Here are a few questions we have answered that were asked by younger pupils about Psychology:
What fields of psychology are there?
Clinical psychology – this would involve diagnosing and treating mental health disorders
Counselling psychology – this would involve helping people cope with challenges they face in their daily lives
Forensic psychology – this is the application of psychology to the legal and criminal justice system
Cognitive psychology – this might be studying mental processes like memory, perception and decision making
Developmental psychology – this involves understanding how people change and grow throughout life
Social psychology – this would be the exploration of how people are influenced by society, groups, and interactions with others
Educational psychology – this is the examination of how people learn and applying these ideas to the improvement of educational methods
Neuropsychology – the study of the relationship between brain function and behaviour
Health psychology – the investigation of how psychological factors influence physical health and illness
Occupational psychology – the application of psychology to workplaces in order to improve productivity and employee well-being
Sports psychology – this would involve enhancing athletic performance and mental resilience in sports (see interview with Michael Caulfield)
Some new fields are recently emerging, including:
- Biopsychology
- Evolutionary psychology
- Comparative psychology
- Consumer psychology
- Environmental psychology
- Political psychology
- Cyberpsychology
What jobs can you get related to psychology?
There are jobs in mental health and clinical psychology:
- Clinical psychologist (diagnoses and treats mental health disorders)
- Counselling psychologist (helps people cope with life challenges)
- Forensic psychologist (works in criminal justice system)
- Health psychologist (how psychological factors affect physical health and illness)
- Neuropsychologist (treats people with brain injuries or neurological disorders)
- Psychiatrist (diagnoses and prescribes medication for mental illnesses)
There are jobs in educational and child psychology:
- Educational psychologist (helps children with learning and behavioural issues or special needs)
- School counsellor (provides emotional support to students)
- Developmental psychologist (studies psychological growth and development)
There are jobs in businesses and workplaces:
- Occupational psychologist (improves workplace productivity and employee well-being)
- Human resources specialist (manages recruitment, employee well-being and workplace relations)
- Consumer psychologist (studies buying behaviour and helps businesses market products effectively)
- User experience researcher (analyses how people interact with technology to improve design and usability)
There are jobs in criminal and legal justice:
- Forensic psychologist (works in criminal justice system)
- Prison/probation officer (helps rehabilitative offenders)
- Crime analyst (studies criminal behaviour patterns to assist law enforcement)
There are jobs in research and academia:
- Psychology researcher (conducts studies on behaviour, cognition and mental health)
- University lecturer (teaches psychology at higher education institutions)
- Experimental psychologist (studies human behaviour through controlled experiments)
What are some good subject combinations with psychology?
Subject requirements are a 6 in Maths, Biology and English
- Biology (will help when learning about biopsychology)
- English (will help with essay writing and require an understanding of human behaviour)
- Sociology (will help with essay writing and some overlapping content)
- Maths (will help with maths content on course though this is not hard)
- PE (course contains some psychology)
- History/RS (require analytical skills which you need in psychology)
- Politics/Economics (require an understanding of people’s behaviour)
But you can really combine it with anything you like!
How much science is there in psychology?
Psychology is a ‘social science’ or a ‘soft science’ which means that it is evidence based. It sits somewhere between the ‘hard’ sciences like Biology, Physics and Chemistry and the humanities like Geography, RS and History.
Can you do psychology with no humanities?
Yes.
Do you have to write a lot of essays in psychology?
Most essays are 8 or 16 marks but they are very structured. Exams are made up of questions between 1 and 16 marks. Essays are shorter than most other subjects, which are commonly 25-30 marks.
How much does psychology relate to biology?
There is one module on Biopsychology. More generally, we learn about basic areas of the brain and what they do. University courses tend to involve more biology than the A level.
What topics do you in psychology a level?
- Social Influence
- Attachment
- Memory
- Psychopathy
- Biopsychology
- Approaches in psychology
- Issues and debates in psychology
- Relationships
- Schizophrenia
- Addiction
- Research Methods
How popular is psychology?
Psychology is the 2nd most popular A level in the UK after Maths.
Is psychology a respected degree?
Yes. Psychology is usually a BSc (science) degree and is one of the most popular degrees in the UK. It is widely respected by employers because of the wide range of transferable skills that graduates gain.