AQA A Level Psychology Paper 3: Issues and Options in Psychology June 2017 question paper 7182/3

Which of the following best describes a reductionist approach in psychology? Write A, B, C, or D in your answer book.

A Explaining behaviour in a complicated way in terms of complex mechanisms. B Explaining behaviour in a simple way in terms of basic units.

C Explaining behaviour in one way and ignoring all other explanations.

D Explaining behaviour in several different ways at the same time.

Which of the following best describes an idiographic approach in psychology? Write A, B, C, or D in your answer book.

A Studying individuals in order to establish general laws of behaviour.

B Studying individuals without intending to establish general laws of behaviour. C Studying large samples in order to establish general laws of behaviour.

D Studying large samples without intending to establish general laws of behaviour.

A psychologist asked men aged 25 to 35 years to keep a diary record of how many miles they walked in a week. The psychologist also asked each man to climb a flight of stairs, then took each man’s heart rate. For each man, the number of miles walked in the week was correlated with heart rate after climbing stairs. The findings showed a significant negative correlation. A national newspaper reported the findings under the headline ‘Everyone should walk for a healthy heart’.

Explain how the newspaper headline might be an example of beta bias.

Briefly suggest one way in which psychologists might address the problem of beta bias in their research.

Explain one problem with the method used to determine the number of miles walked in the week. Suggest an alternative measure that would overcome this problem.

Dancho is a talented and famous musician. He was taught to play the piano by his father who was a concert pianist. From the age of four years Dancho attended a specialist music school where he spent many hours each day practising the piano.

In a recent TV interview Dancho said, ‘My earliest memories are of notes and melodies, so music is a part of me. To hear the applause in the concert hall is what I live for. Even if I wanted to stop playing, I could not.’

Discuss two or more types of determinism. Refer to the case of Dancho as part of your discussion.

Which two of A, B, C, D and E are important factors in attraction according to the filter theory of attraction? Write the two correct letters in your answer book.

A Personal compliments

B Profit and loss

C Self-disclosure

D Similarity in attitude

E Social demography

In 1992, a book about human relationships was published in London. The book was written by Steve Duck from the University of Iowa. The title was ‘Human Relationships’. The book was published by Sage.

A researcher needs to modify the above information to include Duck’s book in the references section of a scientific report.

Write the full reference for this book as it should appear in the reference section of the researcher’s report.

Barbara and Jamima are both having relationship difficulties with their respective partners.

Barbara says, ‘I’m really fed up and I wish the relationship was over. But I can’t tell him, because he thinks everything is fine.’

Jamima says, ‘We are getting through it slowly. We’ve told the children what’s going to happen to them and sorted out the money side. My mum was upset but she’s OK about it now. Friends take sides of course.’

Referring to Barbara’s and Jamima’s comments, outline two phases of relationship breakdown proposed by Duck.

Discuss what psychological research has told us about virtual relationships in social media.

According to psychoanalytic theory, which two of A, B, C, D and E have a very important role in gender development? Write the two correct letters in your answer book.

A Identification

B Imitation

C Initiation

D Internalisation

E Interpretation

In 1993, a book about gender was published in New Haven. The book was written by Sandra L Bem from Cornell University. The title was ‘The lenses of gender: transforming the debate on sexual inequality’. The book was published by Yale University Press.

A researcher needs to modify the above information to include Bem’s book in the references section of a scientific report.

Write the full reference for this book as it should appear in the reference section of the researcher’s report.

Two mothers are talking about their respective children Ben and Dido. One of the children has Turner’s syndrome and the other has Klinefelter’s syndrome.

Ben’s mum says, ‘He had problems at school, and there were physical differences too.’

Dido’s mum says, ‘She did better at schoolwork in some ways than other children. But physically, there will always be noticeable differences.’

Referring to the comments about Ben and Dido, outline Turner’s syndrome and Klinefelter’s syndrome.

Discuss what psychological research has told us about atypical gender development.

Which two of A, B, C, D and E have a role in the development of social cognition? Write the two correct letters in your answer book.

A Class inclusion

B Class perspective

C Mirror neurons

D Person permanence

E Theory of mind

In 1980, a book about social cognition was published in New York. The book was written by Robert L. Selman from Harvard University. The title was ‘The growth of interpersonal understanding: developmental and clinical analyses’. The book was published by Academic Press.

A researcher needs to modify the above information to include Selman’s book in the references section of a scientific report.

Write the full reference for this book as it should appear in the reference section of the researcher’s report.

Two mothers are describing how their respective babies, Billy and Milo play.

Billy’s mum says, ‘When you give him anything he puts it straight in his mouth. He seems to think everything is for eating. I gave him a rattle the other day and he just chewed on it.’

Milo’s mum says, ‘Milo used to do just the same, but now he knows the difference between toys that make a rattle noise and toys that don’t. So he knows which ones to shake and which ones to chew.’

Referring to the comments about Billy and Milo, outline Piaget’s theory about schema development.

Discuss what Baillargeon’s research has told us about early infant abilities.

Which of the following best describes neural correlates as an explanation for schizophrenia? Write A, B, C, or D in your answer book.

A There is a correlation between brain plasticity and symptoms of schizophrenia. B There is a correlation between brain structure and function and symptoms of schizophrenia. C There is a correlation between dysfunctional thinking and symptoms of schizophrenia. D There is a correlation between size of neurons and symptoms of schizophrenia.

Below are four evaluative statements about token economies as used in the treatment of schizophrenia. Which statement is TRUE ? Write A, B, C, or D in your answer book.

A Token economies can be used effectively in any environment.

B Token economies have a positive effect on thinking.

C Token economies help to promote acceptable behaviours.

D Token economies address the cause of the problem.

Jack has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. He describes his family background to his therapist:

‘I could never talk to mum. She fussed over me all the time. I tried to do what she said, but could never please her. One minute she seemed all affectionate and the next minute she would make nasty comments. My dad hated all the arguments and stayed out of it.’

Describe the family dysfunction explanation for schizophrenia and explain how Jack’s experiences can be linked to the family dysfunction explanation.

Briefly discuss two limitations of the family dysfunction explanation for schizophrenia.

Outline and evaluate the use of antipsychotic drugs to treat schizophrenia.

Which of the following best describes situations where disinhibition leads to overeating? Write A, B, C, or D in your answer book.

A When environmental cues trigger a loss of control.

B When it would seem rude not to eat what you are given.

C When you are so hungry you cannot stop eating.

D When you do not care what other people think about you.

Below are four evaluative statements about the boundary model of obesity. Which statement is TRUE ? Write A, B, C, or D in your answer book.

A The model ignores the role of cognition in eating behaviour.

B The model only explains the behaviour of restrained eaters.

C The model takes account of biological factors in eating behaviour.

D The model takes no account of the effect of motivation on eating behaviour.

Mia has been diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. She describes her family background to her therapist:

‘Mum worries about me constantly and I worry about her. She’s always asking me if I’m OK. She spends all her time thinking about me and wants to know everything I do. She even listens in when I’m on the phone. We go shopping together and swap clothes and make-up. But, it has always been the same, and we never argue at our house.’

Describe the family systems theory explanation for anorexia nervosa and explain how Mia’s experiences can be linked to family systems theory.

Briefly discuss two limitations of the family systems theory explanation for anorexia nervosa.

Outline and evaluate the evolutionary explanation for food preferences.

A steroid hormone that regulates energy use and the immune system, secreted from the adrenal glands when stress is experienced.

Which of the following substances is described above? Write A, B, C, or D in your answer book.

A Adrenaline

B Adrenocorticotropin

C Corticotropin-releasing hormone

D Cortisol

Below are four evaluative statements about general adaptation syndrome (GAS). Which statement is TRUE ? Write A, B, C, or D in your answer book.

A It correctly explains how everyone responds in different ways to different sources of stress. B It fails to explain what happens when a person is repeatedly exposed to stress. C It is better at explaining female responses to stress than male responses to stress. D It wrongly assumes that the body responds in the same way to different sources of stress.

Wally worries about work. He lies awake at night worrying that he is not good enough for the job and does not want to go to work in the morning. He thinks that his workmates laugh at him and gets embarrassed when they try to talk to him. He avoids his supervisor because he thinks that his supervisor will tell him off for not working hard enough.

Describe stress inoculation therapy as a way of managing stress and explain how Wally’s stress could be managed using stress inoculation.

Briefly discuss one strength and one limitation of stress inoculation therapy as a way of managing stress.

Outline and evaluate one or more self-report scales that have been used by psychologists to measure stress.

Briefly explain how cognitive priming in the media might influence aggressive behaviour.

A psychologist is investigating causes of aggressive behaviour. She interviews teenagers who have been in trouble at school. She asks them to describe their family and early childhood, recording everything that they say. She also looks at information in the teenagers’ school reports.

Referring to this investigation, explain the difference between primary and secondary data.

Explain how the psychologist could continue her investigation by carrying out thematic analysis of the interview recordings.

Describe and evaluate evolutionary explanations for human aggression.

Briefly explain the top-down approach to offender profiling.

A psychologist is investigating causes of offending. She interviews offenders who are in prison for violent crime. She asks them to describe their family and early childhood, recording everything that they say. She also looks at information in the offenders’ court and prison reports.

Referring to this investigation, explain the difference between primary and secondary data.

Explain how the psychologist could continue her investigation by carrying out thematic analysis of the interview recordings.

Describe and evaluate cognitive explanations for offending.

Briefly explain how dopamine is involved in nicotine addiction.

A psychologist is investigating causes of addiction to gambling. She interviews people attending debt counselling for problem gamblers. She asks them to describe their family and early childhood, recording everything that they say. She also looks at information in the gamblers’ debt counsellor reports.

Referring to this investigation, explain the difference between primary and secondary data.

Explain how the psychologist could continue her investigation by carrying out thematic analysis of the interview recordings.

Describe and evaluate cognitive theory as an explanation for gambling addiction.