Building on Year 1, students continue to develop their understanding of research methods and engage in ongoing discussions on key issues and debates in psychology. A deeper look into statistical methods used in psychological research to analyse data and draw valid conclusions.
Throughout the course, students engage in practical research projects to reinforce theoretical concepts and develop skills in data collection, analysis, and interpretation. The curriculum is designed to foster critical thinking, analytical skills, and a deep understanding of psychological principles, preparing students for higher education and diverse career opportunities in psychology and related fields.
Research Method
A technique used to investigate a research question.
Experiment
A method where variables are manipulated to observe an effect.
Laboratory Experiment
An experiment conducted in a controlled environment.
Field Experiment
An experiment conducted in a natural environment.
Natural Experiment
An experiment using naturally occurring variables.
Independent Variable (IV)
The variable manipulated by the researcher.
Dependent Variable (DV)
The variable measured by the researcher.
Operationalisation
The process of defining variables in measurable terms.
Hypothesis
A testable statement predicting outcomes.
Null Hypothesis
A statement predicting no effect or relationship.
Directional Hypothesis
A hypothesis predicting the direction of results.
Non-directional Hypothesis
A hypothesis predicting a difference without direction.
Validity
The extent to which something measures what it claims to measure.
Reliability
The consistency of a measure or result.
Internal Validity
Whether changes in the DV are caused by the IV.
External Validity
The extent findings can be generalised.
Ecological Validity
Whether findings can be applied to real-world settings.
Sampling
The process of selecting participants.
Random Sample
A sample where everyone has an equal chance of selection.
Opportunity Sample
A sample chosen from those available.
Volunteer Sample
A sample made up of volunteers.
Ethics
Moral guidelines followed in psychological research.
Informed Consent
Participants agree to take part with full knowledge.
Deception
Withholding true aims of research.
Debrief
Explaining the true aims after participation.
Confidentiality
Protecting participants’ personal information.
Correlation
A relationship showing how variables are related.
Positive Correlation
Variables increase together.
Negative Correlation
One variable increases as the other decreases.
Zero Correlation
No relationship between variables.
Mean
The average score.
Median
The middle score.
Mode
The most frequent score.
Standard Deviation
A measure of spread from the mean.
Range
The difference between highest and lowest score.
Inferential Statistics
Statistical tests used to draw conclusions.
Significance Level
The level results must reach to be significant.
Probability Value (p-value)
The probability results occurred by chance.
Descriptive Statistics
Statistics that summarise data.
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Alongside research methods, approaches and issues and debates, students will explore the biological underpinnings of behaviour, including brain structure and function, neurotransmitters, and the endocrine system.
Students will be informally assessed throughout the topic, and formally within the mock exams and end of topic assessments. Assessments will comprise of exam style questions and essays. The essays will be written under timed conditions. As the unit progresses students will advance from writing essays with the support of plans to completing unseen questions.
Biopsychology
The study of how biological processes influence behaviour.
Neuron
A specialised nerve cell that transmits information.
Central Nervous System (CNS)
The brain and spinal cord.
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
Nerve system connecting the CNS to the rest of the body.
Somatic Nervous System
Controls voluntary muscle movements.
Autonomic Nervous System
Controls involuntary bodily functions.
Sympathetic Nervous System
Prepares the body for action in emergencies.
Parasympathetic Nervous System
Returns the body to a calm, resting state.
Neurotransmitter
Chemical messengers that transmit signals across synapses.
Synapse
The gap between neurons where neurotransmitters are released.
Excitation
Neurotransmitters increase the likelihood of neuron firing.
Inhibition
Neurotransmitters decrease the likelihood of neuron firing.
Endocrine System
System of glands that release hormones into the bloodstream.
Hormone
Chemical messengers released by endocrine glands.
Adrenaline
Hormone that prepares the body for action.
Cortisol
Stress hormone linked to arousal and stress response.
Melatonin
Hormone that regulates sleep.
Circadian Rhythm
The body’s internal clock regulating sleep patterns.
Biological Rhythms
Regular patterns of biological functioning.
Genotype
Genetic makeup of an individual.
Phenotype
Observable characteristics influenced by genes and environment.
Genetic Inheritance
The passing of genetic information from parents to offspring.
Twin Studies
Studies comparing twins to investigate genetic influences.
Evolution
The process by which species change over time.
Natural Selection
The process where advantageous traits are passed on.
Localization of Function
Specific brain areas are responsible for specific functions.
Hemispheric Lateralisation
Division of functions between the brain’s hemispheres.
Plasticity
The brain’s ability to change and adapt.
Fight or Flight Response
Automatic response preparing the body to face a threat.
EEG
A brain scanning technique measuring electrical activity.
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Study of the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of schizophrenia, including biological and psychological explanations. Students will learn this in conjunction with revising for their mock exams.
Students will sit two full mock exams covering both paper 1 and paper 2 content.
Schizophrenia
A severe mental disorder involving distortions of thinking, perception, emotions, and behaviour.
Positive Symptoms
Symptoms that add experiences, such as hallucinations and delusions.
Negative Symptoms
Symptoms that involve loss of normal functioning, such as avolition.
Hallucinations
Sensory experiences without external stimulus, often hearing voices.
Delusions
Fixed, false beliefs that are resistant to change.
Disorganised Speech
Speech that is incoherent or illogical.
Avolition
A lack of motivation to carry out everyday tasks.
Speech Poverty
A reduction in the amount or quality of speech.
Catatonia
Unusual movements, immobility, or repetitive actions.
DSM-5
The diagnostic manual used to classify mental disorders.
Reliability (Diagnosis)
The consistency of diagnosis between different clinicians.
Validity (Diagnosis)
Whether schizophrenia is a distinct and meaningful disorder.
Biological Explanation
Explanation focusing on physical and biological causes.
Genetic Explanation
The idea that schizophrenia is inherited genetically.
Neural Correlates
Brain structures or functions associated with schizophrenia.
Dopamine Hypothesis
Explanation linking schizophrenia to high dopamine levels.
Drug Therapy
Treatment using medication.
Antipsychotic Drugs
Medication used to reduce psychotic symptoms.
Typical Antipsychotics
First-generation drugs such as chlorpromazine.
Atypical Antipsychotics
Second-generation drugs such as risperidone.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Therapy focusing on changing irrational thoughts.
Family Therapy
Therapy that supports families in managing schizophrenia.
Token Economy
Behavioural therapy using rewards to encourage positive behaviour.
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Examination of psychological principles applied to criminal behaviour, including offender profiling, theories of offending, and the treatment of offenders.
Students will be informally assessed throughout the topic, and formally within the mock exams and end of topic assessments. Assessments will comprise of exam style questions and essays. The essays will be written under timed conditions. As the unit progresses students will advance from writing essays with the support of plans to completing unseen questions.
Forensic Psychology
The application of psychology to the criminal justice system.
Offender Profiling
Analysing crime scenes to predict characteristics of offenders.
Top-Down Profiling
Profiling based on organised and disorganised offender types.
Bottom-Up Profiling
Profiling based on statistical analysis of crime scene data.
Organised Offender
An offender who plans crimes with control and minimal evidence.
Disorganised Offender
An offender whose crimes are impulsive and chaotic.
Investigative Psychology
The use of psychology to analyse crime patterns and offenders.
Geographical Profiling
The study of how crimes are linked to locations to identify offender base.
Attribution Theory
The idea that behaviour is explained by internal or external causes.
Hostile Attribution Bias
The tendency to interpret others’ actions as hostile.
Custodial Sentence
A prison sentence served in custody.
Deterrence
Using punishment to discourage crime.
Recidivism
Reoffending after release from custody.
Prisonisation
Adoption of inmate norms and values.
Token Economy
Behaviour modification using rewards.
Anger Management
Therapy designed to reduce violent behaviour.
Restorative Justice
A system focusing on repairing harm done to victims.
Eye-witness Testimony
Memory of events by those who witnessed a crime.
Line-up
A police procedure where a suspect is identified.
Police Interview
Questioning suspects to gather information.
Cognitive Interview
A method designed to improve eyewitness recall.
Confession
An admission of guilt for a crime.
Custody
Legal detention by police.
Suggestibility
The extent to which individuals accept misleading information.
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This topic explores how cognitive abilities, such as thinking, reasoning, and understanding, develop from infancy through adolescence. It covers key theories and research on cognitive development, including Piaget’s stages of cognitive development, Vygotsky’s sociocultural approach, and theories of theory of mind.
Mock exams will provide another opportunity for students to complete full paper 1 and 2 and the majority of paper 3.
Cognitive Psychology
The study of internal mental processes such as memory and thinking.
Developmental Psychology
The study of psychological growth and change across the lifespan.
Schema
A mental framework for organising information.
Assimilation
Adding new information into existing schemas.
Accommodation
Changing schemas to fit new information.
Equilibration
The process of reaching cognitive balance.
Stages of Development
Distinct phases of cognitive development proposed by Piaget.
Sensorimotor Stage
Birth to age two; learning through senses and actions.
Pre-operational Stage
Ages 2–7; thinking is egocentric and symbolic.
Concrete Operational Stage
Ages 7–11; logical thinking about concrete objects.
Formal Operational Stage
Ages 11+; abstract and hypothetical thinking.
Egocentrism
Inability to see the world from others' perspectives.
Theory of Mind
Understanding that others have different thoughts and beliefs.
Meta-cognition
Thinking about one’s own thinking and learning processes.
Memory
The mental process of encoding, storing, and retrieving information.
Working Memory
A limited capacity system for temporarily holding information.
Central Executive
Controls attention and coordinates the working memory system.
Phonological Loop
Stores verbal and auditory information.
Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad
Stores visual and spatial information.
Episodic Buffer
Integrates information from different sources.
Cognitive Neuroscience
The study of brain structures involved in cognition.
Social Cognition
How people process and understand social information.
Attachment
An emotional bond between infant and caregiver.
Internal Working Model
A mental representation of relationships formed in early childhood.
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Students will consolidate their learning through revision tasks with a specific focus on issues and debates and exam practice to prepare for formal exams.
Formal A level examinations - 3x 2-hour exams.
Interactionist Approach
Considers how genetic and environmental factors interact to influence behaviour.
Nature-Nurture Debate
Debate on the relative importance of genetics versus environmental factors in behaviour.
Nomothetic Approach
Research aiming to establish general laws that apply to all individuals.
Psychic Determinism
Belief that behaviour is caused by unconscious conflicts and past experiences.
Reductionism
Reducing complex phenomena to simpler components (biological, environmental, psychological).
Reflexivity
Reflecting on one’s own beliefs and biases and how these influence research.
Social Sensitivity
Considering how research impacts society, especially vulnerable groups.
Soft Determinism
Behaviour is determined by factors but individuals still have some free will.
Universality
Developing theories that apply to everyone while avoiding bias.
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