AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY PAPER 2 PSYCHOLOGY
LATEST 2025-2026 EXAM UPDATE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
What is the auditory cortex responsible for? - Answer-Receives and
processes sound information from ears.
What may happen if the auditory cortex is damaged? - Answer-cortical
deafness. Patient is unable to hear, but there is no damage to the
structure of the ear.
What is the visual cortex responsible for? - Answer-Receives
information from the contralateral visual field.
What may happen if the visual cortex is damaged? - Answer-Leads to
partial or complete loss of vision called cortical blindness. Damage to
one cortex can lead to loss of vision in the opposite visual field.
Define lateralisation. - Answer-The dominance of one hemisphere of
the brain for particular physical and psychological functions.
Define homeostasis - Answer-The process by which the body maintains
a constant physiological state.
,What is the cerebral cortex? - Answer-The outer layer of both
hemispheres- more developed in humans.
What are the four lobes of each hemisphere? - Answer-frontal, parietal,
occipital, temporal
What is the brain scan evidence evaluation point of localisation of
function? - Answer-STRENGTH
Peterson: Wernicke's area active in listening;Broca's active in
reading=diff. functions
- highly objective methods=scientific
What is the neurosurgical evidence evaluative point of localisation of
function? - Answer-STRENGTH
- remove parts of brain to control behaviour
Dougherty: 44 OCD patients/cingulotomy/32 weeks=1/3 success
- localisation of mental disorder behaviours
What is the case study evidence evaluative point of localisation of
function? - Answer-STRENGTH
Phineas Gage: pole through face/frontal lobe destroyed/personality
change (calm to rude)
- frontal lobe may control mood=support localisation
,What is Lashley's research evaluative point of localisation of function? -
Answer-LIMITATION
- highly cognitive functions follow holistic theory
- remove rat cortex areas=no area more important in learning
- learning too complex to be localised
What is the plasticity evaluative point of localisation of function? -
Answer-- brain damaged=rest of brain compensates for action
- stroke victims recover lost abilities
- more than one area control same function
What is brain plasticity? - Answer-- brain's ability to change throughout
life
- neural connections change throughout life, not just in infancy
What is synaptic pruning? - Answer-Rarely used connections are
deleted and frequently used connections are strengthened
What was Maguire's research into brain plasticity? - Answer-- London
taxi drivers had more grey matter in posterior hippocampus than
matched control
- longer in job=more defined structure difference
How does the brain functionally recover after trauma? - Answer--
injury/trauma= unaffected areas adapt for damaged (functional recovery)
, - quickly after trauma (spontaneous recovery)
- slows down=rehab therapy needed
What structural changes occur during functional recovery? - Answer--
Axonal sprouting: nerve endings grow/connect=new pathways
- Reformation of blood vessels
- Recruit similar area on other hemisphere
What are the evaluation points of brain plasticity? - Answer-- practical
applications
- negative plasticity
- support from animal studies
- concept of cognitive reserve
What are the practical applications of brain plasticity? - Answer--
contributes to neurorehabilitation
- physical therapy after spontaneous recovery
- brain can't fully heal alone
What is the negative plasticity evaluative point of brain plasticity? -
Answer-- behavioural consequences e.g long drug use=cognitive
function down
- risk of dementia up
- 60-80% amputees=phantom limb syndrome=unpleasant
LATEST 2025-2026 EXAM UPDATE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
What is the auditory cortex responsible for? - Answer-Receives and
processes sound information from ears.
What may happen if the auditory cortex is damaged? - Answer-cortical
deafness. Patient is unable to hear, but there is no damage to the
structure of the ear.
What is the visual cortex responsible for? - Answer-Receives
information from the contralateral visual field.
What may happen if the visual cortex is damaged? - Answer-Leads to
partial or complete loss of vision called cortical blindness. Damage to
one cortex can lead to loss of vision in the opposite visual field.
Define lateralisation. - Answer-The dominance of one hemisphere of
the brain for particular physical and psychological functions.
Define homeostasis - Answer-The process by which the body maintains
a constant physiological state.
,What is the cerebral cortex? - Answer-The outer layer of both
hemispheres- more developed in humans.
What are the four lobes of each hemisphere? - Answer-frontal, parietal,
occipital, temporal
What is the brain scan evidence evaluation point of localisation of
function? - Answer-STRENGTH
Peterson: Wernicke's area active in listening;Broca's active in
reading=diff. functions
- highly objective methods=scientific
What is the neurosurgical evidence evaluative point of localisation of
function? - Answer-STRENGTH
- remove parts of brain to control behaviour
Dougherty: 44 OCD patients/cingulotomy/32 weeks=1/3 success
- localisation of mental disorder behaviours
What is the case study evidence evaluative point of localisation of
function? - Answer-STRENGTH
Phineas Gage: pole through face/frontal lobe destroyed/personality
change (calm to rude)
- frontal lobe may control mood=support localisation
,What is Lashley's research evaluative point of localisation of function? -
Answer-LIMITATION
- highly cognitive functions follow holistic theory
- remove rat cortex areas=no area more important in learning
- learning too complex to be localised
What is the plasticity evaluative point of localisation of function? -
Answer-- brain damaged=rest of brain compensates for action
- stroke victims recover lost abilities
- more than one area control same function
What is brain plasticity? - Answer-- brain's ability to change throughout
life
- neural connections change throughout life, not just in infancy
What is synaptic pruning? - Answer-Rarely used connections are
deleted and frequently used connections are strengthened
What was Maguire's research into brain plasticity? - Answer-- London
taxi drivers had more grey matter in posterior hippocampus than
matched control
- longer in job=more defined structure difference
How does the brain functionally recover after trauma? - Answer--
injury/trauma= unaffected areas adapt for damaged (functional recovery)
, - quickly after trauma (spontaneous recovery)
- slows down=rehab therapy needed
What structural changes occur during functional recovery? - Answer--
Axonal sprouting: nerve endings grow/connect=new pathways
- Reformation of blood vessels
- Recruit similar area on other hemisphere
What are the evaluation points of brain plasticity? - Answer-- practical
applications
- negative plasticity
- support from animal studies
- concept of cognitive reserve
What are the practical applications of brain plasticity? - Answer--
contributes to neurorehabilitation
- physical therapy after spontaneous recovery
- brain can't fully heal alone
What is the negative plasticity evaluative point of brain plasticity? -
Answer-- behavioural consequences e.g long drug use=cognitive
function down
- risk of dementia up
- 60-80% amputees=phantom limb syndrome=unpleasant
