2024_AQA AS Psychology Paper 2 Psychology in Context (Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme) Tuesday 21 May 2024

2024_AQA AS Psychology Paper 2 Psychology in Context (Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme) Tuesday 21 May 2024 Please write clearly in block capitals. Centre number Surname Forename(s) Candidate signatu re Candidate number I declare this is my own work. AS PSYCHOLOGY Paper 2 Psychology in context Tuesday 21 May 2024 Materials For this paper you may use:  a calculator. Instructions Afternoon  Use black ink or black ball-point pen.  Fill in the boxes at the top of this page.  Answer all questions. Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes For Examiner’s Use Section Mark A B C  You must answer the questions in the spaces provided. Do not write outside the box around each page or on blank pages. TOTAL  If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the end of this book. Write the question number against your answer(s).  Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked. Information  The marks for questions are shown in brackets.  The maximum mark for this paper is 72.  You will be assessed on your ability to: – use good English – organise information clearly – use specialist vocabulary where appropriate. AS Psychology: Paper 2 Psychology in Context: Exam Preview This paper focuses on applying psychological theories, approaches, and research to real-world contexts, and understanding how psychology relates to areas such as mental health, development, and abnormal psychology. Key Areas Covered: 1. Psychopathology: o Definitions of Abnormality: Different ways of defining abnormality, including statistical infrequency, deviation from social norms, failure to function adequately, and deviation from ideal mental health. o Psychological Disorders: Key disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, and anxiety disorders, focusing on symptoms, causes (biological, psychological, and social), and treatments (therapy and medication). o The Cognitive Approach to Psychopathology: How cognitive distortions and maladaptive thinking patterns contribute to mental disorders (e.g., Beck’s Cognitive Triad). o The Behavioral Approach to Psychopathology: Understanding abnormal behavior through conditioning (e.g., phobias developed through classical conditioning and maintained by operant conditioning). 2. Developmental Psychology: o Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development: The stages children go through in cognitive development (sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational stages). o Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory: How social interaction and cultural tools influence cognitive development. o Attachment in Childhood: Theories of attachment, including Bowlby’s attachment theory and Ainsworth’s Strange Situation, and how early attachment influences later development. o Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages: How people develop socially and emotionally throughout their lifespan, from infancy to adulthood. 3. Biopsychology: o The Nervous System: The structure and functions of the nervous system, including the central nervous system (CNS), peripheral nervous system (PNS), and brain regions. o Neurotransmitters and Hormones: Their roles in behavior and mental processes (e.g., serotonin in mood regulation). o The Fight or Flight Response: How the body responds to stress, including the role of the sympathetic nervous system, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and adrenaline. o The Role of Genetics: The influence of genetics on behavior and mental health, including the nature-nurture debate. 4. Research Methods in Context: o Types of Research Designs: Experimental, correlational, and observational methods, and how each is applied in psychological contexts. o Ethics in Research: Ethical considerations, such as informed consent, confidentiality, and the protection of participants, and how they are addressed in studies on mental health and development. o Data Interpretation: Understanding and interpreting data in psychology, including measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode) and measures of dispersion (range, standard deviation). 5. Clinical Applications: o Therapies and Treatments: Overview of therapeutic techniques used in treating psychological disorders, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, and drug treatments for conditions like depression and schizophrenia. o The Role of the Psychologist in Clinical Settings: How psychologists assess, diagnose, and treat mental health disorders in various settings (e.g., clinics, hospitals, and therapy sessions). 7181/2 IB/G/Jun24/G4002/V7 2 Do not write outside the box Section A IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 Approaches in Psychology Answer all questions in this section. 0 1 Outline the emergence of psychology as a science. [4 marks] Extra space 3 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 0 2 Describe how Bandura investigated social learning. [4 marks] Extra space 0 3 Briefly explain one limitation of the way Bandura investigated social learning. [2 marks] Turn over for the next question Turn over ► 4 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 [2 marks] Figure 1 shows a typical motor neuron. Four components of the motor neuron are labelled A, B, C and D. Figure 1 Typical motor neuron Using the letters given in Figure 1, correctly identify the components of the motor neuron in the table below. [4 marks] Component A B C D 0 5 0 4 Outline one role of schema according to the cognitive approach. 5 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 0 6 Describe and evaluate the biological approach in psychology. [8 marks] You may use this space to plan your answer. Turn over ► 6 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 Extra space 24 7 Do not write outside the box Section B IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 Psychopathology Answer all questions in this section. Only two answers per question are allowed. For each question completely fill in the circle alongside the appropriate answer. CORRECT METHOD WRONG METHODS If you want to change your answer you must cross out your original answer as shown. If you wish to return to an answer previously crossed out, ring the answer you now wish to select as shown. 0 7 People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) show certain behavioural characteristics. Which two of the following behaviours are characteristically shown by people with OCD? Shade two boxes only. [2 marks] A Constantly checking the oven is switched off. B Constantly experiencing high anxiety. C Constantly thinking bad things will happen. D Constantly washing their hands. E Constantly worrying about germs. Turn over for the next question Turn over ► 8 Do not write outside the box A psychologist conducted a study into the effectiveness of two types of therapy used IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 1 to treat depression. Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and counselling were compared. People with depression were assigned to either Group 1 (CBT) or Group 2 (counselling). People rated their depression before and after therapy. The psychologist then calculated an improvement score for each person. Table 1 shows the findings for Group 1 (CBT). Table 1 Improvement score for participants in Group 1 (CBT) Participant number Improvement score 1 0 2 4 3 3 4 6 5 0 6 6 7 6 8 8 9 7 . Calculate the mean improvement score for Group 1 (CBT). Give your answer to two significant figures. [2 marks] 8 0 0 8 9 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 0 8 . 2 The psychologist found a mean improvement score of 1.5 for Group 2 (counselling). Give one conclusion about the effectiveness of the therapies using the mean scores for both groups. Explain your answer. [2 marks] 0 9 Tyler is 10 years old and has a phobia of the dentist. When Tyler was 4 years old, he had a tooth removed, which caused him a lot of pain. Tyler is so scared that if someone mentions the dentist he starts to cry. Last week he locked himself in his bedroom and refused to go to his appointment with the dentist. Explain Tyler’s phobia of the dentist using the two-process model. [6 marks] Extra space Turn over ► 10 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 1 0 Describe and evaluate the behavioural approach to the treatment of phobias. [12 marks] You may use this space to plan your answer. 11 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 Turn over ► 12 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 Extra space 24 13 Do not write outside the box Section C IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 Research Methods Answer all questions in this section. A psychologist wanted to investigate teachers’ opinions on differences in the way younger children and older children responded to instructions in class. Previous research showed inconsistent findings. The psychologist randomly selected five schools from all the primary schools in their city. Four of the five schools agreed to take part. The psychologist wrote six questions and interviewed the teachers of Year 2 and Year 5 in the four schools, asking each teacher the same six questions in the same order. 1 1 Identify the type of interview used in this study. Explain your answer. [2 marks] 1 2 One of the psychologist’s questions asked the teachers to rate the general level of obedience for their class as a whole on a scale of 1–10. A rating of 1 meant the general level of obedience was low and a rating of 10 meant the general level of obedience was high. Write a suitable hypothesis for use with this question. [3 marks] 1 3 Write one suitable open question the psychologist could use in their interview. [1 mark] Turn over ► 14 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 [2 marks] 1 5 Identify the sample used by the psychologist in the study. [1 mark] 1 6 Explain how the psychologist might have selected the five schools using random sampling. [2 marks] 1 7 Identify one ethical issue that should have been addressed in this study. Explain why it should have been addressed and how it could have been dealt with. [3 marks] 1 4 Identify the population the psychologist was interested in studying. 15 Do not write outside the box One of the psychologist’s questions asked the teachers to rate the general level of IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 1 2 obedience for their class as a whole on a scale of 1–10. A rating of 1 meant the general level of obedience was low and a rating of 10 meant the general level of obedience was high. The results can be seen in Table 2. Table 2 Teachers’ Obedience Ratings Year 2 Year 5 10 7 6 5 8 9 9 5 3 5 4 6 8 7 7 5 3 3 . Calculate the median and mode obedience ratings for the Year 2 teachers. [2 marks] . Explain why the median may be a more appropriate average to use with the data for the Year 2 teachers in Question 18.1 than the mode. [2 marks] Turn over ► 8 1 8 1 1 8 16 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 1 9 Psychologists often observe the behaviour of children. Suggest how you could carry out an observation of obedient behaviour in Year 5 primary school children. In your answer, you will be awarded credit for providing appropriate details about the following:  the type of observation you would carry out  at least two examples of appropriate operationalised behavioural categories you would observe  the behavioural sampling method you would use for your observations. [6 marks] Extra space END OF QUESTIONS 24 17 Do not write outside the box There are no questions printed on this page IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PAGE ANSWER IN THE SPACES PROVIDED 18 Additional page, if required. Write the question numbers in the left-hand margin. Question number IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 Do not write outside the box 19 Additional page, if required. Write the question numbers in the left-hand margin. Question number IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 Do not write outside the box 20 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7181/2 Question number Additional page, if required. Write the question numbers in the left-hand margin. Copyright information For confidentiality purposes, all acknowledgements of third-party copyright material are published in a separate booklet. This booklet is published after each live examination series and is available for free download from Permission to reproduce all copyright material has been applied for. In some cases, efforts to contact copyright-holders may have been unsuccessful and AQA will be happy to rectify any omissions of acknowledgements. If you have any queries please contact the Copyright Team. Copyright © 2024 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. AS PSYCHOLOGY 7181/2 Paper 2 Psychology in context Mark scheme June 2024 Version: 1.0 Final MARK SCHEME – AS PSYCHOLOGY – 7181/2 – JUNE 2024 Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the standardisation events which all associates participate in and is the scheme which was used by them in this examination. The standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’ responses to questions and that every associate understands and applies it in the same correct way. As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts. Alternative answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which have not been raised they are required to refer these to the Lead Examiner. It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination paper. No student should be disadvantaged on the basis of their gender identity and/or how they refer to the gender identity of others in their exam responses. A consistent use of ‘they/them’ as a singular and pronouns beyond ‘she/her’ or ‘he/him’ will be credited in exam responses in line with existing mark scheme criteria. Further copies of this mark scheme are available from .