AS CAIE Psychology: 2026 Exam Changes and Trends | AS CAIE 心理学：2026年考试变化与趋势

📚 AS CAIE Psychology: 2026 Exam Changes and Trends | AS CAIE 心理学：2026年考试变化与趋势

For students sitting the AS CAIE Psychology (9990) exam in 2026, it is vital to understand the latest syllabus developments and trends that will shape the papers. The current 2024–2026 syllabus introduced a refreshed set of core studies, refined assessment objectives, and a sharper focus on research methodology and ethical evaluation. This article explores the key changes, persistent emphases, and emerging trends to help you prepare effectively for the 2026 examination series.

对于参加 2026 年 AS CAIE 心理学 (9990) 考试的学生来说，了解最新的考纲发展和命题趋势至关重要。当前 2024–2026 年考纲更新了一批核心研究，调整了评估目标，并更加聚焦研究方法和伦理评估。本文将深入剖析这些关键变化、持续的重点以及新兴趋势，帮助你高效备考 2026 年考试。

1. The 2024–2026 Syllabus at a Glance | 2024–2026 年考纲概览

The AS qualification remains structured around two compulsory papers: Paper 1 (Approaches, Issues and Debates) and Paper 2 (Research Methods). While the overall framework is familiar, CAIE revised the list of core studies for Paper 1 from the 2024 examination onwards, ensuring that the curriculum reflects contemporary psychological research and greater cultural inclusivity.

AS 资格证书依然由两份必考试卷构成：试卷一（方法、议题与争论）和试卷二（研究方法）。尽管总体框架保持不变，CAIE 从 2024 年考试起对试卷一的核心研究列表进行了修订，确保课程内容反映当代心理学研究以及更强的文化包容性。

Both papers are 1 hour 30 minutes long and carry 60 marks each. The 2026 exam will be based on this same syllabus, meaning that changes introduced in 2024 will still be central to your revision. It is essential to work with the 2024–2026 syllabus document and approved textbooks, as older resources may reference studies no longer examined.

两份试卷时长均为 1 小时 30 分钟，各占 60 分。2026 年考卷将依据同一份考纲命题，因此 2024 年引入的变化仍是复习的核心。务必使用 2024–2026 年考纲文件及官方认可的教材，因为较早的资料可能引用已不再考查的研究。

2. Core Study Refresh: What’s In and What’s Out | 核心研究更新：新增与移除的内容

The most tangible change for Paper 1 is the replacement of several core studies. CAIE aimed to introduce research that better represents diverse populations, modern techniques, and heightened ethical awareness. For instance, within the biological approach, Hassett et al. (2008) on sex differences in toy preferences in rhesus monkeys replaced some older animal studies, offering a more nuanced look at biological determinism and socialisation.

试卷一最明显的变化是替换了若干核心研究。CAIE 旨在引入更能代表不同人群、体现现代技术和更强伦理意识的研究。例如，在生理取向下，Hassett 等人 (2008) 关于恒河猴玩具偏好性别差异的研究取代了一些较早的动物实验，更有层次地探讨了生理决定论与社会化。

In the cognitive approach, studies such as Laney et al. (2008) on false memory for liking asparagus have been introduced, highlighting the reconstructive nature of memory and ethical issues in deception research. Meanwhile, classic studies like Schachter and Singer (1962) and Dement and Kleitman (1957) were retained, but their evaluation now expects deeper critique of methodological and ethical flaws from a modern perspective.

在认知取向下，新引入了 Laney 等人 (2008) 关于对喜爱芦笋的虚假记忆研究，凸显了记忆的重构本质和欺骗研究中的伦理问题。同时，保留了 Schachter 与 Singer (1962)、Dement 与 Kleitman (1957) 等经典研究，但对其的评价现在要求从现代视角深入批判方法学和伦理缺陷。

Students should download the latest core studies list from the CAIE website and cross-reference any revision guides. Pay close attention to the four approaches (biological, cognitive, learning, social) and the issues and debates linked to each study.

学生应从 CAIE 官网下载最新核心研究列表，并交叉核对所有复习资料。要密切关注四大取向（生理、认知、学习、社会）以及与每项研究相关的议题和争论。

3. Assessment Objectives: Weighting and Emphasis | 评估目标：权重与侧重点

The three assessment objectives (AO1 Knowledge and understanding, AO2 Application, AO3 Evaluation) have maintained their approximate weightings, but the mark schemes now place even greater value on the quality of evaluation and application. In Paper 1, AO3 accounts for roughly half of the marks, demanding that you go beyond describing studies to critically evaluating them in terms of methodology, ethics, and alternative explanations.

三个评估目标（AO1 知识与理解、AO2 应用、AO3 评价）保持了大致权重，但评分方案对评价和应用的质量提出了更高要求。在试卷一中，AO3 约占总分的一半，要求你不仅要描述研究，还要从方法学、伦理和替代解释的角度进行批判性评价。

For Paper 2, AO2 and AO3 are heavily assessed through question formats that ask you to design a study, suggest improvements, or critique given procedures. This signals a clear trend: the exam rewards candidates who can use psychological knowledge in novel scenarios, not just regurgitate facts.

在试卷二中，AO2 和 AO3 通过要求考生设计研究、提出改进建议或批判所给程序的题目形式得到重点考查。这释放出一个明确趋势：考试奖励那些能在新情境中运用心理学知识的考生，而非仅仅复述事实。

4. Paper 1: Approaches, Issues and Debates – New Demands | 试卷一：方法、议题与争论 – 新的要求

Paper 1 consists of short-answer and extended-response questions linked to the core studies. In the 2024–2026 syllabus, questions increasingly ask you to compare studies within or across approaches, and to discuss issues such as nature versus nurture, reductionism versus holism, and individual versus situational explanations using evidence from multiple core studies.

试卷一包含与核心研究相关的简答题和延伸作答题目。在 2024–2026 年考纲中，考题越来越多地要求你在取向下或跨取向比较研究，并基于多项核心研究的证据讨论天性 vs. 教养、还原论 vs. 整体论、个体 vs. 情境解释等议题。

A notable trend is the integration of 'issues and debates' into almost every section. For example, a question on the biological approach might ask you to evaluate the ethics of Hassett et al. and relate this to the wider debate about the use of animals in psychological research. This requires a thematic understanding rather than isolated knowledge of each study.

一个显著趋势是“议题与争论”几乎融入了每个部分。例如，一道关于生理取向的题目可能要求你评价 Hassett 等人研究的伦理，并将之与更广泛的关于心理学研究中动物使用的争论联系起来。这需要对主题的理解，而非对每项研究的孤立记忆。

5. Paper 2: Research Methods – The Heart of the Syllabus | 试卷二：研究方法 – 考纲的核心

Paper 2 examines experiments, observations, self-reports, correlations, and case studies, along with data analysis, sampling, and ethical guidelines. The 2026 exam will continue to test your ability to design, conduct, and critique research. There has been a clear increase in the demand for precise use of terminology and for identifying the most appropriate inferential statistical test (though calculation is not required).

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试卷二考查实验、观察、自我报告、相关和个案研究，以及数据分析、抽样和伦理准则。2026 年考试将继续测试你设计、开展和批判研究的能力。对术语的精确使用以及识别最适推论统计检验（尽管不要求计算）的要求明显提高。

Application tasks, such as writing a brief for a proposed study or suggesting how to control extraneous variables, have become more common. Trend analysis shows that candidates who merely list strengths and weaknesses of methods without contextualising them in a specific investigative problem often lose marks. You must tailor your evaluation to the scenario provided.

越来越多的题目涉及应用任务，例如为拟议研究撰写摘要，或建议如何控制额外变量。趋势分析表明，那些仅罗列方法优缺点而未将其置于特定研究问题情境中的考生往往会失分。你必须根据所给情境调整自己的评价。

6. Ethical Evaluation and Cultural Sensitivity | 伦理评估与文化敏感性

Ethical considerations are no longer limited to a single question; they are woven throughout both papers. The 2026 exam will expect you to discuss informed consent, protection from harm, deception, and the right to withdraw with specific reference to the core studies. Moreover, the updated studies reflect a shift towards research that respects cultural diversity and avoids ethnocentric bias.

伦理考量不再局限于单个问题，而是贯穿两份试卷。2026 年考试将要求你结合具体核心研究讨论知情同意、避免伤害、欺骗和退出权。此外，更新后的研究反映了向尊重文化多样性和避免种族中心偏误的研究转向。

For instance, questions may ask you to evaluate the cultural relevance of a study like Baron-Cohen et al.'s eyes test and suggest how it could be adapted for non-Western populations. This trend underscores the exam board's commitment to a globally inclusive psychology curriculum.

例如，题目可能会要求你评价 Baron-Cohen 等人目光测试的文化相关性，并建议如何针对非西方人群进行调整。这一趋势彰显了考试局致力于建设全球包容性心理学课程的决心。

7. The Rise of Application-Based Questions | 应用题型的兴起

Both papers increasingly include scenarios that require you to apply psychological concepts to everyday life. Paper 1 might present a newspaper article about a child's aggressive behaviour and ask you to explain it using the social or learning approach, referencing studies and debates. Paper 2 often provides a brief description of a flawed study and asks you to redesign it.

两份试卷都越来越多地出现要求将心理学概念应用于日常生活的场景题。试卷一可能会呈现一篇关于儿童攻击行为的报刊文章，要求你运用社会或学习取向、引用研究和争论进行解释。试卷二则常提供一段有缺陷研究的描述，要求你重新设计。

This application trend rewards flexible thinking. Merely memorising study summaries is insufficient; you need to practise extracting relevant information and applying theoretical frameworks to unfamiliar contexts. Regular use of past-paper scenarios and teacher-devised examples is an effective way to build this skill.

这种应用趋势奖励灵活思维。仅仅记忆研究摘要是远远不够的，你需要练习提取相关信息并将理论框架应用于陌生情境。经常使用真题场景和教师设计的例子是培养这一技能的有效途径。

8. Marking Criteria and Grade Descriptors | 评分标准与等级描述

The marking criteria for extended responses have been refined. Top marks now demand a 'clear and well-structured line of reasoning' and 'detailed and accurate evaluation' that is explicitly linked to the question. Generic evaluation — for example, simply stating 'the sample was small' without explaining why that matters for the particular study — will not meet the highest band descriptors.

延伸作答部分的评分标准进行了细化。高分现在要求“清晰且结构良好的推理线索”以及“与问题明确相关的详细且准确的评价”。泛泛而谈的评价——例如仅仅说道“样本量小”而不解释这对具体研究为何重要——将无法达到最高等级描述。

For Paper 2, the ability to propose realistic and justified improvements to research procedures is a key discriminator. Grade thresholds have remained relatively stable, but the depth required to achieve an A grade has deepened, particularly in evaluation and application. Familiarise yourself with the published grade descriptors for AS Level Psychology to internalise what examiners are looking for.

在试卷二中，提出切合实际且理由充分的研究改进建议是一项关键的区分因素。等级分数线保持相对稳定，但要拿到 A 等级所需的深度有所增加，尤其是在评价和应用方面。务必熟悉已发布的 AS 级别心理学等级描述，将考官的期望内化于心。

9. Exam Technique and Time Management | 应试技巧与时间管理

With both papers lasting 90 minutes for 60 marks, you have roughly 1.5 minutes per mark. Effective time allocation is crucial, especially for the 9-mark and 10-mark essay questions. Practice completing these within 12–14 minutes, leaving time for the shorter questions, which can be answered relatively quickly but still demand precision.

两份试卷均需在 90 分钟内完成 60 分，大约每分 1.5 分钟。有效的时间分配至关重要，特别是对于 9 分和 10 分的论文题。练习在 12–14 分钟内完成这些题目，为可以较快回答但仍需精准的简答题留出时间。

Many candidates lose marks by writing everything they know about a study rather than directly answering the question. Highlight the command words (e.g., 'describe', 'evaluate', 'suggest') and structure your response accordingly. For evaluation questions, integrate point, evidence, and comment in a balanced manner, ensuring each evaluative claim is backed by a specific example from the study.

许多考生失分是因为他们写下关于一项研究的所有所知内容，而不是直接回答问题。圈出指令词（如“描述”“评价”“建议”），并据此组织答案。对于评价题，要平衡地整合观点、证据和评论，确保每一条评价性论断都得到研究中的具体实例支持。

10. Looking Ahead: Future Trends Beyond 2026 | 展望未来：2026 年以后的趋势

While the current syllabus runs until 2026, CAIE has signalled a continued direction towards active psychology — where students learn to think and act like psychologists. Expect future syllabuses to further emphasise research design, data interpretation, and critical thinking about psychological claims in the media. Developing these skills now will not only prepare you for the 2026 exam but also for further study in psychology.

尽管当前考纲执行至 2026 年，CAIE 已释放出持续迈向“实践心理学”的明确方向——让学生学会像心理学家那样思考与行动。可以预期，未来的考纲将进一步强调研究设计、数据解释以及对媒体报道中心理学论断的批判性思维。现在培养这些技能，不仅能为 2026 年考试做好准备，还能为心理学的深造打下基础。

Engaging with psychological podcasts, journals like 'Psychology Review', and staying curious about new research will give you an edge. The trend is clear: AS Psychology is moving away from rote learning towards a dynamic, evaluative, and applied understanding of the human mind and behaviour.

关注心理学播客、阅读《心理学评论》等期刊，并对新研究保持好奇心，将为你带来优势。趋势显而易见：AS 心理学正从死记硬背转向对人类思维与行为的动态、评价性和应用性理解。

Published by TutorHao | Psychology Revision Series | aleveler.com

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