AQA AS-Level · Analysis & Prediction

2023 AQA AS-Level Psychology (New) 7181 Past Paper Analysis

The 2023 AQA AS Psychology papers present a balanced assessment of foundational concepts. Paper 1 tests core introductory topics with highly contextualised scenarios, while Paper 2 shifts focus to psychological contexts and heavily weights practical Research Methods, including calculations like the Sign Test.

Updated: 14 Jun 2026

Analysis Sample paper

Difficulty 3.2/5

Total marks

144

Duration

180 mins

Most tested

Research Methods

Paper breakdown

Paper 1: Introductory Topics in Psychology: 72 marks · 90 minsPaper 2: Psychology in Context: 72 marks · 90 mins

Top chapters

Research Methods · 38 marksMemory · 24 marksAttachment · 24 marksApproaches in Psychology · 24 marks

Difficulty Verdict

This exam series sits at a moderate difficulty level of 3.2 out of 5. While direct recall questions on topics such as the peripheral nervous system and definitions of abnormality provided accessible marks, students were pushed to their limits by highly specific application scenarios and demanding research methods calculations.

Where the Marks Are Concentrated

The majority of the marks are anchored in four high-value extended response questions. In Paper 1, the 12-mark essay on the learning theory explanation of attachment and the 8-mark Working Memory Model (WMM) essay required a clean balance of description (AO1) and evaluation (AO3). In Paper 2, the 12-mark essay on the cognitive approach and the 8-mark CBT for depression essay dominated the mark allocation.

Examiner Pitfalls & Crucial Misconceptions

Several common pitfalls were highlighted in the examiners' reports:

Asch's Conformity Findings: Many students incorrectly stated that '37% of participants conformed' instead of the precise finding that naïve participants conformed on 37% of the critical trials (or conformed on 32% of trials).
Romanian Orphan Studies: In the scenario comparing Katti (adopted at 5 years) and Cema (adopted at 5 months), generic descriptions of Romanian studies scored poorly. Full marks required explicit comparative analysis of their likely differing developmental trajectories.
Retroactive Interference: Students frequently confused proactive and retroactive interference when explaining Kaleb's difficulty in recalling the Multi-Store Model after learning the Working Memory Model.
Sign Test Calculation: Forgetting to ignore the 'nil differences' (participants reporting the same productivity) when identifying the value of \( S = 6 \) was a frequent error.

Revision Strategy & Future Predictions

With Research Methods accounting for 38 marks across both papers, mastering practical design, hypothesis writing, and non-parametric calculations is essential. Future series are highly likely to rotate focus toward the Multi-Store Model of Memory, minority influence / obedience variables, and the behavioral explanation and treatment of phobias, which were underrepresented in this series.

Charts

Marks by chapter

See where the marks were concentrated so revision time goes to the highest-value topics.

Question type mix

Compare the mark share of each paper section and question type.

Multiple Choice2 marks · 2 questions
Short Answer96 marks · 30 questions
Medium Application6 marks · 1 questions
Extended Essay40 marks · 4 questions

Mark accessibility

Estimate which marks were basic, mid-level, or high-difficulty.

76%within easy or medium reach

easy: 45 marksmedium: 65 markshard: 34 marks

Difficulty trend

Compare difficulty across recent years.

Command word frequency

Spot common command words so answers match the expected response style.

Skill weighting

Shows the skill mix this paper tested most heavily.

Study ROI

Bigger bubbles recur more often; higher bubbles carry more marks, helping you rank revision priorities.

Memory (WMM & Interference)

24 marks · Difficulty 2.5 · recurrence 95%

Research Methods (Sign Test & Design)

38 marks · Difficulty 3.4 · recurrence 100%

Attachment (Learning Theory)

24 marks · Difficulty 2.8 · recurrence 90%

Social Influence (Asch & Resistance)

14 marks · Difficulty 2.2 · recurrence 85%

Approaches (Biopsychology & Cognitive)

24 marks · Difficulty 2.9 · recurrence 90%

Psychopathology (OCD & CBT)

20 marks · Difficulty 3 · recurrence 90%

Time vs marks

Compare marks with suggested time allocation to plan exam pacing.

marksmins

Next-year prediction

Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.

Behavioral Explanations and Treatments of Phobias90%

CBT for Depression and OCD biological explanations dominated this paper. Systematic desensitisation and flooding are overdue for major mark allocations.

Multi-Store Model of Memory85%

WMM was heavily tested as an 8-marker in this series, leaving the Multi-Store Model of memory overdue for a major question.

Strange Situation and Cultural Variations85%

Romanian orphan studies and learning theory were the core focus of Attachment here, making maternal deprivation and Ainsworth's methodology key prediction areas.

Minority Influence and Social Change80%

Only brief application of commitment/flexibility was assessed here; a deeper essay on minority influence mechanisms is likely in upcoming series.

Cumulative marks ladder

The line is your running mark total question by question; dashed lines are the estimated grade cut-offs. See which question the line crosses your target grade at, so you know how far you must answer cleanly and which questions decide a band.

Topic-year heatmap

Compare topic weight by year to spot recurring and returning areas.

Jun 2022

Jun 2023

Social influence

Memory

Attachment

Approaches in Psychology

Clinical Psychology and Mental Health

Research Methods

Examiner insights

Official report

Common pitfalls

Confusing retroactive and proactive interference directions when applying to the Kaleb scenario.
Describing the components of the WMM without explaining the central executive as an 'active processor'.
Stating that Asch's findings showed '37% conformed' instead of the correct phrase that naïve participants gave wrong answers 37% of the time.
Failing to ignore nil differences (cases where productivity was 'the same') when calculating the S-value in the sign test.

Misconceptions

Believing that simply naming endocrine glands is sufficient to secure marks, without explaining their distinct physiological functions.
Treating learning theory of attachment as a generic behaviourist response without directly anchoring classical or operant conditioning to feeding and 'cupboard love'.
Assuming that peer review only serves to make papers 'better' rather than highlighting its structural role in assessing quality, credibility, and originality for publication.

Where marks are lost

Failing to provide a clear comparative element when explaining how Katti's development would differ from Cema's.
Failing to fully operationalise the directional hypothesis by omitting either the specific levels of the IV (e.g., 6 hours vs 2 hours sleep) or the precise measurement of the DV (e.g., time taken to solve 10 math problems).
Providing abstract mathematical formulas for stratified sampling without explaining the step-by-step practical process of how the participants would actually be obtained from the school registers.

Estimated grade cut-off

Updated: 15 Jun 2026

Source: AQA

Level	Mark	Percentage
A	96/144	67%
B	82/144	57%
C	68/144	47%
D	55/144	38%
E	42/144	29%

Official grade boundaries published by AQA.

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