OCR A Level Psychology H567

🧠 OCR A Level Psychology Reference Sheet 2026

Every essential framework for OCR A Level Psychology — research methods, the 20 core studies, issues & debates, options content and inferential statistics.

Research Methods Core Studies Issues & Debates Inferential Stats

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Aligned with the latest 2026 syllabus and board specifications. This sheet is prepared to match your exam board’s official specifications for the 2026 exam series.

All Three OCR A Level Psychology Components in One Reference Sheet

OCR A Level Psychology (H567) is built around research literacy, the 20 core studies, and applied psychology. This reference sheet draws together the methods, study summaries, issues & debates and statistical decisions you need across Components 1, 2 and 3.

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Research methods, reliability, validity and BPS ethics

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All 20 OCR core studies — classic and contemporary

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Issues & debates and applied options content

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Inferential statistics — choosing the right test every time

Component 1 — Research Methods

Underpins every component — research literacy is examined throughout H567.

Research Designs

The headline approaches you must be able to design, evaluate and apply.

Experimental

Lab, field, quasi, natural — IV, DV, controls, hypotheses (directional/non-directional, null)

Observational

Naturalistic vs controlled, participant vs non-participant, overt vs covert, structured (behavioural categories)

Self-report

Questionnaires (open vs closed), structured/semi-structured/unstructured interviews

Correlational

Co-variables, scatter graphs, correlation coefficient (−1 to +1) — no cause and effect

Reliability & Validity

Reliability

Internal (split-half), external (test-retest, inter-rater)

Validity

Internal (controls, demand characteristics), external (ecological, population, temporal), construct, face

Sampling Techniques

Random | Opportunity | Volunteer/self-selecting | Snowball | Stratified — strengths and limitations of each

BPS Ethical Guidelines

Respect — informed consent, right to withdraw, confidentiality

Competence | Responsibility — protection from harm, debriefing | Integrity — no deception unless justified

Component 2 — 10 Classic Core Studies

Memorise paradigm, key findings and one strength + one limitation for each.

Social & Cognitive Classics

Milgram (1963)

Obedience to authority — 65% delivered 450V; situational explanation of destructive obedience

Bocchiaro et al. (2012)

Disobedience and whistleblowing — most participants obeyed unethical request

Loftus & Palmer (1974)

Reconstructive memory — leading question (smashed vs hit) altered speed estimates

Grant et al. (1998)

Context-dependent memory — recall best when learning and testing contexts matched

Developmental & Biological Classics

Bandura, Ross & Ross (1961)

Bobo doll — children imitate aggression observed in role models

Chaney et al. (2004)

Funhaler — operant conditioning improved children's adherence to asthma medication

Sperry (1968)

Split-brain — corpus callosotomy revealed hemispheric lateralisation

Casey et al. (2011)

Neural correlates of delay of gratification — prefrontal cortex and ventral striatum

Individual Differences Classics

Freud (1909) Little Hans

Case study of phobia — Oedipus complex and displacement

Baron-Cohen et al. (1997)

Eyes Task — adults with autism showed impaired theory of mind

Component 2 — 10 Contemporary Core Studies

Pair each contemporary with its classic for synoptic essays.

Social & Cognitive Contemporary

Piliavin et al. (1969) Subway Samaritan

Field study of helping behaviour — diffusion of responsibility, cost-reward model

Levine et al. (2001)

Cross-cultural helping behaviour in 23 cities — economic productivity correlated negatively with helping

Moray (1959)

Auditory attention — cocktail party effect, dichotic listening

Simons & Chabris (1999)

Inattentional blindness — invisible gorilla study

Biological & Developmental Contemporary

Maguire et al. (2000)

London taxi drivers — increased posterior hippocampal grey matter; brain plasticity

Blakemore & Cooper (1970)

Visual deprivation in kittens — environment shapes neural development

Sherif et al. (1954) Robbers Cave

Realistic conflict theory — superordinate goals reduce intergroup hostility

Individual Differences Contemporary

Hancock et al. (2011)

Linguistic patterns in psychopaths — past tense, more disfluencies, instrumental language

Gould (1982)

A nation of morons — re-analysis of Yerkes IQ tests; cultural bias

Lange et al. (2002)

Imagery rescripting for nightmares — cognitive intervention

Component 3 — Applied Psychology Issues & Debates

Apply at least one debate to every applied option in 15-mark essays.

Core Debates

Nature vs nurture

Genetic/biological factors vs environmental/experiential — interactionism dominates

Free will vs determinism

Hard, soft, biological, environmental, psychic determinism — link to legal responsibility

Reductionism vs holism

Biological/environmental reductionism vs interactionist or humanistic accounts

Individual vs situational

Dispositional explanations (personality) vs situational (context) — Milgram, Zimbardo

Methodological Debates

Ethnocentrism — generalising from WEIRD samples; cross-cultural comparisons

Ethics — socially sensitive research, BPS guidelines, cost-benefit analysis

Use of psychology in social control — therapy, advertising, criminal justice

Applied Options (Three of Five)

Mental Health

Explanations: biological, behavioural | Treatments: drug therapy, CBT

Child Psychology

Explanations: attachment theory, cognitive development | Treatments: play therapy, parent training

Criminal Psychology

Explanations: biological (genes/brain), social learning | Treatments: anger management, restorative justice

Environmental Psychology

Explanations: stressors, environmental load | Treatments: biophilic design, behaviour change

Sport & Exercise Psychology

Explanations: arousal theories, achievement motivation | Treatments: imagery, goal-setting

Inferential Statistics — Choosing the Right Test

OCR examiners reward justified test choice. Use this decision sheet every time.

Decision Criteria

Three questions to choose the test: difference or association? Level of data? Related or independent samples?

Levels of data

Nominal (categories) | Ordinal (ranks) | Interval (equal units) — interval allows parametric tests

Design

Repeated measures / matched pairs = related | Independent groups = independent

Test type

Difference (compare conditions) vs association (correlation/categorical link)

OCR Test Choices

Sign test

Difference, related, nominal data — quick directional test

Wilcoxon signed-rank

Difference, related, at least ordinal data

Mann-Whitney U

Difference, independent, at least ordinal data

Spearman's rho

Association/correlation, at least ordinal pairs

Chi-squared (χ²)

Association, independent, nominal frequency data; expected frequencies > 5

Significance & Errors

Standard p < 0.05 (5% probability of Type I error). Compare calculated to critical value — usually significant when calculated ≤ critical (≥ for chi-squared and Spearman's)

Type I = false positive (rejecting true H₀) | Type II = false negative (accepting false H₀)

How to Use This Reference Sheet

Boost your Cambridge exam confidence with these proven study strategies from our tutoring experts.

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Make Study Cards

For each of the 20 core studies, create a card with aim, sample, procedure, findings, conclusion, and one strength + one limitation.

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Pair Classics with Contemporaries

OCR loves synoptic links — be ready to compare each classic with its contemporary partner on methodology, findings and ethics.

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Practise Test Choice

Drill the statistical decision tree weekly. Justify every test choice with three reasons: difference/association, level of data, design.

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Engage With Debates

Embed at least one issue or debate into every essay-style answer in Component 3 — this lifts you into top mark bands.

Reference Sheet FAQ

Quick answers about this free PDF and how to use it for exam revision and active recall.

Is the OCR A Level Psychology Reference Sheet 2026 free to download as a PDF?

Yes. This Tutopiya formula sheet is free to use and you can download it as a PDF from this page for offline revision. There is no payment or account required for the PDF download.

What Psychology topics and equations does this formula sheet cover?

This page groups key Psychology formulas in one place for revision. Master OCR A Level Psychology (H567) with this 2026 reference sheet. Covers research methods, the 20 core studies, applied psychology issues & debates, options content and inferential statistics. Always cross-check with your official syllabus and past papers for your exam session.

Can I use this instead of the official exam formula booklet in the exam?

No. In the exam you must follow only what your exam board allows in the hall—usually the official formula booklet or data sheet where provided. This page is a revision and teaching aid, not a replacement for board-issued materials.

Who is this formula sheet for (Post-Secondary)?

It is written for students preparing for assessments at Post-Secondary in Psychology, including classroom revision, homework support, and independent study. Teachers and tutors can also share it as a quick reference.

How should I revise with this formula sheet?

Work through past paper questions, quote the correct formula before substituting values, and check units and notation every time. Pair this sheet with timed practice and mark schemes so you see how examiners expect working to be set out.

Where can I get more help with Psychology revision?

Explore Tutopiya’s study tools, past paper finder, and revision checklists linked from our tools hub, or book a trial lesson with a subject specialist for personalised support alongside this formula reference.

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This reference sheet aligns with OCR A Level Psychology (H567) 2026 syllabus content across Components 1, 2 and 3.

Always justify research-method and statistical-test choices with explicit criteria — examiners reward reasoned decisions.