Fresh Skills, Fresh Start Get 20% off all course fees* Use Code: FRESH20

days, hrs, mins, secs left!

Psychology GCSE

Psychology is the science of the mind; the study of, among other things, how our thought processes work, why we behave the way we do and how we learn.

Trustpilot
Unlimited Tutor Support
Get as much help as you want from your expert personal tutor
Fast Track
In a rush? You can complete this course under a year at no extra charge
98% Pass Rate
Students have enjoyed a 98% pass rate
Exam Pass Guarantee
If you don't pass first time, we'll support you for free until your next exams
Online Learning
Study on your own terms with our our learning platform, MyOxbridge

What you will learn

Below is an outline of the course material you will study:

Unit 1: Course Introduction

  • Introduction to Psychology
  • About Paper 1 Cognition and Behaviour
  • About Paper 2 Social Context and Behaviour
  • Recommended Reading List

Unit 2: Aided and Unaided Observations

  • Processes of memory
  • Encoding, storage and retrieval
  • Long-term and short-term memory
  • Structures of memory
  • Memory as an active process
  • Factors affecting memory

Unit 3: Perception

  • Processes of memory
  • Perception and sensation
  • Visual cues and depth perception
  • Visual illusions and theories of perception
  • Gibson’s direct theory and Gregory’s constructivist theory
  • Factors affecting perception
  • Culture, emotion, motivation and expectation

Unit 4: Development

  • Early brain development
  • Piaget’s theory
  • The theory of conservation and egocentrism
  • Stages of cognitive development
  • Application in education
  • Effects of learning on development
  • Dweck’s mindset theory of learning
  • The role of praise and self-efficacy
  • Learning styles
  • Willingham’s learning theory

Unit 5: Research Methods

  • Designing data
  • Starting out hypotheses and variables
  • Extraneous variables
  • Types of the experiment
  • Experimental designs
  • Sampling methods
  • Ethical considerations
  • Designing research
  • Interviews and questionnaires
  • Correlations
  • Case studies
  • Reliability and validity
  • Types of data
  • Descriptive statistics
  • Interpretation and display of quantitative data
  • Computation

Unit 6: Social Influence

  • Conformity
  • Asch’s study
  • Social and dispositional factors
  • Obedience
  • Milgram’s study
  • Milgram’s agency theory (social factors)
  • Adorno’s theory (dispositional factors)
  • Prosocial behaviours
  • Piliavin’s subway study
  • Social and dispositional factors
  • The crowd and collective behaviour
  • Deindividualisation
  • A case study
  • Social and dispositional factors

Unit 7: Language, Thought and Communication

  • Language and thought
  • Piaget’s theory
  • The Sapir-Whorf hypotheses
  • A review of the world
  • Human and animal communication
  • Von Frisch’s bee study
  • Human versus animal communication
  • Non-verbal communication
  • Eye contact
  • Body language
  • Personal space
  • Explanations of non-verbal behaviour
  • Evidence of nature: Darwin’s evolutionary theory
  • Non-verbal response: innate or learned?
  • Evidence of nurture: Yoki’s study of emoticons

Unit 8: The Brain and Neuropsychology

  • Structure and function of the nervous system
  • The structure of the nervous system
  • The function of the nervous system
  • The autonomic nervous system
  • The James Lang theory of emotion
  • Neuron structure and function
  • neuron and electrical transmission
  • Synapses and chemical transmission
  • Hebb’s theory of learning
  • Structure and function in the brain
  • The localisation of function in the brain
  • Penfield’s study of the interpretive cortex
  • Introduction to neuropsychology
  • Cognitive neuroscience
  • Neurological damage
  • Scanning techniques to identify brain functioning
  • Tulving “gold” memory study

Unit 9: Psychological Problems

  • An introduction to mental health
  • Effects of mental health problems
  • Depression
  • Types of depression and diagnosing depression
  • Theories of depression: biological
  • Theories of depression: psychological
  • Therapies for depression: medication
  • Therapies for depression: CBT
  • Therapies for depression: Wiles study
  • Addiction
  • Characteristics of addiction and diagnosing addiction
  • Theories of addiction: biological
  • Theories of addiction: psychological
  • Therapies for addiction: aversion therapy
  • Therapies for addiction: self-management

Unit 10: Preparing for the GCSE examination: Paper 1 & 2

  • Paper 1 – Cognition and Behaviour
  • Paper 2 – Social Context and Behaviour
  • Revision tips

Course Outcome

Upon successful completion of this home learning course, you will receive a GCSE in Psychology (8182), issued by AQA. This syllabus has been chosen specifically because it is best suited to distance learning.

Progression Routes

The progression routes after GCSE Psychology are varied and offer numerous opportunities for further education and career development. The skills and knowledge gained from GCSE Psychology can open doors to many fulfilling and impactful careers.

Examinations and Assessments

You’ll be required to complete the two GCSE standard written exams, all of which must be taken in the same session.

  • Paper 1: 1 hour 45 minutes, 50% of GCSE, 100 marks.
  • Paper 2: 1 hour 45 minutes, 50% of GCSE, 100 marks.

We provide a guaranteed exam space in one of our partner exam centres around the UK. Check where your closest exam centre is.

During your course, there is no coursework to complete but you will be required to complete nine assignments and one introductory. These do not contribute to your final grade but provide you with an opportunity to submit work to your tutor for marking and feedback. This will help you to gauge your progress as you work through the course.

Entry Requirements

There are no formal entry requirements for this level two course; however, it is recommended that you have an intermediate ability to read and write in English.

Unlimited Tutor Support™

Receive one-on-one personalised guidance and support from our expert personal tutors.

With our Unlimited Tutor Support™, you can get as much or as little help as you want throughout your course. You'll benefit from one-to-one attention from a qualified and experienced tutor, tailored to your learning requirements.

Whether you have questions about assignments, need assistance with a complex topic or just need a bit of motivation, your personal tutor and our learning support team are here to support your learning journey at every step of your learning journey.

Webinar Dedicated Tutor

Join the community of thousands of satisfied learners who have rated us excellent on Trustpilot

Our commitment to delivering exceptional and award-winning education has earned us thousands of independent positive reviews that reflect our obsession and dedication to your results and satisfaction.

Trustpilot

MyOxbridge™

Take control of your learning experience with MyOxbridge™, our award-winning online learning platform.

You can access your course materials, submit assignments, view grades, track progress, and get support anytime, anywhere, via mobile, computer, or tablet. We also include many common accessibility features as standard.

Our online students achieve 20% higher grades than they would at a traditional college. With MyOxbridge, you can exceed your learning goals, on your terms.

award-winning online platform. Access course materials anytime, anywhere; on mobile, laptop, or tablet. Submit assignments, view grades, and track progress with engaging content and offline access. Achieve your goals flexibly!

Prefer old-school?
Download our prospectus…

Don't worry; we're not precious about everything being online. You can also download an old-school prospectus, and many of our courses can be sent to you in printed format. Our prospectus tells you all about learning with Oxbridge.

Request free prospectus
Prospectus page spread

Student perks with Oxbridge

Student Beans screenshot

Unlock exclusive student discounts on popular brands with Student Beans. After enrolling at Oxbridge, register to access free codes and deals on shopping and food.

Student Beans screenshot
Totum screenshot

The #1 student discount card and app. Access deals on food, essentials, tech, travel, fashion, and more. Get exclusive coupons and discounts in-store and online, all from your pocket.

Totum screenshot

Frequently Asked Questions

Need more information? Chat with a Learning Adviser

We're happy to help and talk you through anything about this course that you want more information about. You can contact us or use the most popular methods below.

Our live chat is supported by incredibly friendly human beings.

 0121 630 3000
Start a chat