Specification points

Edexcel A-level Psychology 9PS0

261 points in 9 topics, with Edexcel's codes and titles.

Codes and titles are read by a script from Edexcel's published specification and have not been checked by a person. What each point covers is in the specification itself: Edexcel’s specification.

1 Social psychology

1.1 Content
1.1.1 Theories of obedience, including agency theory and social impact theory
1.1.2 Milgram's research into obedience
1.1.3 Factors affecting obedience and dissent
1.1.4 Explanations of prejudice
1.1.5 Factors affecting prejudice (and discrimination), including individual differences (personality), situation and culture
1.1.6 Individual differences in obedience/prejudice
1.1.7 Developmental psychology in obedience/prejudice
1.2 Methods
1.2.1 Designing and conducting questionnaires and interviews, considering researcher effects
1.2.2 Unstructured, semi-structured and structured interviews, open, closed (including ranked scale) questions
1.2.3 Alternate hypotheses
1.2.4 Random, stratified, volunteer and opportunity techniques
1.2.5 Analysing quantitative data
1.2.6 Analysis of qualitative data using thematic analysis
1.2.7 BPS code of ethics
1.3 Studies
1.3.1 Sherif et al. (1954/1961) Intergroup conflict and cooperation: The Robbers Cave Experiment
1.3.2 Burger (2009) Replicating Milgram: Would people still obey today?
1.3.3 Reicher and Haslam (2006) Rethinking the psychology of tyranny
1.3.4 Cohrs et al. (2012) on prejudice
1.4 Key questions
1.4.1 A key question for society
1.4.2 Applying social psychology to the key question
1.5 Practical investigation
1.5.1 Social psychology practical research
1.6 Issues and debates

2 Cognitive psychology

2.1 Content
2.1.1 The working memory model (Baddeley and Hitch, 1974)
2.1.2 Multi-store model of memory
2.1.3 Explanation of long-term memory – episodic and semantic memory (Tulving, 1972)
2.1.4 Reconstructive memory (Bartlett, 1932) including schema theory
2.1.5 Individual differences in memory
2.1.6 Developmental psychology and memory
2.2 Methods
2.2.1 Designing and conducting experiments, including field and laboratory experiments
2.2.2 Independent and dependent variables
2.2.3 Experimental and null hypotheses
2.2.4 Directional (one-tailed) and non-directional (two-tailed) tests and hypotheses
2.2.5 Experimental and research designs: repeated measures, independent groups and matched pairs
2.2.6 Operationalisation of variables, extraneous variables and confounding variables
2.2.7 Counterbalancing, randomisation and order effects
2.2.8 Situational and participant variables
2.2.9 Objectivity, reliability and validity (internal, predictive and ecological)
2.2.10 Experimenter effects, demand characteristics and control issues
2.2.11 Quantitative data analysis
2.2.12 Decision making and interpretation of inferential statistics
2.2.13 Case studies of brain-damaged patients including HM
2.3 Studies
2.3.1 Baddeley (1966b) acoustic and semantic similarity
2.3.2 Schmolck et al. (2002) semantic knowledge in HM
2.3.3 Steyvers and Hemmer (2012) Reconstruction from memory in naturalistic environments
2.3.4 Sebastián and Hernández-Gil (2012) Developmental pattern of digit span in Spanish population
2.4 Key questions
2.4.1 A key question for society: cognitive psychology
2.4.2 Applying cognitive psychology to the key question
2.5 Practical investigation
2.5.1 Cognitive psychology practical research
2.6 Issues and debates

3 Biological psychology

3.1 Content
3.1.1 Central nervous system and neurotransmitters
3.1.2 Recreational drugs and synaptic transmission
3.1.3 Brain structure and aggression
3.1.4 Evolution, natural selection and aggression
3.1.5 Biological versus psychodynamic explanations of aggression
3.1.6 Hormones and aggression
3.1.7 Individual differences
3.1.8 Developmental psychology
3.2 Methods
3.2.1 Correlational research
3.2.2 Analysis of correlational data
3.2.3 Other biological research methods
3.3 Studies
3.3.1 Raine et al. (1997) brain abnormalities in murderers
3.3.2 Li et al. (2013) heroin addiction and the brain
3.3.3 Brendgen et al. (2005) twins and social aggression
3.3.4 Van den Oever et al. (2008) heroin relapse
3.4 Key questions
3.4.1 A key question for society: biological psychology
3.4.2 Applying biological psychology to the key question
3.5 Practical investigation
3.5.1 Biological psychology practical research
3.6 Issues and debates

4 Learning theories

4.1 Content
4.1.1 Classical conditioning
4.1.2 Pavlov (1927) experiment with salivation in dogs
4.1.3 Operant conditioning
4.1.4 Properties of reinforcement, including primary and secondary reinforcement and schedules of reinforcement
4.1.5 Behaviour modification, including ‘shaping’ behaviour
4.1.6 Social learning theory
4.1.7 Social learning ‘stages’ of attention, retention, reproduction and motivation (reinforcement)
4.1.8 Bandura (1961, 1963) original Bobo doll experiments
4.1.9 Bandura (1965) Bobo doll experiment with vicarious reinforcement
4.1.10 How learning theories explain the acquisition and maintenance of phobias
4.1.11 Treatments for phobias
4.1.12 Individual differences
4.1.13 Developmental psychology
4.2 Methods
4.2.1 Human research
4.2.2 Animal research
4.2.3 Analysis of data
4.2.4 Scientific status of psychology
4.3 Studies
4.3.1 Watson and Rayner (1920) Little Albert: Conditioned emotional reactions
4.3.2 Becker et al. (2002) television and eating in Fiji
4.3.3 Bastian et al. (2011) Cyber-dehumanization: Violent video game play diminishes our humanity
4.3.4 Capafóns et al. (1998) fear of flying
4.4 Key questions
4.4.1 A key question for society: biological psychology
4.4.2 Applying learning theories to the key question
4.5 Practical investigation
4.5.1 Learning theories practical: observations
4.6 Issues and debates

5 Clinical psychology

5.1 Content
5.1.1 Diagnosis of mental disorders, including deviance, dysfunction, distress, and danger
5.1.2 Classification systems for mental health
5.1.3 Schizophrenia and one other disorder
5.1.4 Treatments for schizophrenia and the other disorder
5.1.5 Individual differences
5.1.6 Developmental psychology
5.2 Methods
5.2.1 Awareness of Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) guidelines for clinical practitioners
5.2.2 Methods for researching mental health
5.2.3 The use of case studies, to include an example study
5.2.4 The use of interviews in clinical psychology, to include an example study
5.3 Studies
5.3.1 Rosenhan (1973) On being sane in insane places
5.3.2 Carlsson et al. (2000) Network interactions in schizophrenia – therapeutic implications
5.3.3 Kroenke et al. (2008) the PHQ-8
5.3.4 Williams et al. (2013) imagery and depression
5.3.5 Scott-Van Zeeland et al. (2013) anorexia genes
5.3.6 Guardia et al. (2012) body actions in anorexia
5.3.7 Masellis et al. (2003) Quality of life in OCD
5.3.8 March et al. (2004) CBT and sertraline
5.4 Key questions
5.4.1 A key question for society
5.4.2 Applying clinical psychology to the key question
5.5 Practical investigation
5.5.1 Clinical psychology practical research
5.6 Issues and debates

6 Criminological psychology

6.1 Content
6.1.1 Biological explanations, including brain injury, amygdala and aggression, XYY syndrome and personality
6.1.2 Social explanations, including labelling, self-fulfilling prophecy
6.1.3 Cognitive interview and ethical interview techniques
6.1.4 Psychological formulation of offending
6.1.5 One cognitive-behavioural treatment e.g. CBT, social skills training, anger management, assertiveness training
6.1.6 One biological treatment, e.g. improved diet, hormone treatment
6.1.7 Factors influencing eye-witness testimony
6.1.8 Factors influencing jury decision-making
6.1.9 Individual differences
6.1.10 Developmental psychology
6.2 Methods
6.2.1 Research methods in criminological psychology
6.2.2 Sample selection and techniques
6.2.3 Issues in criminological research
6.2.4 Data analysis
6.2.5 BPS ethical guidelines
6.3 Studies
6.3.1 Loftus and Palmer (1974)
6.3.2 Bradbury and Williams (2013) race and juries
6.3.3 Valentine and Mesout (2009) eyewitnesses under stress
6.3.4 Howells et al. (2005) anger management
6.4 Key questions
6.4.1 A key issue for society: criminological psychology
6.4.2 Applying criminological psychology to the key question
6.5 Practical investigation
6.5.1 Criminological psychology practical research
6.6 Issues and debates

7 Child psychology

7.1 Content
7.1.1 Bowlby’s work on attachment
7.1.2 Ainsworth and the Strange Situation
7.1.3 Research into deprivation
7.1.4 Research into privation
7.1.5 Research into day care
7.1.6 Cross-cultural research into attachment types and nature-nurture issues that arise about development
7.1.7 Autism
7.1.8 Individual differences
7.1.9 Developmental psychology
7.2 Methods
7.2.1 Observation
7.2.2 Questionnaire/interview
7.2.3 Cross-cultural research
7.2.4 Ethics of research with children
7.2.5 Data analysis
7.3 Studies
7.3.1 van IJzendoorn and Kroonenberg (1988)
7.3.2 Cassibba et al. (2013) Attachment the Italian way
7.3.3 Gagnon-Oosterwaal et al. (2012) adoption
7.3.4 Li et al. (2013) child care and development
7.4 Key questions
7.4.1 A key issue for society: child psychology
7.4.2 Applying child psychology to the key question
7.5 Practical investigation
7.5.1 Child psychology practical research
7.6 Issues and debates

8 Health psychology

8.1 Content
8.1.1 Issues around drug taking, including addiction, tolerance, physical and psychological dependency, withdrawal
8.1.2 Biological explanations of addiction
8.1.3 One learning explanation each for alcohol, heroin and nicotine addiction
8.1.4 Two treatments each for alcohol, heroin and nicotine addiction, including aversion therapy
8.1.5 One anti-drug campaign and the psychological strategies behind it
8.1.6 Individual differences
8.1.7 Developmental psychology
8.2 Methods
8.2.1 Use of animals in health psychology research
8.2.2 Human drug studies
8.2.3 The use of cross-cultural research, including nature-nurture issues related to drug misuse
8.2.4 Data analysis
8.3 Studies
8.3.1 Olds and Milner (1954)
8.3.2 Mundt et al. (2012) peers and alcohol
8.3.3 Dixit et al. (2012) alcohol risk behaviour
8.3.4 Pengpid et al. (2012) brief alcohol intervention
8.4 Key questions
8.4.1 A key issue for society: health psychology
8.4.2 Applying health psychology to the key question
8.5 Practical investigation
8.5.1 Health psychology practical research
8.6 Issues and debates

9 Psychological skills

9.1 Methods
9.1.1 Types of data: qualitative and quantitative data; primary and secondary data
9.1.2 Sampling techniques: random, stratified, volunteer and opportunity
9.1.3 Experimental/research designs: independent groups, repeated measures and matched pairs
9.1.4 Hypotheses: null, alternate, experimental; directional and non-directional
9.1.5 Questionnaires and interviews
9.1.6 Experiments: laboratory and field; independent and dependent variables
9.1.7 Observations
9.1.8 Twin, adoption, animal and case studies
9.1.9 Control issues in research
9.1.10 Descriptive statistics
9.1.11 Inferential statistics Decision making and interpretation
9.1.12 Methodological issues
9.1.13 Analysis of qualitative data (thematic analysis and grounded theory)
9.1.14 Conventions of published psychological research
9.1.15 Ethics in research with humans
9.1.16 Ethics in research with animals
9.2 Synoptic review of studies
9.2.1 Comparing classic studies
9.2.2 Classic studies and issues and debates
9.2.3 Evaluating unseen material
9.3 Issues and debates
9.3.1 Ethical issues in research (animal and human)
9.3.2 Practical issues in the design and implementation of research
9.3.3 Reductionism in the explanation of behaviour
9.3.4 Comparisons of ways of explaining behaviour using different themes
9.3.5 Psychology as a science
9.3.6 Cultural and gender issues in psychological research
9.3.7 The role of both nature and nurture in psychology
9.3.8 An understanding of how psychological understanding has developed over time
9.3.9 The use of psychology in social control
9.3.10 The use of psychological knowledge in society
9.3.11 Issues related to socially-sensitive research