Which core studies are in the OCR individual differences area?

The individual differences area has two themes, each with a classic and a contemporary study. Understanding disorders uses Freud (1909) on Little Hans and Baron-Cohen et al. (1997) on the Eyes Task in autism. Measuring differences uses Gould (1982) A nation of morons on the misuse of intelligence testing and Hancock et al. (2011) on the language of psychopaths.

What does the individual differences area assume?

The individual differences area assumes that people differ in meaningful, measurable ways, including in personality, cognition, intelligence and mental health, and that psychology should explain and measure these differences. The four studies show this through understanding disorders (Freud, Baron-Cohen) and measuring differences (Gould, Hancock).

What is the difference between Freud and Baron-Cohen?

Freud (1909) used a subjective, in-depth case study of one child, interpreted through unfalsifiable psychodynamic theory. Baron-Cohen et al. (1997) used an objective, standardised test (the Eyes Task) with clinical and typical control groups. Together they contrast interpretive and scientific, measurable approaches to understanding a disorder.

What did Gould argue about intelligence testing?

Gould (1982) argued that Yerkes' First World War Army intelligence tests were culturally biased and chaotically administered, so the low scores of immigrants and black Americans reflected the tests, not real intelligence. He showed the data were misused to support the racist 1924 Immigration Restriction Act, exposing how measuring differences can be biased and abused.

How is the individual differences area assessed?

It is assessed on Component 2 (Psychological themes through core studies), a 2-hour, 105-mark paper worth 35 per cent. Questions ask you to describe and evaluate the studies, place them in the individual differences area, apply the psychodynamic and behaviourist perspectives, and apply debates such as cultural bias and socially sensitive research.

EnglandPsychology

OCR A-Level Psychology: Individual differences area core studies overview

A complete OCR A-Level Psychology guide to the individual differences area of Component 2: the four core studies (Freud, Baron-Cohen, Gould, Hancock), the understanding-disorders and measuring-differences themes, how psychology studies what makes people different, and how the area is examined on the core studies paper.

Generated by Claude Opus 4.813 min readH567Updated 2026-06-02

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What the individual differences area demands
Understanding disorders
Measuring differences
Check your knowledge

What the individual differences area demands

The individual differences area asks how and why people differ, in mental health and in measurable traits such as intelligence and personality. OCR examines it on Component 2 and rewards precise knowledge of the four core studies, the ability to evaluate them, and the skill of placing them in the individual differences area and applying debates such as cultural bias and socially sensitive research.

This guide covers each core study in order, then the exam patterns, with matching dot-point pages for practice.

Understanding disorders

Freud (1909) is the classic: a longitudinal case study of Little Hans, whose horse phobia Freud interpreted through the Oedipus complex, illustrating the psychodynamic perspective and its lack of falsifiability. Baron-Cohen et al. (1997) is the contemporary: the Eyes Task showed adults with autism scored lower on reading mental states but normally on a control task, evidence for a specific theory-of-mind deficit.

Measuring differences

Gould (1982) is the classic: a critical review of Yerkes' Army intelligence tests exposed cultural bias, flawed administration and the misuse of the data in racist immigration policy. Hancock et al. (2011) is the contemporary: computerised analysis showed psychopaths' crime narratives used more cause-and-effect and basic-needs language and less emotion, giving measurable linguistic markers of psychopathy.

Check your knowledge

State the research method used in the study of Little Hans. (1 mark)
Explain why Baron-Cohen included a gender-recognition control task. (2 marks)
Explain one way Yerkes' intelligence tests were biased. (2 marks)
State one way psychopaths' language differed in Hancock's study. (2 marks)

Sources & how we know this

OCR Level 3 Advanced GCE in Psychology (H567) specification — OCR (2015)