Pre A Level Course

Task 1: What is Psychology?

Find a definition for Psychology. Research and make some brief notes on how Psychology developed into a distinct academic subject (it is a fairly 'new' subject compared to the natural sciences!). Extension: What are the arguments for and against Psychology being a 'science'?

Task 2: Watch 3 TED Talks

Pick 3 TED Talks from the list that you think sound interesting. Make Cornell notes on each talk using this template. Research suggests that Cornell Notes are the most effective way to take notes - and they also turn into a revision resource as well. If you want a quick overview on how to take Cornell notes view this video.

Task 3: Case Studies

Case studies are a popular research method in Psychology. Find a definition for a case study and then research the case study of either David Reimer (gender) or Genie (attachment). Make notes on no more than one A4 side of paper - you can be as creative or logical as you wish in your note taking!

Task 4: Schema Theory

Theories are explanations of how things work which are based on scientific research. You will be learning many theories during A Level Psychology. To get you started you will find out about a really useful theory in the cognitive approach, called Schema Theory. Complete this activity.

Task 5: Current Research

Psychological theories are always being updated and new ideas being proposed. Pick an article from the BPS research digest which you find interesting and make a brief summary of the article in no more than 200 words.

Optional: Complete a Course

If you wish to really stretch yourself you may choose to complete a formal course in Psychology (completely free of charge). A recommendation would be Yale's Introduction to Psychology course or you can pick from another on the super curricular list.

Optional: Design and carry out an experiment

Psychologists gather data to test their theories. You might want to design a simple experiment e.g. a memory experiment or the Stroop Test, with just two conditions (groups) and manipulate an independent variable to measure the effect on the dependent variable (the data you decide to collect!).