Ace A-Level Psychology with Smart Revision
Revise A-Level Psychology with practice on approaches, biopsychology, research methods, and key psychological studies.
Content reviewed February 2026 · Aligned to current specifications
About A-Level Psychology
A-Level Psychology provides a scientific understanding of human behaviour and mental processes, covering topics such as memory, attachment, social influence, psychopathology, biopsychology, and research methods. It is a science A-Level, which surprises some students — you will need to understand experimental design, statistical analysis, and how to evaluate research evidence critically.
Psychology is valuable preparation for degrees in psychology, neuroscience, criminology, social work, and education. It also complements medicine, law, marketing, and business courses by developing your understanding of how people think and behave. It is consistently one of the most popular A-Level choices.
The main challenges include mastering research methods and statistical concepts, learning to evaluate studies critically rather than simply describing them, and managing the breadth of content across many distinct topic areas. Many students underestimate the scientific rigour required and the amount of detailed knowledge needed for exam success.
Topics Covered
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Exam-Style Questions
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Detailed Explanations
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Progress Tracking
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Study Tips for Psychology
- ✓ For every study you learn, know the aim, method, results, and conclusion, but also prepare at least two evaluation points covering strengths and limitations of the methodology. Evaluation is where the higher marks are.
- ✓ Master research methods thoroughly — understand experimental designs, sampling techniques, types of data, ethical guidelines, and statistical tests. Research methods questions appear across every paper and are worth a significant proportion of the total marks.
- ✓ Use the GRAVE acronym (Generalisability, Reliability, Application, Validity, Ethics) as a framework for evaluating studies. This ensures your evaluation points are structured and comprehensive rather than vague.
- ✓ Create comparison tables for different psychological approaches (biological, cognitive, behavioural, psychodynamic, humanistic). Being able to compare and contrast approaches is essential for synoptic questions.
Exam Tips for A-Level Psychology
- ✓ In evaluation questions, develop your points fully using a point-evidence-explain structure. Saying a study has low ecological validity is only the start — you must explain why (e.g. the lab setting created demand characteristics) and what impact this has on the conclusions.
- ✓ For application questions, explicitly link psychological concepts and research to the scenario provided in the question. Do not just write everything you know about a topic — the marks are awarded for applying your knowledge to the specific context.
- ✓ When discussing ethical issues, refer to the BPS Code of Ethics specifically and explain how ethical guidelines were addressed or violated in the study, rather than making general comments about ethics being important.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What do I need to study psychology at university? +
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Useful Resources
Psychology at other levels: GCSE Psychology · International A-Level Psychology
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