A-Level Psychology: Forensic Psychology

Forensic Psychology is a popular third option in A-level Psychology, and it was revised for first teaching from September 2025 (for example in AQA's A-level Psychology specification): the top-down and bottom-up approaches to profiling are now called the typology and data-driven approaches, and the atavistic form, psychodynamic explanations and recidivism are no longer part of the topic. This material is built on the revised content.

The profiling questions ask you to classify a crime scene as the work of an organised or disorganised offender, pick out valid criticisms of the typology approach, recognise the data-driven approach of investigative psychology from a description, and apply circle theory in geographical profiling to decide whether a profiler is assuming a marauder or a commuter.

The explanations of offending cover genetic and neural research on the biological side, Eysenck's criminal personality with its biological basis, Kohlberg's levels of moral reasoning applied to an offender's words, the two cognitive distortions named in the specification, hostile attribution bias and minimalisation, and Sutherland's differential association theory applied to a young person who learns car theft from older friends.

The final questions deal with offending behaviour once it has happened: the aims of custodial sentencing, a token economy in a young offenders' institution and its limits once rewards stop, and restorative justice as a voluntary process focused on repairing harm. The flashcards and written work add the psychological effects of custodial sentencing and the stages of anger management.

The material offers four formats. The 12-question quiz gives an explanation after every answer. The 17 flashcards cover the key terms and approaches. The printable written work sets eight open questions, including an evaluation of anger management and restorative justice, with ruled space for handwritten answers that are then checked. In the oral exam an examiner asks one question at a time, asks you to apply ideas to short cases and gives precise feedback at the end.

It is designed for students taking Forensic Psychology as their third option who want to check that their revision matches the revised topic and practise applying each explanation to realistic cases.

• Distinguish the typology and data-driven approaches to offender profiling and apply geographical profiling
• Explain genetic and neural explanations of offending
• Apply Eysenck's criminal personality, moral reasoning and cognitive distortions to offenders
• Explain differential association theory
• Describe the aims and psychological effects of custodial sentencing
• Evaluate behaviour modification, anger management and restorative justice

Practice material written by Zestly, based on the Forensic Psychology option in A-level Psychology specifications (for example AQA A-level Psychology 7182, specification for first teaching from September 2025, section 4.3.9).