AQA A LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY PAPER 2
Complete Questions with Correct Answers
GRADED A+ Latest 2025/2026
1. Give one reason why schema's are useful?: When we're in unknown
situations
schemas help us know how to behave. So when we do not know what to
do our schema fills in the gaps for us and allow us to process
situations better.
2. Give one reason why schema's are not useful?: schemas may
exclude infor- mation which doesn't conform to our prior expectations.
As a result, we may form stereotypes which are difficult to shift, even if
new,disputing information is presented. This means we may not be
processing the world around us accurately and may misjudge or
represent a person or situation.
3. Discuss the defense mechanism shown by Jed?: Displacement is
when we redirect our hostile feelings onto something else because it is
not appropriate to express their feeling towards the person or object in
question. Jed can't take his frustration out on his teacher, who issued
the detention and he displaced his feelings by kicking the locker.
4. Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach.
Compare to the biological approach,
(A01 Behaviourist): The behaviourist approach suggests that the basic
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, processes that govern learning in all species are the same. We learn
through two concepts: operant conditioning and classical conditioning.
5. Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to
the biological approach, (classical conditioning): The idea of classical
conditioning was developed by Pavlov who found that we learn through
association. He found that it was possible to condition dogs to
associate the sound of a bell with food. This resulted in the dogs
producing a salivation response at the sound of a bell even when no
food was present. Pavlov demonstrated that repeated exposure to an
event leads to a learned and uncontrollable behaviour.
6. Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to
the bio- logical approach, (operant conditioning): Skinner suggested
behaviour resulted from learning through the consequences of our
actions. He conducted research into operant conditioning theory using
rats, and found that three types of consequences will affect behaviour:
positive reinforcement involves rewarding a behaviour, which in- creases
it being repeated; negative reinforcement involves removing an
unpleasant outcome to increase it being repeated; punishment involves
adding an unpleasant outcome,reducing the behaviour.
7. Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare
to the biological approach, (similarity to biological): Both the
behaviourist approach and biological approach share a similarity in
being determinist. Both ignore the influence that the person can have
and whether they have free will and can make their own choices in
these decisions.
2/6
Complete Questions with Correct Answers
GRADED A+ Latest 2025/2026
1. Give one reason why schema's are useful?: When we're in unknown
situations
schemas help us know how to behave. So when we do not know what to
do our schema fills in the gaps for us and allow us to process
situations better.
2. Give one reason why schema's are not useful?: schemas may
exclude infor- mation which doesn't conform to our prior expectations.
As a result, we may form stereotypes which are difficult to shift, even if
new,disputing information is presented. This means we may not be
processing the world around us accurately and may misjudge or
represent a person or situation.
3. Discuss the defense mechanism shown by Jed?: Displacement is
when we redirect our hostile feelings onto something else because it is
not appropriate to express their feeling towards the person or object in
question. Jed can't take his frustration out on his teacher, who issued
the detention and he displaced his feelings by kicking the locker.
4. Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach.
Compare to the biological approach,
(A01 Behaviourist): The behaviourist approach suggests that the basic
1/6
, processes that govern learning in all species are the same. We learn
through two concepts: operant conditioning and classical conditioning.
5. Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to
the biological approach, (classical conditioning): The idea of classical
conditioning was developed by Pavlov who found that we learn through
association. He found that it was possible to condition dogs to
associate the sound of a bell with food. This resulted in the dogs
producing a salivation response at the sound of a bell even when no
food was present. Pavlov demonstrated that repeated exposure to an
event leads to a learned and uncontrollable behaviour.
6. Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to
the bio- logical approach, (operant conditioning): Skinner suggested
behaviour resulted from learning through the consequences of our
actions. He conducted research into operant conditioning theory using
rats, and found that three types of consequences will affect behaviour:
positive reinforcement involves rewarding a behaviour, which in- creases
it being repeated; negative reinforcement involves removing an
unpleasant outcome to increase it being repeated; punishment involves
adding an unpleasant outcome,reducing the behaviour.
7. Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare
to the biological approach, (similarity to biological): Both the
behaviourist approach and biological approach share a similarity in
being determinist. Both ignore the influence that the person can have
and whether they have free will and can make their own choices in
these decisions.
2/6
