Psychology

So I have entered my application to sixth form, I orginally chose maths, physics and electronics but I've changed my options to psychology, sociology and law in hopes to work with criminals (maybe mentally ill) when I'm older.

I am just wondering what psychology involves and if it is a difficult subject. Also, would psychology compliment sociology and law?

Reply 1

username3590460

19

Psychology talks a lot about crimes and stuff like that. It’s a lot of work but it’s not hard. Sociology however is :frown:

they are a bit similar. Psychology is 10x more interesting.

Reply 2

DrawTheLine

22

Didn't you research the specification or the syllabus before you chose the subject? Anyway, psychology involves a lot of core studies in year 12 and research methods. That's pretty much all it is (I did OCR). In year 13 you focus more on applied psychology, so in my school we did mental health, child and criminal psychology. You do look at core studies, just not in as much detail but you look at a lot more of them. You study the background of the areas and how they are applied to everyday life. Then it is a lot of exam practice, recap of the studies learnt in year 12 as well as research methods. Yes, it is a bit tricky. I found it difficult to memorise all the studies and distinguish between research methods like types of validity. Also, time management for the applied psychology paper was hard but if you put in enough effort you'll be fine. I got an A* in the end.

Reply 3

leanne.hx

OP

5

I did reseaerch the specification, I infact have it saved in my address bar along with my two other chosen A levels. The sixth form I'm going to does AQA psychology and comparing your notes to the spec, AQA and OCR and similiar.
I asked as I want to be ready and prepare myself. When you say studies, do mean experiments/tests that people have carried out?

Original post by DrawTheLine

Didn't you research the specification or the syllabus before you chose the subject? Anyway, psychology involves a lot of core studies in year 12 and research methods. That's pretty much all it is (I did OCR). In year 13 you focus more on applied psychology, so in my school we did mental health, child and criminal psychology. You do look at core studies, just not in as much detail but you look at a lot more of them. You study the background of the areas and how they are applied to everyday life. Then it is a lot of exam practice, recap of the studies learnt in year 12 as well as research methods. Yes, it is a bit tricky. I found it difficult to memorise all the studies and distinguish between research methods like types of validity. Also, time management for the applied psychology paper was hard but if you put in enough effort you'll be fine. I got an A* in the end.

Reply 4

soIiIoquy

19

apparently you shouldnt take sociology and psych together...

Reply 5

leanne.hx

OP

5

How come? I've never heard that before

Original post by soIiIoquy

apparently you shouldnt take sociology and psych together...

Reply 6

DrawTheLine

22

Original post by leanne.hx

I did reseaerch the specification, I infact have it saved in my address bar along with my two other chosen A levels. The sixth form I'm going to does AQA psychology and comparing your notes to the spec, AQA and OCR and similiar.
I asked as I want to be ready and prepare myself. When you say studies, do mean experiments/tests that people have carried out?

Yeah, core studies that psychologists have carried out. You'll look at the aim, sample, method, design, results, conclusion, criticisms and maybe the background to the study too.

Reply 7

DrawTheLine

22

Original post by soIiIoquy

apparently you shouldnt take sociology and psych together...

Why exactly?

Reply 8

soIiIoquy

19

Original post by leanne.hx

How come? I've never heard that before

idk, apparently sociology and psychology clash and it gets confusing.. something like that

but psychology is hard but very interesting, it's mostly remembering evaluation AO3 points