Edexcel A Level Social Psychology LATEST EXAM QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
What are the 5 ethical guidelines? -CORRECT ANSWER: 1. Debrief
2. Informed consent
3. Right to withdraw
4. Competent researcher
5. Deception
What are the 4 ethical principles? -CORRECT ANSWER: 1. Respect
2. Competence
3. Responsibility
4. Integrity
What is an alternate hypothesis? -CORRECT ANSWER: A specific testable prediction
containing variables, and will state either a difference or relationship.
Directional hypothesis -CORRECT ANSWER: States the direction the results will go in (more,
less, positive, fewer)
Non-directional hypothesis -CORRECT ANSWER: Does not state the direction of the results,
leaving it open
What is the aim of sampling methods? -CORRECT ANSWER: To ensure a representative
sample of participants is used, so can be successfully generalised.
,Opportunity sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: Sample of those who are available at the time of
the study
Random sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: Every member of the population has an equal chance
of being chosen.
Stratified sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: Involves classifying the population into categories
and then choosing a sample which consists of participants from each category in the same
proportions as they are in the population.
Volunteer sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: Volunteering when asked or in a response to an
advert.
Advantages of random sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: - No bias
- Clear how the sample is chosen, process can be explained
Disadvantages of random sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: - Difficult to ensure everyone is
available
- Some people might not want to take part in the study
- There can be bias in that there may be more of one group than the other, such as more male
soldiers than female
Advantages of stratified sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: - Each group is represented, so
conclusions can be drawn
- Efficient to ensure representation from each group
Disadvantages of stratified sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: - Difficult to know how many of
each group to choose
- Some groups may not be important fro the study
, Advantages of volunteer sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: - More ethical as they chose to take
part
- Volunteers are likely to be interested so less likely to give biased information, less likely to
have social desirability or demand characteristic.
Disadvantages of volunteer sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: - Takes long time to get sufficient
numbers
- Participants may be similar, so there may not be representation
Advantages of opportunity sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: -More ethical because the
researcher can judge if the participant is likely to be upset by the study
- Researcher has more control over choosing, more quick and efficient
Disadvantages of opportunity sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: - More chance of bias -
choosing people you know, people of own age, friendly looking people etc.
- Self selected, so would rule out anyone not available or not willing
2 types of questions in questionnaires -CORRECT ANSWER: Closed ended or open ended
Types of closed ended questions -CORRECT ANSWER: 1. Fixed choice questions, with yes/no
response
2. Likert scale questions, selecting from a fixed set of choices to rate agreement to statements
3. Ranked scale question, ranking choice relative to other options
Strengths of closed ended questions -CORRECT ANSWER: - Quick and easy to answer
- Researchers can easily analyse data, percentages and averages can be worked out
- Questions are all the same so is more reliable
AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
What are the 5 ethical guidelines? -CORRECT ANSWER: 1. Debrief
2. Informed consent
3. Right to withdraw
4. Competent researcher
5. Deception
What are the 4 ethical principles? -CORRECT ANSWER: 1. Respect
2. Competence
3. Responsibility
4. Integrity
What is an alternate hypothesis? -CORRECT ANSWER: A specific testable prediction
containing variables, and will state either a difference or relationship.
Directional hypothesis -CORRECT ANSWER: States the direction the results will go in (more,
less, positive, fewer)
Non-directional hypothesis -CORRECT ANSWER: Does not state the direction of the results,
leaving it open
What is the aim of sampling methods? -CORRECT ANSWER: To ensure a representative
sample of participants is used, so can be successfully generalised.
,Opportunity sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: Sample of those who are available at the time of
the study
Random sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: Every member of the population has an equal chance
of being chosen.
Stratified sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: Involves classifying the population into categories
and then choosing a sample which consists of participants from each category in the same
proportions as they are in the population.
Volunteer sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: Volunteering when asked or in a response to an
advert.
Advantages of random sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: - No bias
- Clear how the sample is chosen, process can be explained
Disadvantages of random sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: - Difficult to ensure everyone is
available
- Some people might not want to take part in the study
- There can be bias in that there may be more of one group than the other, such as more male
soldiers than female
Advantages of stratified sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: - Each group is represented, so
conclusions can be drawn
- Efficient to ensure representation from each group
Disadvantages of stratified sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: - Difficult to know how many of
each group to choose
- Some groups may not be important fro the study
, Advantages of volunteer sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: - More ethical as they chose to take
part
- Volunteers are likely to be interested so less likely to give biased information, less likely to
have social desirability or demand characteristic.
Disadvantages of volunteer sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: - Takes long time to get sufficient
numbers
- Participants may be similar, so there may not be representation
Advantages of opportunity sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: -More ethical because the
researcher can judge if the participant is likely to be upset by the study
- Researcher has more control over choosing, more quick and efficient
Disadvantages of opportunity sampling -CORRECT ANSWER: - More chance of bias -
choosing people you know, people of own age, friendly looking people etc.
- Self selected, so would rule out anyone not available or not willing
2 types of questions in questionnaires -CORRECT ANSWER: Closed ended or open ended
Types of closed ended questions -CORRECT ANSWER: 1. Fixed choice questions, with yes/no
response
2. Likert scale questions, selecting from a fixed set of choices to rate agreement to statements
3. Ranked scale question, ranking choice relative to other options
Strengths of closed ended questions -CORRECT ANSWER: - Quick and easy to answer
- Researchers can easily analyse data, percentages and averages can be worked out
- Questions are all the same so is more reliable
