Psychology is the ‘scientific study of the mind and behaviour’, and the A Level offers an introduction to six ‘core’ areas of the discipline.

Social Psychology focuses on the social interactions people have with each other. Amongst other issues, this course explains why we conform and why we are likely to obey authority figures.

Cognitive Psychology looks at how we perceive and interpret the world around us. Cognitive psychologists are interested in ‘thinking’ and are therefore concerned with internal mental processes, and how those processes are involved in the development of behaviours such as perception and intelligence.

Developmental Psychology considers how people develop and change from before they are born, throughout their lives. At A Level, the focus is on the development of an infant’s attachment to a primary care giver, and the problems that occur when this does not happen.

Psychologists interested in Psychopathology study the causes of mental disorders, such as OCD, Phobias and Schizophrenia. If we can understand what causes these disorders, then we can hopefully develop ways of treating them, so psychopathologists are also interested in therapies.

Biological Psychology looks at the role of evolutionary forces and genetics in behaviour. It investigates how the nervous system and hormones work, how the brain functions, and how changes in these can affect behaviour.

Finally, in order to find things out Psychologists use a variety of Research Methods and A level Psychology deals with how experiments are designed and analysed.