AQA AS Psychology specification (7181)
Understanding the exam specification is key to doing well in your AQA AS Psychology exam. It lays out exactly what you need to learn, how you'll be assessed, and what skills the examiners seek. Whether you're working through the course for the first time or revising for your final exams, the specification helps you stay focused and confident in your preparation.
We've included helpful revision tools to support you in putting the specification into practice. Wherever you're starting from, you'll find everything you need to feel prepared, from the official specification to high-quality resources designed to help you succeed.
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In the next section, you'll find a simplified summary of the official AQA AS Psychology specification, along with a breakdown of key topics, assessment structure, and useful study resources. We've also included links to topic-level guides and revision tools to help you put the specification into practice.
Contents
Disclaimer
This page includes a summary of the official AQA AS Psychology (7181) specification, provided to support your revision. While we've made every effort to ensure accuracy, Save My Exams is not affiliated with the awarding body.
For the most complete and up-to-date information, we strongly recommend consulting the official AQA specification PDF.
Specification overview
This AS Psychology qualification introduces students to key concepts in cognitive, social, biological, and developmental psychology, as well as research methods. It fosters analytical, interpretative, and evaluative skills essential to understanding human behaviour. Designed in collaboration with experts and the British Psychological Society, the course equips students with scientific thinking, ethical understanding, and mathematical competence relevant to psychology. It supports progression to higher education and a wide range of careers, developing skills in critical analysis, independent thinking, and empirical research.Subject content breakdown
3.1 Introductory topics in Psychology
- Types and explanations of conformity; Zimbardo's study of social roles.
- Obedience and its explanations including Milgram’s study and the Authoritarian Personality.
- Resistance to social influence; minority influence and social change.
- Memory models, types, and explanations for forgetting.
- Factors and methods for improving eyewitness testimony.
- Theories and studies of attachment, including caregiver-infant interactions, animal studies, Bowlby’s theories, and the influence of early attachments.
3.2 Psychology in context
- Origins of psychology; key psychological approaches: behaviourist, social learning, cognitive, biological.
- Definitions, characteristics, and explanations of abnormality (phobias, depression, OCD) with treatments.
- Research methods: experimental, observational, self-report, correlations.
- Scientific processes: hypotheses, sampling, pilot studies, experimental/observational/questionnaire design, variables, ethical issues.
- Data handling and analysis: descriptive statistics, data types, presentation, normal/skewed distributions, the sign test.
Assessment structure
Paper 1: Introductory Topics in Psychology
- Assesses Social Influence, Memory, and Attachment.
- Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes.
- 72 marks; 50% of AS.
- Sections A–C each include multiple choice, short answer and extended writing (24 marks each).
Paper 2: Psychology in Context
- Assesses Approaches in Psychology, Psychopathology, and Research Methods.
- Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes.
- 72 marks; 50% of AS.
- Sections A–C each include multiple choice, short answer and extended writing (24 marks each).
Key tips for success
Doing well in your AQA AS Psychology isn't just about how much you study, but how you study. Here are a few proven tips to help you stay on track
- Start with a clear plan: Break the subject into topics and create a revision schedule that allows enough time for each. Start early to avoid last-minute stress.
- Focus on understanding, not memorising: Use our revision notes to build a strong foundation in each topic, making sure you actually understand the material.
- Practise regularly: Attempt past papers to familiarise yourself with the exam format and timing. Mark your answers to see how close you are to full marks.
- Be strategic with your revision: Use exam questions by topic to focus on weaker areas, and flashcards to reinforce important facts and terminology.
- Learn from mistakes: Whether it's from mock exams or practice questions, spend time reviewing what went wrong and why. This helps prevent repeat mistakes in the real exam.
- Stay balanced: Don't forget to take regular breaks, eat well, and get enough sleep, a healthy routine makes revision much more effective.
With the right approach and consistent practice, you'll build confidence and improve your chances of exam success.
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