Edexcel GCSE Psychology (1PS0) Past Papers 2026
Download free Edexcel GCSE Psychology past papers, mark schemes, Foundation & Higher tiers. 7 exam sessions from 2019–2026.
June 2024
Latest Session
7
Sessions
2019–2026
12
Question Papers
11
Mark Schemes
92% coverage
4
Specimen Papers
Components & time pressure
Marks per minute shows how fast you have to work — the higher the number, the tighter the time pressure in that paper.
| Paper | Component | Marks | Duration | Marks / min | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (1PS0/01) | Foundations in Psychology | 98 | 1h 45m | 0.93 | High |
| Paper 2 (1PS0/02) | Applications of Psychology | 79 | 1h 20m | 0.99 | High |
Component structure extracted from 3 official Edexcel documents (2023–2024). Timings and mark totals are taken from the papers themselves.
Yearly Exam Sessions
How is Edexcel GCSE Psychology examined?
Edexcel GCSE Psychology is examined through 2 paper components. Understanding each component helps you allocate revision time effectively.
Paper 1 (1PS0/01)
98 marksFoundations in Psychology
Duration: 1h 45m
Paper 2 (1PS0/02)
79 marksApplications of Psychology
Duration: 1h 20m
What Edexcel examiners say about Psychology
Verbatim quotes from 3 official Edexcel examiner reports (2023–2024). Every quote is attributable to a specific paper and session — these are the things Edexcel markers flag year after year.
Knowing the theory but not applying it
Most responses achieved the first AO1 mark but then had difficulty applying it to the scenario, and therefore received no further credit.
Identifying a strength or weakness but failing to…
Candidates need to ensure they are elaborating on their weakness sufficiently to be able to gain the full two marks per weakness in future series'.
Drawing a conclusion from data but then not justifying…
Some responses only repeated information from the table with no conclusion, which should be avoided in future series'.
Most Common Mistakes — Psychology
Based on analysis of 3 official Edexcel examiner reports (2023, 2024). Avoid these errors to maximise your marks.
Knowing the theory but not applying it — no link to the scenario
Paper 1, Paper 2 · Flagged in every question requiring AO2 across all three reports; the single most cited reason marks were withheld
Identifying a strength or weakness but failing to justify it fully in context
Paper 1, Paper 2 · Flagged in every strength/weakness question across all three reports; generic justifications scored 0 AO3 marks
Drawing a conclusion from data but then not justifying it with evidence from the source material
Paper 1, Paper 2 · Flagged in every conclusion question across all three reports; the most common mark pattern was 1 out of 2 (conclusion only, no justification)
Suggesting an improvement for a study that is not relevant to the specific investigation described
Paper 1, Paper 2 · Flagged in all three reports; pre-learned generic improvements explicitly warned against in 2024
Confusing operant conditioning terms — using 'punishment' where the question asks about positive or negative reinforcement
Paper 2 · Flagged for multiple questions in Paper 2 June 2023; scored 0 marks in every cited case
Topics Students Struggle With Most
Named compulsory studies — specific sample, procedure, and findings
Sperry (1968) was widely misremembered in 2023, with many candidates guessing or recalling it inaccurately. In 2024, Caspi et al. (2003) and Piliavin et al. (1969) caused similar problems: candidates gave findings for a different study, or wrongly attributed diffusion of responsibility to Piliavin. Examiners explicitly recommended that centres focus on helping candidates recall specific study details.
Paper 1
Social influence — personality and situational factors affecting obedience
Both 2023 reports flagged that candidates generally found it difficult to recall relevant personality factors (authoritarian personality, external locus of control) and situational factors (proximity, legitimacy of authority) affecting obedience. Where candidates did recall a factor, they usually applied it but did not demonstrate full understanding of the factor.
Paper 1
Issues and debates essay — AO3 evaluation and balanced argument
The issues and debates essay (Q22 in 2023, Q26 in 2024) consistently showed that the 7–9 mark range was difficult to reach. Weaker responses defined concepts but did not apply them to major atrocities (2023) or to memory research (2024). AO3 and balance were named as the recurring differentiators in both years.
Paper 1
Operant conditioning terminology — confusing reinforcement types with punishment
Multiple questions on Paper 2 June 2023 (Q07, Q08, Q09) showed candidates confusing positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, and punishment. Several responses described punishment when asked for negative reinforcement, and vice versa — scoring zero on each occasion. Examiners advised centres to reinforce these distinctions explicitly.
Paper 2
Research methods — situational variables versus dispositional variables
Q02c (Paper 2, June 2023) required candidates to describe a situational variable. Many gave dispositional variables instead (e.g. 'being in a rush' is dispositional, not situational). Performance on this question was explicitly described as 'limited'. Examiners flagged misunderstanding of the terminology.
Paper 2
Strength/weakness questions — providing AO3 justification rather than identification only
Across all three reports and in every strength/weakness question, the most common failure was stopping at the identification of the strength or weakness without justifying it. Examiners noted this in Q04b, Q09b, Q12b (2023), Q04b, Q09b, Q15b, Q19b, Q23b (2024), and multiple Paper 2 questions. Generic justifications were explicitly described as not creditworthy.
Paper 1, Paper 2
Paper 2 optional topic essays — AO3 evaluation of studies and theories
AO3 was the weakest element across all optional topic essays in Paper 2 June 2023 (criminal psychology Q12, developmental psychology Q19, perception Q26, sleep Q33, language Q40). Examiners in the Paper 2 summary specifically asked candidates to practise AO3 skills for extended responses.
Paper 2
Applying scenario details in four-mark strength/weakness questions — moving beyond the character's name
In Paper 2 June 2023, multiple four-mark questions (Q11, Q18, Q25, Q32, Q39) showed that candidates who mentioned only the character's name without referencing specific scenario details (e.g. driving offences, Kim's age, the hotel building) scored zero for those marks. Examiners explicitly stated: 'Using only the name is not enough for a link.'
Paper 2
Edexcel GCSE Psychology — Full Archive 2019–2026
This page contains all 23 Pearson Edexcel GCSE Psychology past papers available for free download — 7 exam sessions from 2019 to 2026. Each session includes question papers (QP), mark schemes (MS), and where applicable, marking advice (MA) and insert materials (IN). No registration or payment required.
Pearson Edexcel GCSE Psychology is graded 9–1, where 9 is the highest. Grade 4 is a standard pass and grade 5 is a strong pass. Edexcel is part of Pearson, the world's largest education company, and is one of the three main exam boards in England alongside AQA and OCR.
Some Edexcel GCSE subjects offer Foundation and Higher tiers. Foundation targets grades 5–1 and Higher targets grades 9–4. Paper filenames indicate the tier — always check you're downloading the correct one for your entry. If your subject is untiered, all students sit the same papers regardless of target grade.
Edexcel mark schemes distinguish between method marks (M), accuracy marks (A), and independent marks (B). Even if your final answer is wrong, clear working can earn method marks — so always show your steps. After completing each Psychology past paper under timed exam conditions, mark it against the official scheme and track which topics and question types cost you the most marks. Focusing revision on your weakest areas across 3–5 papers is the most efficient way to improve your grade.
Psychology (1PS0) at other levels
Questions, answered.
PapersDaddy provides 23 free Edexcel GCSE Psychology past papers from 2019–2026. Download question papers and mark schemes as PDF — no registration needed.
We have 23 papers across 7 exam sessions for Edexcel GCSE Psychology. This includes question papers and mark schemes for both Foundation and Higher tiers, plus 4 specimen papers.
Practise with the tier you are entered for. Foundation tier targets grades 5-1. Higher tier targets grades 9-4. If you're unsure, ask your teacher which tier you are entered for. Practising with the wrong tier will not prepare you for the correct question style and difficulty.
QP = Question Paper (the actual exam paper), MS = Mark Scheme (official marking guide with accepted answers), MA = Marking Advice (additional guidance for markers), IN = Insert (source material booklet used during the exam). Download both the QP and MS for each session to practise effectively.