AS

Psychology

SCHEME OF WORK (SOW)

AS level standalone qualification
GCE Psychology: Schemes of Work

GCE Psychology 2015: Scheme of Work

Introduction

This document provides a sample scheme of work for GCE Psychology that can be adapted by centres to fit their timetabling and
staffing arrangements. It is meant as an example approach only and it not intended to be prescriptive.
For the purposes of this scheme of work, it has been assumed that the centre are delivering to 34 teaching weeks in each year
including part of the summer term after the AS examinations. The separate course planner document provides a range of examples of
delivery options that can be used for planning alongside this document.

Foundations of Psychology (AS Only)

This section looks at a possible scheme of work for AS content only.

Week Topic Content Suggested resources

1 Introduce ideas
around
methodology and
doing psychology
psychology and Discussion: is Psychology a science?
science
Social Psychology
2 Obedience
Introducing Psychology as science of Sorting cards with key terminology
mind and behaviour. Students produce posters debating the question Is Psychology a
Brief overview of 4 topics: cognitive, science?
social, biological, learning.
Introduce features of science
(objectivity, hypothesis testing,
theories construction and empirical
evidence) and link to each of the 4
approaches.
Definition of obedience; theories of Description of agency theory
obedience, including agency theory Description of social impact theory
and social impact theory. Slide-show on Holocaust

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3 Obedience and Factors affecting obedience and
bring in key affect/resistance obedience, including
question individual differences (personality
and gender), situation and culture
Bring in key question; apply main
concepts on obedience to it.
Milgrams research into obedience,
including three of his variations
studies: Rundown Office Block
(experiment 10); Telephonic
instructions (experiment 2); Ordinary
Man gives orders (experiment 13).
Application of BPS ethical guidelines
to Milgrams study.
4 Prejudice Explanations and research into
prejudice, including
social identity theory (Tajfel and
Turner, 1979,
1986) and realistic conflict theory
(Sherif, 1966).
5 Prejudice and Factors affecting prejudice (and
bring in key discrimination),
question including individual differences
(personality),
situation and culture.
6 Classic study and Classic study: Sherif et al
contemporary (1954/1961) Intergroup conflict and
study; issues and cooperation: The Robbers Cave
debates Experiment
One contemporary study
7 Methodology (and Unstructured, semi-structured and
practical) - structured interviews, open, closed
interview and (including ranked scale) questions.
questionnaire Designing and conducting
questionnaires and interviews,
considering researcher effects.
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GCE Psychology: Schemes of Work
Factors helping to resist obedience are put on cards; students to
explain the ones assign to them
Description of the key issue
Video of Milgram
Overview of the BPS guidelines for human research
http://www.bps.org.uk/system/files/Public%20files/bps_code_of_ethi
cs_2009.pdf
Definition cards (prejudice; discrimination; social categorisation;
social identification; social comparison)
Video of real-life discrimination
Factsheet on factors affecting prejudice and discrimination for
students to complete
Description of Sherifs study
Original footage of Sherifs study
Card with Social Identity key terms to apply to the findings (social
categorisation; social identification; social comparison; prejudice;
discrimination)
TED talk/video on contemporary study
Example questionnaire with different types of questions for students
to identify.
Examples of poorly constructed questionnaire and questions for
students to identify mistakes.
Sampling techniques descriptions and multiple choice
questions: http://www.simplypsychology.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/samp
GCE Psychology: Schemes of Work

Alternate hypotheses and risk ling.html

management. Worksheets to design practice interview
8 Methodology (and Analysis of quantitative data: Descriptions of different types of data and methods of analysis
practical) - calculating measures of central Questions for students to practice measures of
qualitative and tendency, frequency tables, graphical qualitative/quantitative data
quantitative, presentation using a bar chart, Advertising clips to use for thematic analysis
sampling and measures of dispersion (range and BPS ethical guidelines
ethics standard deviation). http://www.bps.org.uk/system/files/Public%20files/bps_code_of_ethi
Analysis of qualitative data using cs_2009.pdf
thematic analysis.
Random, stratified, volunteer and
opportunity sampling techniques.
BPS code of ethics and conduct
(2009)
9 Methodology - Design and conduct a questionnaire, Guidance for study plan
analysis of data based on social psychology material,
(and practical) to gather both qualitative and
quantitative data to look for a
difference in the data.
Cognitive Psychology
Description and evaluation of Multi- Definition cards (memory, STM, LTM, episodic and semantic memory,
Multi store model store memory model (Atkinson and capacity, duration, encoding)
and episodic and Shiffrin, 1968) Multi-store memory diagram for students to label
10 semantic memory Explanations of episodic and
(and key semantic memory
question) Application of theories and concepts
to relevant key question
Description and evaluation of Materials for replicating War of Ghost experiment
Working memory
Working memory model (Baddeley & Information on War of Ghost study and Allport & Postman (1974)
model and
Hitch, 1974) study http://www.simplypsychology.org/eyewitness-testimony.html
reconstructive
11 Reconstructive memory concept Working memory diagram for students to label
memory model
(Bartlett, 1932), including schema
(and key
theory
question)
Classic study and Classic study: Baddeley (1966b) Description of Baddeley (1966b) study
12
contemporary Working memory model: The Summary of contemporary study in different sections to put into a

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 GCE Psychology: Schemes of Work

study; issues and Influence of acoustic and semantic report format

debates similarity on long-term memory for
word sequences.
One contemporary study
Case studies of Case study of brain damaged HM case material http://www.simplypsychology.org/anterograde-
brain damaged patients, including amnesia.html
13
patients and Henry Molaison (HM) and the use of Video of HM case
analysis of data qualitative data. Use of qualitative data to investigate memory worksheet
Designing and conducting Hypotheses examples.
experiments, including field and Study examples for students practise writing hypothesis, identifying
laboratory experiments. type of design and suggesting control of variables.
Independent and dependent Multiple-choice questions for students to answer on experimental
variables. method and issues.
Experimental and null hypotheses. Key terms cards.
Directional (one-tailed) and non-
directional (two-tailed) tests and
hypotheses.
Experimental and research designs:
Experimental repeated measures, independent
method and issues groups and matched pairs.
(and practical) Operationalisation of variables,
14 (include what is extraneous variables and
needed in confounding variables.
biological Counterbalancing, randomisation and
psychology) order effects.
Situational and participant variables.
Objectivity, reliability and validity.
Experimenter effects, demand
characteristics and control issues.
Analysis of quantitative data:
calculate measures of central
tendency, frequency tables,
percentages.
Graphical presentation of data (bar
graph, histogram).
Statistics and Decision-making and interpretations Data sets for students to analyse
15
analysis (and of inferential statistics, including: Statistical

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GCE Psychology: Schemes of Work

practical) (include Mann Whitney and Wilcoxon tables: http://www.simplypsychology.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/stats%2

what is needed in tests 0tables.pdf
biological Probability and level of
psychology) significance Graph paper to present appropriate date from the test
Levels of Observed and critical values,
measurement, use of critical values.
using critical value Type I and type II errors.
tables
Statistics and Design and conduct a laboratory Study guidelines
analysis (and experiment to gather quantitative Statistical
practical) (include data and include descriptive tables: http://www.simplypsychology.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/stats%2
what is needed in statistics as analysis and a non- 0tables.pdf
16
biological parametric test of difference
psychology)
reasons for tests
calculating tests
Biological Psychology
The central nervous system (CNS) Neuron diagram for students to label
and neurotransmitters in human Key terms cards
Mode of function
behaviour, including Matching name and functions of different neurotransmitters
of recreational
the structure and role of the neuron, Video/TED talk on effects of recreational drugs on the central nervous
drugs,
17 the function of neurotransmitters and system
neurotransmitters;
synaptic transmission
(and key
The effect of recreational drugs on
question)
the transmission process in the
central nervous system
Structure of different brain areas Brain map
Brain function and
(e.g. prefrontal cortex) and brain Localisation of functions diagram
structure including
functioning as explanations of Video on evolution and aggression (e.g. Human Instinct by R.
for aggression;
18 aggressive behaviour Winston)
evolution and
Role of evolution and natural
aggression (and
selection in aggressive behaviour
key question)
Key question
Hormones; Role of hormones (e.g. testosterone) Case studies of aggressive behaviour t apply Freuds, evolutionary,
Freud's theory and in aggressive behaviour hormonal and brain functions explanation
19
aggression (and Freuds explanation of aggression Application of biological concepts to a key question
key question) Key question

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 GCE Psychology: Schemes of Work

Brain scanning techniques (PET, MRI) Brain scanning techniques descriptions

Brain scanning; and their use to investigate human Description of studies
20 twin and adoption behaviour (e.g. aggression) Case studies of use of PET and MRI techniques to investigate
studies Examples of one twin and one aggressive behaviour
adoption studies
The use of the correlational research Examples of correlational studies, including set of data, for students
method in psychology including co- to analyse
variables; types of correlation:
positive, negative; the use of scatter
Correlations and
diagrams; issues surrounding the use
21 analysis of
of correlations.
correlations
Analysis of correlations: drawing
conclusions from correlational
studies, use of scatter diagrams,
Spearman Rho test.
Design and conduct a correlational Guidelines for conducting the study and analysing the data
study, linked to aggressive behaviour
Practical and
or attitudes to drug use.
Spearman analysis
Use inferential statistics on obtained
22 including doing
data and explain significance of the
the test using
results
algebraic equation
Use of descriptive statistics on data
gathered in practical
Classic study: Raine et al., 1977 Description and evaluation of the studies
Classic and
Brain abnormalities in murderers
contemporary
23 indicated by positron emission
study; issues and
tomography.
debates
One contemporary study
Learning Theories
The main features of classical Key terms sorting cards
conditioning Pavlov dog
Classical
including: unconditioned stimulus game: http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/pavlov/
conditioning and
(UCS); unconditioned response Example for students to apply conditioning mechanism to explain
24 the ethics of using
(UCR); conditioned stimulus (e.g. how would you teach someone to blink when you call their
animals (and key
(CS); neutral stimulus (NS); name?)
question)
conditioned response Material for ethical committee game deciding whether to allow a
(CR); extinction, spontaneous proposed experiment using animals

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GCE Psychology: Schemes of Work

recovery and stimulus generalisation.

Pavlov (1927) experiment with
salivation in dogs.
Ethical issues regarding the use of
animals in laboratory experiments
The main features of operant Classical and operant conditioning
conditioning, including reinforcement examples http://www.ar.cc.mn.us/biederman/courses/p111
and punishment (positive and 0/conditioning2.htm
negative) Examples of reinforcement schedules
Operant
Primary and secondary
conditioning;
reinforcements, schedules of
25 social learning
reinforcement
(and key
Behaviour modification
question)
Main features of Social learning
theory (observation, imitation,
modelling and vicarious
reinforcement).
Social learning stages of attention, Bobo Doll study http://www.simplypsychology.org/bobo-doll.html
retention, reproduction and Original video of Banduras study
motivation (reinforcement). Description of an extreme phobic individual.
Bandura (1961, 1963) original Bobo
doll experiments.
Social learning Bandura (1965) Bobo doll experiment
theory (cont'd); with vicarious reinforcement.
26
phobias (and key Learning theories explanations for
question) the acquisition and treatment of
phobias.
Treatments for phobias based on
theories of learning, including
systematic desensitisation and one
other.
Classic and Classic study: Watson and Rayner Description of the studies
contemporary (1920) Little Albert: conditioned Original footage of Little Albert study
27
study; issues and emotional reactions.
debates One contemporary study
Using animals and The use of animals in laboratory Video on pros and cons of using animals in psychology experiments
28
experimental experiments where results can be

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 GCE Psychology: Schemes of Work

method related to humans.

Types of naturalistic observation: Examples of observations for students to analyse
participant; non-participant; overt;
covert Chi squared test calculations/formula.
Gathering quantitative and
qualitative data through observation, Statistical
Observations and including tallying, event and time- tables: http://www.simplypsychology.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/stats%2
29 analysis (and sampling 0tables.pdf
practical) Use of content analysis as a research
method Guidelines for practical and data analysis
Chi-squared test
Practical: observations using both
qualitative and quantitative data,
related to learned behaviour
Revision for AS Revising Social Approach Exam questions, marking scheme
30
exam
Revision for AS Revising cognitive approach Exam questions, marking scheme
31
exam
MOCK EXAM Unit 1 Exam questions, marking scheme
Revision for AS
32 Return marked work; suggestions for
exam
improvement
Revision for AS Revise Biological and Learning Exam questions, marking scheme
33
exam approach
MOCK EXAM Unit 2 Exam questions, marking scheme
Revision for AS
34 Return marked work; suggestions for
exam
improvement

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GCE Psychology: Schemes of Work

Note: Although the ethos of this specification is for mathematical skills to be integrated into unit delivery throughout the
course, some centres may wish to choose to deliver mathematical skills as a discrete module. There are advantages to this
approach in that the learners will develop these skills in a focused way and the teacher/lecturer can then refer back to these
skills at relevant times as the need arises in each of the units. This approach could also enable some centres to draw on the
skills of colleagues from the mathematics department to help with delivery the content and build on the mathematical skills
already developed in KS4.

How to deliver and develop the mathematical skills needed by learners in Psychology is very much a centre decision to be
determined by the nature of the centre learners.

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