PSYCHOLOGY

Units 1 & 2 (Year 11) – Foundation Topics

Unit 1: How Are Behaviour and Mental Processes Shaped?

Introduction to Psychology

  • Nature and scope of psychology

  • Research methods in psychology

  • Ethics in psychological research

Brain Function and Development

  • Structure and function of the central and peripheral nervous systems

  • Role of the brain in mental processes and behaviour

  • Developmental plasticity and brain damage

Influences on Behaviour

  • Heredity and environmental factors

  • Role of neurotransmitters and hormones

  • Psychological development (Piaget, Erikson)

  • Attachment theory (Harlow, Ainsworth)

Unit 2: What Influences a Person’s Perception of the World?

Sensation and Perception

  • Distinction between sensation and perception

  • Visual perception principles and processes

  • Perceptual set and distortions (e.g. illusions)

Social Cognition

  • Attitudes and attitude formation

  • Stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination

  • Attribution theory and cognitive dissonance

Social Influence

  • Group dynamics and peer pressure

  • Obedience (Milgram), conformity (Asch)

  • Prosocial and antisocial behaviour

  • Factors influencing helping behaviour

Units 3 & 4 (Year 12) – Advanced Topics

Unit 3: How Does Experience Affect Behaviour and Mental Processes?

Nervous System Functioning

  • Role of the nervous system in response to stimuli

  • Stress as a psychobiological process

  • Role of cortisol and the fight-flight-freeze response

Learning

  • Classical conditioning (Pavlov)

  • Operant conditioning (Skinner)

  • Observational learning (Bandura)

  • Applications of learning principles

Memory

  • Models of memory (Atkinson-Shiffrin, Working memory)

  • Processes of encoding, storage, and retrieval

  • Reliability of memory (Loftus’ research)

  • Brain structures involved in memory

Unit 4: How Is Wellbeing Developed and Maintained?

Consciousness and Sleep

  • Nature of consciousness

  • Sleep and biological rhythms

  • Effects of sleep deprivation

  • Theories and stages of sleep

Mental Health

  • Defining mental health and mental illness

  • Typical vs atypical behaviour

  • Diagnostic criteria and classification (DSM-5)

  • Risk and protective factors (biopsychosocial model)

Maintenance of Mental Health

  • Stress and coping

  • Resilience and strategies for maintaining mental health

  • Interventions (CBT, medication, support services)

  • Ethical considerations in treatment

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