Please write clearly in block capitals.
Centre number Candidate number
AS
Surname
Forename(s) PSYCHOLOGY
Candidate signature
I declare this is my own work.
7181/2
Paper 2 Psychology in context
AS Mark scheme
PSYCHOLOGY June 2026
Paper 2 Psychology in context Version: 1.0 Final
Tuesday 19 May 2026 Afternoon Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
Materials For Examiner’s Use
For this paper you may use:
• a calculator. Section Mark
A
Instructions B
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
C
• Fill in the boxes at the top of this page.
• Answer all questions. TOTAL
• You must answer the questions in the spaces provided. Do not write
outside the box around each page or on blank pages.
• If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the
end of this book. Write the question number against your answer(s).
• Do all rough work in this 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 72.
You will be assessed on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
*Jun *
IB/H/Jun26/G4004/V9 7181/2
, 2
MARK SCHEME – AS PSYCHOLOGY – 7181/2 – JUNE 2026
Do not write
outside the
Section A box
Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant
Approaches in Psychology
questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the
standardisation events which all associates participate in and is the scheme which was used by them in
Answer all questions in this section.
this examination. The standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’
responses to questions and that every associate understands and applies it in the same correct way.
As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts. Alternative
0 1 Jenny is playing football. The ball is passed to her and she makes a conscious
answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the
decision to run toward the goal. She can feel her heart pounding in her chest as her
standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which have not been raised they are
heart rate increases and her adrenal glands start to produce more adrenaline. As
required to refer these to the Lead Examiner.
Jenny runs with the ball, she consciously decides to move her left leg back. Jenny
then kicks the ball with her left leg and scores a goal.
It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and
expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark
For each of the changes in the table below, identify the division of the peripheral
schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of
nervous system which is responsible for that change.
assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination
paper.
You may use any division more than once.
No student should be disadvantaged on the basis of their gender identity and/or how they refer to the
Write your answer in the space provided.
gender identity of others in their exam responses.
[4 marks]
A consistent use of ‘they/them’ as a singular and pronouns beyond ‘she/her’ or ‘he/him’ will be credited in
Division of peripheral nervous exam responses in line with existing mark scheme criteria.
Changes
system
Jenny’s adrenal glands producing more
Further copies of this mark scheme are available from
adrenaline
Jenny’s heart pounding in her chest as
her heart rate increases
Jenny’s leg movement to kick the ball
Jenny’s run towards the goal
0 2 Outline the function of the endocrine system.
[2 marks]
information
retains the on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own
internal use, with the following important exception: cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third
party even for internal use within the centre.
and its licensors. All rights reserved.
*02*
2
IB/H/Jun26/7181/2
, 3
MARK SCHEME – AS PSYCHOLOGY – 7181/2 – JUNE 2026
Do not write
outside the
0 3 What is meant by genotype? box
[1 mark]
Level of response marking instructions
Level of response mark schemes are broken down into levels, each of which has a descriptor. The
descriptor for the level shows the average performance for the level. There are marks in each level.
Before you apply the mark scheme to a student’s answer read through the answer and annotate it (as
0 4 instructed) to show the qualities that are being looked for. You can then apply the mark scheme.
What is meant by phenotype?
[1 mark]
Step 1 Determine a level
Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the
descriptor for that level. The descriptor for the level indicates the different qualities that might be seen in
the student’s answer for that level. If it meets the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it
meets this level, and so on, until you have a match between the level descriptor and the answer. With
0 5 practice and familiarity you will find that for better answers you will be able to quickly skip through the
Describe the influence of neurochemistry on behaviour.
lower levels of the mark scheme.
[4 marks]
When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in
small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as the rest. If
the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit
approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within
the level, ie if the response is predominantly level 3 with a small amount of level 4 material it would be
placed in level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the level 4 content.
Step 2 Determine a mark
Once you have assigned a level you need to decide on the mark. The descriptors on how to allocate
marks can help with this. The exemplar materials used during standardisation will help. There will be an
answer in the standardising materials which will correspond with each level of the mark scheme. This
answer will have been awarded a mark by the Lead Examiner. You can compare the student’s answer
with the example to determine if it is the same standard, better or worse than the example. You can then
use this to allocate a mark for the answer based on the Lead Examiner’s mark on the example.
You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark scheme to clarify points and
assure yourself that the level and the mark are appropriate.
Turn over for the next question Indicative content in the mark scheme is provided as a guide for examiners. It is not intended to be
exhaustive and you must credit other valid points. Students do not have to cover all of the points
mentioned in the Indicative content to reach the highest level of the mark scheme.
An answer which contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks.
Turn over ►
*03*
3
IB/H/Jun26/7181/2
Centre number Candidate number
AS
Surname
Forename(s) PSYCHOLOGY
Candidate signature
I declare this is my own work.
7181/2
Paper 2 Psychology in context
AS Mark scheme
PSYCHOLOGY June 2026
Paper 2 Psychology in context Version: 1.0 Final
Tuesday 19 May 2026 Afternoon Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
Materials For Examiner’s Use
For this paper you may use:
• a calculator. Section Mark
A
Instructions B
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
C
• Fill in the boxes at the top of this page.
• Answer all questions. TOTAL
• You must answer the questions in the spaces provided. Do not write
outside the box around each page or on blank pages.
• If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the
end of this book. Write the question number against your answer(s).
• Do all rough work in this 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 72.
You will be assessed on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
*Jun *
IB/H/Jun26/G4004/V9 7181/2
, 2
MARK SCHEME – AS PSYCHOLOGY – 7181/2 – JUNE 2026
Do not write
outside the
Section A box
Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant
Approaches in Psychology
questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the
standardisation events which all associates participate in and is the scheme which was used by them in
Answer all questions in this section.
this examination. The standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’
responses to questions and that every associate understands and applies it in the same correct way.
As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts. Alternative
0 1 Jenny is playing football. The ball is passed to her and she makes a conscious
answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the
decision to run toward the goal. She can feel her heart pounding in her chest as her
standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which have not been raised they are
heart rate increases and her adrenal glands start to produce more adrenaline. As
required to refer these to the Lead Examiner.
Jenny runs with the ball, she consciously decides to move her left leg back. Jenny
then kicks the ball with her left leg and scores a goal.
It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and
expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark
For each of the changes in the table below, identify the division of the peripheral
schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of
nervous system which is responsible for that change.
assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination
paper.
You may use any division more than once.
No student should be disadvantaged on the basis of their gender identity and/or how they refer to the
Write your answer in the space provided.
gender identity of others in their exam responses.
[4 marks]
A consistent use of ‘they/them’ as a singular and pronouns beyond ‘she/her’ or ‘he/him’ will be credited in
Division of peripheral nervous exam responses in line with existing mark scheme criteria.
Changes
system
Jenny’s adrenal glands producing more
Further copies of this mark scheme are available from
adrenaline
Jenny’s heart pounding in her chest as
her heart rate increases
Jenny’s leg movement to kick the ball
Jenny’s run towards the goal
0 2 Outline the function of the endocrine system.
[2 marks]
information
retains the on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own
internal use, with the following important exception: cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third
party even for internal use within the centre.
and its licensors. All rights reserved.
*02*
2
IB/H/Jun26/7181/2
, 3
MARK SCHEME – AS PSYCHOLOGY – 7181/2 – JUNE 2026
Do not write
outside the
0 3 What is meant by genotype? box
[1 mark]
Level of response marking instructions
Level of response mark schemes are broken down into levels, each of which has a descriptor. The
descriptor for the level shows the average performance for the level. There are marks in each level.
Before you apply the mark scheme to a student’s answer read through the answer and annotate it (as
0 4 instructed) to show the qualities that are being looked for. You can then apply the mark scheme.
What is meant by phenotype?
[1 mark]
Step 1 Determine a level
Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the
descriptor for that level. The descriptor for the level indicates the different qualities that might be seen in
the student’s answer for that level. If it meets the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it
meets this level, and so on, until you have a match between the level descriptor and the answer. With
0 5 practice and familiarity you will find that for better answers you will be able to quickly skip through the
Describe the influence of neurochemistry on behaviour.
lower levels of the mark scheme.
[4 marks]
When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in
small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as the rest. If
the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit
approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within
the level, ie if the response is predominantly level 3 with a small amount of level 4 material it would be
placed in level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the level 4 content.
Step 2 Determine a mark
Once you have assigned a level you need to decide on the mark. The descriptors on how to allocate
marks can help with this. The exemplar materials used during standardisation will help. There will be an
answer in the standardising materials which will correspond with each level of the mark scheme. This
answer will have been awarded a mark by the Lead Examiner. You can compare the student’s answer
with the example to determine if it is the same standard, better or worse than the example. You can then
use this to allocate a mark for the answer based on the Lead Examiner’s mark on the example.
You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark scheme to clarify points and
assure yourself that the level and the mark are appropriate.
Turn over for the next question Indicative content in the mark scheme is provided as a guide for examiners. It is not intended to be
exhaustive and you must credit other valid points. Students do not have to cover all of the points
mentioned in the Indicative content to reach the highest level of the mark scheme.
An answer which contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks.
Turn over ►
*03*
3
IB/H/Jun26/7181/2
