AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY: PAPER
1(Latest 2025/ 2026 Update) Questions
and 100% Correct Verified Answers [Grade
A] – University of California, Berkeley
ACQUISITION OF PHOBIA THRO' CLASSICAL CONDITIONING -correct answer e.g.
bitten (UCS) → fear (UCR)
dog (NS) associated w/ UCS. dog previously elicited no response.
NS becomes CS producing fear (now the CR)
LITTLE ALBERT -correct answer subject in John Watson's experiment, proved classical
conditioning principles, especially the generalization of fear.
whenever Albert played w/ a white rat (NS), loud bang (UCS) was heard causing fear
(UCR). when rat was paired w/ bang several times, it became associated until rat (CS)
caused fear (CR).
Albert generalised the fear - was scared of other white furry objects.
MAINTENANCE OF PHOBIA THROUGH OPERANT CONDITIONING -correct answer
negative reinforcement: phobic avoids phobic stimulus to escape anxiety response.
this reduction in fear negatively reinforces avoidance behaviour and phobia is
maintained.
,AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY: PAPER
1(Latest 2025/ 2026 Update) Questions
and 100% Correct Verified Answers [Grade
A] – University of California, Berkeley
STRENGTH OF TWO-PROCESS MODEL: GOOD EXPLANATIONARY POWER -correct
answer important applications for therapy - if patient is prevented from practising
avoidance behaviour phobic behaviour decreases.
LIMITATION OF TWO-PROCESS MODEL: ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATIONS -correct
answer in conditions such as agoraphobia, avoidance is linked w/ feelings of safety.
this explains why some agoraphobics are able to leave the house with others, just not
alone.
problem for two-process model → suggests avoidance is motivated by anxiety
reduction
LIMITATION OF TWO-PROCESS MODEL: INCOMPLETE EXPLANATION -correct answer
some aspects of phobias require further explanation - easy to acquire phobias of
things which were a danger in evolutionary past. this is biological preparedness
(innate).
shows there is more to acquiring a phobia than conditioning.
LIMITATION OF TWO-PROCESS MODEL: NOT ALL BAD EXPERIENCES LEAD TO
PHOBIAS -correct answer suggests conditioning alone cannot explain phobias. they
,AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY: PAPER
1(Latest 2025/ 2026 Update) Questions
and 100% Correct Verified Answers [Grade
A] – University of California, Berkeley
may develop only where a vulnerability exists - two-process cannot explain this
vulnerability.
LIMITATION OF TWO-PROCESS MODEL: DOESN'T CONSIDER COGNITIVE ASPECT OF
PHOBIAS -correct answer behav explanations are oriented twd explaining behav not
cognition.
however this is a limitation as there are cognitive elements of phobias such as
selective attention and irrational beliefs which cannot be explained thro'
behaviourism.
SYSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION (SD) -correct answer clients are taught to relax as
they are gradually exposed to what they fear in a stepwise manner.
patient and therapist form anxiety hierarchy - list of fearful stimuli from least to most
frightening. relaxation is then practised at each stage of hierarchy. takes place over
several sessions.
FLOODING THERAPY -correct answer the exposure of the client to the actual anxiety
stimulus until they can relax fully.
, AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY: PAPER
1(Latest 2025/ 2026 Update) Questions
and 100% Correct Verified Answers [Grade
A] – University of California, Berkeley
w/o option of avoidance, patient learns quickly that phobic stimulus is harmless. this
is known as extinction.
patients must give informed consent & know fully what to expect.
STRENGTH OF SD: EFFECTIVE -correct answer Gilroy et al (2003): group of patients
who had SD for spider phobia were less fearful than control group after three
sessions after 3 and 33 months.
shows positive effects are long-lasting.
STRENGTH OF SD: SUITABLE FOR DIVERSE RANGE OF PATIENTS -correct answer
flooding etc. are not suitable for some patients due to problems such as learning
difficulties making it difficult for them to understand what is happening.
for these patients, and most others, SD is an appropriate treatment as every step is
discussed.
STRENGTH OF SD: ACCEPTABLE TO PATIENTS -correct answer patients prefer it. it
doesn't cause same degree of trauma as flooding. reflected in low refusal rates, and
low drop-out rates.
1(Latest 2025/ 2026 Update) Questions
and 100% Correct Verified Answers [Grade
A] – University of California, Berkeley
ACQUISITION OF PHOBIA THRO' CLASSICAL CONDITIONING -correct answer e.g.
bitten (UCS) → fear (UCR)
dog (NS) associated w/ UCS. dog previously elicited no response.
NS becomes CS producing fear (now the CR)
LITTLE ALBERT -correct answer subject in John Watson's experiment, proved classical
conditioning principles, especially the generalization of fear.
whenever Albert played w/ a white rat (NS), loud bang (UCS) was heard causing fear
(UCR). when rat was paired w/ bang several times, it became associated until rat (CS)
caused fear (CR).
Albert generalised the fear - was scared of other white furry objects.
MAINTENANCE OF PHOBIA THROUGH OPERANT CONDITIONING -correct answer
negative reinforcement: phobic avoids phobic stimulus to escape anxiety response.
this reduction in fear negatively reinforces avoidance behaviour and phobia is
maintained.
,AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY: PAPER
1(Latest 2025/ 2026 Update) Questions
and 100% Correct Verified Answers [Grade
A] – University of California, Berkeley
STRENGTH OF TWO-PROCESS MODEL: GOOD EXPLANATIONARY POWER -correct
answer important applications for therapy - if patient is prevented from practising
avoidance behaviour phobic behaviour decreases.
LIMITATION OF TWO-PROCESS MODEL: ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATIONS -correct
answer in conditions such as agoraphobia, avoidance is linked w/ feelings of safety.
this explains why some agoraphobics are able to leave the house with others, just not
alone.
problem for two-process model → suggests avoidance is motivated by anxiety
reduction
LIMITATION OF TWO-PROCESS MODEL: INCOMPLETE EXPLANATION -correct answer
some aspects of phobias require further explanation - easy to acquire phobias of
things which were a danger in evolutionary past. this is biological preparedness
(innate).
shows there is more to acquiring a phobia than conditioning.
LIMITATION OF TWO-PROCESS MODEL: NOT ALL BAD EXPERIENCES LEAD TO
PHOBIAS -correct answer suggests conditioning alone cannot explain phobias. they
,AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY: PAPER
1(Latest 2025/ 2026 Update) Questions
and 100% Correct Verified Answers [Grade
A] – University of California, Berkeley
may develop only where a vulnerability exists - two-process cannot explain this
vulnerability.
LIMITATION OF TWO-PROCESS MODEL: DOESN'T CONSIDER COGNITIVE ASPECT OF
PHOBIAS -correct answer behav explanations are oriented twd explaining behav not
cognition.
however this is a limitation as there are cognitive elements of phobias such as
selective attention and irrational beliefs which cannot be explained thro'
behaviourism.
SYSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION (SD) -correct answer clients are taught to relax as
they are gradually exposed to what they fear in a stepwise manner.
patient and therapist form anxiety hierarchy - list of fearful stimuli from least to most
frightening. relaxation is then practised at each stage of hierarchy. takes place over
several sessions.
FLOODING THERAPY -correct answer the exposure of the client to the actual anxiety
stimulus until they can relax fully.
, AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY: PAPER
1(Latest 2025/ 2026 Update) Questions
and 100% Correct Verified Answers [Grade
A] – University of California, Berkeley
w/o option of avoidance, patient learns quickly that phobic stimulus is harmless. this
is known as extinction.
patients must give informed consent & know fully what to expect.
STRENGTH OF SD: EFFECTIVE -correct answer Gilroy et al (2003): group of patients
who had SD for spider phobia were less fearful than control group after three
sessions after 3 and 33 months.
shows positive effects are long-lasting.
STRENGTH OF SD: SUITABLE FOR DIVERSE RANGE OF PATIENTS -correct answer
flooding etc. are not suitable for some patients due to problems such as learning
difficulties making it difficult for them to understand what is happening.
for these patients, and most others, SD is an appropriate treatment as every step is
discussed.
STRENGTH OF SD: ACCEPTABLE TO PATIENTS -correct answer patients prefer it. it
doesn't cause same degree of trauma as flooding. reflected in low refusal rates, and
low drop-out rates.
