OCR A Level Psychology
OCR A Level Psychology Criminal Psychology Exam Questions
Free OCR A Level Psychology exam questions for Criminal Psychology, with a mark scheme for every pack. Covers what makes a criminal, forensic evidence, witness evidence, the courtroom, crime prevention and the effects of imprisonment.
Criminal Psychology exam questions
1 question pack of real past exam questions, each with its mark scheme. Do not stop after a few: answer as many as you can without notes, then mark every answer with the mark scheme. The more questions you do, the more quickly you will spot how examiners ask about each idea.
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A-Level Psychology Flashcards for 2027 Onwards
Every answer is written in mark scheme wording, so you learn exactly what examiners give marks for. Then test yourself with the questions on this page.
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About OCR A Level Psychology Criminal Psychology
Criminal Psychology is one of the four options on OCR A Level Psychology Paper 3, Applied Psychology. It has six topics: what makes a criminal, the collection and processing of forensic evidence, collection of evidence, psychology and the courtroom, crime prevention, and the effect of imprisonment. For each topic you learn the background, a piece of key research and an application such as a strategy to reduce crime or improve evidence. The key research ranges from brain scans of murderers to a simulated prison. The option links to Loftus and Palmer and Milgram on Paper 2 and gives strong material for individual and situational and free will debates.
What you need to know
- What makes a criminal? Biological, individual and social explanations of criminal behaviour. Key research is Raine et al. (1997), who found murderers pleading not guilty by reason of insanity had reduced prefrontal glucose metabolism on PET scans.
- Forensic evidence Bias in the collection and processing of evidence. Key research is Hall and Player (2008), who found that adding an emotional context to a crime did not significantly change fingerprint experts' identification decisions.
- Collection of evidence Interviewing witnesses and suspects. Key research is Memon and Higham (1999), a review of the cognitive interview, which tends to increase correct recall but may also increase incorrect details.
- Psychology and the courtroom Factors influencing jury decisions such as characteristics of the defendant. Key research is Dixon et al. (2002), who found a suspect with a Birmingham accent was rated more guilty than one with a standard accent, especially for a blue-collar crime.
- Crime prevention Key research is Wilson and Kelling (1982), the broken windows theory, arguing that visible disorder signals no one cares and leads to more serious crime.
- Effect of imprisonment Key research is Haney, Banks and Zimbardo (1973), the Stanford prison study, where guards and prisoners quickly took on their roles and the study was ended after six days.
Common mistakes in Criminal Psychology
- Using the cognitive interview as if it were only one technique; it combines several, such as context reinstatement and report everything.
- Saying Hall and Player found emotional context biased experts' decisions; it affected their reported feelings but not their decisions significantly.
- Writing that Wilson and Kelling conducted an experiment; their article is a theoretical argument drawing on observations and earlier research.
- Describing Raine et al.'s findings as proof that biology causes crime.
- Giving applications that are not linked to the topic's key research or background.
Try three Criminal Psychology exam-style questions
1. Outline the findings of Dixon et al. (2002). (3 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
The suspect with a Birmingham (Brummie) accent was rated as significantly more guilty than the suspect with a standard accent; this effect was greater for the blue-collar crime of armed robbery than for cheque fraud; showing accent and stereotypes can bias perceptions of guilt.
2. Explain how the broken windows theory can be applied to crime prevention. (3 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
Wilson and Kelling argued that signs of disorder such as broken windows or graffiti suggest no one is in control; so crime can be prevented by repairing damage quickly and maintaining order; for example zero tolerance policing of minor offences.
3. Evaluate Haney et al.'s (1973) study in terms of ethics. (3 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
Participants experienced psychological harm, with some prisoners showing extreme stress and emotional breakdown; Zimbardo acted as prison superintendent so failed to protect participants; however participants gave consent and were debriefed, and the study was stopped early.
Criminal Psychology FAQs
What does OCR A Level Psychology Criminal Psychology cover?
It covers what makes a criminal, the collection and processing of forensic evidence, collection of evidence, psychology and the courtroom, crime prevention and the effect of imprisonment, each with background, key research and application.
Which paper is Criminal Psychology examined in?
Criminal Psychology is one of the four options in Section B of Paper 3, Applied Psychology.
Which key research should I learn for Criminal Psychology?
Learn Raine et al. (1997), Hall and Player (2008), Memon and Higham (1999), Dixon et al. (2002), Wilson and Kelling (1982) and Haney et al. (1973).
