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Question 1 Report
A school counsellor watches pupils arriving at a study club. She wants to investigate whether arriving with friends affects nervous behaviour. She needs an operational definition before recording data.
(a) Name one behaviour that could be used as an operational definition of nervousness. [1]
(b) Explain why an operational definition would improve the reliability of this observation study. [2]
(c) Which sampling method would be most suitable if the counsellor records every fifth pupil entering the club? [1]
(a) Any one: nail biting / fidgeting / avoiding eye contact / pacing / shaking hands [1] (b) It states exactly what counts as nervous behaviour [1] so another researcher can use the same categories and obtain comparable data / check the observations [1] (c) Systematic sampling [1]
(a) Any one: nail biting / fidgeting / avoiding eye contact / pacing / shaking hands [1] (b) It states exactly what counts as nervous behaviour [1] so another researcher can use the same categories and obtain comparable data / check the observations [1] (c) Systematic sampling [1]
Question 2 Report
A care-home manager reads that cortisol rises when people experience prolonged stress. She plans a study in which residents provide saliva samples before and after a weekly gardening session.
(a) Name the gland that releases cortisol. [1]
(b) Explain why the manager should collect the samples at the same time of day. [2]
(c) Use knowledge of hormones to predict the likely effect of a relaxing gardening session on cortisol. [1]
(a) Adrenal gland [1] (b) Cortisol levels naturally vary across the day [1]. Taking samples at the same time controls this circadian variation, making comparisons fairer [1]. (c) Cortisol is likely to decrease / be lower after the session [1].
(a) Adrenal gland [1] (b) Cortisol levels naturally vary across the day [1]. Taking samples at the same time controls this circadian variation, making comparisons fairer [1]. (c) Cortisol is likely to decrease / be lower after the session [1].
Question 3 Report
A research team is planning a laboratory experiment using a virtual supermarket. Participants will study a shopping list, walk through the virtual store, and then recall the items. The team wants evidence about how store layout affects memory.
(a) Describe the main features of a laboratory experiment that the team could use. [6]
(b) Evaluate the use of a laboratory experiment for this investigation. [8]
(c) Use your knowledge of research methods to explain one way the team could reduce demand characteristics. [3]
(a) Manipulate an independent variable, such as whether related products are grouped together or spread around the store [1]; measure a dependent variable, such as number of shopping-list items recalled correctly [1]; use standardised instructions [1]; keep relevant variables controlled, such as list length and time in the store [1]; allocate participants to conditions / use a stated design [1]; record quantitative data and compare the conditions [1] (b) Strength: the virtual store allows close control of layout and distractions [1], so differences in recall are more likely to be due to the independent variable [1]. Strength: the procedure can be repeated using the same software, list and instructions [1], increasing reliability [1]. Weakness: shopping in virtual reality may not reflect everyday shopping [1], so ecological validity may be low [1]. Weakness: participants may guess that memory is being tested [1], changing effort or rehearsal and reducing validity [1] (c) Give a cover story, such as saying the study concerns navigation in virtual stores [1]; avoid stating that shopping-list memory is the aim [1]; use a post-study question to check whether participants guessed the purpose / exclude data where they did [1]
(a) Manipulate an independent variable, such as whether related products are grouped together or spread around the store [1]; measure a dependent variable, such as number of shopping-list items recalled correctly [1]; use standardised instructions [1]; keep relevant variables controlled, such as list length and time in the store [1]; allocate participants to conditions / use a stated design [1]; record quantitative data and compare the conditions [1] (b) Strength: the virtual store allows close control of layout and distractions [1], so differences in recall are more likely to be due to the independent variable [1]. Strength: the procedure can be repeated using the same software, list and instructions [1], increasing reliability [1]. Weakness: shopping in virtual reality may not reflect everyday shopping [1], so ecological validity may be low [1]. Weakness: participants may guess that memory is being tested [1], changing effort or rehearsal and reducing validity [1] (c) Give a cover story, such as saying the study concerns navigation in virtual stores [1]; avoid stating that shopping-list memory is the aim [1]; use a post-study question to check whether participants guessed the purpose / exclude data where they did [1]
Question 4 Report
Table 1 shows data from a study of 24 shift workers. Each worker wore a monitor for one week. The researcher compared average sleep with reaction time on a driving simulator.
| Average sleep per night (hours) | Mean reaction time (ms) |
|---|---|
| 4.8 | 410 |
| 5.6 | 365 |
| 6.7 | 318 |
| 7.5 | 290 |
(a) Describe the relationship shown in Table 1. [2]
(b) Use the data to calculate the reduction in mean reaction time between 4.8 and 7.5 hours of sleep. [1]
(c) Explain why these data do not prove that lack of sleep causes slower reactions. [2]
(a) As sleep duration increases, reaction time decreases [1]. Workers with more sleep responded faster [1]. (b) 410 - 290 = 120 ms [1] (c) This is a correlation [1]. A third variable, such as caffeine intake / work stress, could affect both sleep and reaction time [1].
(a) As sleep duration increases, reaction time decreases [1]. Workers with more sleep responded faster [1]. (b) 410 - 290 = 120 ms [1] (c) This is a correlation [1]. A third variable, such as caffeine intake / work stress, could affect both sleep and reaction time [1].
Question 5 Report
Which of the following treatments is most likely to increase the availability of serotonin in a synapse: a drug that blocks reuptake, a drug that blocks receptor sites, or a drug that destroys vesicles? A doctor is explaining the treatment to a patient with depression.
(a) Which treatment is correct? [1]
(b) Explain what reuptake means. [2]
(a) A drug that blocks reuptake [1] (b) Reuptake is when released neurotransmitter is taken back into the presynaptic neurone [1]. Blocking it leaves more serotonin in the synaptic gap / available to bind to receptors [1].
(a) A drug that blocks reuptake [1] (b) Reuptake is when released neurotransmitter is taken back into the presynaptic neurone [1]. Blocking it leaves more serotonin in the synaptic gap / available to bind to receptors [1].
Question 6 Report
A radio presenter records the same safety announcement twice. In one recording she speaks slowly with clear pauses; in the other she speaks rapidly in a flat voice. Listeners later answer questions about the information.
(a) Which recording is likely to produce the best recall of the information? [1]
(b) Explain one way pace or intonation could affect listeners' memory for the announcement. [2]
(c) Describe one control the researcher should use when comparing the two recordings. [1]
(a) The slow recording with clear pauses [1] (b) Slower speech gives listeners more time to process/chunk the information [1]; this makes encoding or later recall more accurate [1] (c) Keep the words/content identical in both recordings / use the same volume / test listeners after the same delay [1]
(a) The slow recording with clear pauses [1] (b) Slower speech gives listeners more time to process/chunk the information [1]; this makes encoding or later recall more accurate [1] (c) Keep the words/content identical in both recordings / use the same volume / test listeners after the same delay [1]
Question 7 Report
Which of the following explanations best accounts for Noor pulling her hand away before she consciously feels the heat from a camping pan? Her teacher says the response travelled through the nervous system as a reflex.
(a) Which structure in the central nervous system coordinates this rapid response? [1]
(b) Explain why the response can occur before Noor is aware of pain. [2]
(a) Spinal cord [1] (b) Sensory information is processed by the spinal cord rather than first being interpreted by the brain [1]. This produces a rapid motor response to protect the body from injury [1].
(a) Spinal cord [1] (b) Sensory information is processed by the spinal cord rather than first being interpreted by the brain [1]. This produces a rapid motor response to protect the body from injury [1].
Question 8 Report
Describe and evaluate the fight-or-flight response. A mountain guide unexpectedly sees a rock fall towards her group and later notices shaking hands after everyone is safe.
(a) Outline the sequence of events in the fight-or-flight response. [4]
(b) Explain how adrenaline helps the guide respond to immediate danger. [3]
(c) Evaluate one limitation of the fight-or-flight explanation for the guide's later shaking. [2]
(a) A threat is detected [1]. The hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system [1]. The adrenal glands release adrenaline [1]. The body is prepared for action, for example heart rate rises / digestion slows [1]. (b) Adrenaline increases heart rate / blood pressure [1]. More oxygen and glucose are supplied to muscles [1]. This gives energy for rapid escape / action [1]. (c) The response is an oversimplification because people may freeze / seek support rather than fight or flee [1]. Therefore it may not fully explain the guide's shaking after the danger has ended [1].
(a) A threat is detected [1]. The hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system [1]. The adrenal glands release adrenaline [1]. The body is prepared for action, for example heart rate rises / digestion slows [1]. (b) Adrenaline increases heart rate / blood pressure [1]. More oxygen and glucose are supplied to muscles [1]. This gives energy for rapid escape / action [1]. (c) The response is an oversimplification because people may freeze / seek support rather than fight or flee [1]. Therefore it may not fully explain the guide's shaking after the danger has ended [1].
Question 9 Report
At a language school, students first learn Italian words for colours and then begin Portuguese lessons. Several students now give Portuguese words when asked for the Italian translation.
(a) Name the type of forgetting shown by the students. [1]
(b) Explain why it occurs in this situation. [2]
(a) Retroactive interference [1] (b) The newer Portuguese information interferes with [1] retrieval of the earlier Italian colour-word information [1]
(a) Retroactive interference [1] (b) The newer Portuguese information interferes with [1] retrieval of the earlier Italian colour-word information [1]
Question 10 Report
A student has to remember the order of procedures for setting up a microscope. She practises each step while saying why it is needed, rather than simply copying the list.
(a) Which level of processing is she using? [1]
(b) Explain why this should help her remember the procedure in a later practical lesson. [3]
(a) Deep / semantic processing [1] (b) She considers the meaning of each step [1]; she links the new information to relevant knowledge about microscopes [1]; these meaningful links give her more retrieval cues for long-term memory [1]
(a) Deep / semantic processing [1] (b) She considers the meaning of each step [1]; she links the new information to relevant knowledge about microscopes [1]; these meaningful links give her more retrieval cues for long-term memory [1]
Question 11 Report
Describe and evaluate Gregory's constructivist theory of perception in relation to a road-safety team. The team wants to know why drivers sometimes mistake shadows, signs and moving objects when they must make rapid decisions from incomplete visual information.
(a) Describe the main assumptions of Gregory's theory. [6]
(b) Use the road-safety situation to explain how perceptual hypotheses may lead to an error. [4]
(c) Evaluate Gregory's theory using research evidence and one weakness. [7]
(a) Perception is an active process [1]; sensory information is often incomplete or ambiguous [1]; the brain uses past experience / knowledge [1]; it forms perceptual hypotheses or best guesses [1]; contextual information influences the hypothesis [1]; the hypothesis is tested against incoming sensory information and may be revised [1]. (b) A driver may receive unclear information, such as a shape in shadow [1]; previous experience may suggest it is a familiar harmless object [1]; the brain selects this as the most likely hypothesis [1]; if the hypothesis is wrong, the driver may misperceive a hazard / respond too slowly [1]. (c) Supporting evidence includes visual illusions, where the same physical information is interpreted incorrectly because of context [1]; the theory explains why expectations and previous knowledge affect perception [1]; studies of perceptual set also support an influence of expectations [1]; it gives a useful account of perception in ambiguous situations [1]; however, it may underestimate direct information available in the environment [1]; some perception is rapid and may not require conscious hypothesis testing [1]; individual hypotheses are difficult to observe or measure directly, reducing scientific testability [1].
(a) Perception is an active process [1]; sensory information is often incomplete or ambiguous [1]; the brain uses past experience / knowledge [1]; it forms perceptual hypotheses or best guesses [1]; contextual information influences the hypothesis [1]; the hypothesis is tested against incoming sensory information and may be revised [1]. (b) A driver may receive unclear information, such as a shape in shadow [1]; previous experience may suggest it is a familiar harmless object [1]; the brain selects this as the most likely hypothesis [1]; if the hypothesis is wrong, the driver may misperceive a hazard / respond too slowly [1]. (c) Supporting evidence includes visual illusions, where the same physical information is interpreted incorrectly because of context [1]; the theory explains why expectations and previous knowledge affect perception [1]; studies of perceptual set also support an influence of expectations [1]; it gives a useful account of perception in ambiguous situations [1]; however, it may underestimate direct information available in the environment [1]; some perception is rapid and may not require conscious hypothesis testing [1]; individual hypotheses are difficult to observe or measure directly, reducing scientific testability [1].
Question 12 Report
At a call centre, a researcher measures workers’ recall of customer details on Monday and repeats the same test on Friday. The researcher wants to know whether the measure produces consistent data.
(a) Name the type of reliability being checked. [1]
(b) Outline two features of the results that would suggest good reliability. [3]
(a) Test-retest reliability [1] (b) Any three from: the same workers receive similar scores on both occasions [1]; there is a strong positive correlation between Monday and Friday scores [1]; the rank order of workers is broadly similar [1]; differences between the two sets of scores are small [1]
(a) Test-retest reliability [1] (b) Any three from: the same workers receive similar scores on both occasions [1]; there is a strong positive correlation between Monday and Friday scores [1]; the rank order of workers is broadly similar [1]; differences between the two sets of scores are small [1]
Question 13 Report
Aisha revises science terms by reading each definition aloud ten times. Her friend links each term to an example from a lesson. In a test two days later, Aisha recalls fewer terms.
(a) Which student is using elaborative rehearsal? [1]
(b) Explain why this method is likely to produce better long-term memory. [2]
(a) Aisha's friend [1] (b) Linking a term to meaning or prior knowledge creates deeper processing [1], making the information more likely to be stored and retrieved from long-term memory [1]
(a) Aisha's friend [1] (b) Linking a term to meaning or prior knowledge creates deeper processing [1], making the information more likely to be stored and retrieved from long-term memory [1]
Question 14 Report
A pupil who uses British Sign Language gives a short presentation while an interpreter voices the message for the class. Afterwards, the teacher asks classmates to write the main points they understood.
(a) Name the communication system used by the pupil. [1]
(b) Explain why an interpreter may make the presentation more accessible to some classmates. [2]
(c) Describe one way the teacher could check that the interpreter has communicated the pupil's information accurately. [1]
(a) British Sign Language / sign language [1] (b) The interpreter changes the signed message into spoken language [1]; classmates who do not know sign language can then receive and understand the information [1] (c) Compare the classmates' written main points with the pupil's intended points / ask the pupil to confirm the interpretation [1]
(a) British Sign Language / sign language [1] (b) The interpreter changes the signed message into spoken language [1]; classmates who do not know sign language can then receive and understand the information [1] (c) Compare the classmates' written main points with the pupil's intended points / ask the pupil to confirm the interpretation [1]
Question 15 Report
Describe and evaluate a brain-imaging method. A neurologist is deciding whether to use fMRI to investigate which brain areas are active while a violinist listens to familiar music.
(a) Outline how fMRI produces information about brain activity. [3]
(b) Explain one strength of using fMRI in this study. [2]
(c) Explain one weakness of using fMRI in this study. [2]
(a) fMRI measures changes in blood oxygenation / blood flow [1]. Active brain areas require more oxygen [1]. The scanner identifies where these changes occur to make a brain-activity image [1]. (b) It has good spatial resolution [1], so the neurologist can identify the particular brain areas active while music is heard [1]. (c) It shows correlation rather than direct cause [1], so activation does not prove that an area alone produces music memory / perception [1].
(a) fMRI measures changes in blood oxygenation / blood flow [1]. Active brain areas require more oxygen [1]. The scanner identifies where these changes occur to make a brain-activity image [1]. (b) It has good spatial resolution [1], so the neurologist can identify the particular brain areas active while music is heard [1]. (c) It shows correlation rather than direct cause [1], so activation does not prove that an area alone produces music memory / perception [1].
Question 16 Report
A call-centre manager notices that customers often say "yes" while their voice sounds uncertain. Staff are trained to use both spoken words and vocal cues before deciding whether a customer has understood a payment plan.
(a) Name the vocal cue, other than the words used, that may show uncertainty. [1]
(b) Explain why the manager should not interpret the word "yes" in isolation. [2]
(c) Use your knowledge of non-verbal communication to suggest one question a staff member could ask to check understanding. [1]
(a) Tone of voice / pitch / hesitation / quiet volume [1] (b) Words are only one channel of communication [1]; an uncertain tone or hesitation may contradict the spoken agreement [1] (c) Any suitable checking question, for example, "Could you tell me in your own words what the monthly payment will be?" [1]
(a) Tone of voice / pitch / hesitation / quiet volume [1] (b) Words are only one channel of communication [1]; an uncertain tone or hesitation may contradict the spoken agreement [1] (c) Any suitable checking question, for example, "Could you tell me in your own words what the monthly payment will be?" [1]
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