AQA Psychology A-level: Cognition and Development From specification 7181, 7182 - Issues and options in Psychology - paper 3 (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!) NOTES: Piaget’s theory of development, schemas, motivation to learn, assimilation/accomodation and evaluation 4 stages of intellectual development and evaluation of studies Vygotsky’s theory of development - language, zone of proximal development, scaffolding and evaluation Baillargeon and infant abilities - violation of expectation research (VOE), physical reasoning and evaluation Selman’s perspective-taking research, stages of perspective taking and evaluation Theory of mind - false belief tasks, eyes tasks, biological basis, role in ASD and evaluation Mirror neuron system - role of mirror neurons, relation to evolution, relation to ASD and evaluation EXAM QUESTIONS: Outline and evaluate Piaget’s theory of cognitive development (16 marks) Outline and evaluate Piaget’s stages of cognitive development (16 marks) Outline and evaluate Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development (16 marks) Discuss Baillargeon’s research into early infant abilities (16 marks) Outline and evaluate Selman’s stages of perspective-taking (16 marks) Outline and evaluate research into Theory of Mind (16 marks) Discuss research into the role of the mirror neuron system in social cognition (16 marks)

** 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!) NOTES: 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 EXAM QUESTIONS: Outline and evaluate the multi-store model of memory (16 marks) Outline and evaluate the working memory model (16 marks) Outline and evaluate the types of long-term memory (16 marks) Outline and evaluate interference theory as an explanation for forgetting (16 marks) Outline and evaluate retrieval failure as an explanation for forgetting (16 marks) Outline and evaluate the effect of misleading information on eye witness testimony (16 marks) Outline and evaluate the effect of anxiety on eye witness testimony (16 marks) Outline and evaluate the use of the cognitive interview in improving the accuracy of eye witness testimony (16 marks)

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!) NOTES: 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 ESSAY QUESTIONS Discuss research into early infant-caregiver interaction (16 marks) Outline and evaluate research by Schaffer and Emerson into attachment (16 marks) Outline and evaluate research into the stages of attachment (16 marks) Outline and evaluate research the role of the father (16 marks) Outline and evaluate animal studies into attachment (16 marks) Outline and evaluate learning theory as an explanation for attachment (16 marks) Outline and evaluate Bowlby’s monotropic theory as an explanation for attachment (16 marks) Outline and evaluate Ainsworth’s ‘Strange Situation’ research (16 marks) Outline and evaluate cultural variations of attachment (16 marks) Outline and evaluate Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation (16 marks) Discuss research into the effects of institutionalization (16 marks) / Outline and evaluate Rutter’s study of Romanian orphans (16 marks) Discuss research into the influence of early attachment (16 marks)

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! **NOTES: ** 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** EXAM QUESTIONS: Outline and evaluate explanations for conformity (16 marks) Discuss research by Asch into conformity (16 marks) Discuss research by Zimbardo into conformity (16 marks) Discuss research by Milgram into obedience (16 marks) Outline and evaluate the situational factors affecting obedience (16 marks) Outline and evaluate legitimacy of authority and the agentic state (16 marks) Outline and evaluate Adorno’s authoritarian personality (16 marks) Discuss social support as an explanation for the resistance to social influence (8 marks) Outline and evaluate Rotter’s LOC as an explanation for resistance to social influence (16 marks) Discuss research into minority influence and its implications on resistance of social influence (16 marks) Outline and evaluate social change and its implications on resistance to social influence (16 marks)

AQA Psychology A-level: Attachment, Memory, Psychopathology and Social Influence 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!) -> These are FULL 16 mark example essays I created for revision, which helped me get my A*! Attachment: Discuss research into early infant-caregiver interaction (16 marks) Outline and evaluate research by Schaffer and Emerson into attachment (16 marks) Outline and evaluate research into the stages of attachment (16 marks) Outline and evaluate research the role of the father (16 marks) Outline and evaluate animal studies into attachment (16 marks) Outline and evaluate learning theory as an explanation for attachment (16 marks) Outline and evaluate Bowlby’s monotropic theory as an explanation for attachment (16 marks) Outline and evaluate Ainsworth’s ‘Strange Situation’ research (16 marks) Outline and evaluate cultural variations of attachment (16 marks) Outline and evaluate Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation (16 marks) Discuss research into the effects of institutionalization (16 marks) / Outline and evaluate Rutter’s study of Romanian orphans (16 marks) Discuss research into the influence of early attachment (16 marks) Memory: Outline and evaluate the multi-store model of memory (16 marks) Outline and evaluate the working memory model (16 marks) Outline and evaluate the types of long-term memory (16 marks) Outline and evaluate interference theory as an explanation for forgetting (16 marks) Outline and evaluate retrieval failure as an explanation for forgetting (16 marks) Outline and evaluate the effect of misleading information on eye witness testimony (16 marks) Outline and evaluate the effect of anxiety on eye witness testimony (16 marks) Outline and evaluate the use of the cognitive interview in improving the accuracy of eye witness testimony (16 marks) Psychopathology: Outline and evaluate two ways of defining abnormality (16 marks) x2 Outline the characteristics of phobias (6 marks) Outline the characteristics of OCD (6 marks) Outline the characteristics of depression (6 marks) Discuss behavioural explanations for phobias (16 marks) Outline and evaluate the behavioural approach to treating phobias (16 marks) Outline and evaluate one or more biological explanation for obsessive-compulsive disorder (16 marks) x2 Discuss the biological approach for treating OCD (16 marks) Outline and evaluate one or more cognitive explanations for depression (16 marks) x2 Discuss the cognitive approach to treating depression (16 marks) Social Influence: Outline and evaluate explanations for conformity (16 marks) Discuss research by Asch into conformity (16 marks) Discuss research by Zimbardo into conformity (16 marks) Discuss research by Milgram into obedience (16 marks) Outline and evaluate the situational factors affecting obedience (16 marks) Outline and evaluate legitimacy of authority and the agentic state (16 marks) Outline and evaluate Adorno’s authoritarian personality (16 marks) Discuss social support as an explanation for the resistance to social influence (8 marks) Outline and evaluate Rotter’s LOC as an explanation for resistance to social influence (16 marks) Discuss research into minority influence and its implications on resistance of social influence (16 marks) Outline and evaluate social change and its implications on resistance to social influence (16 marks)

From A-level specification 7181, 7182 (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!) Here is a complete bundle of all my notes. INCLUDES: Introductory Topics in Psychology Social Influence Memory Attachment Psychopathology Psychology in Context Approaches Biopsychology Research Methods Issues and Options Issues and Debates Cognition and Development Eating Behaviour Forensic Psychology