📚 AS CIE Psychology: 2026 Exam Changes & Trends | AS CIE心理学：2026年考试变化与趋势
If you are preparing for the Cambridge International AS Level Psychology (9990) examination in 2026, it is essential to understand that the syllabus was significantly updated for first assessment in 2024 and continues unchanged through 2026. This article breaks down the key structural shifts, content reorganisation, and assessment trends so you can target your revision effectively.
如果你正在准备2026年剑桥国际AS Level心理学（9990）考试，你要知道从2024年首次评估起考纲已发生重大调整，并一直延续到2026年。本文梳理了核心结构变化、内容重组和评估趋势，帮助你精准复习。
1. The New Exam Structure at a Glance | 新的考试结构概览
The old AS Psychology syllabus involved Paper 1 (Core Studies 1) and Paper 2 (Core Studies 2), each drawing on ten classic and contemporary studies. The revised syllabus introduces two completely redesigned papers: Paper 1 – Approaches, Issues and Debates (2 hours, 140 marks) and Paper 2 – Research Methods (1 hour 30 minutes, 60 marks). This shift means that the AS qualification now places far greater weight on psychological theory, application, and methodological skills rather than simple recall of study details.
旧版AS心理学大纲包括试卷一（核心研究一）和试卷二（核心研究二），每份试卷均参考十个经典和当代研究。新大纲引入了两张完全重新设计的试卷：试卷一——取向、议题与辩论（2小时，140分）和试卷二——研究方法（1小时30分钟，60分）。这一转变意味着AS资格证书现在更重视心理学理论、应用和方法论技能，而非简单的对研究细节的记忆。
2. Paper 1: Four Compulsory Questions | 试卷一：四道必答题
Paper 1 consists of four compulsory sections, each worth 35 marks. Every section targets one of the four psychological approaches: biological, cognitive, social, and learning. Within each section, questions are built around the relevant core studies, but they often go beyond description, requiring you to discuss assumptions, link theories to research, evaluate methodologies, and address broader issues and debates such as nature versus nurture, reductionism, or ethical considerations.
试卷一包含四个必答部分，每题35分。每个部分针对四种心理学取向之一：生物、认知、社会和学习取向。在每个部分中，问题围绕相关核心研究展开，但常常超越描述层面，要求你讨论假设、将理论与研究联系、评估方法，并回应更广泛的议题与辩论，例如先天与后天、还原论或伦理考量。
3. Paper 2: Research Methods in Focus | 试卷二：聚焦研究方法
Paper 2 is dedicated entirely to research methods. It features a set of source-based questions and structured tasks that assess your ability to design studies, identify variables, select appropriate sampling techniques, interpret data, and evaluate validity and reliability. This paper does not require knowledge of specific core studies but will often include a scenario or a description of a fictional investigation which you must critique or improve.
试卷二完全专注于研究方法。它包含一系列基于素材的题目和结构化任务，评估你设计研究、识别变量、选择合适的抽样技术、解读数据以及评价效度和信度的能力。该试卷不要求掌握特定的核心研究，但通常会包含一个场景或一个虚构调查的描述，需要你进行批判或改进。
4. Reduction of Core Studies for AS Level | AS阶段核心研究的精简
Previously, AS candidates needed to know 20 core studies in depth. The new AS specification requires knowledge of only 6 core studies – one from each approach, with the social and learning approaches each contributing one additional study. This reduction allows teachers and students to spend more time exploring the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of each piece of research rather than racing through a long list of names and findings.
此前，AS考生需要深入了解20项核心研究。新的AS考纲只要求掌握6项核心研究——每种取向各一项，其中社会取向和学习取向各额外多一项。这一精简使教师和学生能够花更多时间探究每项研究的理论和方法论基础，而不是匆忙地记忆一长串名称和发现。
5. Greater Emphasis on Evaluation and Application | 更强调评价与应用
One of the clearest trends in the 2026 exams is the increased demand for critical thinking. Simple knowledge-based questions have been reduced; instead, you will encounter command words such as 'evaluate', 'discuss', 'suggest', and 'to what extent'. Answers must demonstrate the ability to weigh evidence, compare alternative explanations, and apply psychological concepts to real-world or novel situations. This mirrors the skills needed for further study in psychology.
2026年考试最明显的趋势之一是对批判性思维要求的提升。单纯基于知识的问题已经减少；取而代之的是诸如“评价”、“讨论”、“建议”和“在何种程度上”等指令词。答案必须体现出权衡证据、比较不同解释以及将心理学概念应用于现实世界或新情境的能力。这反映了进一步学习心理学所需的技能。
6. Integration of Issues and Debates | 议题与辩论的融入
Issues and debates are no longer a standalone topic; they are woven into every section of Paper 1. For each approach, you may be asked to consider the ethics of the chosen core study, the nature-nurture implications, the usefulness of animal models, or the problem of ethnocentrism. Only by regularly linking studies to these broader themes can you earn the highest marks.
议题与辩论不再是一个独立的主题，而是交织在试卷一的每个部分之中。针对每一种取向，你可能会被要求思考所选择的核心研究的伦理问题、先天-后天的含义、动物模型的用处或种族中心主义的问题。只有经常将研究联系到这些更广泛的主题，你才能获得最高分数。
7. Command Words and Question Styles | 指令词与题型变化
Familiarising yourself with the exact meaning of command words has become even more crucial. 'Describe' requires factual statements; 'explain' needs reasons or mechanisms; 'evaluate' demands strengths and weaknesses along with a conclusion. The new papers also use a two-part or three-part question format within each section, starting with a short descriptive task (4–6 marks), then moving to an explanation (8–10 marks) and finishing with a longer evaluation or discussion (12–16 marks).
熟悉指令词的确切含义变得更加关键。“Describe”要求陈述事实；“Explain”需要给出原因或机制；“Evaluate”则要求分析优缺点并得出结论。新试卷还在每个部分内采用了两问或三问的格式，从一个简短的描述性任务（4-6分）开始，随后是解释（8-10分），最后是较长的评价或讨论题（12-16分）。
8. Source Material and Data Interpretation | 素材材料与数据解读
Paper 2 consistently provides source material such as a summary of a psychological investigation, a table of results, or a graph. You might be asked to compute a measure of central tendency, interpret a standard deviation, or identify a confounding variable. While complex statistical calculations are not required, you should be comfortable with the mean, median, mode, range, and standard deviation as descriptive statistics. For example, recognising that a larger standard deviation indicates greater variability in the data set.
试卷二会持续提供素材材料，比如一项心理学调查的总结、结果表格或图表。你可能会被要求计算集中趋势的测量值、解释标准差或识别混淆变量。虽然不要求进行复杂的统计计算，但你应该熟练掌握平均数、中位数、众数、极差和标准差等描述性统计。例如，认识到较大的标准差表示数据集的变异性更大。
9. Practical Research Skills Are Now Examined Directly | 实践研究技能被直接考查
Unlike the old syllabus where methodology was often tested indirectly through evaluations of core studies, the new AS paper includes stand-alone methodology tasks. You may be presented with a hypothesis and asked to write a fully operationalised independent and dependent variable, or to sketch a consent form. These tasks reward precise, practical understanding of how psychologists actually conduct their investigations.
与旧大纲中间接通过核心研究的评价来考查方法论不同，新AS试卷包含独立的方法论任务。你可能会拿到一个假设，需要写出完全操作化的自变量和因变量，或草拟一份知情同意书。这些任务奖励你对心理学家如何实际开展研究有精确、实用的理解。
10. Assessment Objective Weightings | 评估目标权重变化
The weightings of the assessment objectives (AOs) have also shifted slightly. AO1 (Knowledge and understanding) now accounts for approximately 40% of the AS mark, AO2 (Application) around 30%, and AO3 (Evaluation) about 30%. This means that almost two-thirds of your total AS score comes from higher-order skills. Students who spend too much time memorising definitions without practising evaluation and application will find it difficult to achieve top grades.
评估目标（AO）的权重也略有变化。AO1（知识与理解）现在约占AS总分的40%，AO2（应用）约占30%，AO3（评价）约占30%。这意味着你AS总分的近三分之二来自高阶技能。如果花太多时间背诵定义而不练习评价和应用，学生将很难获得最高等级。
11. Recommended Study Strategies for 2026 | 2026年备考策略建议
To cope with these changes, you should build your revision around the core studies while constantly asking yourself: 'What does this study tell us about the approach?', 'What are the strengths and weaknesses of its method?', and 'Which issues and debates does it illustrate?'. Practice writing timed responses using past paper questions from 2024 onwards, and pay special attention to the mark schemes to understand what the examiners expect under each command word.
为应对这些变化，你应该围绕核心研究构建复习，同时不断问自己：“这个研究告诉我们该取向的什么”，“它的研究方法有哪些优点和缺点”，以及“它展示了哪些议题与辩论？”。使用2024年以后的真题进行限时写作练习，并特别关注评分方案，以理解考官在每个指令词下期望的是什么。
12. Looking Beyond 2026 | 2026年之后的展望
Although this article focuses on 2026, the current syllabus is stable until at least 2026, with no immediate plans for further revision. However, the trends towards more applied, evaluative, and methodological content are likely to continue shaping any future A Level Psychology curricula. Building strong critical analysis and research literacy now will serve you well both in the exam and in university-level psychology.
尽管本文聚焦于2026年，但当前考纲至少到2026年保持稳定，暂无进一步修订的计划。然而，向应用性、评价性和方法论内容发展的趋势很可能会继续塑造未来的A Level心理学课程。现在培养强大的批判分析能力和研究素养，无论对应试还是大学阶段的心理学学习都将大有裨益。
Published by TutorHao | Psychology Revision Series | aleveler.com
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