Psychology: Cambridge 2027 syllabus mapping

Cambridge International AS & A Level 9990 · Examination year 2027

AI-assisted conceptual placements, not official Cambridge endorsement or independent teacher approval. A linked practice question does not establish complete teaching, practical competence or exam readiness.

Current question placements: 95 / 95
Direct conceptual matches: 28
Partial matches: 44
Enrichment: 23
Placements needing review: 0
Inventory entries without linked practice: 72

Inventory scope: specified content sections. Source inventory: recorded in full at this scope. Independent teacher approval: pending.

Official references

Psychology 9990 syllabus 2027 · 1, September 2024; change statement PDF p61 · checked 2026-10-24
Psychology 9990 Reference List: AS and A Level Studies · 1, September 2024 · checked 2026-10-24
Holzel et al. (2011), original author manuscript · 191(1), 36-43; methods 2.1/2.4 and results 3.3 inspected · checked 2026-10-24
Andrade (2010), What does doodling do? · Plymouth author manuscript; 17-page repository PDF; methods pp5-7, results pp8-9, discussion pp9-12 · checked 2026-10-24
Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961), original article transcription · York University archive; original journal pp575-582 · checked 2026-10-24
Milgram (1963), Behavioral study of obedience · Original journal pp371-378; 8-page PDF · checked 2026-10-24

Practice by syllabus reference

AS · Core (29 entries)

Psychology 9990: AS · Core
Reference	Concept	Linked practice
3.1.1 The core studies / Dement and Kleitman (sleep and dreams)	Required study: Dement and Kleitman (sleep and dreams)	Psychology: critical reading of the 12 AS core studies, question 1 (partial)
3.1.1 The core studies / Hassett et al. (monkey toy preferences)	Required study: Hassett et al. (monkey toy preferences)	Psychology: critical reading of the 12 AS core studies, question 2 (partial)
3.1.1 The core studies / Hölzel et al. (mindfulness and brain scans)	Required study: Hölzel et al. (mindfulness and brain scans)	Selected required core-study evidence, question 1 (partial) Psychology: critical reading of the 12 AS core studies, question 3 (partial)
3.1.1 The core studies / Andrade (doodling)	Required study: Andrade (doodling)	Selected required core-study evidence, question 2 (partial) Psychology: critical reading of the 12 AS core studies, question 4 (partial)
3.1.1 The core studies / Baron-Cohen et al. (eyes test)	Required study: Baron-Cohen et al. (eyes test)	Psychology: critical reading of the 12 AS core studies, question 5 (partial)
3.1.1 The core studies / Pozzulo et al. (line-ups)	Required study: Pozzulo et al. (line-ups)	Memory processes and reconstruction, question 5 (partial) Psychology: critical reading of the 12 AS core studies, question 6 (partial)
3.1.1 The core studies / Bandura et al. (aggression)	Required study: Bandura et al. (aggression)	Learning and behavioural explanations, question 3 (partial) Selected required core-study evidence, question 3 (partial) Psychology: critical reading of the 12 AS core studies, question 7 (partial)
3.1.1 The core studies / Fagen et al. (elephant learning)	Required study: Fagen et al. (elephant learning)	Learning and behavioural explanations, question 2 (partial) Psychology: critical reading of the 12 AS core studies, question 8 (partial)
3.1.1 The core studies / Saavedra and Silverman (button phobia)	Required study: Saavedra and Silverman (button phobia)	Learning and behavioural explanations, question 1 (partial) Psychology: critical reading of the 12 AS core studies, question 9 (partial)
3.1.1 The core studies / Milgram (obedience)	Required study: Milgram (obedience)	Social influence and group processes, question 5 (partial) Selected required core-study evidence, question 4 (partial) Psychology: critical reading of the 12 AS core studies, question 10 (partial)
3.1.1 The core studies / Perry et al. (personal space)	Required study: Perry et al. (personal space)	Psychology: critical reading of the 12 AS core studies, question 11 (partial)
3.1.1 The core studies / Piliavin et al. (subway Samaritans)	Required study: Piliavin et al. (subway Samaritans)	Social influence and group processes, question 4 (partial) Psychology: critical reading of the 12 AS core studies, question 12 (partial)
3.1.2 Research methodology / Experiments	Methods: Experiments	Research methods and evidence, question 1 (direct) Memory and study design, question 2 (direct) Experimental design and ethics, question 2 (direct) Experimental design and ethics, question 3 (direct) Memory and study design, question 4 (direct) Applications across the four specialist options, question 5 (partial)
3.1.2 Research methodology / Self-reports	Methods: Self-reports	Research methods and evidence, question 4 (direct)
3.1.2 Research methodology / Case studies	Methods: Case studies	Psychology: shared research methods and written planning, question 1 (partial)
3.1.2 Research methodology / Observations	Methods: Observations	Experimental design and ethics, question 4 (direct) Selected required core-study evidence, question 3 (partial) Methods, ethics and descriptive evidence, question 2 (direct) Selected required core-study evidence, question 5 (partial)
3.1.2 Research methodology / Correlations	Methods: Correlations	Research methods and evidence, question 2 (direct) Data analysis and inference, question 2 (direct) Attachment and developmental evidence, question 3 (direct)
3.1.2 Research methodology / Longitudinal studies	Methods: Longitudinal studies	Attachment and developmental evidence, question 2 (direct) Attachment and developmental evidence, question 3 (direct) Attachment and developmental evidence, question 4 (direct) Selected required core-study evidence, question 1 (partial)
3.1.2 Research methodology / Aims and hypotheses	Methods: Aims and hypotheses	Methods, ethics and descriptive evidence, question 1 (direct)
3.1.2 Research methodology / Variables	Methods: Variables	Memory and study design, question 1 (direct) Experimental design and ethics, question 1 (direct) Methods, ethics and descriptive evidence, question 1 (direct) Memory and study design, question 5 (direct)
3.1.2 Research methodology / Controlling of variables	Methods: Controlling of variables	Research methods and evidence, question 1 (direct) Memory and study design, question 1 (direct) Experimental design and ethics, question 3 (direct) Memory and study design, question 4 (direct)
3.1.2 Research methodology / Types of data	Methods: Types of data	Psychology: shared research methods and written planning, question 2 (partial)
3.1.2 Research methodology / Sampling of participants	Methods: Sampling of participants	Memory and study design, question 3 (direct) Attachment and developmental evidence, question 4 (direct) Research methods and evidence, question 4 (direct)
3.1.2 Research methodology / Ethics	Methods: Ethics	Research methods and evidence, question 3 (direct) Experimental design and ethics, question 4 (direct) Experimental design and ethics, question 5 (direct) Selected required core-study evidence, question 4 (partial) Methods, ethics and descriptive evidence, question 3 (direct) Research methods and evidence, question 5 (direct)
3.1.2 Research methodology / Validity	Methods: Validity	Memory and study design, question 3 (direct) Experimental design and ethics, question 6 (direct) Selected required core-study evidence, question 2 (partial) Methods, ethics and descriptive evidence, question 2 (direct) Memory and study design, question 5 (direct)
3.1.2 Research methodology / Reliability and replicability	Methods: Reliability and replicability	Methods, ethics and descriptive evidence, question 2 (direct) Selected required core-study evidence, question 5 (partial)
3.1.2 Research methodology / Data analysis	Methods: Data analysis	Data analysis and inference, question 1 (partial) Methods, ethics and descriptive evidence, question 4 (direct) Methods, ethics and descriptive evidence, question 5 (direct)
AS Level issues and debates	Applying AS debates	Social influence and group processes, question 5 (partial) Learning and behavioural explanations, question 6 (direct) Methods, ethics and descriptive evidence, question 3 (direct)
Planning studies for Paper 2	AS investigation planning	Psychology: shared research methods and written planning, question 3 (partial)

A · Core (8 entries)

Psychology 9990: A · Core
Reference	Concept	Linked practice
A Level issues and debates	Applying option debates	Psychopathology and explanatory models, question 2 (partial) Psychopathology and explanatory models, question 6 (partial)
3.2 A Level Content / Experiments	Randomised controlled trials	Psychology: shared research methods and written planning, question 4 (partial)
3.2 A Level Content / Questionnaires	Postal reports and rating formats	Psychology: shared research methods and written planning, question 5 (partial)
3.2 A Level Content / Psychometric tests	Psychometric measurement	Psychology: shared research methods and written planning, question 6 (partial)
3.2 A Level Content / Hypotheses	Option hypothesis formulation	Psychology: shared research methods and written planning, question 7 (partial)
3.2 A Level Content / Validity	Temporal validity	Psychology: shared research methods and written planning, question 8 (partial)
Use of studies	Key versus example studies	Psychology: shared research methods and written planning, question 9 (partial)
Planning studies for Paper 4	Option investigation planning	Psychology: shared research methods and written planning, question 10 (partial)

A · Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology (20 entries)

Psychology 9990: A · Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology
Reference	Concept	Linked practice
Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology / 1.1.1	Schizophrenia identification	No linked practice
Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology / 1.1.2	Schizophrenia explanations	Biological processes and cognition, question 4 (partial) Psychopathology and explanatory models, question 2 (partial) Psychopathology and explanatory models, question 6 (partial)
Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology / 1.1.3	Schizophrenia interventions	No linked practice
Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology / 1.2.1	Mood-disorder identification	No linked practice
Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology / 1.2.2	Depressive explanations	Psychopathology and explanatory models, question 4 (partial)
Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology / 1.2.3	Mood interventions	No linked practice
Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology / 1.3.1	Impulse-disorder identification	No linked practice
Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology / 1.3.2	Impulse-control explanations	No linked practice
Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology / 1.3.3	Impulse-control interventions	No linked practice
Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology / 1.4.1	Anxiety identification	No linked practice
Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology / 1.4.2	Fear explanations	Learning and behavioural explanations, question 4 (partial) Psychopathology and explanatory models, question 3 (partial)
Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology / 1.4.3	Fear interventions	No linked practice
Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology / 1.5.1	OCD identification	No linked practice
Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology / 1.5.2	OCD explanations	Applications across the four specialist options, question 1 (partial)
Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology / 1.5.3	OCD interventions	No linked practice
Clinical Psychology / References for key studies / Freeman et al. (2003)	Required key study: Freeman et al. (2003)	No linked practice
Clinical Psychology / References for key studies / Oruč et al. (1997)	Required key study: Oruč et al. (1997)	No linked practice
Clinical Psychology / References for key studies / Grant et al. (2008)	Required key study: Grant et al. (2008)	No linked practice
Clinical Psychology / References for key studies / Chapman and DeLapp (2013)	Required key study: Chapman and DeLapp (2013)	No linked practice
Clinical Psychology / References for key studies / Lovell et al. (2006)	Required key study: Lovell et al. (2006)	No linked practice

A · Specialist Option 2: Consumer Psychology (20 entries)

Psychology 9990: A · Specialist Option 2: Consumer Psychology
Reference	Concept	Linked practice
Specialist Option 2: Consumer Psychology / 2.1.1	Store layouts	No linked practice
Specialist Option 2: Consumer Psychology / 2.1.2	Sound and purchasing	No linked practice
Specialist Option 2: Consumer Psychology / 2.1.3	Shopping atmosphere	No linked practice
Specialist Option 2: Consumer Psychology / 2.2.1	Shopper navigation	No linked practice
Specialist Option 2: Consumer Psychology / 2.2.2	Menu choices	No linked practice
Specialist Option 2: Consumer Psychology / 2.2.3	Space and queues	No linked practice
Specialist Option 2: Consumer Psychology / 2.3.1	Choice models	Applications across the four specialist options, question 2 (direct) Applications across the four specialist options, question 5 (partial)
Specialist Option 2: Consumer Psychology / 2.3.2	Choice shortcuts	No linked practice
Specialist Option 2: Consumer Psychology / 2.3.3	Choice errors	No linked practice
Specialist Option 2: Consumer Psychology / 2.4.1	Packaging perceptions	No linked practice
Specialist Option 2: Consumer Psychology / 2.4.2	Sales influence	No linked practice
Specialist Option 2: Consumer Psychology / 2.4.3	Purchase processes	No linked practice
Specialist Option 2: Consumer Psychology / 2.5.1	Advertising approaches	No linked practice
Specialist Option 2: Consumer Psychology / 2.5.2	Personality and advertising	No linked practice
Specialist Option 2: Consumer Psychology / 2.5.3	Recognising brands	No linked practice
Consumer Psychology / References for key studies / North et al. (2003)	Required key study: North et al. (2003)	No linked practice
Consumer Psychology / References for key studies / Robson et al. (2011)	Required key study: Robson et al. (2011)	No linked practice
Consumer Psychology / References for key studies / Hall et al. (2010)	Required key study: Hall et al. (2010)	No linked practice
Consumer Psychology / References for key studies / Becker et al. (2011)	Required key study: Becker et al. (2011)	No linked practice
Consumer Psychology / References for key studies / Snyder and DeBono (1985)	Required key study: Snyder and DeBono (1985)	No linked practice

A · Specialist Option 3: Health Psychology (20 entries)

Psychology 9990: A · Specialist Option 3: Health Psychology
Reference	Concept	Linked practice
Specialist Option 3: Health Psychology / 3.1.1	Consultation communication	No linked practice
Specialist Option 3: Health Psychology / 3.1.2	Diagnostic and consulting styles	No linked practice
Specialist Option 3: Health Psychology / 3.1.3	Service-use difficulties	No linked practice
Specialist Option 3: Health Psychology / 3.2.1	Reasons for non-adherence	No linked practice
Specialist Option 3: Health Psychology / 3.2.2	Adherence measurement	Applications across the four specialist options, question 3 (direct)
Specialist Option 3: Health Psychology / 3.2.3	Adherence interventions	No linked practice
Specialist Option 3: Health Psychology / 3.3.1	Pain explanations	No linked practice
Specialist Option 3: Health Psychology / 3.3.2	Pain measurement	No linked practice
Specialist Option 3: Health Psychology / 3.3.3	Pain interventions	No linked practice
Specialist Option 3: Health Psychology / 3.4.1	Stress explanations	Biological processes and cognition, question 2 (partial)
Specialist Option 3: Health Psychology / 3.4.2	Stress measurement	No linked practice
Specialist Option 3: Health Psychology / 3.4.3	Stress interventions	No linked practice
Specialist Option 3: Health Psychology / 3.5.1	Health messages	No linked practice
Specialist Option 3: Health Psychology / 3.5.2	School and workplace health	No linked practice
Specialist Option 3: Health Psychology / 3.5.3	Belief change	No linked practice
Health Psychology / References for key studies / Savage and Armstrong (1990)	Required key study: Savage and Armstrong (1990)	No linked practice
Health Psychology / References for key studies / Yokley and Glenwick (1984)	Required key study: Yokley and Glenwick (1984)	No linked practice
Health Psychology / References for key studies / Brudvik et al. (2016)	Required key study: Brudvik et al. (2016)	No linked practice
Health Psychology / References for key studies / Bridge et al. (1988)	Required key study: Bridge et al. (1988)	No linked practice
Health Psychology / References for key studies / Shoshani and Steinmetz (2014)	Required key study: Shoshani and Steinmetz (2014)	No linked practice

A · Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology (20 entries)

Psychology 9990: A · Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology
Reference	Concept	Linked practice
Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology / 4.1.1	Workplace needs	No linked practice
Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology / 4.1.2	Goal and expectancy models	No linked practice
Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology / 4.1.3	Work incentives	Applications across the four specialist options, question 4 (partial)
Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology / 4.2.1	Leadership accounts	No linked practice
Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology / 4.2.2	Leadership styles	No linked practice
Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology / 4.2.3	Follower relationships	No linked practice
Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology / 4.3.1	Group choices	No linked practice
Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology / 4.3.2	Group performance	No linked practice
Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology / 4.3.3	Workplace conflict	No linked practice
Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology / 4.4.1	Physical workplace	No linked practice
Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology / 4.4.2	Working-time patterns	No linked practice
Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology / 4.4.3	Accident prevention	No linked practice
Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology / 4.5.1	Job-satisfaction models	No linked practice
Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology / 4.5.2	Satisfaction measurement	No linked practice
Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology / 4.5.3	Work attitudes	No linked practice
Organisational Psychology / References for key studies / Landry et al. (2019)	Required key study: Landry et al. (2019)	No linked practice
Organisational Psychology / References for key studies / Cuadrado et al. (2008)	Required key study: Cuadrado et al. (2008)	No linked practice
Organisational Psychology / References for key studies / Claypoole and Szalma (2019)	Required key study: Claypoole and Szalma (2019)	No linked practice
Organisational Psychology / References for key studies / Swat (1997)	Required key study: Swat (1997)	No linked practice
Organisational Psychology / References for key studies / Giacalone and Rosenfeld (1987)	Required key study: Giacalone and Rosenfeld (1987)	No linked practice

Remaining academic requirements

Conceptual alignment only, never certification or teacher approval. Every placement has teacherApproved:false. Mapped means the item directly exercises some stated content, not mastery of its entire section or assessment objective.
Inventory scope is content_sections: printed numbered content subsections plus explicitly located unnumbered psychology headings/studies. Nested teaching bullets and every individual leaf learning outcome are not separately enumerated; inventoryComplete refers only to this declared section scope, not complete leaf outcomes or teaching coverage.
New questions are original English-only indicative practice with distinct marking points, not Cambridge past papers, official mark allocations or teacher-reviewed material. No exam-entry option, two-option choice or whole-syllabus completion is inferred. Parent integration and revision hashing remain necessary.
Read9990 official2027 syllabus pp14-54 and p61 change statement; all30 PDF pages of its version1 Reference List inspected, including distinctions and worked guidance. Official overview linked no separate2027 update notice; the applicable change statement says no significant teaching changes. Later2028-2030 materials were not substituted.
Inventory includes12 compulsory AS core studies,15 unnumbered research-method headings, A-level methodological/debate headings, all60 numbered subtopics across all4 specialist options, all20 mandatory option key-study references and planning requirements. This is not an inventory of every nested concept/example-study bullet. Students select2 options; none is selected on their behalf.
New primary-source study tasks inspect Holzel methods/results, Andrade's 17-page author manuscript (methods PDF pp5-7, results pp8-9, discussion pp9-12), Bandura's archived original text and Milgram's 8-page original paper (methods PDF pp2-4, results pp5-6). They cover selected evidence/limits only: none is a full detailed core-study account. Some initial university mirrors failed; the retained public sources were accessible and no paywall was bypassed.
Still lacks detailed coverage of Dement/Kleitman, Hassett, Baron-Cohen, Pozzulo, Fagen, Saavedra/Silverman, Perry and Piliavin (all8 remain required). The4 newly sampled core studies also need complete background, sample, procedure, quantitative/qualitative results, evaluation and comparisons. All20 option key studies remain without full study-specific question sets; general option applications do not substitute for their evidence.
Reference Listp16 explicitly notes the Oruc bipolar sample while explaining placement under unipolar explanations; do not silently relabel participants as unipolar. Its broad generalisation/biological wording needs critical teacher discussion, not rote adoption as scientific certainty. Clinical diagnostic/treatment detail must use appropriate ICD-11 context and qualified source review; no diagnosis or treatment instruction is provided here.
Specific remaining content includes animal-study evidence and child safeguards; full self-report/case-study planning; continuous descriptive graph practice; all disorder-specific diagnostic criteria and competing treatments; consumer atmospherics/heuristics/advertising models; health pain/stress/promotion models; work leadership/team/conflict/satisfaction frameworks. Paper2 planning features and Paper4 planning features differ (pp51/53); these short questions are not full assessed plans.
Syllabusp23 excludes calculations/statistical tests beyond the stated descriptive content. Sign-test, effect-size and p-value exercises are enrichment, not required9990 content. Attachment, Asch-style conformity, working-memory component and language-lesion questions are not forced into this specific2027 core-study list. Independent subject-teacher approval and option-specific assessment validation remain outstanding.

Return to Psychology practice