Pearson Edexcel GCSE Psychology Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Pearson Edexcel GCSE Psychology (specification code 1PS0) introduces students to the scientific study of human behaviour and mental processes, assessed entirely through two written papers. With 30 resources in this archive, the collection spans the current 9-1 specification and provides a focused set of past papers ideal for examination preparation. Paper 1 — Cognition and Development — lasts 1 hour 45 minutes and is worth 100 marks. It covers psychological topics including development (including Piaget's theory of cognitive development), memory (including models of memory and forgetting), psychological problems (mental health and wellbeing), the brain and neuropsychology (brain structure and function), and criminal psychology (including theories of criminal behaviour and offender profiling). Paper 2 — Social and Biological Psychological Debates — also lasts 1 hour 45 minutes and is worth 100 marks. It covers social influence (including conformity and obedience research), psychological research methods (the core of scientific psychology at GCSE), sport and exercise psychology (motivation, arousal, and performance), health psychology (substance misuse and addictive behaviour), and relationships (including attraction and the role of evolutionary explanations). A notable and consistent feature of Edexcel GCSE Psychology papers is the integration of research methods questions within every topic area. Students are expected to be able to design, evaluate, and interpret psychological studies across the full range of research methodology — not just in isolated methods questions. This makes research methods knowledge essential throughout both papers. The specification takes a scientific approach to psychology, requiring students to understand key studies, evaluate research, and apply psychological knowledge to novel scenarios. Evaluative thinking — considering the strengths and limitations of theories and studies — is central to achieving the highest marks.