AQA A LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY - PAPER 3 TOPICS QUESTIONS AND CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS

AQA A LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY - PAPER 3
TOPICS QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
VERIFIED ANSWERS
GenderA2biasA2-A2Ans--
PsychologistsA2seekA2universalityA2butA2biasA2mayA2beA2inevitableA2(socialA2historicalA2co
ntexts)

GenderA2bias:A2psychologicalA2theory/
researchA2notA2accuratelyA2representA2experience/behaviourA2ofA2menA2+A2women

AlphaA2bias:A2differencesA2exaggerated,A2devalueA2women
E.g.A2FreudA2=A2genuineA2psychologicalA2differencesA2dueA2toA2physiologicalA2differences
GirlsA2sufferA2fromA2'penisA2envy',A2femininityA2isA2failedA2masculinity

BetaA2bias:A2differencesA2minimised,A2needsA2ofA2womenA2ignored
E.g.A2fightA2orA2flightA2researchA2=A2maleA2onlyA2sample,A2assumedA2wouldA2beA2applicabl
e,A2TaylorA2etA2al:A2tendA2andA2befriendA2(governedA2byA2oxytocin)

Androcentrism:A2maleA2behaviourA2seenA2asA2normal,A2deviationsA2seenA2asA2abnormal/
inferior
FemaleA2behaviourA2misunderstood/pathologised
E.g.A2feministsA2objectA2toA2PMS,A2medicalisesA2femaleA2emotionsA2byA2explainingA2inA2h
ormonalA2termsA2(MaleA2angerA2oftenA2seenA2asA2rationalA2responseA2toA2externalA2press
ures)

GenderA2biasA2(-A2inA2psychA2research)A2-A2Ans--
MayA2createA2misleadingA2assumptionsA2aboutA2femaleA2behaviour/
validateA2discriminatoryA2practices
ScientificA2justificationA2toA2denyA2opportunitiesA2(e.g.A2dueA2toA2PMS)
DamagingA2consequencesA2onA2lives/prospects

GenderA2biasA2(-A2promotesA2sexismA2inA2researchA2process)A2-A2Ans--
LackA2ofA2womenA2atA2seniorA2researchA2levelA2=A2femaleA2concernsA2notA2reflectedA2inA2r
esearchA2questionsA2asked
MenA2moreA2likelyA2toA2beA2published
FemaleA2pptsA2inA2inequitableA2relationshipA2withA2researcherA2(powerA2toA2labelA2irration
al/unableA2toA2completeA2tasks)
ConstitutionalA2sexismA2-A2createsA2biasA2inA2theory/research

GenderA2biasA2(+A2feministA2psychologistsA2suggestA2howA2toA2avoid)A2-A2Ans--
WorrellA2&A2Remer:
StudiedA2withinA2meaningfulA2realA2lifeA2contexts
ParticipateA2insteadA2ofA2objectsA2ofA2study

,StudyA2diversityA2withinA2groupsA2ofA2womenA2ratherA2thanA2comparisonsA2toA2men
CollaborativeA2researchA2methodsA2(qualitativeA2data)
Preferable/lessA2biased

CulturalA2biasA2-A2Ans--
PsychA2claimsA2toA2unearthA2universalA2truthsA2butA2mayA2onlyA2applyA2toA2particularA2gro
upsA2studied

WronglyA2assumedA2westernA2findingsA2wouldA2applyA2allA2overA2theA2world
E.g.A2conformityA2(Asch)A2andA2obedienceA2(Milgram)A2producedA2differentA2resultsA2outs
ideA2ofA2US
Standard/
normA2forA2behaviourA2judgedA2fromA2oneA2cultureA2=A2culturalA2differencesA2seenA2asA2a
bnormal

Ethnocentrism:A2beliefA2inA2superiorityA2ofA2ownA2culture
BehaviourA2thatA2doesn'tA2conformA2toA2WesternA2modelA2=A2deficient
E.g.A2Ainsworth'sA2strangeA2situationA2(AmericanA2norms/
values,A2separationA2anxietyA2defining,A2secureA2=A2ideal,A2GermanA2mothersA2labelledA2
cold/rejecting,A2inappropriateA2measureA2forA2non-USA2children)

CulturalA2relativismA2mayA2helpA2reduceA2bias
Facts/
thingsA2onlyA2makeA2senseA2fromA2perspectiveA2ofA2cultureA2withinA2whichA2discovered

Berry:
EticA2approach:A2lookingA2atA2behavioursA2outsideA2ofA2cultureA2andA2identifyingA2univers
al
EmicA2approach:A2lookingA2atA2behaviourA2withinA2cultureA2andA2identifyingA2culturallyA2sp
ecific
ImposedA2etic:A2e.g.A2AinsworthA2studiesA2withinA2singleA2cultureA2andA2assumedA2couldA
2beA2appliedA2universally


CulturalA2biasA2(-A2distinctionA2betweenA2individuaism/collectivism)A2-A2Ans--
ValueA2ofA2individual/independenceA2vsA2valueA2ofgroup/interdependence
Lazy/simplisticA2distinction,A2noA2longerA2applies
TakanoA2&A2Osaka:A214/15A2studiesA2comparingA2USA2andA2JapanA2foundA2noA2evidence
A2ofA2distinctionA2betweenA2cultureA2types
FormA2ofA2culturalA2biasA2lessA2ofA2issueA2thanA2onceA2was

CulturalA2biasA2(recognitionA2ofA2bothA2relativism/universals)A2-A2Ans--
ImposedA2eticA2showsA2culturallyA2specificA2natureA2ofA2psychology
ShouldA2notA2assumeA2allA2psychologyA2isA2culturallyA2relative/
noA2suchA2thingA2asA2universalA2behaviour
Ekman:A2basicA2facialA2expressionsA2forA2emotionsA2sameA2allA2overA2human/
animalA2world

,AttachmentA2behavioursA2universalA2(imitation/interactionalA2synchrony)
FullA2understandingA2requiresA2studyA2ofA2bothA2universals/
variationsA2amongA2individuals/groups

CulturalA2biasA2(cross-culturalA2researchA2proneA2toA2demandA2characteristics)A2-A2Ans--
WesternA2cultures:A2familiarityA2withA2aims/objectivesA2ofA2scientificA2enquiryA2assumed
CulturesA2withoutA2historicalA2experienceA2ofA2research,A2localA2populationsA2moreA2affec
tedA2byA2demandA2characteristics
UnfamiliarityA2withA2researchA2traditionA2threatensA2validityA2ofA2outcomes

FreeA2will/determinismA2-A2Ans--FreeA2will:A2weA2areA2self-determining
FreeA2toA2chooseA2thoughts/actions
Biological/environmentalA2influencesA2onA2behaviourA2butA2canA2reject
NoA2cause/unpredictable
HumanisticA2approach

Determinism:A2behaviourA2shaped/controlledA2byA2internal/externalA2forces
HardA2=A2completelyA2outA2ofA2control,A2allA2hasA2causeA2possibleA2toA2identify,A2predictab
le,A2compatibleA2withA2aimsA2ofA2science
SoftA2=A2allA2hasA2cause,A2consciousA2mentalA2controlA2overA2behaviour,A2behaviourA2pre
dictableA2toA2extent,A2someA2freeA2willA2toA2makeA2choices

BiologicalA2determinism
BiologicalA2approach,A2controlA2fromA2internalA2biologicalA2factorsA2(physiological/
genetic/hormonal)
PhysiologicalA2processesA2notA2underA2consciousA2controlA2(e.g.A2influenceA2ofA2ANSA2on
A2stress/anxiety)
GeneticA2factorsA2mayA2determineA2behaviours/characteristicsA2(e.g.A2mentalA2disorders)
HormonesA2mayA2determineA2behaviourA2(e.g.A2testosteroneA2linkedA2toA2aggression)

EnvironmentalA2determinism
PopularisedA2byA2behaviouristA2approach
Skinner:A2allA2resultA2ofA2conditioning
ChoiceA2=A2totalA2sumA2ofA2reinforcementA2contingenciesA2actedA2uponA2duringA2lives
IllusionA2ofA2freeA2will,A2shapedA2byA2environmentalA2events/
agentsA2ofA2socialisationA2(e.g.A2parents,A2teachers,A2institutions)

PsychicA2determinism
Flreud:A2freeA2willA2=A2illusion,A2emphasisA2onA2biologicalA2drives/
instinctsA2underpinningA2responses
Determined/directedA2byA2unconsciousA2conflictsA2repressedA2inA2childhood
E.g.A2'slipA2ofA2theA2tongue'A2determinedA2byA2unconscious

ScienceA2seeksA2causalA2explanations
BasicA2principle:A2everyA2eventA2hasA2cause,A2canA2beA2explainedA2withA2generalA2laws
AllowsA2predict/control

, OneA2thingA2determinedA2byA2another
LabA2experiment:A2removeA2extraneousA2variablesA2toA2demonstrateA2causalA2effect

FreeA2will/determinismA2(+A2determinismA2consistentA2withA2aimsA2ofA2science)A2-A2Ans--
HumanA2behaviourA2=A2orderly/obeysA2laws
GreaterA2scientificA2credibility
Predict/controlA2behaviourA2ledA2toA2developmentA2ofA2treatments/
therapiesA2(e.g.A2psychoactiveA2drugsA2forA2schizophrenia)
SchizophreniaA2=A2someA2behaviourA2determinedA2(lossA2ofA2controlA2overA2thoughts/
behaviour,A2noA2oneA2chooses)

FreeA2will/determinismA2(-A2hardA2determinismA2notA2consistentA2withA2legalA2system)A2-
A2Ans--OffendersA2heldA2morallyA2accountable
ActA2withA2leniencyA2onlyA2inA2extremeA2circumstancesA2(e.g.A2mentalA2illnesses)
DeterminismA2notA2falsifiableA2(causesA2willA2alwaysA2existA2evenA2ifA2notA2yetA2found,A2im
possibleA2toA2disprove,A2notA2asA2scientificA2asA2itA2appears)

FreeA2will/determinismA2(+A2freeA2willA2-A2choicesA2inA2everydayA2life)A2-A2Ans--
FaceA2validity:A2everydayA2experienceA2givesA2impressionA2thatA2weA2constantlyA2makeA2
choices
MakesA2logicalA2sense
EvenA2ifA2doA2not,A2thinkingA2weA2doA2mayA2haveA2positiveA2impactA2onA2mind/behaviour
E.g.A2RobertsA2etA2al:A2adolescentsA2withA2strongA2beliefsA2inA2fatalismA2moreA2atA2riskA2fr
omA2depression

FreeA2will/determinismA2(-A2freeA2willA2-A2notA2supportedA2byA2neurologicalA2evidence)A2-
A2Ans--DecisionA2makingA2brainA2studies:A2evidenceA2againstA2freeA2will
Libet/Soon:A2brainA2activityA2relatingA2toA2decisionA2toA2pressA2buttonA2withA2left/
rightA2handA2occursA2upA2toA210sA2beforeA2beingA2consciouslyA2awareA2ofA2makingA2decis
ion
EvenA2mostA2basicA2experiencesA2ofA2freeA2willA2areA2determined

Nature/nurtureA2debateA2-A2Ans--Nature:A2behaviourA2isA2productA2ofA2innateA2biological/
geneticA2factors

ResultA2ofA2heredityA2(transmissionA2ofA2mental/
physicalA2characteristicsA2fromA2oneA2generationA2toA2another)
HeritabilityA2coefficientA2(0-1)A2showsA2toA2whatA2extentA2hasA2geneticA2basis
E.g.A2Plomin:A2IQA2aroundA20.5

GeneticA2explanations:A2family/twin/
adoptionA2studiesA2showA2linkA2betweenA2geneticA2similarityA2andA2sharedA2characteristic
s
EvolutionaryA2explanations:A2aidA2survivalA2=A2naturallyA2selected,A2passedA2on

Nurture:A2behaviourA2productA2ofA2environmentalA2forces