Psychology Exam for A-Level, administered by AQA, covers paper one of the subject.
The AQA Psychology Paper 1 exams for AS and A-Level students have distinct features, primarily in content coverage and assessment objectives.
**Content Coverage**
The AS-level Psychology curriculum focuses on introductory topics in psychology, such as social influence, memory, attachment, and research methods, providing a broad foundation in the field. In contrast, A-level Psychology builds upon these introductory topics, delving deeper into psychological theories and methods across various areas, including social influence, memory, and more advanced topics like biopsychology or clinical psychology.
**Assessment Objectives and Structure**
AS-level exams assess students' knowledge, application, and evaluation skills, with a structure that typically includes multiple-choice, short-answer, and extended response questions. In comparison, A-level exams place a greater emphasis on depth and complexity, featuring more extended response questions that demand sustained reasoning and evidence-based arguments.
**Component Weights and Assessment Objectives (AOs)**
The AS-level assessment primarily focuses on basic knowledge and understanding, with less emphasis on the application and evaluation aspects compared to A-level. Conversely, the A-level assessment is more balanced, with specific weightings for each Assessment Objective (AO): AO1 (Knowledge and Understanding), AO2 (Application), and AO3 (Analysis and Evaluation). The A-level exams have a detailed breakdown of these objectives, with a significant portion dedicated to mathematical skills, which should be at the standard of higher tier GCSE mathematics (Level 2 or above).
Moreover, at least 25-30% of the total marks in the overall assessment (all papers) will assess skills, knowledge, and understanding related to research methods. Research Methods questions can appear in Paper 1 of both AS and A-level Psychology, and may ask about designing, conducting, analyzing, interpreting data, using ICT in research, or the ethical considerations of a study.
The extended essay questions in A-level Psychology are worth more marks (16) compared to AS Psychology (12), and require a more detailed answer with multiple evaluation points.
In conclusion, while both exams cover foundational topics, the A-level exam requires a deeper understanding, more complex reasoning, and a broader range of psychological concepts. Understanding these differences can help students prepare effectively for their respective exams.
- The AS-level Psychology curriculum presents principles of social influence, memory, attachment, and research methods, serving as a fundamental introduction to psychology.
- On the other hand, A-level Psychology delves deeper into psychological theories, exploring various areas like social influence, memory, and biopsychology or clinical psychology.
- During AS-level exams, students are assessed on their knowledge, application, and evaluation skills, with a variety of question types, such as multiple-choice, short-answer, and extended response questions.
- In contrast, A-level exams focus more on depth and complexity, with extended response questions that demand extended reasoning and evidence-based arguments.
- AS-level assessment primarily assesses basic knowledge and understanding, with less emphasis on application and evaluation compared to A-level.
- A-level assessment, however, is more balanced, with specific weightings for each Assessment Objective (AO): AO1 (Knowledge and Understanding), AO2 (Application), and AO3 (Analysis and Evaluation).
- Psychological research methods are a vital component of both AS and A-level exams, with at least 25-30% of the total marks dedicated to this area, covering topics like designing studies, analyzing data, and ethical considerations.
- In A-level Psychology, extended essay questions are worth more marks (16) compared to AS Psychology (12), requiring a detailed answer with multiple evaluation points.
- Operant conditioning, that relates to learning and behavior, is a topic that can be found in both the AS and A-level Psychology curricula, along with other psychological theories like classical conditioning and cognitive theories.
- The understanding of anxiety, depression, and therapy, which relate to personality and clinical psychology, are also essential concepts that students should grasp, as they deepen their knowledge in psychology.
- Examining cultural factors, relationships, and societal influences, as well as the brain and memory, are key components for those aiming to excel in psychology education and self-development.
