Psychology

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour. Another way of defining Psychology is the science of people and, as people are so varied and complex, this is a broad subject with links to a range of other subjects and a wide choice of future career pathways too. If you’re fascinated by why people think and behave the way they do then Psychology is most definitely for you.

Throughout the course you will look at the explanations of conformity, obedience and resisting social influence, minority influence and the role of social influence in social change. As well as types of memory, stages of attachment and the various studies that look in to the subject in depth.

You will also look at the origins of Psychology, the nervous system, abnormality, and the behaviour approach to phobias as well as mental health and analysing data.

Modules:

Social Influence, Memory and Attachment

Explanations of conformity, obedience and resisting social influence, minority influence and the role of social influence in social change. Models of memory, types of long-term-memory, explanations for forgetting, factors affecting the accuracy of eyewitness testimony and improving the accuracy of eyewitness testimony, including the use of the cognitive interview. Caregiver-infant interactions in humans. Stages of attachment, explanations of attachment and animal studies into attachment. Types of attachment and cultural variations in attachment. Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation, Romanian orphan studies and effects of institutionalisation. The influence of attachment on later relationships.

Approaches to Psychology, Psychopathology and Research Methods

Origins of Psychology. Learning, cognitive and biological approaches. Biopsychology including the nervous system, neurons, synaptic transmission and the endocrine system. Definitions of abnormality. The behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics of phobias, depression and OCD. The behavioural approach to explaining and treating phobias. The cognitive approach to explaining and treating depression. The biological approach to explaining and treating OCD. Experimental and non-experimental research methods. Scientific processes and research designs. Quantitative data, data collection techniques and calculating data. Presentation and display of quantitative data in graphs and tables. Introduction to statistical testing.

Modern, specialist classrooms resourced with specialised displays
Psychology scholarships offering outstanding students a University Experience Day
Visiting speakers from universities, alumni and professionals
Feminist society, Psychology society, Criminal Psychology short course
Trips including Chester Zoo (animal behaviour), residential to Goldsmiths University, Harrow Public School, Manchester Faith Walk and Sociology cinema
Support and extension classes

This course provides you with the opportunity to progress on to Higher Education, employment or further training. Our students have progressed to:

Psychology at the University of Huddersfield

Psychology at the University of Manchester

Psychology at the University of Salford

Psychology at the University of Sussex

Psychology in Education at the University of York

Psychology and Criminology at the University of Salford

Psychology with Counselling and Psychotherapy at Manchester Metropolitan University

Mental Health Nursing at the University of Wales, Bangor

Primary Education with OTS at Liverpool hope University

Biomedical Science at Manchester Metropolitan University

Medicine and Surgery at Lancaster University