GCSE Psychology 2017 –

Scheme of Work

Contents
GCSE Psychology: introduction to the Scheme of Work 2 
Exemplar Scheme of Work 2 
Year 1 3 
Development 3 
Memory 5 
Psychological problems 7 
The brain and neuropsychology 10 
Year 2 12 
Social influence 12 
Optional topics 13 
Criminal 13 
The self 14 
Perception 15 
Sleep and dreaming 16 
Language, thought and communication 17 

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 GCSE Psychology 2017 – Scheme of Work

GCSE Psychology: introduction to the Scheme of

Work

This document is intended to be an example of how the new GCSE course could be
delivered over a two-year period in a typical school setting. It is not prescriptive
and each topic has been treated separately so that, if the scheme is used as a basic
pattern, the order in which topics are taught can be modified to suit the individual.
The course planner document sets out other strategies for teaching and can be
used, in conjunction with this document, to provide a scheme of work tailored to
your needs.
There is a wealth of materials available on the internet that can be used to enrich the
learning experience. As all teachers are aware, there is always a trade-off between
enrichment and covering the specification requirements in sufficient detail. The
judgement about where the balance lies is unique to each centre and the suggested
resources and strategies are just that, suggestions. Much more could be included, far
less could be done: decisions must be made to suit both teacher and students.

Exemplar Scheme of Work

This exemplar is for teaching over two years with research methods integrated.
Many of the papers referred to can be found quickly on the internet by using google
scholar. Type author(s) names a year and a key term into the search box at:
http://scholar.google.co.uk/

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GCSE Psychology 2017 – Scheme of Work
Year 1
Development
Week Development Content
1 What is psychology? The brain and the mind
A general introduction Using behaviour to
to the subject understand the mind
Thinking about how to
assess/measure
behaviour and science
What is meant by Explore the concept of
developmental development, why most
psychology? focus is placed on child
development and why
understanding change is
important.
2 Developmental stages Developmental stages
from birth to adulthood
Guideline ages and key
changes
Development of the Early brain development
brain including critical parts of
brain
3 Piaget’s Key aspects of Piaget’s
developmental theory, including schema
theory, including an theory
evaluation of the How the process of
theory development comes
about
Strengths and
weaknesses of the theory
© Pearson Education Ltd 2017.
Suggested resources
and strategies
Ask students to investigate
what makes subjects
sciences. Match up the
criteria that are said to
make a subject a science
against psychology. E.g.
Using experiments.
Resource: cards showing
subjective and objective
criteria for sorting, to show
how objective criteria are
generally seen as scientific
and subjective criteria as
non-scientific.
Ask small groups to chart
and then share logs of the
different types of change,
e.g. physical, social,
language, thinking. These
categories could be
subdivided into age bands if
more subgroups would be
useful.
Ask students to interview
their parents about when
some key developmental
milestones happened in
their lives – e.g. first tooth,
first steps – to emphasise
variability.
Resource: video sharing
sites (such as YouTube)
offer clips to illustrate
developmental changes.
Either a model of the brain
or video clips showing
brain scans of
development.
Resource: video sharing
sites (such as YouTube)
offer clips showing
observations of
conservation tasks.
Use a model of Piaget and
Inhelder’s ‘Three mountains
task’ to recreate the study
scenario.
3
 GCSE Psychology 2017 – Scheme of Work

Ethical issues in Ethical issues of Pose the question: why are

psychological research, including ethical guidelines
research working with children necessary?
Introduce the British Begin with safeguarding,
Psychological Society’s which students will already
(BPS) ethical guidance be familiar with.
4 Observation as a Undertake an observation
research method using internet clips of
Study: Piaget and Piaget and Inhelder children playing. Ask
Inhelder (1956) (1956) study: use students to decide on
framework of aim, suitable categories and
procedure, findings and agree on definitions of
conclusions (APFC) for behaviour. Use simple
description then evaluate comparisons for inter-rater
using strengths and reliability.
weaknesses.
5 Dweck’s mindset Fixed and growth Facilitate a discussion on
theory mindsets: what they are, mindset theory in e.g.
how they are recognised Times Educational
and the implications for Supplement as part of the
development and success evaluation.
Strengths and e.g.
weaknesses of the theory www.tes.com/news/school-
news/breaking-news/carol-
dweck-whole-idea-growth-
mindset-say-yes-they-can
6 Study: Gunderson et Gunderson et al. (2013) Teachers produce a
al. (2013) study: use APFC summary of the Gunderson
framework for description et al. paper showing key
then evaluate using points to help consolidate
strengths and them.
weaknesses.
Correlation, drawing Use data from Gunderson
and interpreting et al. paper to explore
scatter diagrams correlations and what they
show.
Produce a class correlation
using self-report data, e.g.
estimated self-esteem and
a self-esteem score
generated by responses to
questions or from
observation (week 4).
7 Willingham’s learning Willingham has a ‘Science
theory of and Education’ blog that he
development uses to present his ideas.
8 Evaluation of Strengths and Tie in with Dweck and
Willingham’s learning weaknesses of the theory Willingham, and higher-
theory order moral reasoning
Issues and debates:
moral development,
including Piaget’s
view

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9 Moral development, Kohlberg’s view of moral Use Heinz’ dilemma,

continued development including gender issues on
Look at more recent moral development Can be
views of development as found on e.g. Wikipedia
evaluation.
End-of-topic test Use questions from SAMs
or past papers to develop a
short test.

Memory

Week Memory Content Suggested resources

and strategies
10 The information Use of computer analogy Use memory experiments
processing approach (flow diagram) to illustrate the stages of
Stages of memory Understanding memory. E.g. serial
including short-term hardware/software position curve, Brown-
memory (STM) and distinction Peterson technique. There
long-term memory are many more.
(LTM)
Bar charts and Use bar charts and
histograms histograms to illustrate
evidence from e.g.
Peterson and Peterson
(1959) (see week 12).
11 Atkinson and Describe and evaluate Miller The Magical Number
Shiffrin’s Multi-store MSM with both Seven+/-2
Model of Memory supporting and Glanzer and Cunitz (1966)
(MSM) (1968) contradictory evidence.
Murdoch (1962)
Normal distribution, Normal distribution: use
percentages and data from a memory
fractions experiment to show
distribution and introduce
the concept of normal
distribution, percentages
and fractions.
12 Experiments as a Define an ‘experiment’ – Build on experience from
research method i.e. the key features – class experiments run over
Study: Peterson and and differentiate between the previous two weeks to
Peterson (1959) methods. introduce the experiment as
Peterson and Peterson a method with evaluation of
(1959) study: use APFC the different types (i.e. lab,
framework for description field, natural).
then evaluate using Ask students to suggest
strengths and ways to make traditional
weaknesses. memory experiments more
realistic, e.g. make a
shopping list of things they
may need to buy/acquire
when setting up a new flat
for themselves.

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13 Bartlett’s Theory of Components of Bartlett’s Read a story that students

Reconstructive theory Contrast with will be required to
Memory (1932), MSM, which emphasises remember at the start of
including description, structure whereas next week’s lesson. Taking
evidence and Bartlett emphasises into account the more global
evaluation process nature of modern society,
choose a story that is as
alien to students as ‘War of
the Ghosts’ would have
been 90 years ago. Consider
cultures that are not so well
known, such as the
Australian aboriginal culture,
nomadic cultures from
Mongolia or fictitious alien
cultures from science fiction.
14 Study: Bartlett’s War Bartlett’s (1932) War of Do an unexpected recall
of the Ghosts (1932) the Ghosts study: use task the week after you
APFC framework for introduced students to an
description then evaluate original story (see
using strengths and week 13).
weaknesses.

Variables in research As students become more Brainstorm in groups all of

and how to control familiar with the the variables that might
them experiment as a research affect a study.
tool, consider variables
and how they should be
dealt with:
● independent and
dependent variables
● situational variables
● participant variables.
15 Amnesia: retrograde Defining amnesia: Resource: video sharing
and anterograde ● retrograde – possible sites (such as YouTube)
causes, e.g. trauma offer clips of e.g. Clive
such as concussion, Wearing showing how
Alzheimer’s disease anterograde amnesia
causes the ‘waking for the
● anterograde – first time’ phenomenon.
possible causes
including drugs
16 Designing studies: Study designs: strengths Useful examples that raise
independent groups, and weaknesses many issues for discussion
repeated measures, Undertake a design include:
matched pairs exercise to apply what 1 the effect of alcohol on
students have learned reaction time (great for
about experiments and raising ethical as well
their design. as practical issues)
2 left versus right
handers and some skill
or ability, such as how
good they at maths
(avoid tasks that would
be naturally easier or

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harder depending on
which hand is used)
3 blondes v brunettes on
test performance
(where do artificial hair
colours belong?)
4 different ways of
teaching reading to
children
5 organised versus
unorganised wordlists
and the effect on recall
6 how context can
influence memory
(location, smell, taste,
or sound).
17 Reductionism and Breaking down ideas into Assign students to small
holism simpler components to groups and give each
ease understanding or group an idea to break
seeing the bigger picture down. Suitable examples
The usefulness of both from material already
reductionism and holism covered in the course
in understanding complex would be conservation or
ideas and behaviour. the stages of memory.

End-of-topic test Use questions from SAMs

or past papers to develop a
short test.

Psychological problems

Week Psychological Content Suggested resources

problems and strategies
18 Introduction to mental What is a psychological Resource: video sharing
health issues, problem? sites (such as YouTube)
depression and (Distress/dysfunction offer clips of interviews as
addiction (description concepts are useful here) a means of understanding
of symptoms) Depression and depression and addiction.
Diagnosis and the addiction: use the Ask students to either
International symptoms list from ICD interview elderly relatives
Classification of as a framework to about or watch videos
Diseases (ICD) understand what showing changes in
symptoms are and why knowledge and/or
they are important. attitudes towards mental
Use of ICD as a or physical disorders.
diagnostic tool
Change in incidence over
time: is this due to
changes in society
creating new pressures or
better recognition of
problems?

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Issues of reliability Use diagnosis to consider Ask students to collect

and validity reliability and validity primary and secondary
Primary and Collecting evidence for data about themselves,
secondary data diagnoses and how this e.g. historical record of
can come from both performance and a current
primary (e.g. interview) assessment.
and secondary (e.g.
hospital records) data
19 Depression: genetic The role of genes in Students will be familiar
explanation determining behaviour with the concept of genetic
Short form of HTTLPR propensity in physical
gene and its possible role disorders – ask them to
in clinical depression, look at how much
including evaluation of predictability this gives in
strengths and order to show that
weaknesses. propensity is not the same
as inevitability.
Genetic aspect of brain
abnormalities, such as Use evidence from drug
neurotransmitter treatments to show
anomalies and their potential weakness in the
possible role in simple genetic arguments.
depression, including
evaluation of strengths
and weaknesses.
20 Depression: cognitive Faulty cognitions as a Use evidence from soaps
explanation cause of depression – etc. to show how faulty
Study: Caspi et al. include Beck, Ellis and cognitions can develop.
(2003) also Seligman, as well as
evaluation of strengths
and weaknesses.
Caspi et al. (2003) study:
use APFC framework for
description, evaluate
using strengths and
weaknesses.
Writing hypotheses Write hypotheses for Use graphs and data in
Drawing and experimental design Caspi et al. study to aid
interpreting frequency exercises undertaken on understanding of how to
graphs memory. draw and interpret
frequency graphs.
21 Addiction: genetic The issue of whether Use resources for a debate
explanation there is a genetic basis – the genetic explanation
for addictive behaviour is a hotly contested issue
Susceptibility of in the media. There are
individuals to the excellent articles and
addictive component of research papers that lay
the dopamine reward out the evidence on both
system sides.

Evaluation of these E.g.

explanations including https://www.drugabuse.go
strengths and v
weaknesses /sites/default/files/genetics
.pdf

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Newspapers and popular

videos tend to oversimplify
and sensationalise while
using little real evidence.
22 Addiction: learning Role of classical Ask students to compare
explanation conditioning in the the classical conditioning
development of addiction and social learning theory
Role of operant aspects of experiences
conditioning in the they have had with those
maintenance of addictive of their parents and
behaviour grandparents. Consider the
ease/difficulty of resisting.
Social learning theory as
an explanation of how
people can be introduced
to addictive behaviour
Evaluation of these
explanations including
strengths and
weaknesses
23 The use of cognitive Explain and evaluate CBT. Students could conduct an
behavioural therapy CBT as the preferred internet search on CBT and
(CBT) for treating treatment for depression how it is delivered,
depression including self-help
Increased use of CBT for systems.
The use of CBT for other disorders, in
treating addiction particular addiction
24 Therapeutic drugs as Drug treatment e.g.
treatments methadone, antabuse
Study: Young (2007) Young (2007) study:
using CBT for addiction –
use APFC framework for
description then evaluate
using strengths and
weaknesses.
Sampling Target populations and Ask students to select
sampling rationale different types of sample
Types of sample including from their school
random, stratified, population to answer a
volunteer and brief questionnaire they
opportunity have devised (using only
closed questions).
An overview of Remind students about Ask students to use data
arithmetic and basic computations from various samples they
numerical including measures of have collected to practice
computation central tendency and computations. What do
variance their results show?
Use of the appropriate
number of decimal places
25 Nature and nurture The contrast between
issues nature and nurture
explanations as
exemplified in mental
health issues

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The interactionist
perspective and diathesis
stress
End-of-topic test Use questions from SAMs
or past papers to develop
a short test.

The brain and neuropsychology

Week The brain and Content Suggested resources

neuropsychology and strategies
26 Anatomy of the brain Identify and understand Resource: video sharing
the function and location sites (such as YouTube)
of the lobes of the brain, offer clips showing brain
cerebellum and corpus anatomy.
callosum.
27 Synapses and Understand the function Resource: video sharing
neurotransmitters of and processes involved sites (such as YouTube)
in the central nervous offer clips showing
system (CNS), synaptic synaptic function, etc.
transmission and
neurotransmitters.
28 Brain lateralisation Left and right dominance Observe seating
(1) Gender differences in preferences in a room as
brain lateralisation an example of Right–Left
preference. (Ensure the
entrance is centre back.)
29 Brain lateralisation Causes of differential
(2) lateralisation
Study: Sperry (1968) Sperry (1968) study: use
APFC framework for
description then evaluate
using strengths and
weaknesses.
30 Neurological damage How neurological damage Use media sources to
and its effects (1) can occur and the wide illustrate visual agnosia
variety of effects and prosopagnosia.
Introduction to the
problems associated with
visual agnosia and
prosopagnosia
31 Neurological damage The impact of damage to
and its effects (2) the pre-frontal cortex
Why case studies are
used for studying such
disorders
32 The case study The case study as a Resource: video sharing
method research method, sites (such as YouTube)
Study: Damasio et al. including strengths and offer clips showing the
(1994) weaknesses skull and the tamping iron.

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Damasio et al. (1994)

study: use APFC
framework for description
then evaluate using
strengths and
weaknesses.
33 Historical perspectives Use of brain and CNS Use a card sorting activity
and psychology research to show how to put developments into
understanding and chronological order.
research methods evolve
over time
Use of modern
technologies to aid
understanding
End-of-topic test Use questions from SAMs
or past papers to develop
a short test.

Week Content
34 Revision
35 End-of-year examinations
36 End-of-year examinations

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Year 2
Social influence

Week Social influence Content Suggested resources

and strategies
1 Bystander behaviour Explain the concept of The case of Kitty
social influence – start Genovese, although
from everyday somewhat discredited
experiences. these days, is a good,
Bystander behaviour: salutary starting point. The
helping and inactivity story is available on
including work by Darley Wikipedia
and Latané
2 Factors affecting Factors affecting
bystander behaviour bystander behaviour,
including personal and
situational factors
Study: Piliavin et al. Piliavin et al. (1969) Use data from study to
(1969) study: use APFC practice measures of
Mean, median, mode framework for central tendency and
and range description then evaluate dispersion, as well as
using strengths and converting data between
Convert data between
weaknesses. tabular and graphical
tables and graphs
forms.

3 Conformity Nature of conformity

Factors affecting Informational and
conformity normative conformity
Mediating factors in
levels of conformity,
including personal and
situational factors
4 Study: Haney, Banks Stanford Prison Use media resources for
and Zimbardo experiment (1973): use original study material.
Stanford Prison APFC framework for http://www.prisonexp.org/
experiment (1973) description then evaluate
using strengths and
weaknesses.
Qualitative and Questionnaires and Design a questionnaire
quantitative data, interviews with open and closed
questionnaires and questions to teach
interviews students about qualitative
and quantitative data.
5 Obedience Nature of obedience There are both historical
Distinction between videos and more recent
obedience and replications of Milgram’s
conformity classic study available
online. They all make for
Consider the wide sobering viewing.
variability in factors
affecting obedience, E.g. Milgram’s variation
including personal and studies. Meeus &
situational factors. Raaijmakers (1986)

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Slater et al (2006)
Hamilton & Sanders
(1995)
6 Behaviour of crowds Issues relating to Examples from riots,
and individuals within deindividuation. peaceful demonstration,
crowds. Effect of Pro and anti-social the military etc. Try to
collective behaviour. behaviour make current for the
students.
7 Blind obedience and Strategies to enable Use classic real-life data to
how to prevent it people to retain the illustrate the factors
autonomous state and involved.
resist blind obedience
8 Role of social and Understand the
cultural issues in terminology.
psychology. Relate research about
social influence to
explaining issues in
society
End-of-topic test Use questions from SAMs
or past papers to develop
a short test.

Optional topics
Criminal

Week Criminal Content Suggested resources

and strategies
1 Skinner’s Operant The principles of Operant
Conditioning Theory Conditioning (OC)
(1948) Theory, and its strengths
and weaknesses
How OC can be used to
explain criminal
behaviour
2 Bandura’s Social The principles of Social
Learning Theory Learning Theory (SLT),
(1977) and its strengths and
weaknesses
How SLT can be used to
explain criminal
behaviour
3 Study: Bandura, Bandura, Ross and Ross Resource: clips from the
Ross and Ross (1961) study: use APFC Bandura studies are
(1961) framework for description available on the internet.
Study: Charlton et then evaluate using
al. (2000) strengths and
weaknesses.
Charlton et al. (2000)
study: use APFC

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framework for description

4 Eysenck’s biological
explanation of
criminality (1964)
5 Punishment and
recidivism
6 Treating offenders
7 End-of-topic test
then evaluate using
strengths and
weaknesses.
Eysenck’s personality Resource: Eysenck’s
theory and underpinning personality questionnaire
biological explanation for is available on the internet
extraversion, so students can try it out
introversion, neuroticism for themselves. Just put
and psychoticism the term in your search
The relationship of engine to find sites which
extraversion, neuroticism give pdf versions you can
and psychoticism to use.
criminality
Punishment, linked back
to OC
Prison, community
sentencing and
restorative justice.
Recidivism: what it is,
why it happens and how
to reduce it
Alternatives to Facilitate a debate on what
punishment students think prison is
Understanding how to for.
change behaviour using
psychological principles,
e.g. anger management,
token economy
Use questions from SAMs
or past papers to develop
a short test.

The self

Week The self Content Suggested resources and

1 Self-concept (Lewis, The self-concept,
1990) development and the
rouge test (Lewis &
Brookes-Gunn) to chart
emergence
2 Humanistic Rogers’ view of the self-
explanation of the concept and its
self (Rogers, 1959 relationship to parental
& 1951, and attitudes
Maslow, 1943) Maslow’s hierarchy of
needs and the relationship
to the self
strategies
Search online for video clips
of the rouge test or an
appropriately aged child
with parental co-operation
for observation.
Use recall from childhood to
show unconditional positive
regard.

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3 Study: Van Houtte Van Houtte and Jarvis

and Jarvis (1995) (1995) study: use APFC
Erikson (1959) framework for description
then evaluate using
Baumeister (2008) strengths and weaknesses.
Erikson’s theory of the
stages of identity
development
Baumeister’s theory of
self: the need to belong
and self-defeating
behaviour
4 Study: Vohs and Vohs and Schooler (2008) Facilitate a brainstorming
Schooler (2008) study: use APFC session on external
External and framework for description influences.
internal factors then evaluate using
strengths and weaknesses.
How external and internal
factors mediate the
development of self
5 Measuring Idiographic and Materials related to TAT and
personality nomothetic approaches to Rorschach tests
measuring personality utpsyc.org/TATintro/
Thematic Apperception theinkblot.com
test (TAT) and Rorschach
test as idiographic
methods
6 Trait theories of Eysenck’s Personality Both EPI and OCEAN tests
personality Inventory (EPI) and are available on the
OCEAN traits (openness, internet so students can try
conscientiousness, them out for themselves.
extraversion, Just put the terms in your
agreeableness, and search engine to find
neuroticism) etc. as versions you can use.
nomothetic tests
e.g.
Link to trait theories of
Eysenck, Allport (1936), outofservice.com/bigfive/
Cattell and the Big Five personality-
(e.g. Costa and McCrae) testing.info/tests/BIG5.php

7 End-of-topic test Use questions from SAMs or

past papers to develop a
short test.

Perception

Week Perception Content Suggested resources and

strategies
1 Monocular and Mechanisms for Ask students to test
binocular cues binocular and themselves for binocularity
monocular distance cues using convergence tests, etc.

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Why redundancy is (Expect about 1 in 20 not to

useful have binocular vision!)

2 Illusions and Include Gestalt ideas Conduct a class experiment

constancies Haber and Levin (2001) on the Müller-Lyer illusion.
Study: Haber and study: use APFC
Levin (2001) framework for
description then
evaluate using strengths
and weaknesses.
3 Gregory’s Top-down theory of Use illusions such as Muller-
Constructivist Theory perception Lyer to illustrate Gregory’s
of Perception (1970) Understanding and theory in practice. (Most
interpretation as a illusions can be explained
result of past using either Gregory’s theory
experience or Gestalt psychology).

4 Gibson’s Direct Bottom-up theory of Get students to consider

Theory of Perception perception. how Gregory and Gibson
(1996) Interpretation of input tackle the same issues.
as a means of
understanding the world
5 Perceptual set The use of set as a Resource: perceptual set
means of understanding experiments, e.g. ABC/12,
and interpreting the 13, 14 as used by Bruner
world and Minturn
Predispositions as a Resources: the rabbit–duck
result of motivation, illusion, Leeper’s lady
expectation, experience, illusions.org/dp/1-37.htm
emotion, context and
culture (wider than allartdirectory.com/young-
visual) or-old-woman/

6 Study: Carmichael et Carmichael et al. (1932)

al. (1932) study: use APFC
framework for
description then
evaluate using strengths
and weaknesses.
7 End-of-topic test Use questions from SAMs or
past papers to develop a
short test.

Sleep and dreaming

Week Sleep and Content Suggested resources and

dreaming
1 Functions of sleep
strategies
Stages and patterns of Ask students to start
sleep keeping dream diaries.
How stages of sleep
fulfil different roles for
the body and mind
Sleep research

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2 Internal and external Endogenous and Ask students to recall jet-

factors affecting exogenous pacemakers lag experiences to help
sleep to maintain sleep/wake illustrate the factors
Study: Siffre (1975) cycle affecting sleep.
Siffre (1975) study: use
APFC framework for
description then
evaluate using strengths
and weaknesses.
3 Sleep disorders Sleep disorders Conduct a survey on sleep
narcolepsy (possibly patterns.
include cataplexy and
hypersomnia)
Insomnia (how much
sleep do we need?)
4 Freud’s theory of Why do we dream? Resource: the dream diaries
dreaming (1900) The Freudian students began keeping in
explanation of dreams week 1

5 Study: Freud – Little Little Hans (1909) study:

Hans (1909) can use APFC framework
but as this is a case
study, it is often easier
to describe as case
history, case method,
results and conclusions.
Evaluate using strengths
and weaknesses.
6 Hobson and Hobson and McCarley’s Resource: video sharing
McCarley’s activation-synthesis sites (such as YouTube)
Understand model of dreaming offer clips of fMRI scans
Activation Synthesis during sleep and their
Theory (1977) match to dream content.
7 End-of-topic test Use questions from SAMs or
past papers to develop a
short test.

Language, thought and communication

Week Language, thought Content Suggested resources and

and communication strategies
1 Language–thought The relationship
issues between language and
thinking
The one-directional
journey
Preliminary thoughts on
language,
communication and
thought, and what
distinctions there may
be between them

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2 Piaget (1950) Piaget’s view on the Explore the principle

development of differences between Piaget’s
language and thought and Vygotsky’s predictions,
Language acquisition e.g. is language severely
within the framework of impaired in those with
cognitive development learning difficulties?

Strengths and
weaknesses of the
theory
3 Vygotsky (1981) Parallel development of
thought and language,
merging at
approximately two
years of age
Gradual internalisation
of speech
Strengths and
weaknesses of the
theory
4 Linguistic relativism Language relativity The apocryphal story of the
and linguistic hypothesis – hard and number of words for snow in
determinism soft versions Inuktitut (the Inuit
Study: Boroditsky Boroditsky (2001) language) is incorrect but a
(2001) study: use APFC good class experiment in
framework for the UK is the number of
description then English words for rain!
evaluate using
strengths and
weaknesses.
5 Aitchison’s criteria Aitchison: determining
(1983) what allows something Use a simple line drawing to
Darwinian view of to be classified as a show basic emotions – use
non-verbal language Note: dots for the eyes and nose,
communication Aitchison’s criteria then draw the eyebrows
would exclude sign slanted, straight or arched
‘language’ and toddler and the mouth up, down or
‘language’, as arched. Get students to
languages. Similarities guess/label emotions.
and differences
between human and
animal communication.
Darwin’s view on
emotional expression in
humans and non-
human species
Universal expressions
as innate
6 Non-verbal NVC: gesture, facial Watch an interview with the
communication (NVC) expressions, body sound turned off and ask
Study: Yuki et al. posture, eye contact, the students to judge
(2007) intonation, non-verbal mood/honesty/level of
sounds, proxemics interest, etc. based on NVC.

18 © Pearson Education Ltd 2017.

GCSE Psychology 2017 – Scheme of Work

Cultural differences and

species similarities
Yuki et al. (2007)
study: use APFC
framework for
description then
evaluate using
strengths and
weaknesses.
7 End-of-topic test Use questions from SAMs or
past papers to develop a
short test.

The remaining time in the second year of the course is intended to be primarily for
revision and the honing of examination technique. Currently GCSE examinations
occur quite early in the summer. It is possible that the period intended for
consolidation and revision may be as little as five or six weeks. No attempt has
been made to provide a scheme of work for this period as the priority areas will
vary between centres.

© Pearson Education Ltd 2017. 19