plumiCognition and development: AQA A‑Level Psychology questions
Every AQA A-Level Psychology exam question on 4.3.4 Cognition and development, 2020–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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![June 2025 Paper 3, question 14: Briefly evaluate research into perspective-taking. [4 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun25-14-qp.webp)
![June 2024 Paper 3, question 21: Briefly suggest two examples of a conservation task that the psychologist might have used in the study. [2 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun24-21-qp.webp)
![June 2024 Paper 3, question 22: Discuss the role of the mirror neuron system in social cognition. [8 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun24-22-qp.webp)
![June 2024 Paper 3, question 23: Outline and evaluate Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development. [8 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun24-23-qp.webp)
![June 2023 Paper 3, question 13: Outline what Piaget meant by conservation. [2 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun23-13-qp.webp)
![June 2023 Paper 3, question 14: Outline one strength and one limitation of Piaget’s research into conservation. [6 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun23-14-qp.webp)
![June 2023 Paper 3, question 15: Discuss research into violation of expectation. [8 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun23-15-qp.webp)
![June 2023 Paper 3, question 16: Outline and evaluate theory of mind as an explanation for autism. [8 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun23-16-qp.webp)
![June 2022 Paper 3, question 11: Use your knowledge of theories of cognitive development to explain the comments made by Leonard and Felix. [8 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun22-11-qp.webp)
![June 2022 Paper 3, question 12: Discuss theory of mind and Selman’s levels of perspective-taking in the development of social cognition. [16 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun22-12-qp.webp)
![November 2021 Paper 3, question 13: Describe what Piaget meant by equilibration. [4 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-nov21-13-qp.webp)
![November 2021 Paper 3, question 14: Use your knowledge of theory of mind and the Sally-Anne study to explain Conrad’s likely response. [4 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-nov21-14-qp.webp)
![November 2021 Paper 3, question 15: Discuss what psychological research has told us about children’s understanding of object permanence. [16 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-nov21-15-qp.webp)
![November 2020 Paper 3, question 15: Which one of the following best describes Piaget’s concept of conservation? Write the correct letter in your answer book. [1 mark]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-nov20-15-qp.webp)
All 23 questions on Cognition and development, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 3, Q13 (4 marks): Mario is 4 years old. His mother is watching him use bricks to build a tower. She shows him how to put two bricks together, then she suggests that he looks for
- June 2025, Paper 3, Q14 (4 marks): Briefly evaluate research into perspective-taking. [4 marks]
- June 2025, Paper 3, Q15 (16 marks): Two mothers are discussing their babies. Sunny is 3 months old and Gina is several months older. Sunny’s mother says, “He can wave his arms around and kick his
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q18 (3 marks): A psychologist studied the effects of using familiar play materials in a conservation experiment. There were 60 participants, all six years old. The psychologis
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q19 (2 marks): To analyse the results, the psychologist calculated the median conservation score for the participants in each group. The results are shown in the following tab
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q20 (1 mark): After conducting the study, the psychologist wrote up a psychological report. Which section of the psychological report should include information about how the
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q21 (2 marks): Briefly suggest two examples of a conservation task that the psychologist might have used in the study. [2 marks]
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q22 (8 marks): Discuss the role of the mirror neuron system in social cognition. [8 marks]
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q23 (8 marks): Outline and evaluate Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development. [8 marks]
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q13 (2 marks): Outline what Piaget meant by conservation. [2 marks]
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q14 (6 marks): Outline one strength and one limitation of Piaget’s research into conservation. [6 marks]
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q15 (8 marks): Discuss research into violation of expectation. [8 marks]
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q16 (8 marks): Outline and evaluate theory of mind as an explanation for autism. [8 marks]
- June 2022, Paper 3, Q11 (8 marks): Use your knowledge of theories of cognitive development to explain the comments made by Leonard and Felix. [8 marks]
- June 2022, Paper 3, Q12 (16 marks): Discuss theory of mind and Selman’s levels of perspective-taking in the development of social cognition. [16 marks]
- November 2021, Paper 3, Q13 (4 marks): Describe what Piaget meant by equilibration. [4 marks]
- November 2021, Paper 3, Q14 (4 marks): Use your knowledge of theory of mind and the Sally-Anne study to explain Conrad’s likely response. [4 marks]
- November 2021, Paper 3, Q15 (16 marks): Discuss what psychological research has told us about children’s understanding of object permanence. [16 marks]
- November 2020, Paper 3, Q15 (1 mark): Which one of the following best describes Piaget’s concept of conservation? Write the correct letter in your answer book. [1 mark]
- November 2020, Paper 3, Q16 (5 marks): Suggest a more appropriate statistical test of difference for the student to use with this data. Explain two reasons for your choice based on the description of
- November 2020, Paper 3, Q17 (2 marks): The student who carried out the study selected the two pictures. He decided himself which picture showed unkind behaviours and which picture showed kind behavio
- November 2020, Paper 3, Q18 (8 marks): Discuss Selman’s research on perspective-taking. Refer to the likely outcome of the student’s study in your answer. [8 marks]
- November 2020, Paper 3, Q19 (8 marks): Outline Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development. Explain one or more strength(s) of Vygotsky’s theory. [8 marks]
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