MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY – 7182/3 –
JUNE 2023
AQA
A-level
PSYCHOLOGY
7182/3
Paper 3Issues and options in psychology
Mark scheme
June 2023
2
, MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY – 7182/3 –
JUNE 2023
Level of response marking instructions
Level of response mark schemes are broken down into levels, each of which has a descriptor. The
descriptor for the level shows the average performance for the level. There are marks in each level.
Before you apply the mark scheme to a student’s answer read through the answer and annotate it (as
instructed) to show the qualities that are being looked for. You can then apply the mark scheme.
Step 1 Determine a level
Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the
descriptor for that level. The descriptor for the level indicates the different qualities that might be seen in
the student’s answer for that level. If it meets the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it
meets this level, and so on, until you have a match between the level descriptor and the answer. With
practice and familiarity you will find that for better answers you will be able to quickly skip through the
lower levels of the mark scheme.
When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in
small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as the rest. If
the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit
approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within
the level, ie if the response is predominantly Level 3 with a small amount of Level 4 material it would be
placed in Level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the Level 4 content.
Step 2 Determine a mark
Once you have assigned a level you need to decide on the mark. The descriptors on how to allocate
marks can help with this. The exemplar materials used during standardisation will help. Answers in the
standardising materials will correspond with the different levels of the mark scheme. These answers will
have been awarded a mark by the Lead Examiner. You can compare the student’s answer with the
standardised examples to determine if it is the same standard, better or worse than the example. You
can then use this to allocate a mark for the answer based on the Lead Examiner’s mark on the example.
You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark scheme to clarify points and
assure yourself that the level and the mark are appropriate.
Indicative content in the mark scheme is provided as a guide for examiners. It is not intended to be
exhaustive and you must credit other valid points. Students do not have to cover all of the points
mentioned in the indicative content to reach the highest level of the mark scheme.
An answer which contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks.
3
, MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY – 7182/3 –
JUNE 2023
Section A
Issues and debates in psychology
0 1 What is meant by androcentrism?
[2 marks]
Marks for this question: AO1 = 2
2 marks for clear and coherent knowledge with some elaboration.
1 mark for limited/muddled knowledge.
Possible content:
male-centred or male-biased view of the world
male behaviour and masculine traits are judged to be the norm/acceptable/desirable
female behaviour/feminine traits are judged to be abnormal/less acceptable/less desirable.
Credit alternative valid material.
0 2 Suggest two ways in which psychologists could avoid gender bias in their research.
[2 marks]
Marks for this question: AO3 = 2
Award 1 mark for each relevant way up to a maximum of 2 marks.
Possible ways:
do not extrapolate findings from research with male participants to females OR do not extrapolate
findings from research with female participants to males
use both male and female participants in research
involve both male and female researchers
do not exaggerate differences between males and females where there are no real differences – avoid
alpha bias
do not minimise or ignore real differences between the behaviour of males and females – avoid beta
bias
be sensitive to male and female norms/standards when designing research/when reporting findings
take a reflexive approach, ie constantly reflecting on own gender biases when carrying out research.
Credit other relevant suggestions.
4
, MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY – 7182/3 –
JUNE 2023
0 3 Use your knowledge of determinism to explain Bob’s and Mike’s comments.
[4 marks]
Marks for this question: AO2 = 4
Level Marks Description
2 3–4 Application is clear, appropriate and explicit showing sound understanding of
determinism. There is appropriate use of specialist terminology.
1 1–2 Application is limited/muddled showing limited understanding of determinism.
The answer lacks detail. Use of specialist terminology is either absent or
inappropriate.
OR 1 person’s comments at L1/2.
0 No relevant content.
Possible application:
Both fathers’ comments could suggest a deterministic view.
Bob suggests biological determinism, his daughter’s swimming ability is genetic, she has inherited her
swimming talent from her grandfather who was a good swimmer.
Mike suggests environmental determinism, his daughter’s early experience/learning/reinforcement
history/positive reinforcement/operant conditioning (praise) in swimming lessons has influenced her
swimming ability.
Both fathers’ comments suggest hard determinism as they imply the daughters had no free choice/free
will – Bob refers to ‘destiny’ and therefore unavoidable (biology is destiny); Mike says it was
‘inevitable’ and therefore pre-determined.
Credit other relevant applications.
5
JUNE 2023
AQA
A-level
PSYCHOLOGY
7182/3
Paper 3Issues and options in psychology
Mark scheme
June 2023
2
, MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY – 7182/3 –
JUNE 2023
Level of response marking instructions
Level of response mark schemes are broken down into levels, each of which has a descriptor. The
descriptor for the level shows the average performance for the level. There are marks in each level.
Before you apply the mark scheme to a student’s answer read through the answer and annotate it (as
instructed) to show the qualities that are being looked for. You can then apply the mark scheme.
Step 1 Determine a level
Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the
descriptor for that level. The descriptor for the level indicates the different qualities that might be seen in
the student’s answer for that level. If it meets the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it
meets this level, and so on, until you have a match between the level descriptor and the answer. With
practice and familiarity you will find that for better answers you will be able to quickly skip through the
lower levels of the mark scheme.
When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in
small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as the rest. If
the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit
approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within
the level, ie if the response is predominantly Level 3 with a small amount of Level 4 material it would be
placed in Level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the Level 4 content.
Step 2 Determine a mark
Once you have assigned a level you need to decide on the mark. The descriptors on how to allocate
marks can help with this. The exemplar materials used during standardisation will help. Answers in the
standardising materials will correspond with the different levels of the mark scheme. These answers will
have been awarded a mark by the Lead Examiner. You can compare the student’s answer with the
standardised examples to determine if it is the same standard, better or worse than the example. You
can then use this to allocate a mark for the answer based on the Lead Examiner’s mark on the example.
You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark scheme to clarify points and
assure yourself that the level and the mark are appropriate.
Indicative content in the mark scheme is provided as a guide for examiners. It is not intended to be
exhaustive and you must credit other valid points. Students do not have to cover all of the points
mentioned in the indicative content to reach the highest level of the mark scheme.
An answer which contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks.
3
, MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY – 7182/3 –
JUNE 2023
Section A
Issues and debates in psychology
0 1 What is meant by androcentrism?
[2 marks]
Marks for this question: AO1 = 2
2 marks for clear and coherent knowledge with some elaboration.
1 mark for limited/muddled knowledge.
Possible content:
male-centred or male-biased view of the world
male behaviour and masculine traits are judged to be the norm/acceptable/desirable
female behaviour/feminine traits are judged to be abnormal/less acceptable/less desirable.
Credit alternative valid material.
0 2 Suggest two ways in which psychologists could avoid gender bias in their research.
[2 marks]
Marks for this question: AO3 = 2
Award 1 mark for each relevant way up to a maximum of 2 marks.
Possible ways:
do not extrapolate findings from research with male participants to females OR do not extrapolate
findings from research with female participants to males
use both male and female participants in research
involve both male and female researchers
do not exaggerate differences between males and females where there are no real differences – avoid
alpha bias
do not minimise or ignore real differences between the behaviour of males and females – avoid beta
bias
be sensitive to male and female norms/standards when designing research/when reporting findings
take a reflexive approach, ie constantly reflecting on own gender biases when carrying out research.
Credit other relevant suggestions.
4
, MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY – 7182/3 –
JUNE 2023
0 3 Use your knowledge of determinism to explain Bob’s and Mike’s comments.
[4 marks]
Marks for this question: AO2 = 4
Level Marks Description
2 3–4 Application is clear, appropriate and explicit showing sound understanding of
determinism. There is appropriate use of specialist terminology.
1 1–2 Application is limited/muddled showing limited understanding of determinism.
The answer lacks detail. Use of specialist terminology is either absent or
inappropriate.
OR 1 person’s comments at L1/2.
0 No relevant content.
Possible application:
Both fathers’ comments could suggest a deterministic view.
Bob suggests biological determinism, his daughter’s swimming ability is genetic, she has inherited her
swimming talent from her grandfather who was a good swimmer.
Mike suggests environmental determinism, his daughter’s early experience/learning/reinforcement
history/positive reinforcement/operant conditioning (praise) in swimming lessons has influenced her
swimming ability.
Both fathers’ comments suggest hard determinism as they imply the daughters had no free choice/free
will – Bob refers to ‘destiny’ and therefore unavoidable (biology is destiny); Mike says it was
‘inevitable’ and therefore pre-determined.
Credit other relevant applications.
5
