AS psychology Exam guide and revision workbook

Work through the exercises in this booklet to help you with your revision.

You still need to learn it.

This booklet will help you to structure your answers to maximise your marks in the exam.

Past exam papers and mark schemes Go to www.aqa.org.uk and find the past papers and mark schemes for Psychology B. Look through the papers, have a go at the questions then mark them yourself with the mark scheme. You could even swap with someone else and get them to mark your work. This will help you understand what the examiner is looking for in each style of question.

Unit 1: key approaches and biopsychology

10 mark question answer framework. Use this framework to help you structure your answer. Fill out one sheet for each approach, put the AO1 (description) in one colour and the AO2 (evaluation) in another.

The biological approach The first basic assumption - genes The second basic assumption biological structures The third basic assumption evolution of behaviour Briefly describe 1 study (elaboration) Evaluation point 1 - The biological approach is deterministic because This contrasts with the humanistic approach which

Evaluation point 2 - The biological approach is highly scientific because This contrasts with the psychodynamic approach which uses Evaluation point 3 - The biological approach is reductionist because The behaviourist approach is also reductionist because

The behaviourist approach The first basic assumption born a blank slate The second basic assumption classical conditioning

The third basic assumption operant conditioning Briefly describe 1 study (elaboration) Evaluation point 1 - The behaviourist approach is deterministic because This contrasts with the humanistic approach which Evaluation point 2 - The behaviourist approach is highly scientific because This contrasts with the psychodynamic approach which Evaluation point 3 - The behaviourist approach is reductionist because

The biological approach is also reductionist because

The social learning theory approach The first basic assumption learning through observation The second basic assumption modelling The third basic assumption mediating cognitive factors Briefly describe 1 study (elaboration) Evaluation point 1 - The SLT approach is reductionist because This contrasts with the humanistic approach which

Evaluation point 2 - The SLT approach is highly scientific because This contrasts with the psychodynamic approach which Evaluation point 3 - The SLT approach uses lab experiments which are artificial because The behaviourist approach is also uses lab studies

The cognitive approach The first basic assumption internal mental processes The second basic assumption use of models The third basic assumption computer analogy

Briefly describe 1 study (elaboration) Evaluation point 1 - The cognitive approach is mechanistic because This contrasts with the humanistic approach which Evaluation point 2 The cognitive approach is highly scientific because This contrasts with the psychodynamic approach which Evaluation point 3 - The cognitive approach is reductionist because The biological approach is also reductionist because

The Psychodynamic approach The first basic assumption role of the unconscious The second basic assumption psychosexual stages The third basic assumption The structure of the personality Briefly describe 1 study (elaboration) Evaluation point 1 - The psychodynamic approach is deterministic because This contrasts with the humanistic approach which Evaluation point 2 - The psychodynamic approach is not scientific because This contrasts with the behaviourist approach which

Evaluation point 3 - The psychodynamic approach is NOT reductionist because This contrasts with the biological approach which is reductionist because

The humanistic approach The first basic assumption free will The second basic assumption self and self actualisation The third basic assumption conditions of worth Briefly describe 1 study (elaboration) Evaluation point 1 - The humanistic approach is NOT deterministic because

This contrasts with the biological approach which Evaluation point 2 - The humanistic approach is not scientific because This compares to the psychodynamic approach which also is not scientific Evaluation point 3 - The humanistic approach is ethnocentric because The psychodynamic approach is also ethnocentric because

Biopsychology

Fill out the table, writing out a brief definition of the key terms that you need to learn for biopsychology.

Key term Definition

Neuron

Dendrite

Nucleus

Axon

Terminal button

Collateral

branches

Action potential

Synapse

Sensory neuron

Motor neuron

Interneuron

Dopamine

Serotonin

Endorphins

Nervous system

PNS

CNS

Somatic nervous

system

Autonomic

nervous system

Sympathetic

nervous system

Parasympathetic

nervous system

Localisation of

function

Aphasia

Motor cortex

Sensory cortex

Visual cortex

Auditory cortex

Lateralisation of

function

Neurosurgery

Post mortem

examination

EEG

Electrical

stimulation

PET scan

10 mark questions on biopsychology

These questions could ask you to describe and evaluate Twin studies and adoption studies Methods used to identify cortical specialisation The split in AO1 and AO2 is the same here as in the approaches essays AO1 = 5 marks, and AO2 = 5 marks. Your answer needs to be about 4 paragraphs long.

Describe and evaluate the following methods used by psychologists to investigate the genetic basis of behaviour:

twin studies

adoption studies

Describe how twin studies are used in biopsychology:

Give an example of a study

Evaluate the use of twin studies

Describe how adoption studies are used:

Give an example of a study (e.g. Kety)

Evaluate the use of adoption studies

Discuss two of the following methods that have been used to investigate areas of cortical specialisation in the brain:

neurosurgery post-mortem examinations scanning techniques

Describe how the first method is used in biopsychology:

Give an example

Evaluate the method

Describe how the second method is used:

Give an example

Evaluate the second method

Gender development

Complete the mind map for gender development. Help your revision by doing different sections in different colours. Next, write a list of key words on one side of a page, and their definitions on the other. Get someone to test you by giving you a key word and then checking you know what it means.

Gender Development

Sex and

gender Androgyny

Sex-

role/stereoty

pes

Cultural variations

Nature and nurture

Biological

SLT

Cognitive

psychodyna

mic

Research methods Practice exam questions: Below are TWO practice exam questions based on actual exams. Complete the questions, trying to do so without using your notes or textbook. Check your answers afterwards with your notes. 1 A psychologist conducted an experiment to investigate whether sleep deprivation disrupts participants problem solving. A stratified sample of twenty participants was selected to take part in the study. In the experiment, participants were presented with six different mathematical problems. In one condition, ten participants were each required to solve six problems, having been deprived of sleep for twenty-four hours prior to the study. In the control condition, the remaining ten participants, who had not been deprived of sleep, were each required to solve the same problems. Participants were allowed five minutes to solve each problem. The total number of mathematical problems solved by each participant is given in Table 1. Table 1 The total number of mathematical problems solved by each participant in the sleep-deprivation condition and control condition

Participant Sleep deprivation

condition

Number of mathematical

problems solved

Participant Control

condition

Number of mathematical

problems solved

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10

2 1 3 4 3 2 2 1 1 1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

4 5 3 6 5 3 4 6 6 6

Total 20 Total 48

(a) Using the values given in Table 1, (i) calculate the mean score for the sleep-deprivation condition and for the control condition;

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(ii) give the mode for the sleep-deprivation condition and for the control condition. Label your answers clearly. (4 marks)

.......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... (b) What do the total scores indicate about the effects of sleep deprivation? Justify your answer. (2 marks)

.......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... (c) Prior to the experiment, the psychologist conducted a pilot study. Outline why the psychologist chose to do this. (2 marks)

.......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... (d) Explain one problem that might have arisen if the psychologist had chosen to use a repeated measures design in this study. (3 marks)

.......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... (e) (i) The psychologist used stratified sampling to select the twenty participants. Outline what is meant by stratified sampling. (2 marks)

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(ii) Identify one strength and one limitation of stratified sampling. (2 marks)

.......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... (f) Identify and explain one ethical issue that the psychologist should have taken into account in this study. (3 marks)

.......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... (g) Identify one strength and one limitation of the experimental method in psychology. (2 marks)

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3. Two psychologists observed a sample of 3-year-old children. To save time, the sample was obtained from a nearby nursery. The aim was to investigate differences in play behaviour between same-sex pairs and boy-girl pairs. The children were observed playing together in a laboratory playroom containing a selection of toys. The psychologists assigned the children to pairs. There were ten boy-boy pairs, ten girl-girl pairs and ten boy-girl pairs. As the children played, both psychologists recorded the frequency of friendly behaviours for each pair. Friendly behaviours included sharing a toy, a positive verbal response to the other child and a positive behaviour to the other child, such as smiling. The frequency of friendly behaviours in same-sex and boy-girl pairs is shown in the table below (Table 1).

Table 1: The frequency of friendly behaviours in same-sex and boy-girl pairs

Type of pair

Frequency of friendly behaviours

Girl-Girl 85

Boy-Boy

56

Boy-Girl

32

3 (a) What might the psychologists conclude from the results shown in Table 1? ........................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................... (3 marks) 3 (b) Draw an appropriate graphical display of the data presented in Table 1. Correctly label your display.

(3 marks)

3 (c) Identify the dependent variable in this study. ........................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................... (1 mark) 3 (d) State an appropriate hypothesis for this study. ........................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................... (2 marks) 3 (e) (i) Identify the sampling method used by the psychologists in this study. .................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................. (1 mark) (ii) Explain one limitation of the sampling method that you have identified in your answer to 3(e)(i). .................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................. (2 marks) 3 (f) Explain one methodological reason why it was important for both psychologists to observe the children in this study.

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. (3 marks) 3 (g) (i) Identify one ethical issue raised by this study. .................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................. (1 mark) (ii) Explain how the issue which you have identified in your answer to 3(g)(i) could have been addressed. .................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................. (2 marks) 3 (h) The psychologists conducted follow-up interviews with the children.s nursery school teachers. (i) Write one closed question that might be used to obtain information about a child.s play behaviour. .................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................. (1 mark)

(ii) Write one open question that might be used to obtain information about a child.s play behaviour. .................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................. (1 mark)