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Psychology
Sophocles' Greek tragedy 'Oedipus Rex'
On Tuesday 6th December Miss Baker took some of her Year 12 Psychology students to the theatre. Ashni Parmar, Simrin Grewall and Lauren Jackson watched an abridged version of Sophocles' Greek tragedy 'Oedipus Rex' ('Oedipus the King'). This took place at Richmond Adult Community College, and was performed by students on the Access to Drama programme. The girls are soon to be studying Freudian Psychodynamic theory as part of their AS course. It covers research methods in this approach, such as the clinical interview, and evaluates the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions based on Psychodynamic theory of personality development.
Freud was obsessed with Greek drama, and the play covers themes such as unconscious motives, catharsis, and determinism. It focuses on the life of Oedipus, King of Thebes, who, while trying to escape his fate, runs head first into it. Taking place in real time, the original play would last 4 hours. This was (luckily!) abridged to 1 hour. Girls enjoyed the experience and are already well on their way to understanding some of the motives of one of Psychology's controversial practitioners.
Ms Baker—Psychology Teacher
Psychology at St Catherine’s is taught by an enthusiastic and experienced teacher and examiner, who is qualified to MSc level and is also a practitioner of psychology.
What is Psychology?
Psychology is the science of mind and behaviour. We aim to understand what affects people’s emotions, thinking and actions. We can sometimes then use this knowledge to help people in many ways; it could be to treat mental illness, or to reduce anti-social and criminal behaviour, or improve performance in sports or work. There are many practical applications in psychology.
Psychology has links with a variety of disciplines such as the biological, computer and forensic sciences, as well as with the humanities such as sociology, philosophy and literature. Thus, it is useful preparation for natural science, social science and arts degree courses.
Following is an outline of the syllabus studied at St Catherine’s School. If the questions asked are interesting to you, you would be likely to find Psychology and interesting and rewarding subject to study.
AS Course Outline
You will study 5 approaches. Each one provides a way of understanding human thought processes and behaviour. You will study important theories and research, and learn to evaluate them and to apply them to contemporary issues. You will also learn about research methods typically used by psychologists of each approach, and how to evaluate the approaches and methods as ways of understanding human mental processes and behaviour. You will have the chance to carry out some of your own research too.
Unit 1
Social Approach
How do other people, such as powerful individuals or our peers, affect our behaviour? How does our society and culture influence us? How can social psychological theories explain blind obedience in a prison situation (e.g. Abu Grahib, Guantanamo Bay)? Why do cult leaders have such a powerful influence on people? How can prejudice be tackled?
Cognitive Approach
How do we make sense of what we see and hear? How does this affect our response to people and events? How can we improve our memory? How can police interview techniques improve the accuracy of eyewitness testimony?
Unit 2
Physiological Approach
How do our inherited genes influence our abilities and behaviour? What affect does our brain chemistry have on us? To what extent is our gender biologically determined? Is mental illness in our genes? How do our hormones and the chemicals in our brain affect our thought processes, emotions and behaviour, and how much conscious control do we have over these?
Learning Approach
How do our experiences in the past affect our behaviour now? Can we learn anything about humans from studying animals? What are the true effects of media violence on behaviour? How are we persuaded by advertising?
Psychodynamic Approach
What is our unconscious? Can something we can’t see or feel have a powerful influence over our mind and behaviour? How does our early childhood shape our adult personality? How valuable is Freud’s contribution to psychology?
A2 Course Outline
In the second year you apply psychology to areas where it can have practical benefits, using knowledge of the 5 approaches studied in AS. There are several optional topics.
Unit 3
This paper covers some of the applied areas of psychology in which psychologists work:
Clinical Psychology
What is a ‘mental disorder’? How can a person’s ‘normal’ behaviour be distinguished from a person’s ‘abnormal’ behaviour? How are mental disorders diagnosed and explained? What are the most effective treatments?
Criminal Psychology
Why are some people anti-social, violent, and dishonest? Are criminals born or made? Can anything be done to change them? How can we improve courtroom procedures to make the system more just? How can psychological profiling methods be improved in order to catch criminals?
Health Psychology
Why do some people misuse substances? Why might some people be more likely to develop addictions than others? How effective are the various treatments for addiction?
Sport Psychology
What are the best techniques to improve motivation and performance? What makes a winner? What makes a good coach? How can sporting performance coaching techniques be used in order to enhance performance at work?
Child Psychology
How important is it for a baby to bond with one special carer? Do babies develop better intellectually and socially if they are loved? What are the benefits of day care? How do children learn?
Unit 4
Issues and Debates in Psychology
This is a synoptic paper covering AS and A2 issues such as the use and misuse of psychological knowledge. You will look critically at how psychologists go about their research. Issues and debates studied include the contributions of psychology to society, the ethical treatment of human and animal participants in research, applying psychology to issues of relevance in today’s society, psychology and social control, cross-cultural psychology, psychology as a science, and the nature-nurture debate.
Examining Board
We teach the Edexcel specification at AS and A2, which gives an excellent grounding in the subject. This has been chosen because it will:
- develop students’ interest in, and enthusiasm for, the subject including developing an interest in progression to higher education and vocations in psychology
- allow students to appreciate the scientific nature of psychology and to engage in contemporary debates through an understanding of research
- allow students to develop and demonstrate a deeper appreciation of the skills, knowledge and understanding of psychology through practical research activities
- allow students to develop essential knowledge and understanding of different areas of the subject and how they relate to each other
Resources
The department is well-resourced, with textbooks, ICT resources, journals, DVDs and careers information. The resource library is growing all the time.
Assessment
All units are assessed by examination. However, each unit includes a practical element, which develops your skills in psychological research and data analysis. Formative assessments usually take place on a weekly basis. These consist of exam-type questions with feedback given as per examining board criteria.
Requirements
In order to benefit from the course students should have a minimum of a B grade in English, Maths and the Sciences. You need to approach the subject in a methodical way, and be realistic about what you expect to study (no magazine-style quizzes!). You will be required to remember a large number of theories and research studies and analyse and evaluate them.
Post sixth form: future choices and options
The route to becoming a Psychologist is long and fiercely competitive. Students of Psychology also go on to a diverse range of careers, such as journalism, law, medicine and other health care professions, advertising, management, teaching, social work, forensics, computer sciences, and academic research.
How Parents can Help
Support from family is most welcome, and is vital for students to achieve their academic and personal goals. Girls studying Psychology often say that they enjoy discussing what they have learned with their family and friends. This is also a helpful revision tool!
Parents can familiarise themselves with the exam dates, and can ensure that a sufficient amount of work is being completed regularly by their child so that deadlines are met. Homework tasks include practising exam questions, reading, and testing themselves for weekly assessments. In addition to this, parents can encourage their children to organise their work files and engage in extra reading. With the vast amount of work covered, it is essential to maintain a good level of organisation. It is always helpful when parents encourage their children to stick to a timetable of independent study, in order to complete the expected 5 hours per week.
Students are expected to read their notes between every lesson. With the intensity of the course - and the large number of unfamiliar concepts, theories and research being studied - keeping up with reading and deadlines will go a long way to help students to complete the course successfully.
