AQA psychology B syllabus.PDF

7/22/2019 AQA psychology B syllabus.PDF

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GCEAS and A Level Specification

Psychology B

For exams from June 2014 onwards

For certification from June 2014 onwards


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GCE Psychology B for exams from June 2014 onwards (version 1.1)

Contents

1 Introduction 2

1.1 Why choose AQA? 2

1.2 Why choose Psychology B? 2

1.3 HowdoIstartusingthisspecication? 3

1.4 HowcanIndoutmore? 3

2 SpecicationataGlance 4

3 Subject Content 5

3.1 Unit 1 PSYB1 Introducing Psychology 5

3.2 Unit 2 PSYB2 Social Psychology, Cognitive Psychology and 7

Individual Differences

3.3 Unit 3 PSYB3 Child Development and Applied Options 10

3.4 Unit 4 PSYB4 Approaches, Debates and Methods in Psychology 13

3.5 How Science Works 15

3.6 Mathematical Requirements 20

4 SchemeofAssessment 21

4.1 Aims 21

4.2 Assessment Objectives 21

4.3 National Criteria 22

4.4 Prior Learning 22

4.5 Synoptic Assessment and Stretch and Challenge 23

4.6 Access to Assessment for Disabled Students 24

5 Administration 25

5.1 AvailabilityofAssessmentUnitsandCertication 25

5.2 Entries 25

5.3 Private Candidates 25

5.4 Access Arrangements and Special Consideration 25

5.5 Language of Examinations 26

5.6 QualicationTitles 26

5.7 Awarding Grades and Reporting Results 26

5.8 Re-sits and Shelf-life of Unit Results 26

Appendices 27

A Performance Descriptions 27

B Spiritual, Moral, Ethical, Social and other Issues 32

C OverlapswithotherQualications 33

D Key Skills 34

Verticalblacklinesindicateasignicantchange or additiontothepreviousversionofthisspecication.


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1 Introduction

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1.1 Why choose AQA?

Its a fact that AQA is the UKs favourite exam boardand more students receive their academicqualicationsfromAQAthanfromanyotherboard.But why does AQA continue to be so popular?

SpecicationsOurs are designed to the highest standards, soteachers, students and their parents can becondentthatanAQAawardprovidesanaccurate measure of a students achievements.And the assessment structures have beendesigned to achieve a balance between rigour,reliability and demands on candidates.

SupportAQA runs the most extensive programme ofsupportmeetings;freeofchargeintherstyearsofanewspecicationandataveryreasonablecostthereafter.Thesesupportmeetingsexplainthespecicationandsuggestpracticalteachingstrategies and approaches that really work.

ServiceWearecommittedtoprovidinganefcientandeffective service and we are at the end of thephone when you need to speak to a person aboutan important issue. We will always try to resolveissuesthersttimeyoucontactusbut,shouldthat not be possible, we will always come back toyou (by telephone, email or letter) and keepworkingwithyoutondthesolution.

EthicsAQA is a registered charity. We have noshareholders to pay. We exist solely for the goodof education in the UK. Any surplus income isploughed back into educational research and ourservicetoyou,ourcustomers.Wedontprotfrom education, you do.

If you are an existing customer then we thank you foryour support. If you are thinking of moving to AQAthen we look forward to welcoming you.

1.2 Why choose Psychology B?

PurposeoftheSpecication

TherevisedSpecicationBwillprovidestudentswitha sound understanding of the various methods andapproaches in psychology at both AS and A2. Ateach level, knowledge of methods and approacheswill be illustrated through various topic areasrepresenting the core areas of social, cognitive,developmental, biological and individual differences.Thetopicareashavebeenchosenbecauseoftheirimportance and prominence within the core area,their accessibility to Advanced Level students andtheirpopularitywithintheexistingSpecicationB

centres.

Changes

Teacherswillnoteonlythreesignicantchanges,allof which have been necessitated by changes in theQCA criteria for psychology: the removal of internalassessment of Research Methods by means ofcoursework, the introduction of compulsory studyof Biopsychology in Unit 1 and the introduction ofIndividual Differences in Unit 2. Both the topicsincluded under Individual Differences appearedpreviouslyontheSpecicationasA2topics,soshouldalreadybefamiliartoteachers.Thecontentofthesetwoareashasbeenadaptedtoreectthemove from A2 to AS.

KeyFeatures/Benets

Thekeyfactorsappealingtoteacherswillbe:

choiceoftopicsatbothASandA2

appliedpsychologyoptionsatA2

continuityofcontent,withmanytopicareasremaining very similar to the previousspecication,apartfromminorupdating

continuityofassessmentstyle:questionswillbemodelledverycloselyonthecurrentSpecicationB papers and there will be continued use of

structured questions and scenario questionsrequiring the application of knowledge

theexplicitcoverageofdebatesinpsychologyatA2, offering opportunities for extension work andhigher-level discussion.

Progression

Thereisnorequirementforpriorknowledgeofpsychology when embarking on this course and wedo not expect candidates to have taken the GCSEPsychologycourse.However,theSpecicationbuilds on knowledge and understanding included

within the GCSE courses, with coverage of sometopics in greater depth and the introduction of newtopic areas to engage and further stimulate students.Rather than studying topic areas in isolation as at


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1.3 HowdoIstartusingthisspecication?

AlreadyusingtheexistingAQAPsychologyBspecication?

Registertoreceivefurtherinformation,suchasmark schemes, past question papers, details ofteacher support meetings, etc, athttp://www.aqa.org.uk/rn/askaqa.php

Information will be available electronically or inprint, for your convenience.

Tellusthatyouintendtoentercandidates.Thenwe can make sure that you receive all the materialyouneedfortheexaminations.Thisisparticularlyimportant where examination material is issuedbeforethenalentrydeadline.Youcanletusknow by completing the appropriate Intention toEnter and Estimated Entry forms. We will send

copiestoyourExamsOfcerandtheyarealsoavailable on our websitehttp://www.aqa.org.uk/admin/p_entries.html

NotusingtheAQAspecicationcurrently?

AlmostallcentresinEnglandandWalesuseAQAor have used AQA in the past and are approvedAQA centres. A small minority are not. If yourcentre is new to AQA, please contact our centreapproval team [email protected]

AskAQA

You have 24-hour access to useful information andanswers to the most commonly-asked questions athttp://www.aqa.org.uk/rn/askaqa.php

If the answer to your question is not available, you

can submit a query for our team. Our targetresponse time is one day.

TeacherSupport

DetailsofthefullrangeofcurrentTeacherSupportmeetings are available on our website athttp://www.aqa.org.uk/support/teachers.html

Thereisalsoalinktoourfastandconvenientonline

bookingsystemforTeacherSupportmeetingsathttp://events.aqa.org.uk/ebooking

IfyouneedtocontacttheTeacherSupportteam,you can call us on 01483 477860 or email us [email protected]

1.4 HowcanIndoutmore?

GCSE, students will develop a broader understandingof the discipline as a whole through the study of

approaches. AS questions will be less structuredthanatGCSEreectingthemovetoadvancedlevelstudy. At A2, the study of debates in psychology andapplied topic areas will prepare students for higher-level study, as will the coverage of inferential statistics.Questions at A2 will be less structured than at AS,

with greater emphasis on extended writing. At bothAS and A2, question papers will assess students

ability to apply their knowledge rather than justthe ability to learn material. Acquiring the skills ofapplication should ease the transition from AS/A2 tostudy in higher education where students are requiredto think for themselves.


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2 SpecicationataGlance

2

AS Examinations

Unit 1 PSYB1Introducing Psychology

50% of AS, 25% of A LevelExternally-assessed examination, 1 hour 30 minutes60 marks

Candidates answer three compulsory questions.

Available in June only

Unit 2 PSYB2

Social Psychology, Cognitive Psychology and Individual Differences

50% of AS, 25% of A LevelExternally-assessed examination, 1 hour 30 minutes60 marks

Candidates answer three questions.


AS

Award1186

A2 Examinations

Unit 3 PSYB3Child Development and Applied Options

25% of A LevelExternally-assessed examination, 2 hours60 marks

Candidates answer three questions.


Unit 4 PSYB4

Approaches, Debates and Methods in Psychology

25% of A LevelExternally-assessed examination, 2 hours60 marks

Candidates answer three questions.Available in June only

ALevelAward2186

+AS A2 = ALevel


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3 Subject Content

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3.1 Unit 1 PSYB1 Introducing Psychology

Students should have experience of designing andconducting informal classroom research using avarietyofmethods.Theywillbeexpectedtoanalysedata collected in investigations and draw conclusions

basedonresearchndings.Theywillberequiredtodraw on these experiences to answer questions inthe examination for this unit.

Approaches

Topics 3.1.1KeyApproachesinPsychology3.1.2Biopsychology

Aims Tointroducestudentstothekeyapproachesinpsychology.

Topromoteanunderstandingoftheroleofphysiologyin

behaviour.

Topromoteanunderstandingofthegeneticbasisofbehaviour.

Toenableappreciationofresearchmethodsandethicalissuesinthe different approaches.

Todevelopanappreciationofhowscienceworksinpsychology.

3.1.1KeyApproachesinPsychology Thebasicassumptions/distinguishingfeaturesofthefollowingapproaches: biological; behaviourist; social learning theory; cognitive;psychodynamic and humanistic.

Theresearchmethodsusedwithineachapproach.

Biological:theinuenceofgenes;genotypeandphenotype;biological structures; the evolution of behaviour.

Behaviourist: classical conditioning; operant conditioning.

SocialLearningTheory:modelling;mediatingcognitivefactors.

Cognitive: the study of internal mental processes and the use ofmodels to explain these processes.

Psychodynamic: the role of the unconscious; psychosexual stages;the structure of personality; defence mechanisms.

Humanistic: free will; concepts of self and self-actualisation;conditions of worth.

Thestrengthsandlimitationsofeachapproach.Thestrengthsandlimitations of research methods used within each approach.

3.1.2Biopsychology Basic understanding of the structure and function of neurons

andsynaptictransmission.Thedivisionsofthenervoussystem.Localisation of function in the brain (cortical specialisation) includingmotor, somatosensory, visual, auditory and language centres.

Methods used to identify areas of cortical specialisation, includingpost-mortem examinations; EEGs, scanning techniques, includingPET.

Actions of the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of theautonomic nervous system including, the adrenal glands, adrenalinandghtorightresponse.


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GenderDevelopment

Topic 3.1.3GenderDevelopment

Aims Todemonstratehowkeyapproachescanbeappliedtothedevelopment of gender.

Todemonstratehowpsychologyprovidesanunderstandingofhuman development.

Todevelopanappreciationofhowscienceworksinrelationtothe investigation of gender development.

Outcomes Upon completion of this topic, students should be able to

explainconceptsrelatedtothedevelopmentofgender;

understandandappreciatethebiological,sociallearning, cognitive and psychodynamic explanations of gender development.

3.1.3GenderDevelopment

Concepts Sex and gender: androgyny; sex-role stereotypes; cultural variationsin gender-related behaviour; nature and nurture.

Explaining gender development Biological explanations: typical and atypical sex chromosomepatterns,includingKlinefelterssyndromeandTurnerssyndrome;inuenceofandrogens(includingtestosterone)andoestrogens.

Social learning theory: reinforcement; modelling; imitation andidentication.

Cognitive approach: Gender schema theory; Kohlbergs cognitive-developmental theory, including gender identity, gender stability andgender constancy.

Psychodynamic approach: Freuds psychoanalytic theory; Oedipus

complex;Electracomplex;identication.

ResearchMethods

Topics 3.1.4MethodsofResearch3.1.5RepresentingDataandDescriptiveStatistics3.1.6Ethics

Aims Topromoteacriticalunderstandingofquantitativeandqualitativemethods employed in psychological research.

Topromoteanunderstandingoftheuseofdescriptivestatistics.

Todemonstratehowdatacanberepresented.

Todevelopanawarenessofethicalissuesinpsychological research.

Todevelopanappreciationofhowscienceworksinpsychologicalresearch.

3.1.4MethodsofResearch

Planning Research Qualitative and quantitative research: the distinction betweenqualitative and quantitative data collection techniques; strengths andlimitations of quantitative and qualitative data.

Formulating research questions. Stating aims. Formulatinghypotheses (experimental/alternative/research).

Populations and sampling. Sampling techniques, includingopportunity,random,stratiedandsystematic.

ExperimentalMethods Experiments:eld,laboratoryandquasi-experiments.Issueofecological validity.

Independent and dependent variables. Manipulation and control ofvariables in experiments. Extraneous and confounding variables.


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Experimental designs: repeated or related measures, matched pairs,independent groups and appropriate use of each.

Controls associated with different designs, includingcounterbalancing and random allocation. Strengths and limitations ofdifferent experimental designs.

Strengths and limitations of experimental methods.

Non-experimental Methods Self-report methods: questionnaire construction, including open andclosed questions; types of interviews: structured and unstructured.

Pilot studies and their value.

Correlationstudies.Thedifferencebetweenanexperimentandacorrelation study.

Observational studies: natural and laboratory settings; covert andovert; participant and non-participant observation.

Theprocessofcontentanalysis. Casestudies.Theroleofcasestudiesinpsychology.

Strengths and limitations of these methods.

3.1.5RepresentingDataandDescriptiveStatistics

Representing Data Appropriate use of the following tabular and graphical displays: barcharts, graphs, scattergrams and tables.

Descriptive Data Use of measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode) andmeasures of dispersion (range and standard deviation).

Calculation of mean, median, mode and range.

Correlation as a description of the relationship between two variables.

Positive, negative and zero correlations.

3.1.6Ethics AnawarenessofthecodeofethicsinpsychologyasspeciedbytheBritish Psychological Society.

Theapplicationofthecodeofethicsinpsychologicalresearch.

3.2 Unit 2 PSYB2 Social Psychology, Cognitive Psychology

and Individual Differences

Students should have experience of designing andconducting informal classroom research using a

varietyofmethods.Theywillbeexpectedtoanalysedata collected in investigations and draw conclusionsbasedonresearchndings.Theywillberequiredto

draw on these experiences to answer questions in theexamination for this unit.

In order to answer questions in this Unit, candidates musthave studied Experimental Methods in Unit 1 (3.1.4).

SocialPsychology

Topics 3.2.1SocialInuence3.2.2SocialCognition

Aims Toprovideanintroductiontotheoreticalandmethodologicalapproaches in social psychology.

Todemonstratewaysinwhichsocialpsychologymaybeappliedto contemporary social and cultural issues.

Toenablestudentstodevelopcriticalandevaluativeskillsinrelation to theory and empirical studies in social psychology.

Todevelopanappreciationofhowscienceworksinsocial psychology.


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3.2.1SocialInuence Social facilitation, dominant responses, causes of arousal: evaluationapprehension and distraction. Effects of arousal on task

performance. Typesofconformity,includinginternalisationandcompliance.

Explanationsforconformity,includinginformationalsocialinuenceandnormativesocialinuence.

Factors affecting conformity, including those investigated by Asch.

Explanations of obedience.

Situational factors: conditions affecting obedience to authority asinvestigated by Milgram.

Dispositional explanation: the Authoritarian Personality.

Explanationsofdeanceofauthority.

Ethicalandmethodologicalissuesinstudyingsocialinuence.

3.2.2SocialCognition Factors affecting impression formation, including social schemas,primacy and recency effects, central traits and stereotyping.

Concept of attribution: dispositional and situational attributions;attributional biases, including the fundamental attribution error, theactor-observer effect and the self-serving bias.

Thestructureandfunctionofattitudes:cognitiveaffectiveandbehavioural components; adaptive, knowledge and ego-expressivefunctions.

Explanations of prejudice, including competition for resources, socialidentity theory and the Authoritarian Personality.

CognitivePsychology Topics 3.2.3Rememberingandforgetting

3.2.4PerceptualProcesses

Aims Tointroducestudentstomajorareasofstudyincognitive psychology.

Togivestudentsanunderstandingofmethodologicalapproachesin cognitive psychology.

Todevelopacriticalawarenessoftheoriesandresearchin cognitive psychology.

Todevelopanappreciationofhowscienceworksincognitivepsychology.

3.2.3RememberingandForgetting Models of memory including the distinguishing features/components of each of the following:

TheMulti-storemodel(AtkinsonandShiffrin);

Working memory model;

Levels of processing.

Typesoflong-termmemory:episodic;semantic;procedural.

Explanations of forgetting, including decay, interference, retrievalfailure (absence of context and cues), displacement, lack ofconsolidation and motivated forgetting, including repression.

3.2.4PerceptualProcesses Perceptual set and the effects of motivation, expectation, emotionand culture on perception.

Perceptualorganisation.TheGestaltprinciples.Gibsons and Gregorys theories of visual perception.

Depthcues,monocularandbinocular.Typesofperceptualconstancy, including size constancy and shape constancy.


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Distortion illusions, including the Muller-Lyer illusion and the Ponzoillusion.

Ambiguousgures,includingtheNeckerCubeandRubinsvase.

Whatdistortionillusionsandambiguousgurestellusaboutperception.

IndividualDifferences

Topics 3.2.5AnxietyDisorders3.2.6Autism

Aims Toprovideanintroductiontoresearchintoindividualdifferences.

Todevelopcriticalawarenessofexplanationsforanxiety disorders or autism.

Todevelopanunderstandingoftheapplicationofpsychologyin

the assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders or autism. Todevelopanappreciationofhowscienceworksinresearchinto

individual differences.

3.2.5AnxietyDisorders Phobias:denitionandsymptoms.Agoraphobia,socialphobiasandspecicphobias.

Obsessive-compulsivedisorder:denitionandsymptoms.Thedistinction between obsession and compulsion.

Explanations of phobias including behavioural and psychodynamic.

Explanations of OCD including biological and cognitive.

Treatmentsforphobiasincludingsystematicdesensitisationandpsychodynamic therapy.

TreatmentsforOCDincludingdrugtherapyandcognitivetherapy.Evaluation of treatments for anxiety disorders.

3.2.6Autism Autism:Denitionandsymptoms,includinglackofjointattention.Autism as a syndrome: the triad of impairments.

Biological explanations, including genetics and neurologicalcorrelates.

Cognitive explanations, including theory of mind, central coherencedecitandfailureofexecutivefunctioning.

Studying autism: the Sally-Anne experiment; the Smartie tube test;comic strip stories.

Therapeuticprogrammesforautismincludingdrugtherapy;

behaviourmodicationincludingtheLovaastechnique;parentalinvolvement.

Evaluation of these programmes.


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3.3 Unit 3 PSYB3 Child Development and Applied Options

Students should have experience of designing andconducting informal classroom research using avarietyofmethods.Theywillbeexpectedtoanalysedata collected in investigations and draw conclusions


SECTIONA CHILDDEVELOPMENT

Topics 3.3.1SocialDevelopment3.3.2CognitiveDevelopment3.3.3MoralDevelopment

Aims Tointroducestudentstoadditionaltopicsindevelopmental

psychology. Togivestudentsanunderstandingofmethodsusedin

developmental psychology.

Toprovidestudentswithknowledgeofempiricalresearchanditsrelationship to theory.

Todevelopcriticalandevaluativeskillsinrelationtotheoryandresearch in developmental psychology.

Toenableanappreciationofpracticalapplicationsoftheoriesand research.

Todevelopanappreciationofhowscienceworksin developmental psychology.

3.3.1SocialDevelopment

Early relationships Attachment and the role of caregiver-infant interactions in thedevelopment of attachment, including reference to human and animalstudies. Function of attachment. Secure and insecure attachments.Measuring attachment.

Possible short-term and long-term consequences of privation anddeprivation.

Romanian orphan studies: effects of institutionalisation, age-relatedbenetsofadoption(Rutteretal).

TheworkofBowlby,Schaffer,AinsworthandvanIjzendoorn.

LaterRelationships Thedevelopmentoffriendshipinchildhoodandadolescence.Age-related change in friendship. Sex differences in childrens friendship.

Research into the causes and consequences of popularity andrejection.

3.3.2CognitiveDevelopment

Piagets theory of cognitive development Schemas: adaptation, assimilation and accommodation. Piagetsstages of intellectual development. Characteristics of thesestages, including object permanence, conservation, egocentrism,class inclusion. Piagets research, including the three mountainsexperiment and conservation experiments.

Alternative approaches to Vygotsky and cognitive development within a social and culturalchildrens cognition context. Vygotskys zone of proximal development. Scaffolding.

Guided participation in sociocultural activity.

Nativist explanations and early infant abilities, including knowledge of

the physical world (Baillargeon).

Theinformationprocessingapproach:Sieglersresearchintoproblemsolving strategies.


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3.3.3Moraldevelopment

Piaget and Kohlberg Piagets stages of moral development: premoral judgement,

moral realism and moral relativism. Kohlbergs pre-conventional,conventionalandpost-conventionallevels.Thestagesofmoralreasoning within these levels.

Ways of investigating moral development including the use of moralcomparisons and moral dilemmas.

Alternatives to Piaget and Kohlberg Eisenbergs model of pro-social reasoning, including hedonistic,needs,approval,self-reectiveandinternalisedorientations.

Gilligans ethic of care: differences between boys and girls. Gilligansthree levels of moral development.

Damons research into distributive justice.

Psychodynamicexplanationsofmoraldevelopment.Theroleofthesuperego.

SECTIONBAPPLIEDPSYCHOLOGYOPTIONS

Topics 3.3.4CognitionandLaw3.3.5SchizophreniaandMoodDisorders3.3.6StressandStressManagement3.3.7SubstanceAbuse3.3.8ForensicPsychology

Aims Toenableanunderstandingofhowpsychologyisappliedintherealworld.

Toencourageappreciationofhowpsychologicalconcepts,theoriesand research can be used to explain a variety of behaviours.

Tofamiliarisestudentswithappliedresearchinpsychology. Todevelopanappreciationofhowscienceworksinapplied

psychology.

3.3.4CognitionandLaw

Recognising and remembering faces Processes involved in recognition of faces. Explanations for facerecognition, including feature analysis and holistic forms.

Theconstructionoflikenessesusingcompositesystems.

Identicationprocedures:simultaneousandsequentialline-ups.

Recalling events Factors affecting the reliability of eye-witness accounts and eye-witnessidentication,includingpost-eventcontamination.Improvingeye-witness recall, including features of the cognitive interview. Children

as eye-witnesses. Flashbulb memory: memory for shocking events. Thefalsememorydebate.Controversysurroundingtherecoveryof

repressedmemories.Theexistenceoffalsememories.Evidencerelating to repression and false memory. Ethical and theoreticalimplications of the false memory debate.

3.3.5Schizophreniaand Classicationofschizophrenia,includingsub-types.SymptomsandMoodDisorders diagnosis. Explanations, for schizophrenia including biological and

sociocultural (labelling and family dysfunction).

Treatmentsofschizophrenia,includinganti-psychoticdrugsandpsychotherapy.Theroleofcommunitycare.

Evaluation of these treatments.

Mood Disorders Unipolar and bipolar depression. Symptoms and diagnosis of unipolar

and bipolar depression. Explanations, including biological, cognitiveand psychodynamic.

Treatmentsofmooddisorders,includingbiologicalandcognitive.

Evaluation of these treatments.


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3.3.6StressandStressManagement

StressandIllness Theroleoftheautonomicnervoussystem(ANS)andendocrine

system functions in mediating and responding to stress.

Ways of measuring stress, including physiological, behavioural andself-report techniques.

Theroleofpersonalvariables,includingbehaviourtypesA,BandC,locus of control and hardiness in mediating responses to stress.

StressManagement Problem-focusedandemotion-focusedstrategies.Theroleofdefence mechanisms in coping with stress, including repression,regression, rationalisation and denial.

Techniquesofstressmanagement:behaviouralapproaches,including biofeedback and systematic desensitisation; cognitivetherapy.

Theroleofsocialfactorsincopingwithstress:socialsupport,including types of social support.

3.3.7SubstanceAbuse

Use and Abuse Physical and psychological dependence, tolerance and withdrawal inrelation to nicotine, alcohol, stimulants and depressants.

Explanations for substance abuse: hereditary factors; personalitycharacteristicsandsocialfactors,includingpeerinuences.

TreatmentandPrevention Psychologicaltreatmentsandtheireffectiveness,includingaversiontherapy and self-management.

Prevention techniques. Identifying and targeting risk groups. Useof fear-arousing appeals. Social inoculation.

Healthpromotion/educationintreatmentandprevention.Thestages

of behaviour change proposed in the Prochaska model.

3.3.8ForensicPsychology

OffendingBehaviour Problemsindeningcrime.Measuringcrime,includingofcialstatistics and alternatives (victim surveys and self-report measures).Offenderproling,includingtypologyandgeographicalapproaches.

Theoriesofoffending.Earlybiologicalapproaches:atavisticformand somatotype theories. Biological explanations, includinggenetic transmission. Eysencks theory of the criminal personality.Psychodynamic and social learning explanations.

DealingwithOffenders Theroleofcustodialsentencing.Effectivenessofcustodialsentencing, including recidivism. Alternatives to custodial sentencing.

Treatmentprogrammes:behaviourmodication;andangermanagement.

Evaluation of these treatment programmes.


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3.4 Unit 4 PSYB4 Approaches, Debates and Methods

in PsychologyStudents should have experience of designing andconducting informal classroom research using avarietyofmethods.Theywillbeexpectedtoanalysedata collected in investigations and draw conclusions


ApproachesinPsychology

Topics 3.4.1Biological,Behaviourist,SocialLearning,Cognitive, PsychodynamicandHumanisticApproaches3.4.2ComparisonofApproaches

Aims Toenablethedevelopmentofunderstandingandcritical appreciation of the breadth of theoretical and methodologicalapproaches in psychology.

Toenablestudentstobuildonknowledge,understandingandskills developed in other units.

Toencourageappreciationofthecontrastingandcomplementaryaspects of different approaches in psychology.

Todevelopanappreciationofhowscienceworksinpsychology.

3.4.1Biological,Behaviourist,SocialLearning,Cognitive,PsychodynamicandHumanistic

Approaches

BiologicalApproach Assumptionsofthebiologicalapproach.Theroleofthecentralandautonomicnervoussysteminbehaviour.Thegeneticbasisofbehaviour. Strengths and limitations of the biological approach.

Behaviourist Approach Assumptions of the behaviourist approach. Key concepts includingstimulus,responseandreinforcement.Typesofreinforcement.Classical and operant conditioning as applied to human behaviour.Strengths and limitations of the behaviourist approach.

SocialLearningTheory Sociallearningtheoryasabridgebetweentraditionalbehaviourismand the cognitive approach.

Assumptionsofsociallearningtheory.Theroleofmediationalprocesses in learning, motivation and performance of behaviour.Observational learning and the role of vicarious reinforcement.Strengths and limitations of social learning theory

Cognitive Approach Assumptions of the cognitive approach, including the idea thatthoughtsinuencebehaviour.Informationprocessingandhowthis applies to human behaviour and thought. Use of computeranalogies in understanding behaviour. Strengths and limitations ofthe cognitive approach.

Psychodynamic Approach Assumptions of the psychodynamic approach. Freuds approach topersonality structure and dynamics. Unconscious mental processes.Psychosexual stages of development. Freuds use of case studiesto highlight concepts. Post-Freudian theories including Eriksons andat least one other. Strengths and limitations of the psychodynamicapproach.

HumanisticApproach Assumptionsofthehumanisticapproach.Theperson-centred

approach of Rogers and Maslow. Rejection of the traditionalscienticapproachandexperimentation.Theimportancewithinhumanistic psychology of valuing individual experience, promotingpersonal growth, the concepts of freewill and holism. Strengths andlimitations of the humanistic approach.


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Application of the approaches to topic areas (eg how the biologicalapproach can be used to explain the topic of gender development).

Practical applications of the approaches (eg cognitive therapy).3.4.2ApplicationandComparison Comparison of biological, behaviourist, social learning, cognitive,ofApproaches psychodynamicandhumanisticapproaches.Theextenttowhich differentapproachesoverlapandcomplementeachother.The

value of individual approaches and the merits of taking an eclecticapproach to explaining human behaviour and in the application ofpsychology.

DebatesinPsychology

Topics 3.4.3DebatesinPsychology

Aims Toenablestudentstoengageinkeycriticaldebatesinpsychology.

Toenablestudentstobuildonknowledge,understandingand

skills developed in other units.

Togivestudentsacriticalunderstandingofthefeaturesand principlesofthescienticapproach.

Toenablestudentstorelatethedifferentapproachesin psychologytothenatureofscienticenquiryandthekeycritical

debates.

Todevelopanappreciationofdebatesrelatingtohowscienceworks in psychology.

3.4.3DebatesinPsychology Free will and determinism. Hard determinism and soft determinism.Biological,environmentalandpsychicdeterminism.Thescienticemphasis on causal explanations.

Thenature-nurturedebate.Therelativeimportanceofheredityandenvironment in determining behaviour. An interactionist approach.

Holismandreductionism.Thestrengthsandlimitationsofreductionist and holistic explanations. An interactionist approach.

Idiographicandnomotheticapproaches.Thestrengthsandlimitations of idiographic versus nomothetic research.

Psychologyandscience.Thefeaturesandprinciplesofthescienticapproach: a paradigm; the role of theory; hypothesis testing;empiricalmethodsandreplication;generalisation.Thesubjectmatterof psychology: overt behaviour versus subjective, private experience.Theroleofpeerreviewinvalidatingresearch.

Strengthsandlimitationsofthescienticapproachinpsychology.

MethodsinPsychology

Topics 3.4.4InferentialStatistics3.4.5IssuesinResearch

Aims Tobuildonknowledgeofresearchmethodsandstatistics acquired in previous units.

Toenableunderstandingoftheconceptsofhypothesistesting andsignicance.

Topromoteanunderstandingofsignicancetestingusing inferential statistics.

Toinformdecisionmakingabouttheappropriatenessofdifferentinferential tests in different circumstances.

Toenablethedevelopmentofacriticalunderstandingofresearchissues in psychology.

Todevelopanappreciationofhowscienceworksinpsychologicalresearch.


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3.4.4InferentialStatistics

Statisticalinference Theconceptsofprobabilityandlevelsofsignicance;useofcritical

valuesintestingforsignicance.Hypothesistesting.Oneandtwotailedtests.TypeIandTypeIIerrors.Positive,negativeandzerocorrelation. Limitations of sampling techniques and generalisation ofresults.

Statistical tests Use of non-parametric and parametric tests. Statistical tests ofdifference: the sign test; Wilcoxon signed ranks test; Mann-Whitney;related t-test (repeated measures) and independent t-test. Statisticaltests of association: Spearmans rank order correlation; Pearsonsproduct moment correlation; the Chi-square test.

Factors affecting the choice of statistical test, including levels ofmeasurement, type of experimental design. Criteria for parametrictesting: interval data; normal distribution; homogeneity of variance.

3.4.5IssuesinResearch Strengths and limitations of different methods of research. Strengthsand limitations of qualitative and quantitative data.

Reliability and validity applied generally across all methods ofinvestigation. Ways of assessing reliability including test-retest andinter-observer. Ways of assessing validity including face validity andconcurrent validity.

Critical understanding of the importance of ethical considerationswithin the social and cultural environment. Ethical considerationsin the design and conduct of psychological studies and withinpsychology as a whole.

3.5 How Science Works

How Science Works is an underpinning set ofconcepts and is the means whereby students cometounderstandhowscientistsinvestigatescienticphenomena in their attempts to explain the worldabout us. Moreover, How Science Works recognisesthe contribution scientists have made to their owndisciplines and to the wider world.

Further, it recognises that scientists may beinuencedbytheirownbeliefsandthatthesecanaffect the way in which they approach their work.Also, it acknowledges that scientists can and mustcontribute to debates about the uses to which their

workisputandhowtheirworkinuencesdecision-making in society.

In general terms, it can be used to promote studentsskillsinsolvingscienticproblemsbydevelopinganunderstanding of

Theconcepts,principlesandtheoriesthatformthe subject content

Theproceduresassociatedwiththevalidtesting of ideas and, in particular, the collection,interpretation and validation of evidence

Theroleofthescienticcommunityinvalidatingevidenceandalsoinresolvingconictingevidence

More details of these principles and procedures aregiven in (A) to (I) below and these are taken fromparagraph 3.6 of GCE AS and A level subject criteriafor science (September 2006) which sets out the

requirements for the skills, knowledge andunderstanding of How Science Works.

Whenstudentsareprocientindealingwiththematters given in (A) to (I) we may say that they haveachievedalevelofscienticliteracy:theyhavelearned the language of science. Students are then,and only then, able to engage with the place andcontribution of science in the wider world. (See (J)to (L) below, again taken from paragraph 3.6 of thescience criteria.) In particular, students will begin torecognise:

Thecontributionthatscientistsasscientistscanmake to decision-making and the formulation ofpolicy

Theneedforregulationofscienticenquiryandhow this can be achieved

Howscientistscancontributelegitimatelyindebates about those claims which are made inthe name of science.

Clearly,anexaminationspecication,coveringagivenbodyofscienticcontentanddesignedforstudentsworking at a particular level, cannot cover to thesame depth and comprehensiveness all the issuesdealt with under (A) to (L) below as these describe ingeneraltermsscienticactivitywhichpermeatesallscienticdisciplines.Thisspecicationwillconcentrate on those aspects which, it is deemed,are most appropriate at this level and taking intoaccount the content to be studied. In doing so, it


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bears in mind considerations of what is reasonable,manageable and practicable. So, under each of (A)

to (L) is indicated the general approach by which thespecicationwillattempttodealwiththeindividualconcepts and associated activities. Also, brief,illustrativeexamplesofareasofthespecicationwhere the particular idea(s) may be assessed areincluded.Theseexamplesarenotexhaustiveand,therefore, do not prescribe every area where HowScience Works will be assessed.

A Usetheories,modelsandideastodevelopandmodifyscienticexplanations.

Scientists use theories and models to attempt toexplainobservations.Thesetheoriesormodelscanformthebasisforscienticexperimentalwork.

Scienticprogressismadewhenvalidatedevidenceis found that supports a new theory or model.

Candidates will be expected to:

proposehypothesesanddesignappropriatestudies based on their understanding ofpsychological theory and models

explainresultsofstudiesintermsofpsychologicaltheory and concepts

comparedifferenttheoriesintermsoftheirability

to explain psychological processes

applypsychologicalknowledgetounfamiliarsituations.

Examplesinthisspecicationincludethefollowing:

Students might use their knowledge of themulti-store model of memory to design a studyto test the effects of rehearsal (3.2.3).

Candidates might apply their knowledge ofsocial cognition to explain aspects of behaviourpresented in a scenario question about a personattending an interview (3.2.2).

B Useknowledgeandunderstandingtoposescienticquestions,denescienticproblems,presentscienticargumentsandscienticideas.

Scientists use their knowledge and understandingwhenobservingobjectsandevents,indeningascienticproblemandwhenquestioningtheexplanations of themselves or of other scientists.

Scienticprogressismadewhenscientistscontributeto the development of new ideas, materials andtheories.

Candidates will be expected to use knowledge ofpsychological theory and research to:

proposepsychologicalhypotheses

identifyappropriateissuesforpsychologicalinvestigations

explainpsychologicalprocessesandconcepts

presentinformedpsychologicalarguments.


Students might use their knowledge andunderstanding of cognitive psychology topropose a series of experimental hypothesesabout perception (3.2.4).

Candidates might review ndings of researchinto the effects of expectation on perceptionto present an argument in favour of Gregorystheory of perception (3.2.4).

C Useappropriatemethodology,includingICT,toanswerscienticquestionsandsolvescienticproblems.

Observations ultimately lead to explanations in theform of hypotheses. In turn, these hypotheses leadto predictions that can be tested experimentally.Observations are one of the key links between thereal world and the abstract ideas of science.

Once an experimental method has been validated, itbecomes a protocol that is used by other scientists.

ICTcanbeusedtospeedup,collect,recordand

analyse experimental data.


choosemethodsappropriatefortheinvestigationof psychological problems

useICTtopreparematerialsforaninvestigation

useICTtoanalyseandpresentdatafrompsychological investigations.


Students might choose to investigatedifferences in gender-related behaviour,preparing a suitable questionnaire using a wordprocessing package (3.1.3).

Candidates might be required to choose anappropriate inferential statistical test to analysesets of data from a research study (3.4.4).

D Carryoutexperimentalandinvestigativeactivities,includingappropriateriskmanagementinarangeofcontexts.

Scientists perform a range of experimental skills thatinclude manual and data skills (tabulation, graphical

skills, etc).Scientists should select and use equipment that isappropriate when making accurate measurementsand should record these measurements methodically.


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Scientists carry out experimental work in such a wayas to minimise the risk to themselves and others.


takepartinclassinvestigationsusingtheexperimental and other methods to investigatepsychological theories, models and ideas

considerpossiblephysicalandpsychologicalrisk to all group members and adjust activitiesaccordingly.


Students might conduct a class experiment onclassical conditioning of the eye-blink responseusing a puff of air as the unconditioned stimulusand noise as the neutral-conditioned stimulus(3.1.1).

Candidates might discuss the physical andpsychological risks associated with carrying outa lifestyle survey using an opportunity sample ina town centre (3.1.4).

E Analyseandinterpretdatatoprovideevidence,recognisingcorrelationsandcausalrelationships.

Scientists look for patterns and trends in data as arststepinprovidingexplanationsofphenomena.

Thedegreeofuncertaintyinanydatawillaffectwhether alternative explanations can be given for thedata.

Anomalous data are those measurements that falloutside the normal, or expected, range of measuredvalues. Decisions on how to treat anomalous datashould be made only after examination of the event.

In searching for causal links between factors,scientists propose predictive theoretical models thatcan be tested experimentally. When experimentaldataconrmpredictionsfromthesetheoreticalmodels,scientistsbecomecondentthatacausalrelationship exists.


analyseandinterpretrawandsummarydatafrompsychological investigations in class

explainandinterpretsummarydatafrompsychological investigations in examinations

interpretanddrawconclusionsfromndingsoftheir own and others investigations

understandthedifferencebetweencorrelationand cause and effect relationships.


Students might collect two sets of data in class(digit span and androgyny score), correlate thetwo sets of data, then discuss the reasons whycorrelation cannot be used to infer cause andeffect (3.1.4).

Candidates might be given a table of summarydata from an investigation into social facilitation

and asked to draw conclusions in relation tothe aim of the study described, or in relation topsychological theory (3.2.1).

F Evaluatemethodology,evidenceanddata,andresolveconictingevidence.

Thevalidityofnewevidence,andtherobustnessof conclusions that stem from it, is constantlyquestioned by scientists.

Experimental methods must be designed adequatelyto test predictions.

Solutionstoscienticproblemsareoftendeveloped

whendifferentresearchteamsproduceconictingevidence. Such evidence is a stimulus for furtherscienticinvestigation,whichinvolvesrenementsof experimental technique or development of newhypotheses.


evaluatepsychologicalmethodsintermsofissuessuch as reliability, validity and ethics

evaluateevidenceonthebasisofthemethodused to gather the evidence

explainanomalousscoresinasetofdata

explaininconsistenciesindata evaluatetheuseofdescriptiveandinferential

statistics.


Students might be given sets of data in classand asked to identify and explain any anomalousscores 3.4.5).

Candidates might discuss the use of differentmethods to investigate localisation of function inthe brain (3.1.2).

G Appreciatethetentativenatureofscienticknowledge

Scienticexplanationsarethosethatarebasedonexperimental evidence, which is supported by thescienticcommunity.

Scienticknowledgechangeswhennewevidenceprovidesabetterexplanationofscienticobservations.

Candidateswillbeabletounderstandthatscienticknowledge is founded on experimental evidence andthat such evidence must be shown to be reliable andreproducible. If such evidence does not support atheorythetheorymustbemodiedorreplacedwithadifferenttheory.Justaspreviousscientictheorieshave been proved inadequate or incorrect, ourpresenttheoriesmayalsobeawed.


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understandthefeaturesandprinciplesofthe

scienticapproachinpsychologyincludingaparadigm, the role of theory, hypothesis testing,replication and generalisation.


Students might carry out their own researchinto levels of processing, replicate the study twoweeks later using the same sample, nd thatthe results are not exactly the same and explorereasons for this (3.2.3).

Candidates might discuss the behaviouristapproach in psychology, considering how thepopularity of behaviourism waned leading to the

development of the cognitive approach (3.4.1).

H Communicateinformationandideasinappropriatewaysusingappropriateterminology.

Bysharingthendingsoftheirresearch,scientistsprovidethescienticcommunitywithopportunitiesto replicate and further test their work, thus eitherconrmingnewexplanationsorrefutingthem.

Scienticterminologyavoidsconfusionamongstthescienticcommunity,enablingbetterunderstandingandtestingofscienticexplanations.


usetheappropriatepsychologicalterminologyto express psychological ideas, describepsychological concepts, interpret and explainpsychologicalndingsanddescribeanddiscusspsychological theories.


Students might design a practical in smallgroups, then present their designs to the classas a whole, using appropriate psychologicalterminology (3.1.4 and 3.4.5).

Candidates should make appropriate referenceto Piagetian concepts in a discussion of Piagetstheory of cognitive development (3.3.2).

I Considerapplicationsandimplicationsofscienceandappreciatetheirassociatedbenetsandrisks.

Scienticadvanceshavegreatlyimprovedthequalityof life for the majority of people. Developments intechnology, medicine and materials continue tofurther these improvements at an increasing rate.

Scientists can predict and report on some of the

benecialapplicationsoftheirexperimentalndings.

Scientists evaluate, and report on, the risksassociated with the techniques they develop andapplicationsoftheirndings.


understandandappreciateapplicationsof

psychology

understandandappreciatetheimplicationsofpsychologicalndings

evaluatethecontributionofpsychologicalresearchintermsofbenetsandrisks.


Students might carry out a classroominvestigation of eyewitness testimony using twoconditions, to compare the effectiveness of thecognitive interview and the standard interview(Geiselman 1985) (3.3.4).

Candidates might discuss various psychologicaltreatments for psychological disorders, withreference to the benets and risks to the patientand to society as a whole (3.3.5).

J Considerethicalissuesinthetreatmentofhumans,otherorganismsandtheenvironment.

Scienticresearchisfundedbysociety,eitherthrough public funding or through private companiesthat obtain their income from commercial activities.Scientists have a duty to consider ethical issues

associatedwiththeirndings.Individual scientists have ethical codes that are oftenbased on humanistic, moral and religious beliefs.

Scientists are self-regulating and contribute todecision making about what investigations andmethodologies should be permitted.

Candidates will be able to appreciate how scienceandsocietyinteract.Theyshouldexaminehowscience has provided solutions to problems but thatthe solutions require society to form judgements asto whether the solution is acceptable in view of moralissues that result. Issues such as the effects on theplanet, and the economic and physical well being ofthe living things on it should be considered.


understandandappreciatetheBritishPsychological Society code of ethics

applythecodeofethicsintheirclassinvestigations

discussotherpsychologicalinvestigationsinrelation to the code of ethics.


Candidates might design an attitude scale (Likert

type) to investigate attitudes to global warming(3.2.2).

Candidates might discuss ethical issues relatedto the use of investigations into the geneticbasis of behaviour (3.1.2).


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K Appreciatetheroleofthescienticcommunityinvalidatingnewknowledge

andensuringintegrity.Thendingsofscientistsaresubjecttopeerreviewbefore being accepted for publication in a reputablescienticjournal.

Theinterestsoftheorganisationsthatfundscienticresearchcaninuencethedirectionofresearch.Insome cases the validity of those claims may also beinuenced.

Candidates will understand that scientists need acommonsetofvaluesandresponsibilities.Theyshould know that scientists undertake a peer-reviewoftheworkofothers.Theyshouldknow

that scientists work with a common aim to progressscienticknowledgeandunderstandinginavalidwayandthataccuratereportingofndingstakesprecedence over recognition of success of anindividual.Similarlythevalueofndingsshouldbebased on their intrinsic value and the credibility of theresearch.


understandthewayinwhichthescienticcommunity assesses new contributions to a bodyof research

understandtheprocessofpeerreviewasapre-

requisite to publication

understandtheroleofprofessionaljournals.


Students might compare a published journalarticle on some aspect of child developmentwith an unsubstantiated magazine article(3.4.3).

Candidates might discuss the role of peerreview in validating research (3.1.2).

L Appreciatethewaysinwhichsocietyusessciencetoinformdecision-making.

Scienticndingsandtechnologiesenableadvancestobemadethathavepotentialbenetforhumans.

Inpractice,thescienticevidenceavailabletodecision makers may be incomplete.

Decisionmakersareinuencedinmanyways,including their prior beliefs, their vested interests,special interest groups, public opinion and the media,aswellasbyexpertscienticevidence.

Candidateswillbeabletoappreciatethatscienticevidenceshouldbeconsideredasawhole.Theyshouldrealisethatnewscienticdevelopmentsinformnewtechnology.Theyshouldrealisethe

media and pressure groups often select parts ofscienticevidencethatsupportaparticularviewpointandthatthiscaninuencepublicopinionwhichinturnmayinuencedecisionmakers.Consequently,decision makers may make socially and politicallyunacceptable decisions based on incompleteevidence.


understandhowpsychologicalresearchhascontributed to decision-making in such areas aseducation and child-care provision, health andthe law.


Students might use the internet to nd out about

(i) psychological research into eyewitnessreliability (Loftus et al) (3.3.4);

(ii) the Devlin Report 1976 about the use ofuncorroborated eyewitness accounts incriminal proceedings(3.3.4).

Candidates might discuss the effect of researchinto attachment on local authority and privatechild-care provision and changes in adoptionpractices (3.3.1).


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3.6 Mathematical Requirements

In order to develop their skills, knowledge andunderstanding in science, candidates need to havebeen taught, and to have acquired competence in,

the appropriate areas of mathematics relevant to thesubject as set out below.

Candidates should be able to:

Arithmeticandnumericalcomputation recogniseanduseexpressionsindecimalandstandardform

useratios,fractionsandpercentages

makeestimatesoftheresultsofcalculations(withoutusinga calculator)

Handlingdata useanappropriatenumberofsignicantgures

ndarithmeticmeans

constructandinterpretfrequencytablesanddiagrams,barchartsand histograms

havesufcientunderstandingofprobability,egtounderstandhow genetic ratios arise

understandtheprinciplesofsamplingasappliedtoscienticdata

understandtheimportanceofchancewheninterpretingdata

understandthetermsmean,medianandmode

useascatterdiagramtoidentifyacorrelationbetweentwo variables

useasimplestatisticaltest

makeorderofmagnitudecalculations

Algebra understandandusethesymbols:=, , , ~

substitutenumericalvaluesintoalgebraicequationsusing appropriate units for physical quantities

Graphs translateinformationbetweengraphical,numericalandalgebraic forms

plottwovariablesfromexperimentalorotherdata.


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4 Scheme of Assessment

4

4.1 Aims

ASandALevelcoursesbasedonthisspecicationshould encourage candidates to:

developtheirinterestin,andenthusiasmfor,thesubject, including developing an interest in furtherstudy and careers in the subject

appreciatehowsocietymakesdecisionsaboutscienticissuesandhowthesciencescontributeto the success of the economy and society

developanddemonstrateadeeperappreciationof the skills, knowledge and understanding ofHow Science Works

developessentialknowledgeandunderstandingof different areas of the subject and how theyrelate to each other.

4.2 Assessment Objectives (AOs)

TheAssessmentObjectivesarecommontoASandALevel.TheassessmentunitswillassessthefollowingAssessment Objectives in the context of the contentand skills set out in Section 3 (Subject Content).

Specicationsmustrequire,inallassessmentunits,that candidates demonstrate these AssessmentObjectives in the context of the skills, knowledge andunderstanding prescribed, including using extendedprose.

Each assessment unit must address one or moreaspects of each of the assessment objectives.

In the context of these Assessment Objectives, the

followingdentionsapply: Knowledge:includesfacts,specialistvocabulary,

principles, concepts, theories, models, practicaltechniques, studies and methods

Issues:includeethical,social,economic,environmental, cultural, political and technological

Processes:includecollectingevidence,explaining,theorising, modelling, validating, interpreting,planning to test an idea, peer reviewing.

AO1:KnowledgeandunderstandingofscienceandofHow Science Works


recognise,recallandshowunderstandingofscienticknowledge

select,organiseandcommunicaterelevantinformation in a variety of forms.

AO2:ApplicationofknowledgeandunderstandingofscienceandofHowScience Works


analyseandevaluatescienticknowledgeand

processes

applyscienticknowledgeandprocessestounfamiliar situations including those related toissues

assessthevalidity,reliabilityandcredibilityofscienticinformation.

AO3:How Science WorksPsychology

Due to the potential age of A Level candidates and thepossible nature of investigative activities in psychology,candidates will not be expected to demonstrate theskills of investigation through internal assessment.Candidates should therefore be able to:

describeethical,safeandskilfulpracticaltechniques and processes, selecting appropriatequalitative and quantitative methods

knowhowtomake,recordandcommunicatereliable and valid observations and measurementswith appropriate precision and accuracy, throughusing primary and secondary sources

analyse,interpret,explainandevaluatethemethodology, results and impact of their own andothers experimental and investigative activities ina variety of ways.

It is expected, however, that candidates should stillcarry out investigative activities appropriate for thestudy of psychology at this level.

QualityofWrittenCommunication(QWC)InGCEspecicationswhichrequirecandidatestoproduce written material in English, candidates must:

ensurethattextislegibleandthatspelling,punctuation and grammar are accurate so thatmeaning is clear

selectanduseaformandstyleofwritingappropriateto purpose and to complex subject matter

organiseinformationclearlyandcoherently,usingspecialist vocabulary when appropriate.

InthisspecicationQWCwillbeassessedinUnit1,inthenalpartofQuestions1and2,andinUnit2

inthenalpartofallquestions.TheQWCmarkwillform part of the descriptor for the mark bands. InUnits 3 and 4, QWC will be assessed in the 12-markquestion. Descriptors for QWC will be included in themark bands.


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4.3 National Criteria

Thisspecicationcomplieswiththefollowing.

TheSubjectCriteriaforScience:Psychology

TheCodeofPracticeforGCE

TheGCEASandALevelQualicationCriteria

TheArrangementsfortheStatutoryRegulationofExternalQualicationsinEngland,WalesandNorthern Ireland: Common Criteria

4.4 Prior Learning

Therearenopriorlearningrequirements.Anyrequirements set for entry to a course following thisspecicationareatthediscretionofcentres.

WeightingofAssessmentObjectivesforAS

ThetablebelowshowstheapproximateweightingofeachoftheAssessmentObjectivesintheASunits.

Assessment Objectives Unit Weightings (%) Overall weighting of AOs (%)

Unit 1 Unit 2

AO1 13.33 23.33 36.67

AO2 13.33 21.67 35.00

AO3 23.33 5 28.33

Overall weighting of units (%) 50 50 100

WeightingofAssessmentObjectivesforALevel

ThetablebelowshowstheapproximateweightingofeachoftheAssessmentObjectivesintheASandA2units.

Assessment Objectives Unit Weightings (%) Overall weighting of AOs (%)

Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4

AO1 6.67 11.67 9.33 4.33 32

AO2 6.67 10.67 14.33 9.33 41

AO3 11.67 2.67 1.33 11.33 27

Overall weighting of units (%) 25 25 25 25 100


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4

4.5 Synoptic Assessment and Stretch and Challenge

TheSpecicationaffordsopportunitiesforsynopticityand stretch and challenge in terms of content,structure and assessment.

Contentandstructure

Thetwoprevailingthemesofthespecicationat both AS and A2 level are the approaches inpsychology and research methods. In Unit 1candidates are introduced to the major approachesand the whole range of research methods usedby psychologists. Further topics at AS are thenset against the backdrop of approaches andmethods.Thisintegratedapproachwillenable

the more capable students to gain a rounded andholistic understanding of the discipline, whilst beingsufcientlycompartmentalisedforthosestudentswhondbroaderunderstandingtoogreatachallengeatthislevel.Thisunderpinningknowledgeof approaches and methods is extensively elaboratedat A2, thereby enabling ready access to, and adeeper understanding of, new topics addressed atA2.Forexample,intheeldsofchilddevelopmentand applied psychology (Unit 3) students considerissuesfacingthoseworkingintheseeldsofpsychology.

In addition, at A2 (Unit 4), students cover the

broader debates in psychology, such as free will anddeterminismandthenatureofscience.Thesebroadissues are used to afford an in-depth understandingof A2 topics in the context of science as wholeand in relation to issues affecting the applicationof psychology and other areas of science acrossa variety of circumstances. It is anticipated thatcoverage of debates will provide ample opportunityfor stretch and challenge in that the debates may beunderstood and appreciated at a variety of levels.For example, whilst most students will be able toexplain what is meant by reductionism and thelimitations of a reductionist approach to explainingand treating mental disorders, only the more ablestudents will be fully able to consider the broaderimpact of years of reductionist thinking on healthservice provision and structure.

Building on the knowledge of research methodsgained in Unit 1, A2 students cover inferentialstatistics and further develop their workingknowledge of research methods. At this level,students will be challenged by opportunities to applywhat they have learned about research methodsthroughout the two years, for example, designingresearch for the Unit 4 examination paper orcommentingonresearchndingspresentedintheUnit 3 paper.

Assessment

Assessment at both AS and A2 requires students

to take an integrated approach. In order to answerquestions on the Unit 2 paper, AS students willneedtohavecoveredspeciedcontentoftheresearch methods section in Unit 1. In both papersat A2, students will be expected to demonstrate agood understanding of research methods, showingthat they can put into practice techniques ofresearch covered at both AS and A2. Applicationquestions will be a central theme of all questionpapers, requiring students to apply their knowledgeand understanding of psychology in a variety ofcontexts. Students will need to have a good workingknowledge of practical psychology for all Units and

be able to apply their psychological skills to a rangeof novel scenarios. For example, students might beassessed on their ability to suggest improvementsto a given research study or design an alternativestudy in a question about research methods (Unit4), or be asked to comment on techniques usedto gather data in developmental psychology (Unit3). In terms of stretch and challenge, appliedquestions differentiate well between able studentswho have learned the material and reproduce it whennecessary, and the most able students who can usetheir material in an innovative way, thinking like apsychologist in a novel situation.


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4

4.6 Access to Assessment for Disabled Students

AS/A Levels often require assessment of a broaderrangeofcompetences.Thisisbecausetheyaregeneralqualicationsand,assuch,preparecandidates for a wide range of occupations andhigher level courses.

TherevisedAS/ALevelqualicationandsubjectcriteria were reviewed to identify whether any of thecompetences required by the subject presented apotential barrier to any disabled candidates. If thiswas the case, the situation was reviewed again toensure that such competences were included onlywhereessentialtothesubject.Thendingsofthisprocess were discussed with disability groups and

with disabled people.

Reasonable adjustments are made for disabledcandidates in order to enable them to access theassessments. For this reason, very few candidateswill have a complete barrier to any part of theassessment.

Candidates who are still unable to access asignicantpartoftheassessment,evenafterexploring all possibilities through reasonableadjustments, may still be able to receive an award.Theywouldbegivenagradeonthepartsoftheassessment they have taken and there would beanindicationontheircerticatethatnotallthecompetenceshadbeenaddressed.Thiswillbekept

under review and may be amended in the future.


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5 Administration

5

5.3 Private Candidates

Thisspecicationisavailabletoprivatecandidates.As we are no longer providing supplementaryguidance in hard copy, see our website for guidanceand information on taking exams and assessments asa private candidate:

www.aqa.org.uk/exams-administration/entries/private-candidates

5.2 Entries

Please refer to the current version ofEntryProcedures and Codes for up to date entryprocedures. You should use the following entrycodesfortheunitsandforcertication.

Unit 1 PSYB1

Unit 2 PSYB2

Unit 3 PSYB3

Unit 4 PSYB4

AScertication1186

ALevelcertication2186

5.1 AvailabilityofAssessmentUnitsandCertication

After June 2013, examinationsandcerticationforthisspecication are available in June only.

5.4 Access Arrangements and Special Consideration

We have taken note of equality and discriminationlegislation and the interests of minority groups indevelopingandadministeringthisspecication.

We follow the guidelines in the Joint CouncilforQualications(JCQ)document:AccessArrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and

Special Consideration: General and VocationalQualifications.ThisispublishedontheJCQwebsite(http://www.jcq.org.uk) or you can follow the linkfrom our website (http://www.aqa.org.uk).

AccessArrangements

We can make arrangements so that candidates withdisabilitiescanaccesstheassessment.Thesearrangements must be made before theexamination. For example, we can produce a Braillepaper for a candidate with a visual impairment.

SpecialConsideration

We can give special consideration to candidates whohave had a temporary illness, injury or indisposition atthe time of the examination. Where we do this, it isgiven after the examination.

Applications for access arrangements and specialconsideration should be submitted to AQA by theExaminationsOfceratthecentre.


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5

5.8 Re-sits and Shelf-life of Unit Results

Unit results remain available to count towardscertication,whetherornottheyhavealreadybeenused,aslongasthespecicationisstillvalid.

Each unit is available in June only. Candidates mayre-sit a unit any number of times within the shelf-lifeofthespecication.Thebestresultforeachunitwillcounttowardsthenalqualication.Candidates

whowishtorepeataqualicationmaydosobyre-takingoneormoreunits.Theappropriatesubjectaward entry, as well as the unit entry/entries, must

be submitted in order to be awarded a new subjectgrade.

Candidates will be graded on the basis of the worksubmitted for assessment.

5.5 Language of Examinations

WewillprovideunitsforthisspecicationinEnglishonly.

5.6 QualicationTitles

Qualicationsbasedonthisspecicationare:

AQAAdvancedSubsidiaryGCEinPsychology(B),and

AQAAdvancedLevelGCEinPsychology(B).

5.7 Awarding Grades and Reporting Results

TheASqualicationwillbegradedonave-pointscale:A,B,C,DandE.ThefullALevelqualicationwill be graded on a six-point scale: A*, A, B, C, DandE.TobeawardedanA*candidateswillneedtoachieveagradeAonthefullALevelqualicationandan A* on the aggregate of the A2 units.

For AS and A Level, candidates who fail to reachthe minimum standard for grade E will be recordedasU(unclassied)andwillnotreceiveaqualicationcerticate.Individualassessmentunitresultswillbecerticated.


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Appendices

A

A Performance Descriptions

Theseperformancedescriptionsshowthelevelofattainment characteristic of the grade boundaries atALevel.Theygiveageneralindicationoftherequiredlearning outcomes at the A/B and E/U boundaries atASandA2.Thedescriptionsshouldbeinterpretedinrelationtothecontentoutlinedinthespecication;theyarenotdesignedtodenethatcontent.

Thegradeawardedwilldependinpracticeupontheextent to which the candidate has met theAssessment Objectives (see Section 4) overall.Shortcomings in some aspects of the examinationmay be balanced by better performances in others.


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A

ASPerformanceDescriptions

Assessment Assessment AssessmentObjective 1 Objective 2 Objective 3

Assessment Knowledge and Application of How science worksObjectives understanding of knowledge and Candidates should be

science and of How understanding of able to:science works science and of how demonstrateandCandidates should be science works describe ethical, safeable to: Candidates should be and skilful practical

recognise,recalland ableto: techniquesand showunderstandingof analyseandevaluate processes,selecting scienticknowledge scienticknowledge appropriatequalitative select,organiseand andprocesses andquantitative

communicaterelevant applyscientic methods informationinavariety knowledgeand make,recordandof forms. processes to communicate reliable

unfamiliar situations and valid observationsincluding those related and measurementsto issues with appropriate

assessthevalidity, precisionandaccuracy reliabilityandcredibility analyse,interpret, ofscienticinformation. explainandevaluate

the methodology,results and impact oftheir own and othersexperimental andinvestigative activities

in a variety of ways.

A/B Candidates Candidates Candidatesboundary characteristically: characteristically: characteristically:performance a) demonstrate relevant, a) apply principles and a) show sound knowledgedescriptions accurate and detailed concepts in familiar and understanding of

knowledge of a range and new contexts the principles ofof psychological involving only a few research designconcepts, theories, steps in the argument b) comment effectively onstudies, research b) engage with the issue, strengths, limitationsmethods, applications, using relevant analysis and ethical issues inprinciples and and evaluation of research designperspectives from the psychological theories, c) interpret and draw

ASspecication concepts,studiesand appropriateconclusions

b) show understanding research methods from data. ofmostprinciplesand c) describesignicant

concepts from the AS trends and patterns specication shownbydata

c) select relevant presented in tabularinformation from the or graphical form and

ASspecication interpretphenomenad) organise and present with few errors and

information clearly, present arguments andusing psychological evaluations clearlyterminology in d) comment criticallyappropriate contexts. on statements,

conclusions or datae) successfully translate

data presented asprose, diagrams,drawings, tables orgraphs from one formto another.


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A

ASPerformanceDescriptions,continued


E/U Candidates Candidates Candidatesboundary characteristically: characteristically: characteristically:performance a) demonstrate basic a) apply a given principle a) show basic knowledgedescriptions knowledge of theories, to material presented and understanding of

concepts, studies and in familiar or closely the principles ofresearch methods from related contexts research design

theASspecication involvingonlyafew b) commentonb) show basic steps in the argument strengths, limitations

understanding of some b) make some attempt and ethical issuesrelevant information to focus on the in research design

c) present information, issue, showing a c) interpret or drawusing basic rudimentary analysis conclusions from data.psychological and evaluation ofterminology from the psychological theories,

ASspecication. concepts,studiesandresearch methods

c) describe some trendsor patterns shown bydata presented intabular or graphicalform

d) when directed, identifyinconsistencies inconclusions or data

e) successfully translatedata from one formto another in somecontexts.


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A

A2PerformanceDescriptions


Assessment Knowledge and Application of How science worksObjectives understanding of knowledge and Candidates should be

science and of How understanding of able to:science works science and of how demonstrateandCandidates should be science works describe ethical, safeable to: Candidates should be and skilful practical

recognise,recalland ableto: techniquesand showunderstandingof analyseandevaluate processes,selecting scienticknowledge scienticknowledge appropriatequalitative select,organiseand andprocesses andquantitative

communicaterelevant applyscientic methods informationinavariety knowledgeand make,recordandof forms. processes to communicate reliable

unfamiliar situations and valid observationsincluding those related and measurementsto issues with appropriate

assessthevalidity, precisionandaccuracy reliabilityandcredibility analyse,interpret, ofscienticinformation. explainandevaluate

the methodology,results and impact oftheir own and othersexperimental andinvestigative activities

in a variety of ways.

A/B Candidates Candidates Candidatesboundary characteristically: characteristically: characteristically:performance a) demonstrate relevant, a) apply principles and a) show sounddescriptions accurate and detailed concepts in familiar knowledge and

knowledge of a range and new contexts understanding of theof psychological involving several steps principles of researchconcepts, theories, in the argument and designstudies, research b) directly address the b) give clearly reasoned

methods,applications, issue,showing justicationfordesignprinciples and effective analysis and decisionsperspectives from the evaluation when c) comment effectively

A2specication considering onstrengths,

b) show understanding of psychological concepts, limitations and ethicalmost principles and theories, studies, issues in researchconcepts from the A2 research methods, design

specication applications,principles d) commenteffectivelyc) select relevant and perspectives on the issues of the

informationfromthe c) describesignicant reliabilityandvalidity A2specication trendsandpatterns ofdata

d) organise and present shown by complex e) interpret and drawinformation clearly, data presented in appropriate conclusionsusing psychological tabular or graphical from data.terminology in form, interpretappropriate contexts. phenomena with few

errors and presentarguments and

evaluations clearlyd) critically evaluate

statements,conclusions or data


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A

A2PerformanceDescriptions,continued


A/B Candidatesboundary characteristically:performance e) successfully translatedescriptions, data presented ascontinued prose, diagrams,

drawings, tables orgraphs from one formto another.

f) select a wide range offacts, principles and

concepts from both AS andA2specicationsg) link together

appropriate factsprinciples and conceptsfrom different areas of

thespecication.

E/U Candidates Candidates Candidatesboundary characteristically: characteristically: characteristically:performance a) demonstrate basic a) apply given principles a) show basic knowledgedescriptions knowledge of or concepts in familiar and understanding of

appropriate and new contexts the principles ofpsychological concepts, involving a few steps research design

theories, studies, in the argument b) justify some designresearch methods, b) partially address the decisionsapplications, principles issue, showing basic c) comment on strengths,and perspectives from analysis and evaluation limitations and ethical

theA2specication ofpsychological issuesinresearchb) show understanding of concepts, theories, design

some principles from studies, research d) comment on the theA2specication methods,applications, reliabilityorvalidity

c) select some relevant principles and of datainformation from the A2 perspectives e) interpret or draw

specication c) describe,andprovide conclusionsfromdata.d) present information a limited explanation

using some of, trends or patternspsychological shown by complex data

terminology from the presented in tabular or A2specication. graphicalform

d) when directed, identifyinconsistencies inconclusions or data

e) successfully translatedata from one form toanother in somecontexts

f) select some facts,principles and conceptsfrom both AS and A2

specications

g) put together somefacts, principles andconcepts fromdifferent areas of the

specication.


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B

B Spiritual, Moral, Ethical, Social and other Issues

ThestudyofPsychologycancontributetocandidates understanding of spiritual, moral, ethical,socialandotherissues.Thestudyofpsychologyshould engender an awareness of the variety andcomplexity of the human mind, human behaviour andhuman relationships. It will promote understandingof self, other people, moral behaviour and thoughtaswellasculturaldifferences/similarities.Thespecicationprovidesampleopportunitiesforthe study of moral and ethical issues which formimportant learning outcomes.

EuropeanDimension

AQA has taken account of the 1988 Resolution of theCouncil of the European Community in preparing thisspecicationandassociatedspecimenunits.

EnvironmentalEducationAQA has taken account of the 1988 Resolution of theCouncil of the European Community and the ReportEnvironmental Responsibility: An Agenda forFurther and Higher Education 1993 in preparing thisspecicationandassociatedspecimenunits.

AvoidanceofBias

AQA has taken great care in the preparation of thisspecicationandspecimenunitstoavoidbiasofanykind.


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C

C OverlapswithotherQualications

ThereisoverlapbetweensomeaspectsofGCEPsychology and GCE Health and Social Care.


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D

D Key Skills

KeySkillsqualicationshavebeenphasedoutandreplacedbyFunctionalSkillsqualicationsinEnglish,MathematicsandICTfromSeptember2010.


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GCE Psychology B (2185) For exams from June 2014 onwards

Qualification Accreditation Number: AS 500/2 / - A Level 500/2541/7

For updates and further information on any of our specifications, to find answers or to ask a question:

C i ht 20 AQA d it li All i ht d13

http://www.aqa.org.uk/professional-development

For information on courses and events please visit:

register with ASK AQA at:

http://www.aqa.org.uk/help-and-contacts/ask-aqa

Every specification is assigned a discounting code indicating the subject area to which it belongs

for performance measure purposes.

The discount codes for this specification are:

AS PK1

A Level 4850

The definitive version of our specification will always be the one on our website,

this may differ from printed versions.

542 9

Documents

AQA psychology B syllabus.PDF