Pearson Edexcel A-Level Psychology Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Pearson Edexcel A-Level Psychology (specification 9PS0) covers the scientific study of human behaviour and mental processes through three examined papers. The specification is distinctive in requiring students to study five topic areas at AS Level and then extend into four additional applications at A-Level, building from foundational concepts to applied psychological practice. Paper 1: Foundations in Psychology (2 hours, 90 marks, 35%) covers five core topic areas: social psychology (obedience, prejudice, social identity theory), cognitive psychology (memory models, forgetting, eyewitness testimony), biological psychology (the brain, aggression, biological explanations of behaviour), learning theories (classical and operant conditioning, social learning theory), and the clinical psychology option (defining abnormality, mental health conditions, treatments). Paper 2: Applications of Psychology (2 hours, 90 marks, 35%) covers four application areas chosen from: criminological psychology, child psychology, health psychology, and sport and exercise psychology. Each application area requires knowledge of specific theories, studies, and practical applications within the field. Paper 3: Psychological Skills (2 hours, 80 marks, 30%) is a synoptic paper focused on research methods and skills. It assesses the ability to design studies, analyse data (including statistical testing), evaluate methodology, and apply psychological knowledge to novel research scenarios. This paper may draw on any content from Papers 1 and 2. With 235 resources, this is a substantial archive covering the current specification extensively.