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INTRODUCTION TO YEAR
13 PSYCHOLOGY
AQA
Specification A for 2012
Units 3 and 4
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Unit 3
1 ½ hours (June)
75 marks
Choice of 3 topics out of 8
topics –
24 marks each (8 AO1
and 16 AO2/3)
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Unit 4
2 hours (January)
83 marks
3 sections
A – psychopathology 24
mark answer
B – anomalistic
Small questions adding up
24 marks
C- Research methods small
questions adding up to 35
marks
Overview of A2 course
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There are two exams
One in January (unit 4)
One in June (unit 3)
THERE IS NO COURSEWORK
UNIT 3
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TOPICS IN PSYCHOLOGY
1. Biological rhythms
and sleep
2. Perception
3. Relationships
4. Aggression
5. Eating behaviour
6. Gender
7. Intelligence
8. Cognition and
development
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It is only necessary to
study 3 out of the 8
topics. This is likely to be:
Gender
Aggression
Eating behaviour or Sleep
3 short essays – 24 marks
1 ½ hours
75 marks overall
June
Unit 3: Biological rhythms and sleep
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Biological rhythms
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Circadian, infradian,
and ultradian rhythms
including the role of
endogenous
pacemakers and of
exogenous zeitgebers
in the control of
circadian rhythms.
BIOLOGICAL RHYTHMS & SLEEP
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Sleep
The nature of
sleep including
the stages of
sleep and
lifespan
changes.
The functions of
sleep including
evolutionary
and restoration
explanations.
BIOLOGICAL RHYTHMS & SLEEP
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Disorders of sleep
Explanations for
sleep disorders,
including insomnia,
sleep walking and
narcolepsy.
UNIT 3 : AGGRESSION
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Social psychological
approaches to
explaining aggression
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Social psychological
theories of aggression,
for example, social
learning theory,
deindividuation
Explanations of
institutional aggression
AGGRESSION
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Biological
explanations of
aggression
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The role of genetic
factors in aggressive
behaviour
The role of neural and
hormonal mechanisms
in aggression
AGGRESSION
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Evolution and human
aggression
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Evolutionary
explanations of human
aggression, including
infidelity and jealousy
Evolutionary
explanations of group
display in humans, for
example sport and
warfare.
UNIT 3: EATING BEHAVIOUR
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Eating behaviour
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Factors influencing
attitudes to food and
eating behaviour, for
example cultural
influences, mood,
health concerns
Explanations for the
success and failure of
dieting
EATING BEHAVIOUR
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Biological
explanations of eating
behaviour
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The role of neural
mechanisms involved in
controlling eating
Evolutionary
explanations of food
preference
EATING BEHAVIOUR
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Eating disorders
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In relation to
either anorexia
nervosa or
bulimia nervosa
or obesity:
Psychological
explanations
Biological
explanations,
including neural
and evolutionary
explanations.
UNIT 4 overview
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SECTION A: PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
SECTION B: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION – one
choice from three – Anomalistic
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SECTION C: RESEARCH METHODS
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UNIT 4: SECTION A PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
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Candidates will be
expected to:
Develop knowledge
and understanding of
one of the following:
Schizophrenia
Depression
Anxiety disorders
(phobia / OCD)
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Apply knowledge and
understanding of
models, classification
and diagnosis to the
chosen disorder,
including reliability
and validity.
PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
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Biological explanations
of the chosen disorder,
for example, genetics,
biochemistry
Psychological
explanation of the
chosen disorder, for
example, behavioural,
cognitive,
psychodynamic and
socio-cultural
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Biological therapies for the
chosen disorder, including
their evaluation in terms of
appropriateness and
effectiveness
Psychological therapies for
the chosen disorder, for
example, behavioural,
psychodynamic and
cognitive-behavioural,
including their evaluation in
terms of appropriateness
and effectiveness
UNIT 4: SECTION B
Psychology in action
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1. Media Psychology
2. The Psychology of Addictive Behaviour
3. Anomalistic Psychology
It is only necessary to study one of the above
topics.
MEDIA PSYCHOLOGY
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Media
influences
on social
behaviour
Media and
persuasion
The
psychology
of celebrity
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF ADDICTIVE
BEHAVIOUR
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Models of
addictive
behaviour
Vulnerability
to addiction
Reducing
addictive
behaviour
ANOMALISTIC PSYCHOLOGY
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The study of
anomalous experience
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Pseudoscience and the
scientific status of
parapsychology
Methodological issues
related to the study of
paranormal cognition
(ESP, including
Ganzfeld) and
paranormal action
(psychokinesis)
ANOMALISTIC PSYCHOLOGY cont.
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Explanations for anomalous
experience
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The role of coincidence
and probability
judgements in
anomalous experience
Explanations for
superstitious behaviour
and magical thinking
Personality factors
underlying anomalous
experience
ANOMALISTIC PSYCHOLOGY cont.
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Research into
exceptional
experience
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Psychological research into
and explanations for:
Psychic healing
Out-of-body and neardeath experience
Psychic mediumship
UNIT 4: SECTION C
Psychological research and scientific method
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The application of
scientific methodology
in psychology
Designing psychological
investigations
Data analysis and
reporting on
investigations
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Features, process,
validating new
knowledge
Research methods,
reliability and validity,
ethical considerations
Probability and
significance, dealing with
quantitative and
qualitative data,
reporting investigations
Unit 3 : RELATIONSHIPS
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Romantic
relationships theory
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The formation,
maintenance and
breakdown of
romantic
relationships
RELATIONSHIPS
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Human reproductive
behaviour
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The relationship between
sexual selection and
human reproductive
behaviour
Evolutionary explanations
of parental investment,
for example sex
differences, parentoffspring conflict
RELATIONSHIPS
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Effects of early
experience and culture
on adult relationships
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The influence of
childhood and
adolescent
experiences on adult
relationships, including
parent-child
relationships and
interaction with peers.
The nature of
relationships in
different cultures.