In defence of A-Level Psychology

Is A level Psychology a good choice?

There has been much discussion recently in the press regarding the choice of Psychology as an A level subject. According to certain commentators (most notably the Daily Mail) sixth form students are turning away from the "ologies" and towards STEM subjects.  

Others have pointed out the trend for students to choose an increasingly narrow range of subjects, restricted either to the sciences or the arts, with few choosing to maintain a broader range of skills. It is perhaps time to remind ourselves and the wider public of the valuable benefits which the study of Psychology can bring.

What does an A level in psychology offer?

Psychology requires the development of data analytical skills and scientific principles, alongside the understanding of philosophical concepts and the marshalling of factual information and evaluative commentary to produce well-constructed essays.  

As a Head of Department of almost 30 years' standing, I have seen so many students flourish in Psychology and then go on to have highly successful careers in related fields. Indeed, many of my medical students have commented to me on how Psychology proved to be an excellent choice of A level to complement their Biology, Chemistry and Maths.  

In some cases, their university entrance interview was based largely on the work they had done in Psychology and was a test of their cognitive flexibility. My own daughter studied Psychology at degree level, found her niche in Neuroscience and, following a PhD, now works in relapse prevention in drug addiction. None of these valuable contributions to society would have been possible without studying Psychology at A-level.

In my experience, many of the people who take pleasure in portraying Psychology as inferior to the pure sciences have never actually studied it. My retort has generally been to point out that pure science has told us everything we can know about the carcinogenic effects of cigarette smoking, but it takes Psychology to tackle the more difficult question of how to change people´s attitudes towards smoking.  

It should also be pointed out to critics of our subject that the knowledge which we have today in areas such as Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) is the product of both biological and psychological research and in fact, diagnosis and treatment of ASC is carried out at the psychological and not biological level. There is no blood test for ASC.

Psychology's contribution to society

It is also easy to forget the contributions which Psychology has made to society. Concepts such as self-esteem, well-being, gender identity, how to conduct healthy relationships, the avoidance of prejudice and discrimination etc are all now part of the fabric of society and it is easy to overlook the fact that this is due in no small part to students choosing to study Psychology.  

Similarly, in education 50 years ago, children with special educational needs were simply written off and placed in the lower sets.  There was no opportunity for a pupil to speak to someone confidentially if they had a problem – they just had to "get on with it." How far have we come in both these areas with SENCOs and educational psychologists being employed as a standard school provision.

I, like many others, am growing increasingly annoyed by the critics of our subject in academia who, quite frankly should know better. Their comments appear to reflect their own lack of cognitive flexibility. Surely, we should be aiming for increased collaboration across academic disciplines rather than disrespecting subjects we know little about?  

Perhaps it is time for us to learn the lesson from the example of smoking behaviour which I referred to above – true progress comes when we look at issues from all perspectives and do not persist in a narrow, entrenched view.

Why should Psychology have to constantly defend itself against being seen as a "soft subject"? This myth needs to be firmly and categorically dispelled.

Dr Sheila Thomas