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AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY PAPER 2 EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS LATEST EDITION 2026
AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY PAPER 2
Psychology in Context (7182/2)
Questions with Answers and Rationales
SECTION A: APPROACHES IN PSYCHOLOGY
Questions 1–50
1. Who established the first psychology laboratory in Leipzig in 1879?
• A) Sigmund Freud
• B) Wilhelm Wundt
• C) John B. Watson
• D) B.F. Skinner
Answer: B) Wilhelm Wundt
Rationale: Wundt established the first psychology laboratory in 1879 and used introspection to
study conscious experience, marking psychology's emergence as a science.
2. Wundt's primary method for studying conscious experience was:
• A) Free association
• B) Introspection
• C) Systematic desensitisation
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• D) Observational learning
Answer: B) Introspection
Rationale: Wundt trained observers to report their conscious experiences in a structured way, a
method known as introspection.
3. In Pavlov's classical conditioning research, the bell that eventually triggered salivation is
best described as:
• A) An unconditioned stimulus
• B) A conditioned stimulus
• C) An unconditioned response
• D) A conditioned response
Answer: B) A conditioned stimulus
Rationale: The bell began as a neutral stimulus and became a conditioned stimulus after
repeated pairing with food (the unconditioned stimulus).
4. A child learns to fear the dentist after a painful extraction. Now the child cries at the sight
of the dentist's white coat. In classical conditioning terms, the white coat has become:
• A) An unconditioned stimulus
• B) A conditioned stimulus
• C) An unconditioned response
• D) A conditioned response
Answer: B) A conditioned stimulus
Rationale: The white coat was initially neutral but became a conditioned stimulus through
association with pain. The fear response is the conditioned response.
5. A teacher gives a student extra credit for completing homework on time. According to
operant conditioning, this is an example of:
• A) Negative reinforcement
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• B) Positive reinforcement
• C) Positive punishment
• D) Negative punishment
Answer: B) Positive reinforcement
Rationale: Positive reinforcement involves adding a desirable stimulus (extra credit) to increase
the frequency of a behaviour.
6. According to Skinner, operant conditioning is learning through:
• A) Association
• B) Imitation
• C) Reward and punishment
• D) Insight
Answer: C) Reward and punishment
Rationale: Skinner's operant conditioning describes learning through reinforcement and
punishment.
7. In Bandura's social learning theory, which mediational process refers to the observer's
physical and cognitive ability to reproduce the modelled behaviour?
• A) Attention
• B) Retention
• C) Reproduction
• D) Motivation
Answer: C) Reproduction
Rationale: Reproduction is the mediational process concerning the observer's capability to
replicate the modelled behaviour.
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8. Students watch a video of an adult behaving aggressively toward a Bobo doll, then later
copy the exact actions. According to Bandura, which process best explains accurate
reproduction?
• A) Motivation
• B) Retention
• C) Attention
• D) Vicarious reinforcement
Answer: B) Retention
Rationale: Retention is the mental storage of observed behaviour so it can be reproduced later.
The question specifically asks how they reproduced the actions accurately.
9. In the cognitive approach, the term "schema" refers to:
• A) A genetically inherited instinct
• B) A mental framework that organises and interprets information
• C) A defence mechanism
• D) A neurological pathway
Answer: B) A mental framework that organises and interprets information
Rationale: A schema is a cognitive framework that helps process new information quickly.
10. The cognitive approach uses the computer analogy, comparing the brain to:
• A) The software
• B) The hardware
• C) The user interface
• D) The internet connection
Answer: B) The hardware
Rationale: In the computer analogy, the brain represents the hardware and mental processes
represent the software.
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AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY PAPER 2 EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS LATEST EDITION 2026
AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY PAPER 2
Psychology in Context (7182/2)
Questions with Answers and Rationales
SECTION A: APPROACHES IN PSYCHOLOGY
Questions 1–50
1. Who established the first psychology laboratory in Leipzig in 1879?
• A) Sigmund Freud
• B) Wilhelm Wundt
• C) John B. Watson
• D) B.F. Skinner
Answer: B) Wilhelm Wundt
Rationale: Wundt established the first psychology laboratory in 1879 and used introspection to
study conscious experience, marking psychology's emergence as a science.
2. Wundt's primary method for studying conscious experience was:
• A) Free association
• B) Introspection
• C) Systematic desensitisation
1|Page
,Page 2 of 50
• D) Observational learning
Answer: B) Introspection
Rationale: Wundt trained observers to report their conscious experiences in a structured way, a
method known as introspection.
3. In Pavlov's classical conditioning research, the bell that eventually triggered salivation is
best described as:
• A) An unconditioned stimulus
• B) A conditioned stimulus
• C) An unconditioned response
• D) A conditioned response
Answer: B) A conditioned stimulus
Rationale: The bell began as a neutral stimulus and became a conditioned stimulus after
repeated pairing with food (the unconditioned stimulus).
4. A child learns to fear the dentist after a painful extraction. Now the child cries at the sight
of the dentist's white coat. In classical conditioning terms, the white coat has become:
• A) An unconditioned stimulus
• B) A conditioned stimulus
• C) An unconditioned response
• D) A conditioned response
Answer: B) A conditioned stimulus
Rationale: The white coat was initially neutral but became a conditioned stimulus through
association with pain. The fear response is the conditioned response.
5. A teacher gives a student extra credit for completing homework on time. According to
operant conditioning, this is an example of:
• A) Negative reinforcement
2|Page
,Page 3 of 50
• B) Positive reinforcement
• C) Positive punishment
• D) Negative punishment
Answer: B) Positive reinforcement
Rationale: Positive reinforcement involves adding a desirable stimulus (extra credit) to increase
the frequency of a behaviour.
6. According to Skinner, operant conditioning is learning through:
• A) Association
• B) Imitation
• C) Reward and punishment
• D) Insight
Answer: C) Reward and punishment
Rationale: Skinner's operant conditioning describes learning through reinforcement and
punishment.
7. In Bandura's social learning theory, which mediational process refers to the observer's
physical and cognitive ability to reproduce the modelled behaviour?
• A) Attention
• B) Retention
• C) Reproduction
• D) Motivation
Answer: C) Reproduction
Rationale: Reproduction is the mediational process concerning the observer's capability to
replicate the modelled behaviour.
3|Page
, Page 4 of 50
8. Students watch a video of an adult behaving aggressively toward a Bobo doll, then later
copy the exact actions. According to Bandura, which process best explains accurate
reproduction?
• A) Motivation
• B) Retention
• C) Attention
• D) Vicarious reinforcement
Answer: B) Retention
Rationale: Retention is the mental storage of observed behaviour so it can be reproduced later.
The question specifically asks how they reproduced the actions accurately.
9. In the cognitive approach, the term "schema" refers to:
• A) A genetically inherited instinct
• B) A mental framework that organises and interprets information
• C) A defence mechanism
• D) A neurological pathway
Answer: B) A mental framework that organises and interprets information
Rationale: A schema is a cognitive framework that helps process new information quickly.
10. The cognitive approach uses the computer analogy, comparing the brain to:
• A) The software
• B) The hardware
• C) The user interface
• D) The internet connection
Answer: B) The hardware
Rationale: In the computer analogy, the brain represents the hardware and mental processes
represent the software.
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