Please check the examination details below before entering your candidate information
Candidate surname Other names
Centre Number Candidate Number
Pearson Edexcel Level 1/Level 2 GCSE (9–1)
Thursday 14 May 2026
Afternoon (Time: 1 hour 20 minutes) Paper
reference 1PS0/02
Psychology
PAPER 2
You must have: Total Marks
Calculator, ruler
Instructions
•• Use black ink or ball-point pen except for graphs where you should use a pencil.
Fill in the boxes at the top of this page with your name,
centre number and candidate number.
• There are six sections in this question paper.
Section A – answer ALL questions in Section A.
Sections B to F – select two sections from B to F. Answer ALL questions in your
selected sections.
• Answer the questions in the spaces provided
– there may be more space than you need.
• You must show all your working out, with your answers clearly identified at
the end of your solution.
Information
•• The total mark for this paper is 79.
The marks for each question are shown in brackets
– use this as a guide as to how much time to spend on each question.
• Instructure
questions marked with an asterisk (*), marks will be awarded for your ability to
your answer logically, showing how the points that you make are related
or follow on from each other where appropriate.
• Calculators may be used.
Advice
•• Read each question carefully before you start to answer it.
Check your answers if you have time at the end. Turn over
P79210A
©2026 Pearson Education Ltd.
P:1/1/1/1/1
*P79210A0156*
, Section A – answer ALL questions Topic studied Page
in this section
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Research methods – How do you carry out 3
psychological research?
Sections B to F – select two sections Topic studied Page
from B to F. Answer ALL questions
in your selected sections
Section B: Criminal psychology – Why do 18
people become criminals?
Section C: The self – What makes you who 25
you are?
Section D: Perception – How do you 32
interpret the world around you?
Section E: Sleep and dreaming – Why do 39
you need to sleep and dream?
Section F: Language, thought and 46
communication – How do you
communicate with others?
2
*P79210A0256*
, SECTION A
Research methods – How do you carry out psychological research?
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Answer ALL questions in this section. Write your answers in the spaces provided.
Some questions must be answered with a cross in a box . If you change your mind about an
answer, put a line through the box and then mark your new answer with a cross .
1 Gemma conducted an experiment to investigate the effect of noise on reaction time.
She recruited 12 participants by placing a poster, with her contact details, in her
university library.
Participants were instructed to press the space bar on a computer every time a green
square appeared on the screen. The green square appeared ten times.
Each participant was tested twice:
• Test 1: Participants were tested in a silent room.
• Test 2: Participants were tested in a room with loud music playing.
Reaction time was calculated by recording the average time (in seconds) taken to
press the space bar following the green square’s appearance.
(a) Identify the sampling method Gemma used to recruit her participants.
(1)
A Volunteer
B Random
C Stratified
D Opportunity
(b) State an alternative hypothesis for Gemma’s experiment.
(2)
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................................................................................................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................................................................................................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................................................................................................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................... ................................................................................................................................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................................................................................................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3
*P79210A0356* Turn over
, Gemma’s results are shown in Table 1.
Participant Reaction time Reaction time
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
(in seconds) when (in seconds) when
tested in a silent tested in a room
room with loud music
playing
A 1.0 1.6
B 1.2 1.1
C 1.0 1.4
D 0.9 1.4
E 1.1 1.6
F 0.9 1.8
G 1.0 1.5
H 0.8 1.5
I 1.1 1.0
J 1.1 1.3
K 1.4 1.4
L 1.5 1.5
Table 1
(c) Calculate the percentage of participants whose reaction time was under
1.2 seconds when tested in a silent room, out of all the participants in the
experiment.
(2)
Percentage ........................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
*P79210A0456*
Candidate surname Other names
Centre Number Candidate Number
Pearson Edexcel Level 1/Level 2 GCSE (9–1)
Thursday 14 May 2026
Afternoon (Time: 1 hour 20 minutes) Paper
reference 1PS0/02
Psychology
PAPER 2
You must have: Total Marks
Calculator, ruler
Instructions
•• Use black ink or ball-point pen except for graphs where you should use a pencil.
Fill in the boxes at the top of this page with your name,
centre number and candidate number.
• There are six sections in this question paper.
Section A – answer ALL questions in Section A.
Sections B to F – select two sections from B to F. Answer ALL questions in your
selected sections.
• Answer the questions in the spaces provided
– there may be more space than you need.
• You must show all your working out, with your answers clearly identified at
the end of your solution.
Information
•• The total mark for this paper is 79.
The marks for each question are shown in brackets
– use this as a guide as to how much time to spend on each question.
• Instructure
questions marked with an asterisk (*), marks will be awarded for your ability to
your answer logically, showing how the points that you make are related
or follow on from each other where appropriate.
• Calculators may be used.
Advice
•• Read each question carefully before you start to answer it.
Check your answers if you have time at the end. Turn over
P79210A
©2026 Pearson Education Ltd.
P:1/1/1/1/1
*P79210A0156*
, Section A – answer ALL questions Topic studied Page
in this section
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Research methods – How do you carry out 3
psychological research?
Sections B to F – select two sections Topic studied Page
from B to F. Answer ALL questions
in your selected sections
Section B: Criminal psychology – Why do 18
people become criminals?
Section C: The self – What makes you who 25
you are?
Section D: Perception – How do you 32
interpret the world around you?
Section E: Sleep and dreaming – Why do 39
you need to sleep and dream?
Section F: Language, thought and 46
communication – How do you
communicate with others?
2
*P79210A0256*
, SECTION A
Research methods – How do you carry out psychological research?
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Answer ALL questions in this section. Write your answers in the spaces provided.
Some questions must be answered with a cross in a box . If you change your mind about an
answer, put a line through the box and then mark your new answer with a cross .
1 Gemma conducted an experiment to investigate the effect of noise on reaction time.
She recruited 12 participants by placing a poster, with her contact details, in her
university library.
Participants were instructed to press the space bar on a computer every time a green
square appeared on the screen. The green square appeared ten times.
Each participant was tested twice:
• Test 1: Participants were tested in a silent room.
• Test 2: Participants were tested in a room with loud music playing.
Reaction time was calculated by recording the average time (in seconds) taken to
press the space bar following the green square’s appearance.
(a) Identify the sampling method Gemma used to recruit her participants.
(1)
A Volunteer
B Random
C Stratified
D Opportunity
(b) State an alternative hypothesis for Gemma’s experiment.
(2)
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................................................................................................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................................................................................................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................................................................................................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................... ................................................................................................................................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................................................................................................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3
*P79210A0356* Turn over
, Gemma’s results are shown in Table 1.
Participant Reaction time Reaction time
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
(in seconds) when (in seconds) when
tested in a silent tested in a room
room with loud music
playing
A 1.0 1.6
B 1.2 1.1
C 1.0 1.4
D 0.9 1.4
E 1.1 1.6
F 0.9 1.8
G 1.0 1.5
H 0.8 1.5
I 1.1 1.0
J 1.1 1.3
K 1.4 1.4
L 1.5 1.5
Table 1
(c) Calculate the percentage of participants whose reaction time was under
1.2 seconds when tested in a silent room, out of all the participants in the
experiment.
(2)
Percentage ........................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
*P79210A0456*
