We are excited to be making our very first set of predictions for Oxford AQA GCSE Psychology. This year, we’re expanding our support to help even more students with their revision and exam preparation.

Laura, our Head of Psychology, has done an in-depth review of the topics has used this information to create Psychology predicted papers specifically for this year. You can get both predicted papers – for Paper 1 and Paper 2 - we’ve developed for this year, along with all the video walkthroughs. To access these predicted papers, simply follow the link in the description below.

Alongside these papers, Laura has also created video walkthroughs for both papers so you can see exactly what a top band answer looks like in Psychology. These videos will guide you through the skills needed to interpret questions, understand what’s being asked, and structure your responses effectively.

You’ll encounter questions designed in the same style as those you’ll see in your exams, enabling you to break down the questions, identify what needs to be included in your answers, and how to structure them. This will help you feel confident and fully prepared when you sit the real exam!

Remember to revise all topics, as these are just predictions. We don’t have any additional information or insights into the actual exams – we haven’t seen the real papers!

Oxford AQA GCSE Psychology Paper 1: Cognition and Behaviour

We know for Paper 1 – Cognition and Behaviour, there are four sections in the paper – Memory, Perception, Biopsychology and Research Methods and we’ll go through each of these topics.

 Memory:

· Working Memory Model: Make sure you understand the different components of Baddeley and Hitch's model, including the central executive, phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad, and episodic buffer. Be prepared to explain each component's role in working memory, how they interact, and evaluate the model with strengths, such as its detailed explanation of short-term memory processes, and limitations, like its complexity and limited understanding of the central executive.

· Bartlett’s Theory of Reconstructive Memory and War of the Ghosts study: Ensure you can describe the main concepts of reconstructive memory, such as how memory is influenced by schemas. For the War of the Ghosts study, focus on the aim, procedure, findings, and conclusion. Be ready to evaluate the study, considering strengths like its insight into how memory is not a direct recall of events, and limitations, including low ecological validity and the potential influence of cultural bias.

· Murdock’s Serial Position Curve Study: Understand Murdock’s findings on the primacy and recency effect, describing how it supports the distinction between short-term and long-term memory. Be prepared to outline the aim, procedure, findings, and conclusions, as well as to evaluate the study, discussing strengths such as its controlled design and weaknesses like its limited real-world applicability.

· Factors Affecting Accuracy of Memory – Interference, Context, and False Memories: Learn about how interference (proactive and retroactive) and context (such as environmental cues) can influence memory recall. Additionally, understand how false memories are created and affect memory accuracy. Be ready to evaluate these factors, considering strengths, such as their support from experimental studies, and limitations, such as individual differences in susceptibility to these effects.

Perception:

· Monocular Depth Cues: Be familiar with the main monocular depth cues, including relative size, height in the plane, linear perspective, and occlusion. You should be able to define each cue and explain how they assist in perceiving depth. Practice applying these cues to various scenarios or images to demonstrate understanding.

 · Gregory’s Constructivist Theory of Perception: Review Gregory's theory, especially his view that perception is a constructive process involving top-down processing, where our brain interprets sensory information using prior knowledge and context. Be ready to evaluate this theory, discussing strengths, such as explaining visual illusions, and limitations, like underestimating bottom-up processing, which involves direct sensory input.

 · Effect of Motivation on Perceptual Set: Understand how motivation, such as hunger or desire, can influence what we perceive (e.g., perceiving ambiguous images as food-related when hungry). Be prepared with examples or studies demonstrating this effect and be ready to evaluate it, highlighting strengths like its relevance in understanding individual perception differences and limitations such as the challenge in isolating motivation from other influences.

Biopsychology:

· Endocrine System – Role of Glands: Know the major glands in the endocrine system (e.g., pituitary, adrenal) and their roles in releasing hormones that regulate bodily functions. Be ready to describe examples, such as how the adrenal glands release adrenaline in response to stress.

· Release and Uptake of Neurotransmitters: Familiarise yourself with the basic process of neurotransmitter release from presynaptic neurons, their travel across the synaptic gap, and uptake by receptors on the postsynaptic neuron. Understand key neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin and be prepared to discuss how imbalances in these neurotransmitters relate to mental health issues.

· Penfield’s Study of the Interpretive Cortex: Review Penfield’s study, which used electrical stimulation to map the brain’s interpretive cortex and explore its role in perception and memory recall. Be ready to describe the aim, procedure, findings, and conclusions of the study, and to evaluate its strengths, such as its pioneering contribution to neuroscience, and its limitations, like ethical concerns and generalisability due to the sample being mostly epilepsy patients.

Research Methods:

· Embrace Research Methods Across Both of The Papers: Recognise that Research Methods content appears in both exam papers, not just Paper 1. You’ll find dedicated Research Methods sections in both Paper 1 and Paper 2. Always be ready! Familiarise yourself with examples of research and identify key elements such as hypotheses, variables, control measures, samples used, ethics and data collected. Exposure to different research scenarios will better prepare you for the new piece of research you'll face in this section.

Oxford AQA GCSE Psychology Paper 2: Social Context and Behaviour

We know for Paper 2 – Social Context and Behaviour, there are four sections in the paper – Communication, Social Influence, Mental Health and Research Methods and we’ll go through each of these topics

Communication:

· Properties of Human Communication Not Present in Animal Communication: Make sure you understand the unique properties of human communication, such as displacement and productivity, which are generally absent in animal communication. Be ready to explain these properties and why they suggest that human communication is more complex and flexible. Consider how this distinguishes human communication from other species.

· Body Language: Open/Closed Posture, Postural Echo, Touch: Know the different types of body language and what they signify, including open and closed postures, postural echo, and the use of touch. Be able to describe examples of each and discuss how these non-verbal cues can affect social interactions.

· Neonate Research: Evidence That Non-Verbal Behaviour Is Innate: Understand how studies with neonates (newborns) provide evidence that certain non-verbal behaviours, such as facial expressions, are innate rather than learned. Be able to describe research methods used with neonates and explain how findings support the idea that aspects of non-verbal behaviour are biologically preprogrammed.

· Yuki's Study of Emoticons: Be familiar with Yuki’s study, which examined cultural differences in interpreting emotions through emoticons. Make sure you can describe the aim, procedure, findings, and conclusions of this study. Be prepared to evaluate it by considering factors such as cross-cultural validity and potential limitations in using emoticons as representations of real emotions.

Social Influence:

· Impact of Similarity on Bystander Behaviour: Understand how similarity to a person in need can affect bystander behaviour, increasing the likelihood of intervention. Be able to explain research findings on this topic and discuss real-life implications for understanding why people help or fail to help others.

· Latane and Darley's Smoke Study: Know the details of this study, which investigated the diffusion of responsibility when people witness an emergency. Be prepared to describe the aim, procedure, findings, and conclusions, and evaluate the study by discussing factors such as ecological validity and ethical considerations.

· Levine's Football Supporter Study: Familiarise yourself with Levine’s study on in-group bias and helping behaviour among football supporters. Be able to explain how in-group identification can affect bystander intervention and discuss the strengths and limitations of this study, including its ecological validity.

· Piliavin's Subway Study: Review the key details of Piliavin’s field experiment, which explored factors influencing helping behaviour on a subway. Know the study’s aim, procedure, findings, and conclusions, and be prepared to evaluate it by discussing strengths such as high ecological validity and limitations like ethical concerns.

· Deindividuation and Collective Behaviour: Understand the concept of deindividuation and how it can lead to changes in individual behaviour within groups, particularly in situations involving anonymity. Be ready to explain examples of deindividuation and collective behaviour, and evaluate the concept by discussing both its supporting evidence and limitations.

Mental Health:

· OCD: Difference Between Obsessions and Compulsions: Be able to distinguish between obsessions (persistent, unwanted thoughts) and compulsions (repetitive behaviours aimed at reducing distress). Understand how each affects individuals with OCD, and be ready to apply this knowledge to scenarios.

· Biological Explanation of OCD: Familiarise yourself with the biological factors thought to contribute to OCD, including genetic and neurological explanations. Be able to describe specific biological mechanisms, such as the role of the basal ganglia, and evaluate these explanations by considering strengths like supporting research evidence and limitations, including reductionism.

· Kearn's Study of CBT's Effectiveness for OCD: Know the aim, procedure, findings, and conclusions of Kearn’s study, which investigated the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural therapy for treating OCD. Be prepared to evaluate the study by discussing strengths such as its real-world applications and limitations like the potential for bias in self-reported measures.

· Dual Representation Theory of PTSD: Understand the dual representation theory, which suggests that PTSD symptoms arise from the interplay between sensory and contextual memory representations. Be able to explain how this theory accounts for the intrusive memories and flashbacks typical in PTSD and evaluate it by considering both supporting evidence and limitations in explaining the complexity of PTSD symptoms.

Research Methods:

Embrace Research Methods Across Both of The Papers: Recognise that Research Methods content appears in both exam papers, not just Paper 2. You’ll find dedicated Research Methods sections in both Paper 1 and Paper 2. Always be ready! Familiarise yourself with examples of research and identify key elements such as hypotheses, variables, control measures, samples used, ethics and data collected. Exposure to different research scenarios will better prepare you for the new piece of research you'll face in this section.