Exam Board: OCR
In GCSE Psychology, you will look at six main areas of human behaviour:
Criminal behaviour​
You will investigate whether criminal behaviour is a learned behaviour or are we born criminals? You will also assess the effectiveness of both punishment and rehabilitation.
Memory
You will investigate different theories and explanations of how our memory works. Why do we remember certain facts and experiences and forget others? What are the different types of amnesia? What techniques can we use to improve our memory?
Development
You will explore how we develop intellectually. Should students be taught according to their ability and not in year groups? Do fixed and growth mind-sets make a difference to how we learn? Are individuals born intelligent?
Psychological problems
You will consider a range of mental health disorders. What are the characteristics of individuals with disorders such as schizophrenia? How can we challenge the stigma and discrimination associated with mental health disorders? Should medication be used to improve mental health?
Obedience
You will discuss why an individual’s behaviour changes when they are in a crowd. What caused the behaviour demonstrated in the London riots? Do we behave differently depending on the situation we are in? Are some individuals born obedient and others born defiant?
Sleep and dreaming
You will record your own sleep and dreaming log in order to analyse your behaviour. How many hours do you sleep for? Do all people dream? What is the meaning behind your dreams? How can you improve your sleep? What treatments can be used to treat insomnia?
Research methods
Can you design your own experiment to test human behaviour? How can you ensure you protect the people involved in your experiment? Who would you choose and why? How will you present and assess your results?
GCSE Psychology will advance your understanding of human behaviour. You will develop the ability to assess evidence relating to human behaviour and make judgements using real life case studies and evidence.
A GCSE in Psychology is a pathway to a number of careers. Examples include a forensic psychologist, counsellor, sport psychologist, counsellor, child psychologist and a range of health and social care occupations.
Paper 1 – 50% weighting of the overall grade (90 marks)
Paper 2 – 50% weighting of the overall grade (90 marks)