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AQA A Level Psychology Paper 2
Questions and Answers Latest Version
When did psychology emerge?
What 3 things had happened by the end of the 19th
Century? Ans: - The 19th Century when philosophers,
physiologists and physicians applied the scientific
method to study the mind.
1) Psychology became defined as 'the science of mental
life, both of its phenomena and their conditions'.
2) Introspection was developed to expose the mind to
scientific research.
3) First experimental psychology labs appeared in
universities.
Who is classed as the father of experimental psychology?
Ans: - Wundt, opened the first psychology lab in
Germany and developed introspection as a method of
studying the mind.
- First person to be called a psychologist.
Define 'introspection'. Ans: - The first systematic
experimental attempt to study the mind by breaking up
awareness into basic structures of thoughts, images and
sensations.
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- This isolation is called structuralism.
What is Wundt's contribution to psychology? Ans: 1)
Wrote the first psychology textbook.
2) Set up the first experimental psychology lab.
3) Used the scientific method to study the structure of
sensation and perception.
4) Showed that introspection could be used to study
mental states.
What is a strength and a limitation of Wundt's methods?
Ans: - Strength: Some of his methods are scientific,
recorded the introspections in a controlled lab
environment, also used standardised procedures.
- Limitation: Some aspects of his research are not
scientific, relied on participants self-reporting their
'private' mental processes, subjective data and cannot
establish general principles.
In terms of psychology emerging as a science, what key
things happened in the 1900s? Ans: - Early behaviourists
(e.g. Watson;1913) rejected introspection as it is
subjective, they also argued that psychology should only
study phenomena that can be observed and measured.
In terms of psychology emerging as a science, what key
things happened in the 1930s? Ans: - Behaviourist
scientific approach dominated psychology.
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, 3 | Page
- Skinner (1953) brought natural sciences' ideologies to
psychology.
In terms of psychology emerging as a science, what key
things happened in the 1950s? Ans: - Cognitive approach
used scientific procedures to study mental processes.
- Psychologists started to use inference to study mental
processes.
In terms of psychology emerging as a science, what key
things happened in the 1990s? Ans: - Biological approach
introduced technological advances into their research.
- e.g. fMRI, EEG and advanced genetic research.
Evaluate the view that psychology can be scientific. Ans: -
Modern psychology can claim to be scientific, has the
same aims as the natural sciences, most approaches rely
on scientific methodology.
- Not all approaches use scientific methods, humanistic
approach is anti-scientific and focuses on subjective
experience, psychodynamic approach uses case studies.
Outline the Behaviourist approach. Ans: - One of the 2
learning approaches.
- Focuses on behaviour that can be observed and
measured.
- Should establish laws of behaviour.
© 2025 All rights reserved
AQA A Level Psychology Paper 2
Questions and Answers Latest Version
When did psychology emerge?
What 3 things had happened by the end of the 19th
Century? Ans: - The 19th Century when philosophers,
physiologists and physicians applied the scientific
method to study the mind.
1) Psychology became defined as 'the science of mental
life, both of its phenomena and their conditions'.
2) Introspection was developed to expose the mind to
scientific research.
3) First experimental psychology labs appeared in
universities.
Who is classed as the father of experimental psychology?
Ans: - Wundt, opened the first psychology lab in
Germany and developed introspection as a method of
studying the mind.
- First person to be called a psychologist.
Define 'introspection'. Ans: - The first systematic
experimental attempt to study the mind by breaking up
awareness into basic structures of thoughts, images and
sensations.
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
- This isolation is called structuralism.
What is Wundt's contribution to psychology? Ans: 1)
Wrote the first psychology textbook.
2) Set up the first experimental psychology lab.
3) Used the scientific method to study the structure of
sensation and perception.
4) Showed that introspection could be used to study
mental states.
What is a strength and a limitation of Wundt's methods?
Ans: - Strength: Some of his methods are scientific,
recorded the introspections in a controlled lab
environment, also used standardised procedures.
- Limitation: Some aspects of his research are not
scientific, relied on participants self-reporting their
'private' mental processes, subjective data and cannot
establish general principles.
In terms of psychology emerging as a science, what key
things happened in the 1900s? Ans: - Early behaviourists
(e.g. Watson;1913) rejected introspection as it is
subjective, they also argued that psychology should only
study phenomena that can be observed and measured.
In terms of psychology emerging as a science, what key
things happened in the 1930s? Ans: - Behaviourist
scientific approach dominated psychology.
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 3 | Page
- Skinner (1953) brought natural sciences' ideologies to
psychology.
In terms of psychology emerging as a science, what key
things happened in the 1950s? Ans: - Cognitive approach
used scientific procedures to study mental processes.
- Psychologists started to use inference to study mental
processes.
In terms of psychology emerging as a science, what key
things happened in the 1990s? Ans: - Biological approach
introduced technological advances into their research.
- e.g. fMRI, EEG and advanced genetic research.
Evaluate the view that psychology can be scientific. Ans: -
Modern psychology can claim to be scientific, has the
same aims as the natural sciences, most approaches rely
on scientific methodology.
- Not all approaches use scientific methods, humanistic
approach is anti-scientific and focuses on subjective
experience, psychodynamic approach uses case studies.
Outline the Behaviourist approach. Ans: - One of the 2
learning approaches.
- Focuses on behaviour that can be observed and
measured.
- Should establish laws of behaviour.
© 2025 All rights reserved
