2024_AQA A-Level Psychology Paper 1 Introductory Topics in Psychology (Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme) Friday 17 May 2024

2024_AQA A-Level Psychology Paper 1 Introductory Topics in Psychology (Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme) Friday 17 May 2024 Please write clearly in block capitals. Centre number Surname Forename(s) Candidate number Candidate signat ure A-level I declare this is my own work. PSYCHOLOGY Paper 1 Introductory topics in psychology Friday 17 May 2024 Materials For this paper you may use:  a calculator. Instructions  Use black ink or black ball-point pen.  Fill in the boxes at the top of this page. Morning Time allowed: 2 hours For Examiner’s Use Section Mark A B C  Answer all questions. You must answer the questions in the spaces provided. Do not write outside the box around each page or on blank pages.  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 96.  Questions should be answered in continuous prose. You will be assessed on your ability to: – use good English – organise information clearly – use specialist vocabulary where appropriate. D TOTAL A-level Psychology: Paper 1 Introductory Topics in Psychology – Exam Preview sections This paper covers the core introductory topics in psychology, focusing on key theories and research that form the foundation of the subject. It tests your understanding of the major approaches in psychology and key psychological topics like social influence, memory, attachment, and psychopathology. Key Areas Covered: 1. Social Influence: o Conformity: Key studies such as Asch’s conformity experiments. Understand the factors that affect conformity, such as group size, unanimity, and task difficulty. o Obedience: Milgram’s obedience studies, factors affecting obedience (e.g., proximity of authority figures, location), and real-world applications (e.g., in the context of authority and crimes). o Minority Influence: How a small group can influence the majority (e.g., Moscovici's study on consistent vs. inconsistent minority influence). o Resistance to Social Influence: Factors such as locus of control and social support that can help individuals resist social pressure. 2. Memory: o Theories of Memory: The multi-store model of memory (Atkinson and Shiffrin) and the working memory model (Baddeley and Hitch). o Types of Memory: Short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM), including their capacity, duration, and coding. o Forgetfulness: Theories of forgetting, such as interference theory and retrieval failure. o Eyewitness Testimony: How factors like leading questions and anxiety can influence memory accuracy (e.g., Loftus's research on eyewitness memory). 3. Attachment: o Types of Attachment: Ainsworth's Strange Situation classification of attachment styles (secure, insecure-avoidant, and insecure-resistant). o Bowlby’s Theory: Monotropy, the critical period, and the concept of internal working models. o Influences on Attachment: How early attachment experiences can affect later relationships and emotional development. 4. Approaches in Psychology: o The Biological Approach: Focus on genetics, brain structure, and neurotransmitters. o The Cognitive Approach: How mental processes like memory, perception, and problem-solving are studied and understood. o The Behaviorist Approach: Learning theory, including classical and operant conditioning (Pavlov, Skinner). o The Psychodynamic Approach: Freud’s model of the unconscious, defense mechanisms, and early childhood experiences. o The Humanistic Approach: The importance of free will, self-actualization, and the role of the individual in shaping their own behavior (Rogers, Maslow). 5. Research Methods: o Research Design: Key research designs such as experiments (laboratory, field, and natural), correlation studies, and observational methods. o Sampling: Different sampling techniques, including random, stratified, and opportunity sampling. o Ethics: Ethical guidelines in psychology, such as informed consent, deception, and protection from harm. o Data Analysis: How to analyze and interpret data, including descriptive statistics (mean, median, mode) and inferential statistics. 7182/1 IB/G/Jun24/G4004/E11 2 Do not write outside the IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 Section A Social influence Answer all questions in this section. box 0 1 Outline one ethical issue that has arisen in social influence research. Refer to one or more social influence studies in your answer. [4 marks] Extra space 3 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 0 2 Charlie has just started at a new school. He has become friendly with a group of boys in his year group. Charlie thinks they are ‘cool’. One day, one of the more popular boys in the group suggests they all wear their school jumpers inside-out for a week, ‘just to see what will happen’. Charlie worries about this all night but still goes to school the following day wearing his jumper inside-out. Use your knowledge of conformity to explain Charlie’s behaviour. [6 marks] Extra space Turn over ► 4 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 0 3 Later that day, the headteacher calls each of the boys in the group to his office one-by-one, including Charlie. He explains that the school jumper should not be worn inside-out, and that a detention will be given to any boy who disobeys. From then on, each boy wears their jumper correctly. Use your knowledge of obedience to explain the boys’ behaviour. [6 marks] Extra space 5 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 [8 marks] Turn over ► 0 4 Discuss consistency and flexibility as processes involved in minority influence. 6 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 24 Extra space 7 Do not write outside the IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 Section B Memory Answer all questions in this section. box 0 5 A researcher wanted to test if there is a relationship between the passage of time and recall of nonsense words. They gave 30 participants 40 nonsense words to learn, then tested recall at fixed intervals over several weeks. The nonsense words were standardised to ensure they were of similar difficulty and length. When writing up the investigation, the researcher represented their data on a scattergram. Briefly explain how the use of inferential statistics would improve this investigation. [3 marks] 0 6 Suggest an appropriate statistical test to improve this investigation. With reference to the study, outline two reasons for your choice of test. [5 marks] Turn over ► 8 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 0 7 Two types of long-term memory are semantic and episodic. Outline two ways in which episodic memories are different from semantic memories. [4 marks] Extra space 0 8 Briefly describe retrieval failure as an explanation of forgetting. Outline one limitation of this explanation. [4 marks] Extra space 9 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 0 9 Two police officers are discussing the testimony of an eyewitness. The eyewitness had described a robbery she had seen. ‘At first, the witness said she was convinced the suspect was wearing glasses and had a limp,’ explained one of the officers, ‘but later she said she may have just been repeating what she’d heard from other witnesses.’ ‘I’m not sure we’re going to be able to use her statement,’ replied the other officer. Discuss the effect of post-event discussion on the accuracy of eyewitness testimony. Refer to the information above in your answer. [8 marks] Turn over ► 10 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 Extra space 24 11 Do not write outside the IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 Section C Attachment Answer all questions in this section. box 1 0 Zara’s baby, Sunta, is a few weeks old. The rest of the family laugh along as Zara sticks her tongue out at Sunta and Sunta does the same thing back to her. Which feature of caregiver-infant interaction does this example illustrate? [1 mark] 1 1 The rest of the family also think it’s cute when Zara rocks Sunta to sleep and their heads seem to move in time with one another. Which feature of caregiver-infant interaction does this example illustrate? [1 mark] Turn over for the next question Turn over ► 12 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 1 2 Describe the concept of a critical period and the concept of an internal working model in the context of attachment. [6 marks] Extra space 13 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 1 3 Discuss Romanian orphan studies. [16 marks] You may use this space to plan your answer. Turn over ► 14 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 15 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 Extra space Turn over ► 24 16 Do not write outside the IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 Section D Psychopathology Answer all questions in this section. box Only two answers for each multiple-choice 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. 1 4 Which two of the following are emotional characteristics of obsessive-compulsive disorder? Shade two boxes only. [2 marks] A Hypervigilance B Insight into excessive anxiety C Low mood D Obsessive thoughts E Self-loathing 17 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 1 5 Ken visited his friend, Jules, who has a large dog called Prince. Prince ran in from the garden, jumped at Ken and knocked him down, breaking his arm. Ken now has a fear of dogs and has avoided all dogs ever since. How would the two-process model of phobias explain Ken’s fear of dogs? [6 marks] Extra space Turn over ► 18 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 1 6 Discuss the cognitive approach to explaining depression. [16 marks] You may use this space to plan your answer. 19 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 Turn over ► 20 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 Extra space END OF QUESTIONS 24 21 Do not write outside the IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 There are no questions printed on this page DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PAGE ANSWER IN THE SPACES PROVIDED box 22 Question number Additional page, if required. Write the question numbers in the left-hand margin. IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 Do not write outside the box 23 Question number Additional page, if required. Write the question numbers in the left-hand margin. IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 Do not write outside the box 24 Do not write outside the box IB/G/Jun24/7182/1 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. A-level PSYCHOLOGY 7182/1 Paper 1 Introductory topics in psychology Mark scheme June 2024 Version: 1.0 Final MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY – 7182/1 – 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 . Copyright information AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within the centre. Copyright © 2024 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. 2 MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY – 7182/1 – JUNE 2024 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 – 7182/1 – JUNE 2024 Section A