AQA A-Level · Analysis & Prediction

2024 AQA A-Level Psychology 7182 Past Paper: Analysis & Answers

The June 2024 AQA A-Level Psychology examination series (Papers 1, 2, and 3) presented a balanced assessment with robust coverage across core theoretical perspectives, practical research methods, and applied option routes. Paper 1 placed major weight on extended 16-mark essays in Romanian orphan studies and cognitive explanations of depression, alongside scenario application in social influence and memory. Paper 2 emphasized methodological mechanics, featuring a heavyweight 48-mark Research Methods section evaluating content analysis, quasi-experimental designs, stratified sampling, and inferential t-testing. Paper 3 tested overarching issues and debates via determinism and ethnocentrism, supported by structured 16-mark essays across optional routes.

Updated: Oct 1, 2026

Analysis Sample paper

Difficulty 3.4/5

Total marks

288

Duration

360 mins

Most tested

Research Methods & Inferential Statistics

Paper breakdown

Paper 1: Introductory Topics in Psychology: 96 marks · 120 minsPaper 2: Psychology in Context: 96 marks · 120 minsPaper 3: Issues and Options in Psychology: 96 marks · 120 mins

Top chapters

Experimental, observational and self-report methods · 28 marksSchizophrenia: symptoms, diagnosis and explanations · 20 marksInferential testing: sign test, significance and choice of test · 19 marks

Overall Exam Verdict

The June 2024 AQA A-Level Psychology series maintained the board's hallmark balance between core knowledge recall (\(\text{AO1}\)), contextual application (\(\text{AO2}\)), and rigorous evaluation (\(\text{AO3}\)). The paper suite offered accessible entry marks in short-answer definition and multiple-choice questions, but discriminated sharply at the top end through nuanced methodological design questions in Paper 2 Section C and extended 16-mark essays across Papers 1 and 3.

Where the Marks Were Won and Lost

Across the three papers, high-scoring responses demonstrated sharp contextual grounding:

Application Excellence: In Paper 1, questions regarding conformity (Charlie) and obedience (the headteacher) required continuous application to the stem rather than generic textbook outlines. Candidates who explicitly linked constructs like normative social influence and legitimate authority secured full marks in Level 3.
Research Methods Precision: Paper 2 Section C proved to be the major grade differentiator. Candidates struggled when justifying statistical test selection (unrelated t-test requiring parametric level/interval data, independent groups, test of difference) and explaining the low probability of Type I errors (\(p < 0.01\)).
Extended 16-Mark Essays: Essays on Romanian orphan studies (Paper 1), biological rhythms (Paper 2), and determinism (Paper 3) rewarded candidates who integrated balanced theoretical points, methodological evaluations (such as natural experiments vs. internal validity), and real-world implications.

Examiner Pitfalls & Traps

Mark schemes penalized generic evaluation points that lacked specific psychological grounding. Common pitfalls included describing memory types without stating explicit contrastive differences, confusing informational social influence with normative conformity, and failing to show exact mathematical working when calculating stratified sample quotas (e.g., 6:4 ratio from 30:20 populations).

Revision Strategy & Future Guidance

For upcoming series, candidates must prioritize mastering the parametric inferential tests criteria, sampling algorithms, and level-of-response essay frameworks with distinct counter-arguments. Underrepresented topics from recent series, such as localisational recovery/plasticity, minority influence mechanisms, and cognitive interview refinements, represent high-yield revision focus areas.

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Charts

Marks by chapter

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Question type mix

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Extended Essay (16 marks)96 marks · 6 questions
Discussion / Evaluation (8 marks)48 marks · 6 questions
Application Scenario (5-6 marks)41 marks · 7 questions
Short Answer / Methodological (2-4 marks)89 marks · 27 questions
Multiple Choice / 1-Mark Objective14 marks · 14 questions

Mark accessibility

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71%within easy or medium reach

136

easy: 68 marksmedium: 136 markshard: 84 marks

Difficulty trend

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Command word frequency

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Skill weighting

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Study ROI

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Parametric & Non-Parametric Inferential Statistics Selection

19 marks · Difficulty 3.8

Maternal Deprivation, Privation and Institutionalisation

16 marks · Difficulty 2.7

Cognitive Approach to Depression and CBT

16 marks · Difficulty 2.5

Biological Rhythms: Endogenous Pacemakers and Exogenous Zeitgebers

16 marks · Difficulty 3.2

Issues and Debates: Free Will and Determinism

16 marks · Difficulty 3

Forensic Dealing with Offending / Custodial Sentencing & Anger Management

16 marks · Difficulty 2.6

Time vs marks

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marksmins

Next-year prediction

Topics worth watching next year, and why. These are informed guesses from past papers, not a forecast.

Plasticity, Functional Recovery and Brain Hemispheric Lateralisation

Featured heavily in 2022 and 2023 but completely absent in Paper 2 2024, making it highly primed for a 16-mark essay in the next series.

Biological Approach to OCD: Genetic and Neural Explanations

Depression and phobias formed the core of 2024 Paper 1 Psychopathology; OCD biological explanations and drug treatments are overdue for an essay.

Working Memory Model (Central Executive, Phonological Loop, Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad)

Only received light testing in recent cycles; due for an extended 8 or 16-mark evaluation comparing multi-store vs working memory architecture.

Holism and Reductionism Debate

After deterministic themes dominated 2024, reductionism levels and interactionism are rotated frequently by AQA examiners in Paper 3 Section A.

Cumulative marks ladder

The line is your running mark total question by question; dashed lines are the estimated grade boundaries, taken from the table below when this year's are known. 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

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Jun 2022

Jun 2023

Jun 2024

Experimental, observational and self-report methods

Relationships: attraction and theories of romantic relationships

Inferential testing: sign test, significance and choice of test

Control, ethics, reliability and validity

Forensic Psychology: offender profiling and explanations of offending

Schizophrenia: symptoms, diagnosis and explanations

Localisation, lateralisation, plasticity and recovery

Resistance to social influence and minority influence

Maternal deprivation and institutionalisation

Data handling: descriptive statistics and data display

Examiner insights

Official report

Common pitfalls

Writing generic descriptions instead of clear explicit differences when asked to outline differences between concepts (e.g. semantic vs episodic memory, positive vs negative symptoms).
Failing to apply psychological concepts directly to scenarios: writing textbook summaries of obedience or conformity without referring specifically to named individuals in the stem.
Omitting the necessary parametric criteria when justifying inferential tests, such as failing to state that data was interval level or that independent groups design was utilized.
Conflating statistical significance with error probabilities, especially in Type I / Type II error explanations.

Misconceptions

Believing that a quasi-experiment involves deliberate manipulation of an independent variable rather than investigating a naturally occurring, pre-existing characteristic (e.g. age).
Confusing normative social influence (compliance for acceptance) with informational social influence (internalisation based on seeking truth).
Assuming that a critical period is entirely rigid rather than acknowledging modern evidence supporting a sensitive period in institutionalisation studies.

Where marks are lost

Sampling math calculations: failing to compute the precise quota ratio (e.g., 6 and 4 participants) for stratified sub-groups from given nursery populations.
Referencing formats: omitting specific components (date of publication, publisher, location/edition) when identifying missing details from bibliographic citations.
Distribution justifications: failing to reference the relative positions of mean, median, and mode when diagnosing negatively skewed versus normal distributions.
Superficial AO3 in 16-mark essays: listing studies without explaining how findings support, challenge, or provide methodological limitations for the central theory.

Estimated grade boundary

Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Source: AQA

Grade	Mark	Percentage
A*	220/288	76%
A	196/288	68%
B	163/288	57%
C	130/288	45%
D	97/288	34%
E	64/288	22%

Official grade boundaries published by AQA.

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