AQA A LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY PAPER 1
INTRODUCTORY TOPICS IN PSYCHOLOGY
7182/1 COMPREHENSIVE EXAM SCRIPT 2026
QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
◉ LIMITATION OF FAILURE TO FUNCTION ADEQUATELY:
SUBJECTIVE. Answer: someone has to judge distress - patients may
feel distressed but may not be viewed as suffering.
◉ STRENGTH OF DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH:
COMPREHENSIVE. Answer: broad criteria of mental health covers
most reasons why someone may seek help.
◉ LIMITATION OF DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH:
CULTURALLY RELATIVE. Answer: Johoda's classification may be
specific to western norms. emphasis on self-actualisation may be
seen as self-indulgence on collectivist cultures.
◉ LIMITATION OF DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH:
UNREALISTICALLY HIGH STANDARD. Answer: very few people
actually attain all of the criteria at all times ∴ most people would be
viewed as abnormal.
◉ CHARACTERISTICS OF PHOBIAS. Answer: behavioural
,- panic
- avoidance of phobic stimulus
emotional
- anxiety/fear
- unreasonable responses
cognitive
- selective attention twd phobic stimulus (difficult to focus
elsewhere)
- irratoinal beliefs
◉ CHARACTERISTICS OF DEPRESSION. Answer: behavioural
- low activity levels
- disruption to sleep/eating
emotional
- low mood
- anger
cognitive
- poor concentration
,- absolutist thinking
◉ CHARACTERISTICS OF OCD. Answer: behavioural
- compulsions
- avoidance
emotional
- anxiety/distress
- guilt/disgust
cognitive
- obsessive thoughts
- insight into excessive anxiety (awareness that thoughts are
irrational - hyper-vigilant of obsession)
◉ TWO-PROCESS MODEL. Answer: a theory that explains the two
processes that lead to the development of phobias - they begin
through classical conditioning and are maintained through operant
conditioning.
◉ ACQUISITION OF PHOBIA THRO' CLASSICAL CONDITIONING.
Answer: e.g. bitten (UCS) → fear (UCR)
, dog (NS) associated w/ UCS. dog previously elicited no response.
NS becomes CS producing fear (now the CR)
◉ LITTLE ALBERT. Answer: subject in John Watson's experiment,
proved classical conditioning principles, especially the
generalization of fear.
whenever Albert played w/ a white rat (NS), loud bang (UCS) was
heard causing fear (UCR). when rat was paired w/ bang several
times, it became associated until rat (CS) caused fear (CR).
Albert generalised the fear - was scared of other white furry objects.
◉ MAINTENANCE OF PHOBIA THROUGH OPERANT
CONDITIONING. Answer: negative reinforcement: phobic avoids
phobic stimulus to escape anxiety response. this reduction in fear
negatively reinforces avoidance behaviour and phobia is maintained.
◉ STRENGTH OF TWO-PROCESS MODEL: GOOD EXPLANATIONARY
POWER. Answer: important applications for therapy - if patient is
prevented from practising avoidance behaviour phobic behaviour
decreases.
INTRODUCTORY TOPICS IN PSYCHOLOGY
7182/1 COMPREHENSIVE EXAM SCRIPT 2026
QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
◉ LIMITATION OF FAILURE TO FUNCTION ADEQUATELY:
SUBJECTIVE. Answer: someone has to judge distress - patients may
feel distressed but may not be viewed as suffering.
◉ STRENGTH OF DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH:
COMPREHENSIVE. Answer: broad criteria of mental health covers
most reasons why someone may seek help.
◉ LIMITATION OF DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH:
CULTURALLY RELATIVE. Answer: Johoda's classification may be
specific to western norms. emphasis on self-actualisation may be
seen as self-indulgence on collectivist cultures.
◉ LIMITATION OF DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH:
UNREALISTICALLY HIGH STANDARD. Answer: very few people
actually attain all of the criteria at all times ∴ most people would be
viewed as abnormal.
◉ CHARACTERISTICS OF PHOBIAS. Answer: behavioural
,- panic
- avoidance of phobic stimulus
emotional
- anxiety/fear
- unreasonable responses
cognitive
- selective attention twd phobic stimulus (difficult to focus
elsewhere)
- irratoinal beliefs
◉ CHARACTERISTICS OF DEPRESSION. Answer: behavioural
- low activity levels
- disruption to sleep/eating
emotional
- low mood
- anger
cognitive
- poor concentration
,- absolutist thinking
◉ CHARACTERISTICS OF OCD. Answer: behavioural
- compulsions
- avoidance
emotional
- anxiety/distress
- guilt/disgust
cognitive
- obsessive thoughts
- insight into excessive anxiety (awareness that thoughts are
irrational - hyper-vigilant of obsession)
◉ TWO-PROCESS MODEL. Answer: a theory that explains the two
processes that lead to the development of phobias - they begin
through classical conditioning and are maintained through operant
conditioning.
◉ ACQUISITION OF PHOBIA THRO' CLASSICAL CONDITIONING.
Answer: e.g. bitten (UCS) → fear (UCR)
, dog (NS) associated w/ UCS. dog previously elicited no response.
NS becomes CS producing fear (now the CR)
◉ LITTLE ALBERT. Answer: subject in John Watson's experiment,
proved classical conditioning principles, especially the
generalization of fear.
whenever Albert played w/ a white rat (NS), loud bang (UCS) was
heard causing fear (UCR). when rat was paired w/ bang several
times, it became associated until rat (CS) caused fear (CR).
Albert generalised the fear - was scared of other white furry objects.
◉ MAINTENANCE OF PHOBIA THROUGH OPERANT
CONDITIONING. Answer: negative reinforcement: phobic avoids
phobic stimulus to escape anxiety response. this reduction in fear
negatively reinforces avoidance behaviour and phobia is maintained.
◉ STRENGTH OF TWO-PROCESS MODEL: GOOD EXPLANATIONARY
POWER. Answer: important applications for therapy - if patient is
prevented from practising avoidance behaviour phobic behaviour
decreases.
