Head of Department: Kylie Crawley

Member of department:

• Emma Carr

Psychology is the study of mental processes and behaviour.

In GCSE Psychology we study two units (1 in year 10 and 1 in year 11) which cover a wide variety of topics.

What skills will I use?

In Unit 1 ‘Perception and Dreaming’

We look at how we perceive our world and the meanings of dreams. In the first topic we focus on perception and illusions, drawing on biological and cognitive psychology. In the second topic we address Freud’s dream theory and the theory of activation synthesis.

In Unit 2 ‘Social and Biological Psychological Debates’.

In this unit we investigate whether or not violent video games affect young people’s behaviour, why we have phobias and whether or not criminals are born or made. These topics require us to look in depth at the causes of aggression, including psychological and social causes, social learning, conditioning and evolutionary causes of phobias and the biological and social causes of criminality.

How will I be assessed throughout the course?

You will be assessed through an external exam at the end of each unit, the first exam at the end of year 10 is 1hr 15 mins. and is worth 40% of your final mark; the second exam taken at the end of year 11 is 1hr 45 mins. and worth the remaining 60% of your mark. The exams have a variety of multiple-choice, short answer questions and long answer questions and there is no tiering.

What coursework will I need to complete and when?

There is no coursework for GCSE Psychology but you will be required to complete a number of short practicals throughout the course which will be internally assessed, helping you to develop skills to apply in the exam.