Psychology AQA A-Level Topics &amp; Revision

Introductory topics in Psychology

The Introductory topics in Psychology (4.1) covers the core areas of Social Influence, Memory, Attachment, and Psychopathology. Students are expected to demonstrate knowledge, understanding, application, and evaluation of theories, research studies, and concepts within these areas, including the evaluation of therapies and treatments.

Social influence

This topic explores the ways in which individuals are influenced by the presence and behaviour of others, covering conformity, obedience, resistance to social influence, minority influence, and the role of social influence in social change.

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Memory

The Memory topic covers the cognitive processes involved in storing and retrieving information. It focuses on structural models of memory, the different types of long-term memory, and the components and features of the working memory model.

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Attachment

The study of attachment focuses on the emotional bond between infants and their caregivers, exploring the nature of these interactions, theoretical explanations for how attachments form, the impact of early experiences on later development, and the consequences of institutionalisation.

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Clinical Psychology and Mental Health

This topic covers the definitions of abnormality, the characteristics of phobias, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and the psychological and biological approaches to explaining and treating these conditions.

Psychology in context

The 'Psychology in context' topic covers the foundational approaches in psychology, the biological basis of behaviour (biopsychology), and the comprehensive study of research methods, scientific processes, and data analysis techniques required for psychological investigation.

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Approaches in Psychology

The Approaches in Psychology topic covers the historical origins of the discipline and the core assumptions, key concepts, and research associated with the major psychological perspectives: Learning (Behaviourist and Social Learning Theory), Cognitive, Biological, Psychodynamic, and Humanistic, including a comparison of these approaches.

Biopsychology

The Biopsychology topic explores the biological foundations of human behaviour, covering the structure and function of the nervous and endocrine systems, the mechanisms of synaptic transmission, the fight or flight response, brain localisation and lateralisation, plasticity, methods of studying the brain, and biological rhythms.

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Research methods

Research methods covers the scientific processes, design, data handling, and analysis techniques used in psychological research. It includes experimental and non-experimental methods, sampling, ethical considerations, and the statistical analysis of data.

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Scientific processes

This topic covers the fundamental scientific processes and methodological requirements involved in conducting and reporting psychological research, including hypothesis formulation, sampling, experimental design, control, ethics, and the broader scientific nature of the discipline.

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Data handling and analysis

This topic covers the essential techniques for processing, describing, and presenting psychological data, including the distinction between data types, descriptive statistics, and the graphical representation of findings.

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Inferential testing

This topic covers the application and interpretation of inferential statistical tests in psychological research, focusing on the decision-making process for selecting tests, understanding probability and significance, and identifying errors in statistical inference.

Issues and options in Psychology

This topic covers the fundamental issues and debates in psychology, alongside three optional topic areas (Relationships, Gender, Cognition and Development, Schizophrenia, Eating Behaviour, Stress, Aggression, Forensic Psychology, and Addiction) that allow students to apply their knowledge to specific fields of study.

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Issues and debates in Psychology

This topic explores the fundamental conceptual and philosophical debates that underpin psychological research and theory. It examines how psychologists address issues of bias, the origins of behaviour, the scientific nature of the discipline, and the ethical implications of research.

Addiction

This topic explores the nature of addiction, including physical and psychological dependence, risk factors, and specific explanations for nicotine and gambling addictions. It also covers methods for reducing addiction and the application of behaviour change theories.

Relationships

This topic explores the psychological explanations for human romantic relationships, including evolutionary, social, and cognitive theories, as well as the dynamics of relationship breakdown and the nature of virtual and parasocial relationships.

Gender

The Gender topic explores the psychological development of gender, covering biological, cognitive, psychodynamic, and social learning explanations, as well as atypical gender development and the measurement of androgyny.

Cognition and development

This topic explores the cognitive development of children through the theories of Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky, focusing on how children construct their understanding of the world and the role of social interaction in intellectual growth.

Schizophrenia

The study of Schizophrenia, covering its classification, symptoms, diagnosis, and the various biological and psychological explanations for its development. It also includes the evaluation of treatments (drug therapy, CBT, family therapy, and token economies) and the interactionist approach.

Eating behaviour

This topic explores the biological and psychological factors influencing human eating behaviour, including food preferences, the physiological control of eating, and explanations for eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and obesity.

Stress

The study of stress as a psychological and physiological phenomenon, covering its biological mechanisms, its impact on health, sources of stress, methods of measurement, individual differences in response, and strategies for management.

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Aggression

This topic explores the biological, ethological, and social psychological explanations for human aggression, including institutional aggression and the influence of media.