Cambridge International AS & A Level Psychology (9990)(2024)

Introduction to AS Level content and Research methods

Biological approach

Cognitive approach

Learning approach

Social approach

Issues and debates

Clinical Psychology

Consumer Psychology

Health Psychology

Organisational Psychology

General introduction/expectations/engagement

Research methods • Correlations • Hypotheses and aims • Variables

Research methods • Experiments • Experimental design • Controlling of variables • Validity • Reliability • Replicability • Standardisation

Research methods Types of data

Research methods Sampling of participants

Data Collection: Self Reports

Data Collection: Observations

Case Studies

Longitudinal studies

Ethics

Biological approach – introduction

Dement and Kleitman (sleep and dreams) – introduction

Dement and Kleitman (sleep and dreams) – the study

Dement and Kleitman (sleep and dreams) – evaluation

Hassett et al. (monkey toy preferences) – introduction Nature versus nurture

Hassett et al. (monkey toy preferences) – the study

Hassett et al. (monkey toy preferences) – evaluation

Hölzel et al. (mindfulness and brain scans) – introduction

Hölzel et al. (mindfulness and brain scans) – the study

Hölzel et al. (mindfulness and brain scans) – evaluation Longitudinal studies Use of technical equipment

Learners are able to describe, explain and evaluate longitudinal studies.

Cognitive approach – background

Andrade (doodling) – introduction Research methods Research design Types of data Demand characteristics Ethics Variables Reliability Random allocation

Andrade (doodling) – the study

Andrade (doodling) – evaluation Psychometric tests Application of psychology to everyday life

Baron-Cohen et al. (eyes test) – introduction

Baron-Cohen et al. (eyes test) – the study

Baron-Cohen et al. (eyes test) – evaluation

Pozzulo et al 2011 – introduction The use of children in psychological research

Pozzulo et al 2011 – the study

Pozzulo et al 2011 – evaluation

Learning approach – introduction The learning approach and the behaviourist perspective

Bandura et al (aggression) – introduction

Bandura et al (aggression) – the study

Bandura et al (aggression) – evaluation Nature versus nurture debate Application of psychology to everyday life

Fagen et al. (elephant learning) – introduction

Fagen et al. (elephant learning) – the study

Fagen et al. (elephant learning) - evaluation

Saavedra and Silverman (button phobia) – introduction Case studies Action research

Saavedra and Silverman (button phobia) – the study

Saavedra and Silverman (button phobia) - evaluation

Social approach

Milgram (Obedience) – introduction

Milgram (Obedience) – the study

Milgram (Obedience) – evaluation

Perry et al (personal space) – introduction

Perry et al (personal space) – the study

Perry et al (personal space) – evaluation

Piliavin et al (subway Samaritans) – introduction

Piliavin et al (subway Samaritans) – the study

Piliavin et al (subway Samaritans) – evaluation

Introduction (See the syllabus for the relevant issues and debates for each topic.)

Cultural bias

Reductionism versus holism

Determinism versus free-will

Idiographic versus nomothetic

Definitions of abnormality General introduction to clinical psychology KC5

Abnormality classification systems KC5

Models of abnormality KC5

1.1 Schizophrenia – introduction KC5

1.1 Schizophrenia 1.1.1 Diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia Key Study: Freeman et al, (2003), Can virtual reality be used to investigate persecutory ideation? KC3 KC5

1.1 Schizophrenia 1.1.2 Explanations of schizophrenia KC1 KC3 KC5

1.1 Schizophrenia 1.1.3 Treatment and management of schizophrenia KC2

1.2 Mood (affective) disorders: depressive disorder (unipolar) and bipolar disorder 1.2.1 Diagnostic criteria for mood (affective) disorders KC2 KC3 KC4 KC5

1.2 Mood (affective) disorders: depressive disorder (unipolar) and bipolar disorder 1.2.2 Explanations of mood (affective) disorders: depressive disorder (unipolar) Oruč, et al (1997), Association analysis of the 5‐HT2C receptor and 5‐HT transporter genes in bipolar disorder KC1 KC3 KC4 KC5

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate different explanations mood (affective) disorders.

1.2 Mood (affective) disorders: depressive disorder (unipolar) and bipolar disorder 1.2.3 Treatment and management of mood (affective) disorders KC3 KC4 KC5

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate various treatments for depression including chemical/drugs (tricyclics, MAOIs, SSRIs), CBT and REBT.

1.3 Impulse control disorders 13.1 Diagnostic criteria for impulse control disorders KC3 KC4 KC5

1.3 Impulse control disorders 1.3.2 Explanations of impulse control disorders KC3 KC4 KC5

1.3 Impulse control disorders 1.3.3 Treatment and management of impulse control disorders KC3 KC4 KC5

1.4 Anxiety disorders and fear-related disorders 1.4.1 Diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders and fear- related disorders

1.4 Anxiety disorders and fear-related disorders 1.4.2 Explanations of fear-related disorders KC1

1.4 Anxiety disorders and fear-related disorders 1.4.3 Treatment and management of anxiety disorders and fear-related disorders KC3 KC4 KC5

1.5 Obsessive- compulsive disorder (OCD) 1.5.1 Diagnostic criteria for obsessive- compulsive disorder KC3 KC4 KC5

1.5 Obsessive- compulsive disorder (OCD) 1.5.2 Explanations of obsessive- compulsive disorder KC1 KC3

1.5 Obsessive- compulsive disorder (OCD) 1.5.3 Treatment and management of obsessive- compulsive disorder KC3 KC4

2. Consumer behaviour General introduction to psychology and consumer behaviour

2.1 The physical environment 2.1.1 Retail store design KC3 KC5

2.1 The physical environment 2.1.2 Sound and consumer behaviour KC3 KC5

2.1 The physical environment 2.1.3 Retail atmospherics KC3 KC5

2.2 The psychological environment 2.2.1 Environmental influences on consumers KC3 KC5

2.2 The psychological environment 2.2.2 Menu design psychology KC3 KC5

2.2 The psychological environment 2.2.3 Consumer behavior and personal space KC3 KC5

Learners can describe and explain the social psychology of defending a space in a queue.

Consumer decision-making Consumer decision-making KC3 KC5

2.3 Consumer decision-making 2.3.2 Choice heuristics KC3 KC5

2.3 Consumer decision-making 2.3.3 Mistakes in decision making KC3 KC5

2.4The product 2.4.1 Packaging and positioning of a product KC3 KC5

2.4 The product 2.4.2 Selling the product KC3 KC5

2.4 The product 2.4.3 Buying the product

2.5 Advertising 2.5.1 Types of advertising and advertising techniques KC3 KC5

2.5 Advertising 2.5.2 Advertising – consumer interaction KC2

2.5 Advertising 2.5.3 Brand awareness and recognition. KC3 KC5

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate issues relating to brand awareness and recognition amongst different groups and the research support.

3. The patient- practitioner relationship 3.1.1 Practitioner and patient interpersonal skills KC3 KC5

3. The patient- practitioner relationship 3.1.1 Practitioner and patient interpersonal skills KC3 KC5

3.1 The patient- practitioner relationship 3.1.2 Patient and practitioner diagnosis and style KC3 KC5

Learners can describe and explain practitioner diagnosis, the errors that can be made as well as the manner in which information is disclosed.

3.1 The patient- practitioner relationship 3.1.3 Misusing health services KC2 KC3 KC5

3.2 Adherence to medical advice 3.2.1 Types of non- adherence and reasons why patients do not adhere KC3 KC5

3.2 Adherence to medical advice 3.2.2 Measuring non- adherence KC3 KC5

3.2 Adherence to medical advice 3.2.3. Improving adherence KC3 KC5

3.3 Pain 3.3.1 Types and theories of pain. KC3 KC5

3.3 Pain 3.3.2 Measuring pain KC3 KC5

3.3 Pain 3.3.3 Managing and controlling pain KC3 KC5

3.4 Stress 3.4.1 Sources of stress KC3 KC5

3.4 Stress 3.4.2 Measures of stress KC3 KC5

3.4 Stress 3.4.3 Managing stress KC2 KC3 KC5

3.5 Health promotion 3.5.1 Strategies for promoting health KC1 KC2 KC3 KC5

3.5 Health promotion 3.5.2 Health promotion in schools and worksites KC2 KC3 KC5

3.5 Health promotion 3.5.3 Individual factors in changing health beliefs KC2 KC3 KC5

Organisational Psychology – introduction

4.1 Motivation to work 4.1.1 Needs theories KC3 KC5

4.1 Motivation to work 4.1.2 Cognitive theories KC3 KC5

4.1 Motivation to work 4.1.3. Motivators at work KC3 KC5

4.2 Leadership and management 4.2.1 Traditional and modern theories of leadership KC3 KC5

4.2 Leadership and management 4.2.2. Leadership styles KC3 KC5

4.2 Leadership and management 4.2.3 Leaders and followers KC3 KC5

4.3 Group behaviour in organisations 4.3.1 Group development and decision-making KC3 KC5

4.3 Group behaviour in organisations 4.3.2 Individual and group performance KC3 KC5

4.3 Group behaviour in organisations 4.3.3 Conflict at work KC3 KC5

4.4 Organisational work conditions 4.4.1 Physical work conditions KC3 KC5

4.4 Organisational work conditions 4.4.2. Temporal conditions of work environments KC3 KC5

4.4 Organisational work conditions 4.4.3 Health and safety KC3 KC5

4.5 Satisfaction at work 4.5 Theories of job satisfaction KC3 KC5

4.5 Satisfaction at work 4.5.2. Measuring job- satisfaction KC3 KC5

4.5 Satisfaction at work 4.5.3 Attitudes to work KC3 KC5

Learners gain an understanding of what they already know, what they can expect to learn and how they are responsible for their learning.

Learners can describe, explain and apply the main features of experimentation, hypotheses, correlations and variables.

Learners can describe, explain and identify issues affecting the validity and reliability of experiments.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate quantitative and qualitative data and conduct some data analysis.

Learners will understand the different types of sampling.

Learners can identify, explain and evaluate the use of different types of questions in self-reports.

Learners can identify, describe explain and evaluate the use of different types of observations.

Learners can describe and explain case studies and when and why they are used in psychological research.

Learners can describe and explain longitudinal studies and when and why they are used in psychological research.

Learners can describe and explain the ethical guidelines in relation to both human and non- human subjects.

Learners understand that behaviour, cognition and emotions can be explained in terms of the working of the brain and the effect of hormones, genetics and evolution and that biological factors can explain similarities and differences between people.

Learners understand the importance of sleep, research into sleep and different theories of sleeping and dreaming.

Learners can describe sleep cycles and explain difficulties of investigating sleeping and dreaming. Learners can describe and explain the aim, the hypotheses, the methodology and the findings of the study.

Learners develop examination skills. Learners can consolidate the material and self- assess their ability to recall the necessary detail.

Learners can identify, describe and explain strengths and weaknesses of the original study.

Learners understand the background to the study.

Learners and describe and explain the factors that contribute to the nature nurture debate with appropriate examples.

Learners and describe and explain the ethics of using non-human subjects in psychological research.

Learners can identify and describe the aim, the sample, the method, the results and the conclusion of the Hassett et al (2008) study.

Learners can identify, describe, explain and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the research conducted.

Learners can understand the background to the study in relation to the use of yoga and meditation for mental and physical well- being.

Learners can describe and explain the research conducted.

Learners are able to describe, explain and evaluate the use of technical equipment.

Learners can explain the essential features of the cognitive approach.

Learners undertake experiential activities so they can explain: Participation in an experiment.

Learners can describe and explain the key aspects of the research including the aim; the sample; the method; results and conclusion.

Learners reinforce their ability to recognise ethical issues and guidelines in psychological research.

Learners understand the use of psychometric tests and can recognise and illustrate the strengths and weaknesses respectively.

Learners can apply their knowledge of Research Methods to novel research and evaluate the research.

Learners gain knowledge and understanding of autism, Asperger’s syndrome and the Theory of Mind.

Learners participate to be able to explain the difference between the original test and the revised version.

Learners can describe and explain the key terms, the background, the key features and the findings of the study.

Learners can identify and explain a range of strengths and weaknesses of the study and the use of psychometric tests in psychological research.

Learners learn and understand the concepts of memory; the fallibility of memory including reconstructive and false memories and the power of suggestion.

Learners understand the advantages and disadvantages of investigating issues effecting children.

Learners can describe and explain the background to the study, the aim of the

research, the sample, method, results and their explanations and articulate a conclusion.

Learners reinforce their ability to evaluate research and articulate their ideas using a range of issues.

Learners understand and can explain the assumptions and key characteristics of the learning approach based on the behaviourist perspective, classical and operant conditioning and understand social learning theory.

Learners gain greater understanding of social learning theory (SLT) and its importance and relevance.

Learners practise their skills at designing experiments, incorporating the necessary level of detail.

Learners can describe and explain the sample and the conditions of the experiment.

Learners can identify and explain the controls effected in the study.

Learners assess their ability to recall the relevant detail of the study.

Learners can describe and explain the results, relate them to Social Learning Theory and apply them.

Learners practise their evaluation skills and can identify and illustrate the major evaluative issues evident in the study.

Learners can describe and explain how conditioning can be used for learning.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate the ethics of using animals in psychological research.

Learners can describe and explain the aim, the sample, the procedure, the data collection and results of the study.

Learners can evaluate the study using a range of criteria.

Learners can describe and explain the Behaviourist approach can be used to explain phobias.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate the use of case studies in psychological research.

Learners can describe and explain the sample and the interventions used to cure a young boy of his phobia.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate the research conducted against a variety of evaluative issues.

Learners understand and can explain the assumptions and key characteristics of the social approach.

Learners can describe and explain the background and some of the key terms/concepts.

Learners can describe and explain the background to the study, the sample and the selection strategy adopted and the findings/ explanations of the study.

Learners can evaluate various components of the study against a variety of evaluative issues.

Learners are able to identify, describe and explain personal space and personal space invasion.

Learners are able to conduct some descriptive statistics calculations and present.

Learners are able to describe and explain the study conducted by Perry et al on personal space.

Learners can identify, describe, explain and evaluate the research conducted by Perry et al on personal space.

Learners can recognise and appreciate the factors that encourage/ discourage helping behaviour.

Learners can describe and explain the background to the study and the key terms associated with it.

Learners can describe and explain the background, the key terms, the sample, method and the findings of the study.

Learners can describe and explain the explanations of the findings of the study and can apply them to novel situations.

Learners understand and can explain and apply the Arousal: Cost/Reward Model to novel situations.

Learners can identify and illustrate strengths and problems associated with using field experiments and observation to conduct psychological research.

Learners become familiar with the key issues and debates at A Level and can recall the key issues and debates from AS Level.

Learners can describe, explain and identify issues associated with cultural differences.

Learners can describe and explain and reductionism and holism and the implications for these in psychological research.

Learners can describe, explain and identify issues associated with determinism and free- will and the implications for these in psychological research.

Learners can describe, explain and identify issues associated with adopting an idiographic or nomothetic approach and the implications for these in psychological research.

Learners have an understanding and an appreciation of the objectives and expectations of the unit.

Learners can describe, explain and apply the various definitions of abnormality.

Learners can understand and appreciate the problems with defining and diagnosing abnormality.

Learners can describe, explain the models of abnormality, identify the assumptions on which each are based and evaluate the medical/ biological model.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate various treatments devised including biochemical (antipsychotics and atypical antipsychotics) and electro-convulsive therapy (ECT).

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate different types of mood affective disorders including unipolar and bipolar depression and how it can be diagnosed and measured.

Learners can identify different types of impulse control disorders and apply definitions as well as identify key characteristics and diagnostic criteria and measurement tools.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate theories concerning the causes of impulse control disorders including the biochemical, behavioural, cognitive and explanations.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate various treatments and ways to manage impulse control disorders including biological treatments and psychological therapies.

Learners can describe and explain types of anxiety and fear related disorders, their diagnostic criteria and ways to measure them.

Learners can describe and explain explanations of anxiety and fear related disorders and can describe, explain and evaluate supporting research in this area.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate different treatments for anxiety disorders including behavioural therapies, CBT and applied tension and the related research.

Learners can describe and explain the diagnostic criteria for OCD and describe, explain and evaluate various tools used to measure OCD and can describe, explain and evaluate case studies of OCD.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate various explanations for OCD including biomedical; cognitive; behavioural and psychodynamic explanations.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate biological and psychological treatments and therapies for OCD.

Learners have an understanding and an appreciation of the objectives and expectations of this unit about consumer psychology.

Learners can describe and explain different aspects of the physical environment, how these can be used and how they relate to consumer experience and behaviour, including storefront and window displays; landscaping layout.

Learners can describe and explain, evaluate and apply research carried out on the effects of music and noise on consumer behaviour in various settings.

Learners can describe and explain Mehrabian and Russell’s pleasure-arousal- dominance (PAD) model and the effects of odour and crowding on shopper pleasure- arousal-dominance.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate research into wayfinding in shopping malls.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate research into consumer spatial movement patterns and behaviours in shopping malls.

Learners can describe and explain menu features of menu design and the positive and negative impacts of this.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate ways to study menu design.

Learners can describe and explain the effect of primacy and recency and menu item position on menu item choice and can describe, explain and evaluate research into this.

Learners can describe and explain the effect of food name on menu item choice and can describe, explain and evaluate research into this.

Learners can describe and explain the various definitions and theories of personal space.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate research into theories of personal space in a restaurant setting.

Learners can describe and explain explanations and examples of utility theory, satisficing, prospect theory.

Learners can describe and explain examples of compensatory, non- compensatory and partially compensatory strategies of decision making.

Learners can describe and explain strategies applied to internet shopping, focusing on website design and can describe, explain and evaluate supporting research.

Learners can describe and explain a variety of heuristics and can describe, explain and evaluate research into heuristics.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate research into heuristics.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate the Dual – Processing Thinking Model.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate research into consumer cognitive processing.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate the factors of appearance and presentation of a product and supporting research.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate various techniques involved in selling products and the research support.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate the decisions regarding whether to purchase and the research support.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate various types of advertising and media used and the factors to consider when promoting a product as well as the techniques employed along with the supporting research.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate various factors that influence effective advertising and the research support.

Learners can describe and explain various definitions of health.

Learners can understand and explain different means of communication used by health practitioners as they interact with patients and practise their evaluation skills when considering some of the research in this area.

Learners can describe, illustrate and evaluate various practitioner styles and can explain how effective different styles are.

Learners can explain reasons individuals may delay in seeking medical help or misuse health services.

Learners can describe and explain various ways you could measure adherence and the problems with each in turn.

Learners can examine the difference between subjective and objective measures.

Learners can describe and explain various ways adherence could be improved amongst different groups.

Learners are able to describe and explain different types of pain, describe, explain and evaluate different theories of pain and some research into types of pain.

Learners are able to describe and explain and evaluate various ways pain can be measured.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate various ways to manage and control pain and the supporting research on the same.

Learners can explain the physiology of stress and describe, explain and evaluate the major causes of stress and can evaluate the research on each.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate different ways to measure stress and can evaluate the research on each.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate different ways to manage stress and can evaluate the research on each.

Learners can understand, explain and evaluate different strategies used in health promotion and can apply each in turn.

Learners can describe various health promotion schemes in schools and worksites and can describe, explain and evaluate the research conducted in this area.

Learners can describe various individual differences that can affect an individual’s response to health promotion and campaigns.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate the research conducted on individual differences which affect an individual’s response to health promotion and campaigns.

Learners have an understanding and an appreciation of the objectives and expectations of this course in organisational psychology.

Learners can describe and explain needs- based theories of motivation including the Hierarchy of Needs and Acquired Needs and how each might be applied.

Learners can describe and explain Locke’s Goal Setting theory and Vroom’s Expectancy Theory and several studies about the implementation of goal setting theory.

Learners can describe and explain the differences between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and rewards with examples.

Learners can describe and explain the use of motivators in the workplace and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Learners can describe and explain the following theories of leadership and management:

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate a number of leadership styles and research conducted on leadership styles.

Learners can describe, explain, analyse, apply and evaluate various models on how leaders and followers interact with each other, including the:

Learners can describe and explain the difference between groups and teams; the stages of group development, various team roles and how to identify them.

Learners can describe and explain the processes and importance of the various stages of group decision making and the problems and pitfalls encountered.

Learners can describe and explain the social factors effecting individual and group performance and can describe, explain and evaluate research conducted in this area.

Learners can describe and explain the types, sources and management of conflict, both personal and interpersonal in the workplace and can describe, explain and evaluate research conducted in this area.

Learners can describe and explain physical and conditions and describe, explain and evaluate research.

Learners can describe and explain different patterns of shift work including rapid rotation theory (e.g., metropolitan rota and continental rota) and slow rotation theory.

Learners can describe, explain, analyse, apply and evaluate research on the effects of shift work on health and accidents.

Learners can describe, explain, evaluate and apply various theories concerned with satisfaction at work, including:

Learners can describe, explain, evaluate various methods to measure satisfaction at work.

Learners can describe, explain and evaluate some examples of and research concerning attitudes to work including:

traditional universalist and behavioural theories

modern adaptive leadership theories

Measuring leadership using the Leadership Practices Inventory

Followship (Kelley, 1988).

Herzberg’s 2-factor theory

Hackman and Oldham’s Job Characteristic theory

Job design

workplace sabotage

absenteeism

organisational commitment.