OCR GCSE · Analysis & Prediction

2022 OCR GCSE Psychology - J203 Past Paper Analysis

The June 2022 GCSE (9-1) Psychology (J203/02) paper focuses on Studies and applications in psychology 2, covering Sleep and Dreaming, Memory, Social Influence, and Research Methods. Key highlights include an essay on the free will/determinism debate and multiple-choice, short-answer, and scenario-based application questions.

Updated: 14 Jun 2026

Analysis Sample paper

Difficulty 3.5/5

Total marks

Duration

90 mins

Most tested

Key Concepts (Social Influence)

Paper breakdown

J203/02 Studies and applications in psychology 2: 90 marks · 90 mins

Top chapters

Key Concepts (Social Influence) · 21 marksTechniques used for recall (Memory) · 10 marksThe Freudian Theory of Dreaming (Sleep and Dreaming) · 9 marks

Difficulty Verdict: Moderate (3.5/5)

The June 2022 J203/02 paper is a well-balanced assessment that tests students across a variety of cognitive skills. While the multiple-choice and matching questions offer accessible marks, the paper introduces several complex scenarios and high-tariff questions that require precise application. The centerpiece of the paper is the 13-mark extended response on the free will/determinism debate, which demands cross-topic synthesis.

Where the Marks are Won or Lost

The highest concentration of marks lies in the Social Influence section, driven by the 13-mark essay on free will versus determinism, alongside questions on questionnaire design and ethical considerations. In the Memory section, techniques used for recall (focusing on Braun et al.'s advertising study and independent measures) carries substantial weight. Research Methods also commands a solid 18 marks, where precision in definitions and calculations (such as percentages to two decimal places and ratio simplification) are paramount.

Examiner Pitfalls to Avoid

Generic Answers on Application Questions: When a question begins with 'Using the source...', any explanation must be directly contextualized. For example, in explaining the effect of damage to the hypothalamus on sleep, candidates must explicitly reference the character's insomnia or lack of melatonin, rather than just explaining the SCN generally.
Maths Precision: In Q9(a), failing to provide the percentage to exactly two decimal places (\(36.36\%\)) or failing to show workings costs easy marks.
Misidentifying Sampling Methods: Describing how random sampling is achieved requires explaining the *mechanism* (e.g., putting all names from a health center into a hat and drawing ten) rather than just stating 'random number generator' in isolation.

Strategy for Upcoming Exams

To maximize performance in J203/02, students should focus on:

Mastering Debate Synthesis: Practice constructing 13-mark essay arguments that seamlessly link debates (like free will/determinism) to both Social Influence (situational/dispositional factors) and another area (such as Criminal Personality or Cognitive Development).
Methodological Evaluation: Ensure you can confidently evaluate research designs (independent vs. repeated measures) and sampling techniques in the context of specific classic studies (e.g., Braun et al., Bickman).

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 Choice9 marks · 9 questions
Matching2 marks · 1 questions
Data Analysis / Calculation10 marks · 6 questions
Short Answer / Applied Scenario56 marks · 30 questions
Extended Writing (Essay)13 marks · 1 questions

Mark accessibility

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

83%within easy or medium reach

easy: 27 marksmedium: 48 markshard: 15 marks

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.

Key Concepts (Social Influence)

21 marks · Difficulty 3.5 · recurrence 85%

Techniques used for recall (Memory)

10 marks · Difficulty 3 · recurrence 80%

The Freudian Theory of Dreaming (Sleep and Dreaming)

9 marks · Difficulty 2.5 · recurrence 75%

The Multi-store Model of Memory (Memory)

7 marks · Difficulty 2 · recurrence 80%

Development of treatments for insomnia (Sleep and Dreaming)

7 marks · Difficulty 2.8 · recurrence 70%

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.

The Nature of Dreaming (Sleep and Dreaming)85%

This key topic on sleep stages and functions was not explicitly assessed in this paper, making it highly likely to feature in upcoming series.

Dispositional Factors (Social Influence)80%

Dispositional factors like Locus of Control and Self-esteem were not tested individually in the social influence section, and are highly overdue for structured questions.

Techniques used for recall (Memory)70%

Continues to be a heavily featured topic with advertising and cognitive interview links.

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.

Examiner insights

Official report

Common pitfalls

In Q4(a), simply mentioning the character's name without linking back to the context of insomnia/lack of sleep.
In Q9(a), giving the percentage as 36% instead of 2 decimal places (36.36%) or omitting the workings.
In Q14(c), stating confidentiality or debriefing when the prompt specifically requests other ethical issues.
In Q17(b), defining random sampling in isolation without explaining how it would be achieved in this study (e.g., pulling names from a hat).
In Q20, failing to link social desirability to the context of the study (wellbeing and sleeping patterns).

Misconceptions

Believing that sleep onset insomnia means waking up frequently rather than finding it difficult to fall asleep.
Confusing anterograde and retrograde amnesia (e.g., identifying the frontal lobe or cerebellum instead of the hippocampus for anterograde amnesia).
Confusing independent measures and repeated measures designs (especially the weaknesses associated with participant variables versus order effects).

Where marks are lost

In Q15 (the 13-mark essay), candidates struggled to explicitly evaluate both social influence and at least one other area in relation to the free will/determinism debate, losing out on higher levels of response (AO3).
Lacking contextual detail in application questions (often giving generic definitions instead of linking to the scenarios provided).
Ambiguity in Q14(d) (drawing a pie chart) led to full marks being awarded to all candidates, but usually, marks are lost on accurate calculations and labeling of pie chart sectors.

Estimated grade cut-off

Updated: 15 Jun 2026

Source: OCR

Level	Mark	Percentage
9	141/180	78%
8	130/180	72%
7	119/180	66%
6	104/180	58%
5	89/180	49%
4	75/180	42%
3	58/180	32%
2	41/180	23%
1	24/180	13%

Official grade boundaries published by OCR.

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