necessary assignments on time.
It is also expected that students engage in additional reading around the topic areas.
It is vital that at this stage in education, students behave accordingly to the school
policy and maintain a positive and mature attitude during lessons.
Resources
Within the department, students will have access to a range of text books and the
internet. Students will benefit from the use of laptops, which will aid them in their
research, particularly when working on their personal investigation. In addition to
text books available in the department, the school library holds a wider range of
books suitable for the A Level Psychology course. There will be additional reading
sources available on ‘Moodle’, as well as class notes and resources aimed to support
students through the course.
Teaching staff
Mr. F Bramhill (Departmental Leader)
Mrs C. Lloyd
Mrs V. Evans
Miss H. Davies