A-level
PSYCHOLOGY
Paper 3 Issues and options in psychology
Friday 5 June 2026 Morning Time allowed: 2 hours
Materials
For this paper you must have:
• an AQA 16-page Answer Book.
You may use a calculator.
Instructions
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
• Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is 7182/3.
• In Section A, you should answer all questions.
• In Section B, choose one topic. Answer all questions on the topic you choose.
• In Section C, choose one topic. Answer all questions on the topic you choose.
• In Section D, choose one topic. Answer all questions on the topic you choose.
• Do all rough work in your answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked.
Information
• The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
• The maximum mark for this paper is 96.
• You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
, 2
There are no questions printed on this page
, 3
Section A
Issues and debates in psychology
Answer all questions in this section.
0 1 What is meant by a free will approach in psychology?
[2 marks]
0 2 ‘It is inappropriate to take a free will approach in psychology.’
Outline one reason why some psychologists might say this.
[2 marks]
0 3 Most behaviours, like playing football, can be explained at different levels.
Outline what psychologists mean by levels of explanation and suggest how playing
football can be explained at two different levels.
[4 marks]
0 4 Discuss social sensitivity in psychological research. Refer to one or more topics in
your answer.
[16 marks]
Turn over for Section B
, 4
Section B
Relationships or Gender or Cognition and development
Choose one topic from Section B. Answer all questions on the topic you choose.
Topic: Relationships
0 5 Describe one phase of Duck’s model of relationship breakdown.
[4 marks]
0 6 A researcher was interested in factors affecting attraction. The researcher investigated
the relationship between similarity in attitudes and levels of attraction in couples.
There were two co-variables.
Co-variable 1: Similarity of attitude score 1–10 (a high score indicates a high level of
attitude similarity).
Co-variable 2: Levels of attraction score 1–10 (a high score indicates a high level
of attraction).
Explain why the variables above are referred to as co-variables.
[2 marks]
0 7 What level of measurement is the data collected in this study? Explain your answer.
[3 marks]
0 8 Suggest an appropriate inferential test that could be used to analyse the data from
this study.
[1 mark]
0 9 The researcher concluded that there was a strong positive relationship between the
two co-variables.
In your answer book, roughly sketch a graph that the researcher might produce using the
data they collected. Label the axes on your graph.
[2 marks]
1 0 Describe one other study of a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.
Refer to both procedure and findings in your answer.
[4 marks]
1 1 Describe and evaluate the attachment theory explanation of parasocial relationships.
[8 marks]
PSYCHOLOGY
Paper 3 Issues and options in psychology
Friday 5 June 2026 Morning Time allowed: 2 hours
Materials
For this paper you must have:
• an AQA 16-page Answer Book.
You may use a calculator.
Instructions
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
• Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is 7182/3.
• In Section A, you should answer all questions.
• In Section B, choose one topic. Answer all questions on the topic you choose.
• In Section C, choose one topic. Answer all questions on the topic you choose.
• In Section D, choose one topic. Answer all questions on the topic you choose.
• Do all rough work in your answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked.
Information
• The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
• The maximum mark for this paper is 96.
• You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
, 2
There are no questions printed on this page
, 3
Section A
Issues and debates in psychology
Answer all questions in this section.
0 1 What is meant by a free will approach in psychology?
[2 marks]
0 2 ‘It is inappropriate to take a free will approach in psychology.’
Outline one reason why some psychologists might say this.
[2 marks]
0 3 Most behaviours, like playing football, can be explained at different levels.
Outline what psychologists mean by levels of explanation and suggest how playing
football can be explained at two different levels.
[4 marks]
0 4 Discuss social sensitivity in psychological research. Refer to one or more topics in
your answer.
[16 marks]
Turn over for Section B
, 4
Section B
Relationships or Gender or Cognition and development
Choose one topic from Section B. Answer all questions on the topic you choose.
Topic: Relationships
0 5 Describe one phase of Duck’s model of relationship breakdown.
[4 marks]
0 6 A researcher was interested in factors affecting attraction. The researcher investigated
the relationship between similarity in attitudes and levels of attraction in couples.
There were two co-variables.
Co-variable 1: Similarity of attitude score 1–10 (a high score indicates a high level of
attitude similarity).
Co-variable 2: Levels of attraction score 1–10 (a high score indicates a high level
of attraction).
Explain why the variables above are referred to as co-variables.
[2 marks]
0 7 What level of measurement is the data collected in this study? Explain your answer.
[3 marks]
0 8 Suggest an appropriate inferential test that could be used to analyse the data from
this study.
[1 mark]
0 9 The researcher concluded that there was a strong positive relationship between the
two co-variables.
In your answer book, roughly sketch a graph that the researcher might produce using the
data they collected. Label the axes on your graph.
[2 marks]
1 0 Describe one other study of a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.
Refer to both procedure and findings in your answer.
[4 marks]
1 1 Describe and evaluate the attachment theory explanation of parasocial relationships.
[8 marks]
