GCSE PSYCHOLOGY (9–1): Actual May 2025 PAST PAPER 2. All Assessment Questions & Mark Scheme [Edexcel 1PS0/02]

GCSE PSYCHOLOGY (9–1): Actual May 2025 PAST PAPER 2. All Assessment Questions &
Mark Scheme [Edexcel 1PS0/02]

Exam Resource Summary

The GCSE Psychology (9–1) May 2025 Paper 2 [Edexcel 1PS0/02] – All Assessment Questions &
Mark Scheme merges the official examination paper with its full mark scheme. This paper evaluates
students’ knowledge and understanding of psychological themes, including social influence, memory,
psychopathology, and research methods, while testing their ability to apply, analyse, and evaluate
psychological concepts in context. Each question is presented alongside its marking criteria, providing
clear insight into examiner expectations and effective response strategies. This resource is essential for
focused revision, self-assessment, and strengthening analytical and evaluative skills, making it a key tool
for preparation for the May 2026 Edexcel GCSE Psychology Paper 2 examination.


Turn over

, Section A – answer ALL questions Topic studied Page
in this section




DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Research methods – How do you carry out 4
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 26
you are?
Section D: Perception – How do you 33
interpret the world around you?
Section E: Sleep and dreaming – Why do 41
you need to sleep and dream?
Section F: Language, thought and 47
communication – How do you




DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
communicate with others?




DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA




2

■■■■

, DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA




■■■■
BLANK PAGE
SECTION A BEGINS ON THE NEXT PAGE.




3
Turn over

, SECTION A
Research methods – How do you carry out psychological research?




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 Thomas recruited participants to investigate obedience to authority. The participants
were asked to attend a university.

They were allocated to one of two conditions:

• Condition A: 30 participants were instructed to answer general knowledge
questions in silence for 40 minutes by a man dressed in a uniform.

• Condition B: 30 participants were instructed to answer general knowledge
questions in silence for 40 minutes by a man dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.

Thomas recorded how many participants obeyed the instruction to remain silent.

(a) Identify the dependent variable (DV) in Thomas’ investigation.




DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
(1)

A Whether the man was wearing a uniform or jeans and a t-shirt.

B The amount of time participants were given to answer the questions.
C The number of participants who obeyed the man’s instruction to
remain silent.
D The number of general knowledge questions participants were
instructed to answer.

(b) Describe one participant variable that Thomas may have considered when
conducting his investigation.
(2)

. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . ......................



. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . ......................
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA


. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . ......................



. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . ......................



. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . ......................



. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . ......................




4

■■■■