Edexcel AS Psychology Student Revision. GCE 2015 Psychology Edexcel

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Kristina Underwood
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1 Edexcel AS Psychology Student Revision GCE 2015 Psychology Edexcel

2 Social and Cognitive Psychology (answer all question from three sections) Section A : 29 marks Social Psychology Section B : 29 marks Cognitive Psychology Section C :12 marks one extended response question, covering both social and cognitive psychology 1 hour 30 minutes 70 marks

3 Biological Psychology and Learning Theories (answer all question from three sections) Section A : 29 marks Biological Psychology Section B : 29 marks Learning Theories Section C :12 marks one extended response question, covering both Biological and Learning 1 hour 30 minutes 70 marks

4 Classic and Contemporary studies should be learned in detail APRC as candidates could be asked on them on the synoptic paper 3 and even in a compare question Any study or theory/explanation that is named in the specification must be evaluated in terms of strengths and weaknesses. Only need to focus on experiment 3 for Baddeley Edexcel has a big focus on application of learning - so candidates should be prepared to apply knowledge learned to various scenario type questions (plenty of these on old spec) and much less emphasis on just rote rehearsal of learned knowledge and evaluation

5 General points Teaching should focus primarily on getting students good A02 knowledge, as will be a number of exam questions to apply knowledge to Students should be pushed to learn the terminology and to use it appropriately The AO1 for evaluate for a study can come from any part of the study, linking the AO3 would lead to a more logical chain of reasoning than disparate, separated points. Evaluation of theory would be better if students had more evidence to use but this must be limited to the findings only.

6 Studies Named studies need to have numerical results It is OK to use sub-headings to help describe a study but max marks may apply if go on and on about procedure All 3 Milgram variations must be explicitly taught and could be examined on any Where methodological strengths and weaknesses are offered they really needed to be explicitly related to the studies to be credible Do not make generic points which could apply to any psychological study

7 Marks AO1 AO3 AO1 AO2 AO So, if it's an 8 mark question on evaluate, 4 marks will be for AO1, etc. Evaluate will always assess AO1 and AO3 and if there is a stimulus to apply information to it can also include AO2 (so it can assess AO1/AO3 or AO1/AO2/AO3).

8 Evaluate is an extended-response taxonomy and so is only used for 8-12 mark responses. The same applies to assess and discuss Note assess ; evaluate and to what extent require the candidate to reach a reasoned conclusion

9 A response would ideally have a balanced, explicit conclusion. However, a conclusion and/or judgement may be implicit within a response. In other words some attempt has been made by the candidate to come to some form of conclusion (say about the effectiveness of a therapy or the outcome of a debate like nature nurture) but it is not necessarily a sentence at the end which is separate to their response.

10 In short, Level 1 will not be given when a candidate has clearly given a balanced response which considers various ideas and has tried to come to a judgement and conclusion throughout their response. However, constructing a response is a skill and it would be surprising if a Level 4 response did not have a conclusion of some sort, particularly when it is on the levels based mark schemes.

11 A Reasoned Conclusion Steer clear of subjective opinions generic statements simple summary Better to focus on Which theory / explanation has most evidence? Is the evidence experimental / reliable? Which is more useful to society and why? Link back to question

12 In conclusion, burger s study has stronger ethical guidelines than Milgram's and yet still demonstrates how people can obey authority in modern society, even if it involves harm. This can be used to help us understand why atrocities occur and hopefully prevent them. Overall, research into the effects of recreational drug on brain processes is very useful as it helps us to understand what can change how the brain works, which could lead to better drugs being available to counteract the destructive nature of recreational drugs and remove the addiction. In conclusion the biological explanation is based around scientific objective data which makes it valid and able to test for reliability. It can be argued to have more credibility than other non biological explanations of aggression. The end result justifies the means, what we have learnt from this makes up for a few participants suffering. So yes ethics were violated but for the greater good of society in helping understand why we obey and how to use this knowledge to prevent future atrocities such as the holocaust.

13 Comparing the Biological and Psychodynamic explanations of Aggression BIOLOGICAL Environment of evolutionary adaptation/ Natural selection Genes and Hormones Type A personality Scientific Nature Basis on physical structures of the mind Experimental data PSYCHODYNAMIC Eros and Thanatos Catharsis Unconscious mind and processes Id, Ego and Superego Frustration aggression Unscientific Nature and Nurture Basis on a model of the mind Case studies

14 Difference between Assess and Evaluate? 'Evaluate a biological explanation of aggression' (8) 'Assess a biological explanation of aggression' (8). Both require conclusions and ask to come to some sort of judgement. The only difference is assess would involve commenting on which factor (hormones / brain structure / genes etc) is the most important or relevant in explaining aggression

15 Level Mark Descriptor A01 (6 marks), A03 (6 marks) Candidates must demonstrate an equal emphasis between knowledge and understanding vs evaluation / conclusion in their answer Level 0 0 No rewardable material Level marks Demonstrates isolated elements of knowledge and understanding. (A01) A conclusion may be presented, but will be generic and the supporting Level marks Level marks Level marks evidence will be limited. Limited attempt to address the question. (A03) Demonstrates mostly accurate knowledge and understanding. (A01) Candidates will produce statements with some development in the form of mostly accurate and relevant factual material, leading to a superficial conclusion being made. (A03) Demonstrates accurate knowledge and understanding. (A01) Arguments developed using mostly coherent chains of reasoning. Leading to a conclusion being presented. Candidates will demonstrate a grasp of competing arguments but evaluation may be imbalanced. (A03) Demonstrates accurate and thorough knowledge and understanding. (A01) Displays a well developed and logical evaluation, containing logical chains of reasoning throughout. Demonstrates an awareness of competing arguments, presenting a balanced conclusion. (A03) Competing arguments is looking for presence of a two-sided argument so it could be both the strengths AND weaknesses of a study.

16 8 and 12 mark questions There will be a cap put on the emphasis of AO2 in any question to 4 marks 12 mark questions will never be an AO1 + AO2 question as there can never be any more than 4 marks of AO2 Discuss does not require any conclusions to be made so applicable for AO1 and AO2 questions. Questions below 8 marks (1-7 marks) can test any combination of AOs. They could assess a single AO (AO1/AO2/AO3 or a combination of two together e.g. AO1&AO2 etc.).

17 Using GRAVE effectively GENERALISABILITY: How many participants took part in the study? Can this be generalised / does it represent the wider the population? RELIABILITY: Does the study have a high level of control? Give an example Would it be easy to replicate the study? APPLICATION: How does society benefit from the study? VALIDITY: Does the study test what it is supposed to test? Is the study set in an artificial or real setting? ETHICS: Does the research break any ethical guidelines? Name and say how

18 3 out of 5 rule.. SOCIAL COGNITIVE BIOLOGICAL LEARNING Generalisability Reliability Application Validity Ethics

19 HOW TO EVALUATE THEORIES 1. Supporting evidence must say how 2. Criticise supporting evidence methodology only 3. Opposing theories without describing the whole theory 4. Application to real life 5. Reductionism explain to the examiner

20 Using Research Name (date) and findings / conclusions are needed here, however examiner only needs to identify the research Not a full description of the study e.g. McGrath et al (1980) found 75% of ps got better following SD

21 Individual Differences and Developmental Psychology Understanding the differences between individuals and the changes that occur as we age

22 Individual Differences SOCIAL Locus of Control and responsibility (Milgram's ps) Authoritarian Personality F scale and link to prejudice COGNITIVE Brain damaged ps Reconstructive memories Schema is effected by personal experiences Differences in episodic memory Speed at processing information Developmental Socialisation into Gender roles Individualistic vs. collectivistic cultures Authoritarian upbringing Right Wing Authoritarianism RWA Cohrs Social Dominance Orientation Schemas vary across cultures Schema nature or nurture? Dyslexia and Alzheimer's old / young HM vs. reconstructive memory, nature vs. nurture 5 yr olds shorter memory span than 17 year olds SEBHERGIL

23 Individual Differences Biological Learning Effects of drugs on individuals Differences in brain damage e.g. Phineas Gage Differences in neurotransmitter functioning (lack of or excess) Differences in effects of rewards and punishments on individuals Differences in ability to model e.g. perceived characteristics of role model and self efficacy Developmental Personality and Freud (Id Ego and Superego develop in each individual) Aggression nature or nurture Role of evolution (survival of the fittest) and hormones (testosterone; growth etc) in human development How we develop using a genetic blueprint Different behaviours observed lead to us all being different Phobias nature or nurture Gender identity through SLT and operant conditioning Cultural differences in SLT We develop through imitating others SLT

24 practicals - social Must be a questionnaire/interview Use both qualitative and quantitative data In-group out preference and out group hostility Gender differences in obedience to authority Prejudice within gender and sport in the media

25 practicals - cognitive Must be a laboratory experiment Repeated reproduction (War of Ghosts) Dual task experiment to investigate components of working memory Demonstration of STM and LTM in Multi Store Model of memory Acoustic similarity of words and there effect on STM

26 practicals - biological Must be a correlation Relationship between attitudes to drugs and aggressive tendencies Relationship between age and aggression Correlation between parents attitudes towards whether aggression is innate Relationship between height / weight etc and self rating of aggressive tendencies

27 practicals - learning Must be two observations gathering qualitative and quantitative data Male/female and type of car driven Male/female and purchases regarding electrical goods Girls/boys and play choices Male/female and altruism(opening door )

28 How will practicals be assessed? Outline the aim of your social practical (2) Give examples of two of the questions asked in your social practical (2) Outline one problem you encountered when planning and/or carrying out the survey (interview/questionnaire) (2) Explain one ethical decision you made (2) Explain one control you put into place apart from standardised instructions (2) Explain how you operationalised either your IV or DV (2) Outline the abstract from your cognitive practical (4)

29 How will practicals be assessed? Outline two problems you came across in your social practical (4) Explain how you might have addressed (or did address) these problems when planning and/or carrying out the practical (4) Explain how you gave (or could have given) your participants the right to withdraw (3) Explain why we have an experimental and null hypotheses? (2) As part of the course requirements for Cognitive psychology you will have conducted an experiment (practical) by which you gathered quantitative (numerical) data. Describe the steps you took in order to gather and analyse the data. (6) Explain why for the MWU the number of participants in each group is important, but for Wilcoxon just the number of ps is required (2)

30 EVALUATING YOUR PRACTICALS An opportunity sample was used which means we could have deliberately picked ps we knew were good / bad at the task so we found a difference Some ps may have may have told others about the practical so they may have tried to give us the results they thought we wanted All ps were college students so we may not be able to generalise the results to the wider population who may be more / less familiar with the task set Other confounding variables may have affected the practical such as Standardised instructions were used which increases the reliability of our practical The practical was carried out in a quiet classroom which is a natural setting for the ps so increasing ecological validity

31 WRITING UP PRACTICALS Abstract a short summary of aims, method, findings and implication Procedure research method sampling method IV and DV (if appropriate) experimental design (if appropriate) control(s) ethics (where relevant) materials very brief outline of what the researcher/p(s) did

32 WRITING UP PRACTICALS Results overall results e.g. which condition was best / mean average description of findings for qualitative results stats test used / significance and which hypotheses was accepted / rejected Discussion interpretation of the results (link to theory/study), strengths, weaknesses, improvements, applications, how research can be extended / replicated in future

33 ABSTRACT According to a research done by Sebastian and Hernandez-Gil back in 2012, digit span varies with different age groups. The older age group (17 years old) performed better than a relatively younger age group (5 years old). This study investigated whether there is a difference in digit span between a younger age group of year olds and an older age group of 45+ year olds. Employing a laboratory experiment with an independent groups design, a sample of 24 participants (12younger, 12older) were asked to recall sequences of digits, which grows progressively longer. Results were recorded as the longest digit span reached by participants without getting two out of the three sequences wrong. A significant difference was found using a Mann- Whitney U test. The observed value was higher than the critical value at level of significance of 5% when number of participants is 24 with a one tailed test, disproving the experimental hypothesis. To conclude, the difference between the digit span of teenagers of the age and those of the age of 45+ is so little that it cannot account for a difference.

34 Outline the results from your practical (3) As our level of data was and our design was we used a statistical test for our practical and found that our results were significant. This means we can accept our experimental hypotheses and reject our null hypotheses, as our results were less than 5% due to chance factors. We can be at least 95% confidence that our IV did influence our DV.

35 key questions - social Why did Abu Ghraib, My Lai and other atrocities occur? Why does Football Violence occur? How can we prevent Race riots (and prejudice in general)? How do we understand Cult behaviour? How can social psychology be used to prevent bullying?

key questions - cognitive Can Flashbulb memories ever be accurate? Reliability of eyewitness testimony? Use of cognitive interview to support the police - does it work?

36 key questions - cognitive Can Flashbulb memories ever be accurate? Reliability of eyewitness testimony? Use of cognitive interview to support the police - does it work? How can we use memory to help dementia patients? How can we use working memory to help treatment of dyslexia? How has research into adolescent reconstructive memory and attachment been used in the clinical setting?

37 key questions - biological How effective is drug therapy for treating addictions? Implications for society if aggression is caused by nature not nurture? Is Autism a male brain disorder? Is IQ inherited?

38 key questions - learning Do role models influence anorexia? Should airlines offer treatment programmes for fear of flying? Are the effects of video games more harmful then movies or TV?

39 Key questions A01 and A02 only Typically two possible types of key question: a) Describe your key question from psychology (4) b) Explain your key question using key concepts from psychology (6) OR You will be presented with a stimulus / scenario and will have to apply concepts to explain it (part b only) NO EVALUATION REQUIRED! ONLY APPLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF PSYCHOLOGY IN PART B

However.. Key questions can be assessed with any AO (AO1/AO2/AO3) as with any other part of the specification. There are no restrictions on what AOs can be used for any material.

40 However.. Key questions can be assessed with any AO (AO1/AO2/AO3) as with any other part of the specification. There are no restrictions on what AOs can be used for any material. Key questions can appear as extended responses (8+ marks) so it depends on the taxonomy. If the Q is about a key question and has the taxonomy 'evaluate' then a conclusion (implicit or explicit) would be required.

41 Obedience and Memory Agency theory to include: -agentic state defined with a psychological example -autonomous state defined with a psychological example -moral strain defined with a psychological example -where it comes from -what would happen to society without it

42 Agency Theory Use historical examples to illustrate (A02) application such as Agency theory being an explanation for atrocities such as the Holocaust or the Mai Lai massacre the soldiers were in the agentic state following orders from the authority figure

43 Milgram variations have majority of same detail as the original so make sure you know the key differences in terms of aim and results Have specific evaluation points for each variation alongside generic evaluation Examiners will be looking for specific details of the variation in your answer

44 Memory If using diagrams label them accurately and then fully explain them Don't forget the role of sensory memory in favour of the other stores Fully explain how Clive Wearing (if covered) both supports and contradict MSM, then point out problems with methodology Worth teaching procedural and declarative alongside episodic and semantic types of LTM

45 Reconstructive Memory main points to include Memory is an imaginative reconstruction of past events influenced by how we encode, store and retrieve information; Memory is not like a blank tape but is changed when we recall it; Our attitudes and responses to events change our memory for those events; We use schemas that we already have to interpret information and incorporate these into our memory; Retrieval of stored memories thus involves an active process of reconstruction using a range of information; Confabulation is when information is added to fill in the gaps to make a story/ make sense;

46 Working Memory main points to include Working memory is an active store to hold and manipulate information that is currently being thought about It consists of 3 separate components name and define each The first monitors and co-ordinates the operation of the other two slave systems The second consists of two sub systems one which is an inner voice the other which is an inner ear The third component is an inner eye which holds visual and spatial information from long term memory

47 Final Tips Always provide relevant psychological research instead of relying on anecdotal information which is not creditworthy. Ensure candidates know the difference between a theory and a study Candidates need to know all the types of sampling techniques given in the specification not just those used the most in research or student practical work. Make sure all 3 Milgram variations are learned in as much depth as the original, could well be an 8 mark question

48 Don't make the relevant point i.e. it has a real life application without elaborating Cannot achieve full marks for just writing about the procedure when describing a study Fully explain HOW a study supports a given theory Always refer to stimulus material in answers Comparing theories against one another will provide a better understanding of each Relevant elaboration will always gain marks and is main differentiator between strong and less able candidates Ethical issues must be listed but related to the study Fully explain WHY lab exps are reliable (mention control of variables)

49 Make reference to both IV and DV in hypotheses Understand the difference between terms (social desirability and demand characteristics etc) Don't ignore questions that have specific requirements. Thus a question that asks for two criticisms is not an open-ended invitation to present every evaluation you know Know the difference between a practical and a key question Always describe a study using the following format: aim; procedure; results; conclusion;

PMT. AS Psychology Paper 1 Mark Scheme

PMT. AS Psychology Paper 1 Mark Scheme AS Psychology Paper 1 Scheme 1(a) AO2 (2 marks) One mark for each feature identified up to a maximum of two marks. Legitimate authority of the police officer (1) Proximity of the police officer was immediate