Approaches in Psychology Questions
Origins of Psychology:
1. Explain what Wundt meant by ‘introspection’. (3 marks)
2. Briefly explain Wundt’s role in the emergence of psychology as a science. (4 marks)
3. Outline and briefly evaluate the work of Wundt. (6 marks)
4. Outline and evaluate the emergence of psychology as a science (8 marks)
Behaviourism:
1. Briefly outline what the behaviourist approach means by ‘classical conditioning’. (2 marks)
2. Explain two assumptions of the behaviourist approach. (3 marks)
3. Outline Skinner’s research into operant conditioning. (3 marks)
4. Explain how two types of reinforcement could be used by a parent to encourage their child to come
home by 9pm on a school night. (4 marks)
5. Describe and evaluate the behaviourist approach in psychology. Refer to both Pavlov’s and Skinner’s
research in your answer. (16 marks)
Social Learning Theory:
1. Using an example, explain what is meant by ‘identification’ in social learning theory. (3 marks)
2. Outline Bandura’s research into social learning. (3 marks)
3. Explain one strength of social learning theory. (3 marks)
4. With reference to mediational processes in social learning, explain how a child might learn to bake a cake
by watching his mother. (6 marks)
5. Describe and evaluate the social learning approach in psychology. (16 marks)
The Cognitive Approach:
1. Using an example, outline what cognitive psychologists mean by the word ‘schema’. (3 marks)
2. Briefly explain how theoretical models are used in cognitive psychology to make inferences about mental
processes. (4 marks)
3. Briefly explain how theoretical and computer models are used in cognitive psychology to make
inferences about mental processes. (4 marks)
4. Outline the emergence of cognitive neuroscience in psychology. (6 marks)
5. Briefly discuss the cognitive approach. (8 marks)
6. Describe and evaluate the cognitive approach in psychology. (16 marks).
The Biological Approach:
1. Using an example, distinguish between ‘genotype’ and ‘phenotype’. (3 marks)
2. Explain what is meant by ‘evolution and behaviour’. Illustrate your answer with an example of a human
or non-human behaviour. (3 marks)
3. Outline two features of the biological approach. Explain two limitations of the biological approach. (8
marks)
4. Describe and evaluate the biological approach in psychology. (16 marks)
5. Discuss the contribution of the biological approach to our understanding of human behaviour. (16 marks)
The Psychodynamic Approach:
1. Explain how one defence mechanism might help someone cope with the anxiety of losing their job. (3
marks)
2. Using an example, explain the ‘role of the unconscious’. (3 marks)
3. Explain one Freudian defence mechanism and explain how it would affect behaviour. (3 marks)
4. Name and explain one stage of Freud’s psychosexual stages of development. (3 marks)
5. The psychodynamic approach places emphasis on the role of unconscious in behaviour. Using an example,
explain the role of the unconscious in behaviour. (4 marks)
Origins of Psychology:
1. Explain what Wundt meant by ‘introspection’. (3 marks)
2. Briefly explain Wundt’s role in the emergence of psychology as a science. (4 marks)
3. Outline and briefly evaluate the work of Wundt. (6 marks)
4. Outline and evaluate the emergence of psychology as a science (8 marks)
Behaviourism:
1. Briefly outline what the behaviourist approach means by ‘classical conditioning’. (2 marks)
2. Explain two assumptions of the behaviourist approach. (3 marks)
3. Outline Skinner’s research into operant conditioning. (3 marks)
4. Explain how two types of reinforcement could be used by a parent to encourage their child to come
home by 9pm on a school night. (4 marks)
5. Describe and evaluate the behaviourist approach in psychology. Refer to both Pavlov’s and Skinner’s
research in your answer. (16 marks)
Social Learning Theory:
1. Using an example, explain what is meant by ‘identification’ in social learning theory. (3 marks)
2. Outline Bandura’s research into social learning. (3 marks)
3. Explain one strength of social learning theory. (3 marks)
4. With reference to mediational processes in social learning, explain how a child might learn to bake a cake
by watching his mother. (6 marks)
5. Describe and evaluate the social learning approach in psychology. (16 marks)
The Cognitive Approach:
1. Using an example, outline what cognitive psychologists mean by the word ‘schema’. (3 marks)
2. Briefly explain how theoretical models are used in cognitive psychology to make inferences about mental
processes. (4 marks)
3. Briefly explain how theoretical and computer models are used in cognitive psychology to make
inferences about mental processes. (4 marks)
4. Outline the emergence of cognitive neuroscience in psychology. (6 marks)
5. Briefly discuss the cognitive approach. (8 marks)
6. Describe and evaluate the cognitive approach in psychology. (16 marks).
The Biological Approach:
1. Using an example, distinguish between ‘genotype’ and ‘phenotype’. (3 marks)
2. Explain what is meant by ‘evolution and behaviour’. Illustrate your answer with an example of a human
or non-human behaviour. (3 marks)
3. Outline two features of the biological approach. Explain two limitations of the biological approach. (8
marks)
4. Describe and evaluate the biological approach in psychology. (16 marks)
5. Discuss the contribution of the biological approach to our understanding of human behaviour. (16 marks)
The Psychodynamic Approach:
1. Explain how one defence mechanism might help someone cope with the anxiety of losing their job. (3
marks)
2. Using an example, explain the ‘role of the unconscious’. (3 marks)
3. Explain one Freudian defence mechanism and explain how it would affect behaviour. (3 marks)
4. Name and explain one stage of Freud’s psychosexual stages of development. (3 marks)
5. The psychodynamic approach places emphasis on the role of unconscious in behaviour. Using an example,
explain the role of the unconscious in behaviour. (4 marks)
