AQA A LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY PAPER 1
INTRODUCTORY TOPICS IN PSYCHOLOGY
7182/1 EXAM STUDY GUIDE 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH FULL SOLUTIONS
◉ REBT (RATIONAL EMOTIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY). Answer: a
confrontational cognitive therapy, developed by Albert Ellis, that
vigorously challenges people's illogical, self-defeating attitudes and
assumptions.
◉ ABCDE MODEL. Answer: REBT extends Ellis' ABC model to
include (D)isputing irrational beliefs and (E)ffect of challenging this
◉ EMPIRICAL ARGUMENT. Answer: used by therapist in REBT to
challenge irrational belief.
disputing whether there is evidence to support belief.
◉ LOGICAL ARGUMENT. Answer: used by therapist in REBT to
challenge irrational belief.
disputing whether the negative thought actually follows from the
facts
,◉ BEHAVIOURAL ACTIVATION. Answer: the goal of cognitive
treatment is to get depressed individuals to gradually decrease
avoidance and isolation and increase engagement in activities such
as exercising.
◉ STRENGTH OF CBT: EFFECTIVE. Answer: compared w/ anti-
depressant drugs
after 36 weeks 81% of drug group and 86% of drug+therapy group
were significantly improved.
CBT just as helpful as medication and effective alongside medication
good case for making CBT treatment of choice in NHS
◉ LIMITATION OF CBT: MAY NOT WORK FOR THE MOST SEVERE
CASES. Answer: in severe cases patients cannot motivate themselves
to comply with the CBT
in these cases it is better to treat w/ medication and have them take
on CBT when they are more motivated
limitation as it means CBT is not fully effective alone
,◉ LIMITATION OF CBT: SUCCESS MAY BE MORE DUE TO
RELATIONSHIP RATHER THAN PROCESSS. Answer: all
psychotherapies have the common basis of patient-therapist
relationship and the quality of this relationship may determine
success rather than technique.
comparitive reviews such as Luborsky et al (2002) find v small diffs
btwn therapies - suggests they share a common basis.
◉ LIMITAITON OF CBT: FUTURE FOCUSSED. Answer: some patients
want to explore their past, as their experiences may have led to the
depression.
however CBT has a focus on present and future and this may bean
CBT ignores an important part of the patient's experience
◉ LIMITATION OF CBT: OVEREMPHASIS ON COGNITION. Answer:
CBT may minimise the importasnce of circumstances usch as
poverty and abuse. this situation needs to be changed and
approaches whihc focus on mind rather than environment can
prevent this, and can lead to inappropriate demotivation to change
their situation.
, ◉ COMT GENE. Answer: The COMT gene is associated with the
regulation the neurotransmitter dopamine. One variation of the
COMT gene results in higher levels of dopamine and this variation is
more common in patients with OCD, in comparison to people
without OCD.
◉ SERT GENE. Answer: The SERT gene is linked to the
neurotransmitter serotonin and affects the transport of the
serotonin (hence SERotonin Transporter), causing lower levels of
serotonin which is also associated with OCD (and depression)
◉ POLYGENIC. Answer: OCD cannot be narrowed down to a single
gene - Taylor (2013) found that as many as 230 different genes may
be involved.
◉ AETIOLOGICALLY HETEROGENEOUS. Answer: one group of genes
may cause OCD in one person, but a different may cause it in another
different types of OCD may be the result of particular geetic
variations
◉ THE ROLE OF SEROTONIN IN OCD. Answer: Serotonin regulates
mood and lower levels of serotonin are associated with mood
disorders, such as depression. Furthermore, some cases of OCD are
also associated with the reduced levels of serotonin, which may be
caused by the SERT gene (see above). Further support for the role of
INTRODUCTORY TOPICS IN PSYCHOLOGY
7182/1 EXAM STUDY GUIDE 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH FULL SOLUTIONS
◉ REBT (RATIONAL EMOTIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY). Answer: a
confrontational cognitive therapy, developed by Albert Ellis, that
vigorously challenges people's illogical, self-defeating attitudes and
assumptions.
◉ ABCDE MODEL. Answer: REBT extends Ellis' ABC model to
include (D)isputing irrational beliefs and (E)ffect of challenging this
◉ EMPIRICAL ARGUMENT. Answer: used by therapist in REBT to
challenge irrational belief.
disputing whether there is evidence to support belief.
◉ LOGICAL ARGUMENT. Answer: used by therapist in REBT to
challenge irrational belief.
disputing whether the negative thought actually follows from the
facts
,◉ BEHAVIOURAL ACTIVATION. Answer: the goal of cognitive
treatment is to get depressed individuals to gradually decrease
avoidance and isolation and increase engagement in activities such
as exercising.
◉ STRENGTH OF CBT: EFFECTIVE. Answer: compared w/ anti-
depressant drugs
after 36 weeks 81% of drug group and 86% of drug+therapy group
were significantly improved.
CBT just as helpful as medication and effective alongside medication
good case for making CBT treatment of choice in NHS
◉ LIMITATION OF CBT: MAY NOT WORK FOR THE MOST SEVERE
CASES. Answer: in severe cases patients cannot motivate themselves
to comply with the CBT
in these cases it is better to treat w/ medication and have them take
on CBT when they are more motivated
limitation as it means CBT is not fully effective alone
,◉ LIMITATION OF CBT: SUCCESS MAY BE MORE DUE TO
RELATIONSHIP RATHER THAN PROCESSS. Answer: all
psychotherapies have the common basis of patient-therapist
relationship and the quality of this relationship may determine
success rather than technique.
comparitive reviews such as Luborsky et al (2002) find v small diffs
btwn therapies - suggests they share a common basis.
◉ LIMITAITON OF CBT: FUTURE FOCUSSED. Answer: some patients
want to explore their past, as their experiences may have led to the
depression.
however CBT has a focus on present and future and this may bean
CBT ignores an important part of the patient's experience
◉ LIMITATION OF CBT: OVEREMPHASIS ON COGNITION. Answer:
CBT may minimise the importasnce of circumstances usch as
poverty and abuse. this situation needs to be changed and
approaches whihc focus on mind rather than environment can
prevent this, and can lead to inappropriate demotivation to change
their situation.
, ◉ COMT GENE. Answer: The COMT gene is associated with the
regulation the neurotransmitter dopamine. One variation of the
COMT gene results in higher levels of dopamine and this variation is
more common in patients with OCD, in comparison to people
without OCD.
◉ SERT GENE. Answer: The SERT gene is linked to the
neurotransmitter serotonin and affects the transport of the
serotonin (hence SERotonin Transporter), causing lower levels of
serotonin which is also associated with OCD (and depression)
◉ POLYGENIC. Answer: OCD cannot be narrowed down to a single
gene - Taylor (2013) found that as many as 230 different genes may
be involved.
◉ AETIOLOGICALLY HETEROGENEOUS. Answer: one group of genes
may cause OCD in one person, but a different may cause it in another
different types of OCD may be the result of particular geetic
variations
◉ THE ROLE OF SEROTONIN IN OCD. Answer: Serotonin regulates
mood and lower levels of serotonin are associated with mood
disorders, such as depression. Furthermore, some cases of OCD are
also associated with the reduced levels of serotonin, which may be
caused by the SERT gene (see above). Further support for the role of
