Please check the examination details below before entering your candidate information
Candidate surname Other names
Centre Number Candidate Number
Edexcel Level 3 GCE
Tuesday 19 May 2026
Afternoon (Time: 1 hour 30 minutes) Paper
reference 8PS0/02
Psychology
Advanced Subsidiary
PAPER 2: Biological Psychology and Learning Theories
Mark Scheme (Results)
Summer 2026
You do not need any other materials. Total Marks
Instructions
•• Use black ink or ball-point pen.
Fill in the boxes at the top of this page with your name,
centre number and candidate number.
•• Answer all questions.
Answer the questions in the spaces provided
– there may be more space than you need.
Information
•• The total mark for this paper is 70.
The marks for each question are shown in brackets Edexcel GCE Advanced Subsidiary In
– use this as a guide as to how much time to spend on each question.
•• The list of formulae and statistical tables are printed at the start of this paper.
Candidates may use a calculator.
gy
Advice 8PS0/02
•• Read each question carefully before you start to answer it.
Try to answer every question.
• Check your answers if you have time at the end. Biological Pshychology and Leaning Theories
Turn over
P79552A
P:1/1/1/1
Education Ltd. *P79552A0132*
, Edexcel and BTEC Qualifications
FORMULAE AND STATISTICAL TABLES
Standard deviation (sample estimate)
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Edexcel and BTEC qualifications are awarded by the UK’s largest
x
x
2 awarding body. We provide a wide range of quali including
academic, vocational, occupational and specific programmes for
n
1
he our qualifications websites at
or . Alternatively, you can get in touch
Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient
us page at
6
d2
1
n
n 2 1
Critical values for Spearman’s rank
Level of significance for a one-tailed test
0.05 0.025 0.01 0.005 0.0025
Level of significance for a two-tailed test
N 0.10 0.05 0.025 0.01 0.005
helping people progress, everywhere
5 0.900 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000
pires to be the world’s leading learning company. Our aim is to help
6 0.829 0.886 0.943 1.000 1.000
progress in their lives through education. We believe in every kind of
7 0.714 0.786 0.893 0.929 0.964
learning, for all kinds of people, wherever they are in the world. We’ve been
8 0.643 0.738 0.833 0.881 0.905
involved in education for over 150 years, and by working across 70 countries, in
9 0.600 0.700 0.783 0.833 0.867 100 languages, we have built an international reputation for our commitment to
10 0.564 0.648 0.745 0.794 0.830 high standards and raising achievement through innovation in education. Find
11 0.536 0.618 0.709 0.755 0.800 can help you and your students at:
12 0.503 0.587 0.678 0.727 0.769
13 0.484 0.560 0.648 0.703 0.747
14 0.464 0.538 0.626 0.679 0.723
15 0.446 0.521 0.604 0.654 0.700
16 0.429 0.503 0.582 0.635 0.679
17 0.414 0.485 0.566 0.615 0.662
18 0.401 0.472 0.550 0.600 0.643
19 0.391 0.460 0.535 0.584 0.628
20 0.380 0.447 0.520 0.570 0.612
21 0.370 0.435 0.508 0.556 0.599
22 0.361 0.425 0.496 0.544 0.586
23 0.353 0.415 0.486 0.532 0.573
24 0.344 0.406 0.476 0.521 0.562
25 0.337 0.398 0.466 0.511 0.551
26 0.331 0.390 0.457 0.501 0.541
27 0.324 0.382 0.448 0.491 0.531 Summer 2026
28 0.317 0.375 0.440 0.483 0.522 Question Paper Log Number P79552A
29 0.312 0.368 0.433 0.475 0.513 Publication Code 8PS0_02_2606_MS
30 0.306 0.362 0.425 0.467 0.504 erial in this publication is
Education Ltd
The calculated value must be equal to or exceed the critical value in this table for
significance to be shown.
2
1 DD02572
1/1
*P79552A0232*
©2020 Pearson Education Ltd.
, General Marking Guidance
Chi-squared distribution formula
O
E
2
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
X
2
df
r
1
c
1
• All candidates must receive the same
E
treatment. Examiners must mark the first candidate in
Critical values for chi-squared distribution exactly the same way as they mark the last.
• Mark schemes should be applied positively. Candidates
Level of significance for a one-tailed test
must be rewarded for what they have shown they can do
0.10 0.05 0.025 0.01 0.005 0.0005
Level of significance for a two-tailed test rather than penalised for omissions.
df 0.20 0.10 0.05 0.025 0.01 0.001 • Examiners should mark according to the mark scheme
1 1.64 2.71 3.84 5.02 6.64 10.83 not according to their perception of where the grade
2 3.22 4.61 5.99 7.38 9.21 13.82 boundaries may lie.
3 4.64 6.25 7.82 9.35 11.35 16.27 • There is no ceiling on achievement. All marks on the mark
4 5.99 7.78 9.49 11.14 13.28 18.47
scheme should be used appropriately.
5 7.29 9.24 11.07 12.83 15.09 20.52
6 8.56 10.65 12.59 14.45 16.81 22.46 • All the marks on the mark scheme are designed to be
7 9.80 12.02 14.07 16.01 18.48 24.32 awarded. Examiners should always award full marks if
8 11.03 13.36 15.51 17.54 20.09 26.12 deserved, i.e. if the answer matches the mark
9 12.24 14.68 16.92 19.02 21.67 27.88 scheme. Examiners should also be prepared to award
10 13.44 15.99 18.31 20.48 23.21 29.59
zero marks if the candidate’s response is not worthy of
11 14.63 17.28 19.68 21.92 24.73 31.26 credit according to the mark scheme.
12 15.81 18.55 21.03 23.34 26.22 32.91 • Where some judgement is required, mark schemes will
13 16.99 19.81 22.36 24.74 27.69 34.53
provide the principles by which marks will be awarded
14 18.15 21.06 23.69 26.12 29.14 36.12
15 19.31 22.31 25.00 27.49 30.58 37.70 and exemplification may be limited.
16 20.47 23.54 26.30 28.85 32.00 39.25 • When examiners are in doubt regarding the application
17 21.62 24.77 27.59 30.19 33.41 40.79 of the mark scheme to a candidate’s response, the
18 22.76 25.99 28.87 31.53 34.81 42.31 team leader must be consulted.
19 23.90 27.20 30.14 32.85 36.19 43.82 • Crossed out work should be marked UNLESS the
20 25.04 28.41 31.41 34.17 37.57 45.32
candidate has replaced it with an alternative response.
21 26.17 29.62 32.67 35.48 38.93 46.80
22 27.30 30.81 33.92 36.78 40.29 48.27
23 28.43 32.01 35.17 38.08 41.64 49.73
24 29.55 33.20 36.42 39.36 42.98 51.18
25 30.68 34.38 37.65 40.65 44.31 52.62
26 31.80 35.56 38.89 41.92 45.64 54.05
27 32.91 36.74 40.11 43.20 46.96 55.48
28 34.03 37.92 41.34 44.46 48.28 56.89
29 35.14 39.09 42.56 45.72 49.59 58.30
30 36.25 40.26 43.77 46.98 50.89 59.70
40 47.27 51.81 55.76 59.34 63.69 73.40
50 58.16 63.17 67.51 71.42 76.15 86.66
60 68.97 74.40 79.08 83.30 88.38 99.61
70 79.72 85.53 90.53 95.02 100.43 112.32
The calculated value must be equal to or exceed the critical value in this table for
significance to be shown.
3
2
DD02572
1/1
*P79552A0332*
©2020 Pearson Education Ltd.
Turn over
, SECTION A
Mann-Whitney U test formulae
s
na
na
1
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Question Answer Mark
U a na nb
Ra
2 Number
n
n
1
1(a) AO1 (3 marks) (3)
U b na nb
b b Rb
2
Up to three marks for a description of the results of Raine et al.
de
(U is the smaller of Ua and Ub)
(1997).
Critical values for the Mann-Whitney U test
For example:
p 0.05 (one-tailed), p 0.10 (two-tailed)
Nb • Raine et al. (1997) found that 41 of those pleading Not Guilty
by Reasons of Insanity (NGRI) had a lower glucose
metabolism in the prefrontal cortex compared to the 41
Na
participants in the control group (1). The NGRI murderers’
group had lower activity in the left angular gyrus and in the
ra
parietal area of the brain than the controls (1). The 41 NGRI
group and the 41 non-murderer control group had no
significant difference in the metabolism of glucose in the
lateral temporal lobe (1).
Look for other reasonable marking points.
g
st
0 138
be
4
3 DD02572
1/1
*P79552A0432*
©2020 Pearson Education Ltd.
Candidate surname Other names
Centre Number Candidate Number
Edexcel Level 3 GCE
Tuesday 19 May 2026
Afternoon (Time: 1 hour 30 minutes) Paper
reference 8PS0/02
Psychology
Advanced Subsidiary
PAPER 2: Biological Psychology and Learning Theories
Mark Scheme (Results)
Summer 2026
You do not need any other materials. Total Marks
Instructions
•• Use black ink or ball-point pen.
Fill in the boxes at the top of this page with your name,
centre number and candidate number.
•• Answer all questions.
Answer the questions in the spaces provided
– there may be more space than you need.
Information
•• The total mark for this paper is 70.
The marks for each question are shown in brackets Edexcel GCE Advanced Subsidiary In
– use this as a guide as to how much time to spend on each question.
•• The list of formulae and statistical tables are printed at the start of this paper.
Candidates may use a calculator.
gy
Advice 8PS0/02
•• Read each question carefully before you start to answer it.
Try to answer every question.
• Check your answers if you have time at the end. Biological Pshychology and Leaning Theories
Turn over
P79552A
P:1/1/1/1
Education Ltd. *P79552A0132*
, Edexcel and BTEC Qualifications
FORMULAE AND STATISTICAL TABLES
Standard deviation (sample estimate)
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Edexcel and BTEC qualifications are awarded by the UK’s largest
x
x
2 awarding body. We provide a wide range of quali including
academic, vocational, occupational and specific programmes for
n
1
he our qualifications websites at
or . Alternatively, you can get in touch
Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient
us page at
6
d2
1
n
n 2 1
Critical values for Spearman’s rank
Level of significance for a one-tailed test
0.05 0.025 0.01 0.005 0.0025
Level of significance for a two-tailed test
N 0.10 0.05 0.025 0.01 0.005
helping people progress, everywhere
5 0.900 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000
pires to be the world’s leading learning company. Our aim is to help
6 0.829 0.886 0.943 1.000 1.000
progress in their lives through education. We believe in every kind of
7 0.714 0.786 0.893 0.929 0.964
learning, for all kinds of people, wherever they are in the world. We’ve been
8 0.643 0.738 0.833 0.881 0.905
involved in education for over 150 years, and by working across 70 countries, in
9 0.600 0.700 0.783 0.833 0.867 100 languages, we have built an international reputation for our commitment to
10 0.564 0.648 0.745 0.794 0.830 high standards and raising achievement through innovation in education. Find
11 0.536 0.618 0.709 0.755 0.800 can help you and your students at:
12 0.503 0.587 0.678 0.727 0.769
13 0.484 0.560 0.648 0.703 0.747
14 0.464 0.538 0.626 0.679 0.723
15 0.446 0.521 0.604 0.654 0.700
16 0.429 0.503 0.582 0.635 0.679
17 0.414 0.485 0.566 0.615 0.662
18 0.401 0.472 0.550 0.600 0.643
19 0.391 0.460 0.535 0.584 0.628
20 0.380 0.447 0.520 0.570 0.612
21 0.370 0.435 0.508 0.556 0.599
22 0.361 0.425 0.496 0.544 0.586
23 0.353 0.415 0.486 0.532 0.573
24 0.344 0.406 0.476 0.521 0.562
25 0.337 0.398 0.466 0.511 0.551
26 0.331 0.390 0.457 0.501 0.541
27 0.324 0.382 0.448 0.491 0.531 Summer 2026
28 0.317 0.375 0.440 0.483 0.522 Question Paper Log Number P79552A
29 0.312 0.368 0.433 0.475 0.513 Publication Code 8PS0_02_2606_MS
30 0.306 0.362 0.425 0.467 0.504 erial in this publication is
Education Ltd
The calculated value must be equal to or exceed the critical value in this table for
significance to be shown.
2
1 DD02572
1/1
*P79552A0232*
©2020 Pearson Education Ltd.
, General Marking Guidance
Chi-squared distribution formula
O
E
2
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
X
2
df
r
1
c
1
• All candidates must receive the same
E
treatment. Examiners must mark the first candidate in
Critical values for chi-squared distribution exactly the same way as they mark the last.
• Mark schemes should be applied positively. Candidates
Level of significance for a one-tailed test
must be rewarded for what they have shown they can do
0.10 0.05 0.025 0.01 0.005 0.0005
Level of significance for a two-tailed test rather than penalised for omissions.
df 0.20 0.10 0.05 0.025 0.01 0.001 • Examiners should mark according to the mark scheme
1 1.64 2.71 3.84 5.02 6.64 10.83 not according to their perception of where the grade
2 3.22 4.61 5.99 7.38 9.21 13.82 boundaries may lie.
3 4.64 6.25 7.82 9.35 11.35 16.27 • There is no ceiling on achievement. All marks on the mark
4 5.99 7.78 9.49 11.14 13.28 18.47
scheme should be used appropriately.
5 7.29 9.24 11.07 12.83 15.09 20.52
6 8.56 10.65 12.59 14.45 16.81 22.46 • All the marks on the mark scheme are designed to be
7 9.80 12.02 14.07 16.01 18.48 24.32 awarded. Examiners should always award full marks if
8 11.03 13.36 15.51 17.54 20.09 26.12 deserved, i.e. if the answer matches the mark
9 12.24 14.68 16.92 19.02 21.67 27.88 scheme. Examiners should also be prepared to award
10 13.44 15.99 18.31 20.48 23.21 29.59
zero marks if the candidate’s response is not worthy of
11 14.63 17.28 19.68 21.92 24.73 31.26 credit according to the mark scheme.
12 15.81 18.55 21.03 23.34 26.22 32.91 • Where some judgement is required, mark schemes will
13 16.99 19.81 22.36 24.74 27.69 34.53
provide the principles by which marks will be awarded
14 18.15 21.06 23.69 26.12 29.14 36.12
15 19.31 22.31 25.00 27.49 30.58 37.70 and exemplification may be limited.
16 20.47 23.54 26.30 28.85 32.00 39.25 • When examiners are in doubt regarding the application
17 21.62 24.77 27.59 30.19 33.41 40.79 of the mark scheme to a candidate’s response, the
18 22.76 25.99 28.87 31.53 34.81 42.31 team leader must be consulted.
19 23.90 27.20 30.14 32.85 36.19 43.82 • Crossed out work should be marked UNLESS the
20 25.04 28.41 31.41 34.17 37.57 45.32
candidate has replaced it with an alternative response.
21 26.17 29.62 32.67 35.48 38.93 46.80
22 27.30 30.81 33.92 36.78 40.29 48.27
23 28.43 32.01 35.17 38.08 41.64 49.73
24 29.55 33.20 36.42 39.36 42.98 51.18
25 30.68 34.38 37.65 40.65 44.31 52.62
26 31.80 35.56 38.89 41.92 45.64 54.05
27 32.91 36.74 40.11 43.20 46.96 55.48
28 34.03 37.92 41.34 44.46 48.28 56.89
29 35.14 39.09 42.56 45.72 49.59 58.30
30 36.25 40.26 43.77 46.98 50.89 59.70
40 47.27 51.81 55.76 59.34 63.69 73.40
50 58.16 63.17 67.51 71.42 76.15 86.66
60 68.97 74.40 79.08 83.30 88.38 99.61
70 79.72 85.53 90.53 95.02 100.43 112.32
The calculated value must be equal to or exceed the critical value in this table for
significance to be shown.
3
2
DD02572
1/1
*P79552A0332*
©2020 Pearson Education Ltd.
Turn over
, SECTION A
Mann-Whitney U test formulae
s
na
na
1
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Question Answer Mark
U a na nb
Ra
2 Number
n
n
1
1(a) AO1 (3 marks) (3)
U b na nb
b b Rb
2
Up to three marks for a description of the results of Raine et al.
de
(U is the smaller of Ua and Ub)
(1997).
Critical values for the Mann-Whitney U test
For example:
p 0.05 (one-tailed), p 0.10 (two-tailed)
Nb • Raine et al. (1997) found that 41 of those pleading Not Guilty
by Reasons of Insanity (NGRI) had a lower glucose
metabolism in the prefrontal cortex compared to the 41
Na
participants in the control group (1). The NGRI murderers’
group had lower activity in the left angular gyrus and in the
ra
parietal area of the brain than the controls (1). The 41 NGRI
group and the 41 non-murderer control group had no
significant difference in the metabolism of glucose in the
lateral temporal lobe (1).
Look for other reasonable marking points.
g
st
0 138
be
4
3 DD02572
1/1
*P79552A0432*
©2020 Pearson Education Ltd.
