Mini practice paper: 8 questions
Mixed-difficulty questions from across the Psychology syllabus. Tap "Show answer" after each to check yourself.
Q1 · Difficulty 1/3
According to Piaget, which stage of cognitive development occurs roughly between the ages of 7 and 11?
- Preoperational stage
- Sensorimotor stage
- Formal operational stage
- Concrete operational stage
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — Concrete operational stage
The concrete operational stage (approximately 7–11 years) is when children develop logical thinking about concrete objects and conservation. The sensorimotor stage covers 0–2 years. The preoperational stage covers 2–7 years. The formal operational stage begins around age 12.
Q2 · Difficulty 1/3
Which researcher is most associated with the concept of the 'zone of proximal development' (ZPD)?
- Sigmund Freud
- Lawrence Kohlberg
- Lev Vygotsky
- Jean Piaget
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — Lev Vygotsky
Lev Vygotsky proposed the zone of proximal development — the gap between what a child can do alone and what they can achieve with support. Piaget focused on stages of cognitive development. Kohlberg studied moral development. Freud developed psychosexual theory.
Q3 · Difficulty 2/3
Lack of sleep can impair concentration and:
- mood
- height
- weight only
- hair
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — mood
Sleep loss affects mood and concentration.
Q4 · Difficulty 2/3
The pressure to behave like others in a group is called peer:
- pressure
- support only
- review
- memory
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — pressure
Peer pressure influences behaviour.
Q5 · Difficulty 2/3
Good communication uses both verbal and ____ signals together.
- non-verbal
- written only
- printed only
- silent only
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — non-verbal
Effective communication combines both.
Q6 · Difficulty 3/3
People are more likely to obey someone seen as a legitimate:
- authority
- stranger
- child
- peer only
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — authority
Legitimate authority increases obedience.
Q7 · Difficulty 3/3
Larger group sizes generally ____ the pressure to conform, up to a point.
- increase
- remove
- reverse
- zero
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — increase
Bigger groups increase conformity pressure.
Q8 · Difficulty 2/3
A smile and a frown are examples of ____ expressions.
- facial
- verbal
- written
- printed
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — facial
Facial expressions are non-verbal.
AQA GCSE Psychology FAQ
What does the AQA GCSE Psychology exam look like?
The AQA GCSE Psychology exam is structured across 3 components. Paper 1: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 1-4 of the specification. Paper 2: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 5-8 of the specification. Paper 3: Where applicable — e.g. Combined Science, Languages. Includes synoptic and applied questions. Total exam time: ~3 hours across two or three papers.
Can I download a free AQA GCSE Psychology past paper?
Real AQA past papers are published directly by AQA on their official website. Kramizo doesn't redistribute copyrighted past papers, but we do generate free AI-written practice papers in the exact same style — same command words, same difficulty tier, same mark conventions. Use this practice paper as warm-up, then time yourself on official past papers before exam day.
How is AQA GCSE Psychology graded?
Grades: 9 (highest) to 1 (lowest), with U (ungraded). A grade of 4 is a standard pass; 5 is a strong pass. Kramizo's practice questions are tagged with difficulty 1-3 mapping roughly to the lower, middle, and top grade boundaries you'll encounter in the real exam.