Psychology books for a future A level student. Something to get into that’s suitable for a 16 year old.

[ihatethecold]

My dd is going to do psychology at A level in September if all goes to plan.
She is obviously stuck at home and I was wondering if there is any recommendations so she could do some reading or watching online.

She is still doing some current GCSE stuff but not much is being sent home.

Thanks.

Has she read the Oliver Sachs's books - a mix of psych and neuro and very readable?

no, she hasn't read anything connected to psychology at all.

When I did A-level psychology (around a decade ago!), it'd be important to know the exam board for what topics need to be covered and there was a lot of years of various studies etc. that needed to be remembered for the exam.

If you find out the exam board, maybe you can just start reading through AS-level psychology books for that particular exam board?

I did AQA and a lot of central themes were Pavlov's behaviour conditioning experiments and Milgram's obedience experiments.

Try to think what each study shows and what potential further studies can be done and any contradictory studies to weigh them up.

(I got A* in A level psychology)

Look at bitesize online and theres some amazing videos on you tube on experiments!

The British Psychological Society has a list of recommendations for general reading.

thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/ultimate-psychology-reading-list

How does she know she wants to take Psychology A' level if she has never read anything at all on the subject?

(Forgive me - genuinely puzzled.)

I teach psychology. I think she'd be better exploring the topics online and following her interest. There are lots of really interesting studies she can research, some great videos and online resources.

Its worth working on maths and biology too.

If you google "psychology experiemtns" she can find some of the most influential omes and research those. Maybe build up a file with different studies.

Also there's some intereating films with a psych angle.

Some great books such as, "the man who mistook his wife for a hat."

I wouldnt start on an a level text book as it will be exam course specific, but spend time on wider reading.

Also useful would be to research basic methodology.

The Psychology Express series is superb for A level and first year undergrad. Have a look at the different ones and choose one that she likes the look of. Gives you all the fact and key issues but is very easy to digest.

Crash Course on youtube is good.

I'd not seen crash course. That looks fab.

Seconding Oliver Sachs- The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat is a really interesting read and not too technical. It’s more neurology than psychology but still useful!

Opening Skinner’s Box by Lauren Slater got me interested in psychology a level. It’s a good summary of some major psychology experiments.

Psychology for Dummies is surprisingly robust and easy to dip in and out of.

Thank you for all the comments.
Really useful.

To the poster who asked how can she be interested in psychology.
She is fascinated by humans and how they interact and behave.
She has had an awful time at secondary school with her MH and through her time at Camhs she has learnt so much about herself and other people’s actions that has led her to be interested in the subject.

I’ve also ordered this book to start with.

www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/books/n-a/the-psychology-book/GOR006067689

Oh, I see. Thanks.

Was she taking Drama GCSE by any chance? Another way of examining human interaction and behaviour.

Books like How to Have Impossible Conversations are a mix of practical skills and psychology and very readable.

Watching the English book is more sociology but fascinating.

Future Learn may have some on-line courses she might find interesting.

No. Way too stressful for her.
She did schooling part time for the past 3 years.

The difference in her now that school has shut has been amazing.

She is very empathic and loves studying people so she said she would love to understand it further.

I'd second the recommendation of Opening Skinner’s Box by Lauren Slater, and add A Mind of its Own by Cordelia Fine
"Dotted with popular explanations of social psychology research and fascinating real-life examples, A Mind of Its Own tours the less salubrious side of human psychology. Psychologist Cordelia Fine shows that the human brain is in fact stubborn, emotional and deceitful"

www.amazon.co.uk/Mind-Its-Own-Distorts-Deceives-ebook/dp/B00KFEJP9I/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&keywords=Cordelia+fine&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1585750180&sr=1-5

Pat Barker's resurrection series is 3 novels based on the work of doctors on shell shock (PTSD now) during WW1 at a military hospital in Scotland. Brilliant writing, but can be depressing - goes between front line and the hospital.

Dean Burnett’s books are good - The Idiot Brain might be what she’s looking for.

Thank you.

I came to recommend opening skinner’s box too.

Something like 'Why people believe weird things' or Ben Goldacre's Bad Science might be a good way into how people often think and various fallacies.
The Baby in the Mirror is very good.

Intro to the sorts of maths that will be useful - Bobby Seagull's Magic of Numbers or Matt Parker's Humble Pi, for example, but any popular maths book would do.

The Human Brain Colouring Book is a good tool for learning the various bits of the brain for a neuroscience course, if you like colouring!

As a young woman I'd strongly recommend 'the gift of fear'

It discusses the psychology of staying safe