Hi! These are my A-Level notes, essays and resources I used to sit the 2018 summer exams, in AQA Psychology, AQA Economics and AQA English Literature (achieving A*A*A). Hope you find these useful.
Hi! These are my A-Level notes, essays and resources I used to sit the 2018 summer exams, in AQA Psychology, AQA Economics and AQA English Literature (achieving A*A*A). Hope you find these useful.
AQA Psychology A-level: Research Methods (part 2)
From specification 7181, 7182 - Psychology in context - paper 2 (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!)
Includes
Reliability and validity - measuring, improving, evaluation
Extraneous variables
Data handling - types of data, presentation/display of data, measures of CT, dispersion and standard deviation
Probability and significance - statistical and inferential tests, type 1 vs type 2 errors
Inferential tests
Features of science, writing the scientific report, peer review and evaluation
AQA Psychology A-level: Research Methods (part 1)
From specification 7181, 7182 - Psychology in context (paper 2) I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!
Includes
The basis of experiments
Variables and control
Experimental methods
Experimental design
Non-experimental methods
Sampling techniques
Pilot studies, content analysis and ethical issues
AQA Psychology A-level: Psychopathology
From specification 7181, 7182 - Introductory topics in Psychology (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!)
Includes
Definitions for abnormality and evaluation of each
Phobias - types of phobia, behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics of phobias
Behavioural explanations for phobias - two-process model, Watson and Rayner (1920) and evaluation
Alternative explanations - biological preparedness Seligman (1970)/ Ohman et al (1975) and social learning theory and evaluation
Behavioural approach to treating phobias - systematic desensitization, flooding and evaluation
OCD -behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics of OCD
Biological explanations of OCD - genetic basis (candidate genes) and neural basis (neurotransmitters/brain structures) and evaluation
Biological approach to treating OCD - drug therapy, SSRIs and SNRIs and evaluation
Depression - categories, behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics of depression
Cognitive explanation for depression - Beck’s Negative Triad and Ellis’ ABC model and evaluation
Cognitive approach to treating depression - CBT, Beck’s cognitive therapy, REBT and evaluation
AQA Psychology A-level: Attachment
From specification 7181, 7182 - Introductory topics in Psychology (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!)
Includes
Caregiver-infant interaction
Attachment vs bond, features of attachment and importance of attachment
Studies of early interaction and findings
Reciprocity, Tronick et al (1979), and interactional synchrony, Condon and Ogston (1971)
Attachment development
Schaffer and Emerson longitudinal study and evaluation
Stages of attachment and evaluation
Attachment figures - Grossman (2002) and fathers as primary caregivers, and evaluation
Animal studies
Lorenz’s geese studies and evaluation - imprinting for survival and critical period
Harlow’s monkey study and evaluation, including experiment variations and findings
Explanations for attachment
Learning theory - classical conditioning and operant conditioning (Skinner) - and evaluation
Bowlby’s monotropic theory and evaluation - instinctive attachment, monotropy, internal working model etc.
Types of attachment
Ainsworth’s Strange Situation (1970) and evaluation of attachment types
Causes of individual differences in attachment
Cultural variations in attachment - Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg (1988) and evaluation
Deprivation
Bowlby’s theory of Maternal Deprivation and 44 thieves study, and evaluation
Romanian orphan study - Rutter et al and evaluation
Effects of institutionalisation, disinhibited attachment and evaluation
Influence of early attachment
Hazen and Shaver (1987) - study for internal working model
Evidence for behaviour influenced by internal working model and evaluation
AQA Psychology A-level: Memory
From specification 7181, 7182 - Introductory topics in Psychology (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!)
Includes:
The Multi-store model of memory - Atkinson and Shiffrin - detailed explanation of components and evaluation
The Working Memory model - detailed explanation of central executive, visuo-spatial sketchpad, phonological loop and episodic buffer and evaluation
Types of long-term memory (Tulving 1985)
Procedural vs declarative memory, episodic vs semantic memory and evaluation
Explanations for forgetting - interference theory and evaluation and retrieval failure and evaluation
Eye witness testimony - impact of misleading information through leading questions, post-event discussion and evaluation of misleading information
Effect of anxiety on EWT (positive and negative effect plus studies) and evaluation
Improving the accuracy of EWT - The Cognitive Interview and evaluation
AQA Psychology A-level: Social Influence
From specification 7181, 7182 - Paper 1: Introductory topics in Psychology (I achieved an A* in Psycholology A-level in 2018, across all three papers)
Includes a lot of evaluation! - AO3 needed for high marks!
Types of conformity - compliance, identification and internalisation
Explanations for conformity - normative and informational social influence
Factors affecting conformity - group size, unanimity, task difficulty and relevant studies
Evaluation of conformity (A03)
Conformity to social roles - Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison experiment and evaluation
Explanations for obedience - Agentic state and legitimacy of authority
Situational variables: proximity, location and uniform
Dispositional explanations - the Authoritarian personality and evaluation
Resistance to social influence and social change
Explanations for resistance - locus of control, social support and evaluation
Role of minority influence - commitment, consistency and flexibility principles and evaluation
Role of social influence in social change, Civil Rights, snowballing effect