9685 · Oxford AQA International AS Level
9685/11
Paper 1
Psychology · June 2025 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: Oxford AQA
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
3.2 / 5
180
180 min
Conformity variables, infant physical development methodologies, and behavioral psychopathology explanations.
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
180
Duration
180 min
Session difficulty
3.2 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
The core of the mark allocation is concentrated in the high-stakes extended response questions.
In PS01, Asch's variables affecting conformity (20 marks) and the behavioural explanation of phobias (12 marks) accounted for over a third of the paper's total.
In PS02, Baillargeon's violation of expectation research (20 marks) and the application of sensory, relay, and motor neurons to Mariam's reflex arc (6 marks) demanded deep evaluation and clear, step-by-step sequential mapping.
High-scoring candidates demonstrated precise terminology—such as distinguishing habituation from surprise/longer looking in Baillargeon's trials—while weaker candidates lost marks due to vague, non-specific evaluations.
Question difficulty map
How candidates performed on each question in this series
No data available in official reports
Assessment objectives
Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary
Skill weighting
Shows the skill mix this paper tested most heavily.
Knowledge and Application (AO2)
Weight: 3100%Application (AO3)
Weight: 267%Analysis and
Weight: 133%
Method marks watchlist
Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost
No data available in official reports
Recurring mistakes across years
Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject
No data available in official reports
Question choice intelligence
Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)
No data available in official reports
Level exemplars
What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like
No data available in official reports
Grade & admission context
How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards
Report type
Examiner report — national grade boundaries and question-level commentary
Level A
Approx. 80% of maximum mark
Level B
Approx. 70% of maximum mark
Level C
Approx. 60% of maximum mark
Level D
Approx. 50% of maximum mark
Level E
Approx. 40% of maximum mark
Deep insights
What top candidates did
Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series
No data available in official reports
Command word playbook
How to match each command word to the expected response style
Give reasons and link mechanism to outcome; each point needs a because/so chain.
Match the expected response style for “Outline” questions.
State features in sequence or list observable properties — do not explain causes unless asked.
Weigh arguments for and against with evidence; end with a supported judgement.
Name or point to the specific feature asked for — avoid extra explanation.
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
No data available in official reports
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
Memory
30 marks this session
Social psychology
30 marks this session
Psychopathology
30 marks this session
Biopsychology
30 marks this session
Cognitive development
30 marks this session
Research methods 1
30 marks this session
MCQ trap analytics
Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Topic heatmap across years
Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject
Mark intensity
Memory
Biopsychology
Research methods 1
Social psychology
Psychopathology
Cognitive development
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
PS01: Unit 1 Introductory Topics in Psychology: PS02: Unit 2 Biopsychology, Development and Research Methods 1:
Marks you can still earn
Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit
No data available in official reports
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
Memory
30 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSocial psychology
30 marks this session
Practise in RevuiPsychopathology
30 marks this session
Practise in RevuiBiopsychology
30 marks this session
Practise in RevuiCognitive development
30 marks this session
Practise in RevuiResearch methods 1
30 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
The core of the mark allocation is concentrated in the high-stakes extended response questions.
- 2Message
In PS01, Asch's variables affecting conformity (20 marks) and the behavioural explanation of phobias (12 marks) accounted for over a third of the paper's total.
- 3Message
In PS02, Baillargeon's violation of expectation research (20 marks) and the application of sensory, relay, and motor neurons to Mariam's reflex arc (6 marks) demanded deep evaluation and clear, step-by-step sequential mapping.
- 4Message
High-scoring candidates demonstrated precise terminology—such as distinguishing habituation from surprise/longer looking in Baillargeon's trials—while weaker candidates lost marks due to vague, non-specific evaluations.
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
June 2025 2025
Psychology
The core of the mark allocation is concentrated in the high-stakes extended response questions. In PS01, Asch's variables affecting conformity (20 marks) and the behavioural explanation of phobias (12 marks) accounted for over a third of the paper's total. In PS02, Baillargeon's
The core of the mark allocation is concentrated in the high-stakes extended response questions.
In PS01, Asch's variables affecting conformity (20 marks) and the behavioural explanation of phobias (12 marks) accounted for over a third of the paper's total.
In PS02, Baillargeon's violation of expectation research (20 marks) and the application of sensory, relay, and motor neurons to Mariam's reflex arc (6 marks) demanded deep evaluation and clear, step-by-step sequential mapping.
- Total marks
- 180
- Duration
- 180 min
- Session difficulty
- 3.2 / 5
Session analysis
The core of the mark allocation is concentrated in the high-stakes extended response questions. In PS01, Asch's variables affecting conformity (20 marks) and the behavioural explanation of phobias (12 marks) accounted for over a third of the paper's total. In PS02, Baillargeon's violation of expectation research (20 marks) and the application of sensory, relay, and motor neurons to Mariam's reflex arc (6 marks) demanded deep evaluation and clear, step-by-step sequential mapping. High-scoring candidates demonstrated precise terminology—such as distinguishing habituation from surprise/longer looking in Baillargeon's trials—while weaker candidates lost marks due to vague, non-specific evaluations.
Updated Jun 12, 2026
Paper breakdown
PS01: Unit 1 Introductory Topics in Psychology: PS02: Unit 2 Biopsychology, Development and Research Methods 1:
Top chapters
Exam structure insights
Marks by chapter
See where the marks were concentrated so revision time goes to the highest-value topics.
Mark accessibility
Estimate which marks were basic, mid-level, or high-difficulty.
72% within easy or medium reach
Command word frequency
Spot common command words so answers match the expected response style.
Question type mix
Compare the mark share of each paper section and question type.
Short / Medium Response
126·38·70%
Extended Essay
52·3·29%
Multiple Choice / Objective
2·2·1%
Study ROI
Bigger bubbles recur more often; higher bubbles carry more marks, helping you rank revision priorities.
Next-year prediction
Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.
Observational and Self-Report Techniques
90%90%
Working Memory Model (WMM)
85%85%
Treatments of Depression & Phobias
80%80%
Vygotsky's Theory of Cognitive Development
75%75%
Examiner notes & key calculations
- The Memory Trait Mistake: When comparing episodic and procedural memory, candidates who brought in semantic memory received zero credit. The mark scheme is unyielding on this distraction.
- Procedural Precision in Research: For the Gabbert (2003) post-event discussion study, candidates often failed to describe the critical detail that pairs watched the same crime from different perspectives.
- Hypothesis Operationalisation: In Section C of Paper 2, writing a directional or a difference hypothesis when a non-directional correlation was explicitly requested was a major point of mark loss. Furthermore, failure to fully operationalise both co-variables (including "number of years playing" and "score out of 50") led to immediate cap-downs.
- Neurological Sequences: In the reflex arc scenario (Mariam dropping the cup), candidates frequently mixed up the transmission order or left out the vital role of the relay neuron in the CNS.
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.