AS LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY AQA PAPER 1
CERTIFICATION EVALUATION 2026
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS ANSWERS
◉ Statistical infrequency - real life applications. Answer: All MI
assessments include comparison to statistical norms
IDD demonstrates how it can be used
Useful in clinical assessment
◉ Statistical infrequency - unusual characteristics can be positive.
Answer: Statistically abnormal but may not need treatment
E.g. IQ of 130 not undesirable
Should never be used alone to make diagnosis
◉ Statistical infrequency - not everyone benefits from labels.
Answer: Happy/fulfilled life
Low IQ, not distressed/unemployed = not necessary
May negatively affect how others view them/how they view
themselves
◉ Deviation from social norms. Answer: Abnormality based on
social context (different than expected)
,Collected judgement on 'correct'
Few behaviours universally abnormal (cultural context)
Historical differences e.g. homosexuality
APD: failure to conform to lawful and culturally normative ethical
behaviour
◉ Deviation from social norms - not sole explanation. Answer: APD:
place for deviation from social norms in thinking what is abnormal
Other factors: e.g. distress to other people from APD (a failure to
function adequately)
Never sold reason for defining abnormality
◉ Deviation from social norms - cultural relativism. Answer:
Ethnocentrism: one person may judge someone from another
culture as abnormal using their own cultural standards
Hearing voices acceptable in some cultures
Problems for people living outside of own cultural group
◉ Deviation from social norms - could lead to human rights abuse.
Answer: Systematic abuse of human rights
Drapetomania (black slaves trying to escape) + nymphomania
(women attracted to working class men) = used for social control
,Argued that some modern classifications abuse right to be different
◉ Failure to function adequately. Answer: Cannot cope with
everyday life
E.g. maintain job/relationships/hygiene
Rosenhan & Seligman: signs
1. No longer conform to interpersonal rules
2. Experience personal distress
3. Behave irrationally/dangerously
IDD: must be clear signs that they are unable to cope for diagnosis
◉ Failure to function adequately - patient's perspective. Answer:
Difficult to assess distress
Acknowledges experience of patient is important
Captures experiences of those who need help
◉ Failure to function adequately - same as deviation from social
norms. Answer: Really failing to function or just deviating?
Alternative lifestyles/extreme sports = maladaptive behaviour
Treat as 'failures' = limit freedom
, ◉ Failure to function adequately - subjective judgement. Answer:
Patients may say they are distressed but judged as not
Ways of making judgement as objective as possible (Global
Assessment of Functioning Scale)
Do they have the right to make the judgement?
◉ Deviation from ideal mental health. Answer: Change emphasis -
what makes normal/psychologically healthy
Identify who deviates
Jahoda (1958) criteria
1. No symptoms/distress
2. Rational/perceive ourselves rationally
3. Self actualise
4. Cope with stress
5. Realistic view of world
6. Good self esteem / lack guilt
7. Independent of others
8. Successfully worklove/enjoy leisure
Overlap of explanations
CERTIFICATION EVALUATION 2026
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS ANSWERS
◉ Statistical infrequency - real life applications. Answer: All MI
assessments include comparison to statistical norms
IDD demonstrates how it can be used
Useful in clinical assessment
◉ Statistical infrequency - unusual characteristics can be positive.
Answer: Statistically abnormal but may not need treatment
E.g. IQ of 130 not undesirable
Should never be used alone to make diagnosis
◉ Statistical infrequency - not everyone benefits from labels.
Answer: Happy/fulfilled life
Low IQ, not distressed/unemployed = not necessary
May negatively affect how others view them/how they view
themselves
◉ Deviation from social norms. Answer: Abnormality based on
social context (different than expected)
,Collected judgement on 'correct'
Few behaviours universally abnormal (cultural context)
Historical differences e.g. homosexuality
APD: failure to conform to lawful and culturally normative ethical
behaviour
◉ Deviation from social norms - not sole explanation. Answer: APD:
place for deviation from social norms in thinking what is abnormal
Other factors: e.g. distress to other people from APD (a failure to
function adequately)
Never sold reason for defining abnormality
◉ Deviation from social norms - cultural relativism. Answer:
Ethnocentrism: one person may judge someone from another
culture as abnormal using their own cultural standards
Hearing voices acceptable in some cultures
Problems for people living outside of own cultural group
◉ Deviation from social norms - could lead to human rights abuse.
Answer: Systematic abuse of human rights
Drapetomania (black slaves trying to escape) + nymphomania
(women attracted to working class men) = used for social control
,Argued that some modern classifications abuse right to be different
◉ Failure to function adequately. Answer: Cannot cope with
everyday life
E.g. maintain job/relationships/hygiene
Rosenhan & Seligman: signs
1. No longer conform to interpersonal rules
2. Experience personal distress
3. Behave irrationally/dangerously
IDD: must be clear signs that they are unable to cope for diagnosis
◉ Failure to function adequately - patient's perspective. Answer:
Difficult to assess distress
Acknowledges experience of patient is important
Captures experiences of those who need help
◉ Failure to function adequately - same as deviation from social
norms. Answer: Really failing to function or just deviating?
Alternative lifestyles/extreme sports = maladaptive behaviour
Treat as 'failures' = limit freedom
, ◉ Failure to function adequately - subjective judgement. Answer:
Patients may say they are distressed but judged as not
Ways of making judgement as objective as possible (Global
Assessment of Functioning Scale)
Do they have the right to make the judgement?
◉ Deviation from ideal mental health. Answer: Change emphasis -
what makes normal/psychologically healthy
Identify who deviates
Jahoda (1958) criteria
1. No symptoms/distress
2. Rational/perceive ourselves rationally
3. Self actualise
4. Cope with stress
5. Realistic view of world
6. Good self esteem / lack guilt
7. Independent of others
8. Successfully worklove/enjoy leisure
Overlap of explanations
