AQA PSYCHOLOGY PAPER 2
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
⩥ What did Wundt do? Answer: Opened first lab in Leipzig, used
introspection to study consciousness
⩥ What is introspection? Answer: A method where subjects analyse their
own thoughts and feelings in relation to a stimulus (studies sensation and
perception) using a standardised procedure
⩥ What are the limitations of introspection? Answer: Subjective,
unfalsifiable
⩥ How did Wundt attempt to make introspection scientific? Answer: He
used standardised procedures in a controlled environment
⩥ What features make something a science? (5) Answer: Hypothesis
testing, Objectivity, Replicability, Falsifiability, Empirical
⩥ Which approaches take the most scientific (nomothetic) approach to
psychology? Answer: Behaviourist, Cognitive, Biological
,⩥ Which approaches take the least scientific approach to psychology?
Answer: Humanistic, Psychodynamic
⩥ What are the assumptions of the behaviourist approach? (3) Answer:
All behaviour is learnt, Animals and humans learn in the same way, We a
born a blank slate
⩥ How would you describe the research methods used by the
behaviourist approach? Answer: Use experimental method, with animals
as subjects, looking for quantifiable behaviour
⩥ Who proposed classical conditioning as a way of learning? Answer:
Pavlov
⩥ How was Classical conditioning first identified? Answer: Pavlov's
dogs study - salivating at the sound of a bell that indicated food was
coming.
⩥ Describe the process of classical conditioning (you don't have to use
an example). Answer: Unconditioned Stimulus à Unconditioned
Response (usually a pre existing reflex, but can be a previously learnt
behaviour), Neutral Stimulus à No response, US + NS à UR (repeated
pairing of these means eventually the NS becomes...), Conditioned
Stimulus à Conditioned Response
,⩥ What is generalisation in Classical conditioning? Answer: When
stimuli similar to the original CS produce the same response
⩥ What is extinction in classical conditioning? Answer: Where the CR
stops being produced by the CS
⩥ Who proposed operant conditioning as a way of learning? Answer:
Skinner
⩥ How would you explain the difference between classical and operant
conditioning? Answer: Classical conditioning is learning by association,
operant conditioning is learning by reinforcement
⩥ List the three types of reinforcement key to explaining operant
conditioning. Answer: Positive reinforcement, Negative reinforcement,
Punishment
⩥ Outline positive reinforcement in operant conditioning. Answer:
Behaviour is more likely to be repeated as a result of reward
⩥ Outline negative reinforcement in operant conditioning. Answer:
Behaviour is more likely to be repeated as a result of removing a
negative stimulus
, ⩥ Outline punishment in operant conditioning. Answer: Behaviour is
less likely to be repeated as a result of addition of a negative stimulus
⩥ What element of psychopathology have we explained with the
behaviourist approach? Answer: Phobias
⩥ What is the strength of the behaviourist approach? Answer: Lots of
experimental evidence à scientific credibility, Application to treatment of
phobias and modification of problematic behaviour (dealing with
offending)
⩥ What are the problems with the behaviourist approach? Answer:
Generalising from animal studies, Ethical issues associated with animal
research, Reductionist & Deterministic
⩥ Which side of the nature nurture debate is the behaviourist approach
on? Answer: Nurture
⩥ What is the name given to psychologists who subscribe to the
behaviourist approach? Answer: Empiricists
⩥ What is the learning approach developed by Bandura called? Answer:
Social learning theory
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
⩥ What did Wundt do? Answer: Opened first lab in Leipzig, used
introspection to study consciousness
⩥ What is introspection? Answer: A method where subjects analyse their
own thoughts and feelings in relation to a stimulus (studies sensation and
perception) using a standardised procedure
⩥ What are the limitations of introspection? Answer: Subjective,
unfalsifiable
⩥ How did Wundt attempt to make introspection scientific? Answer: He
used standardised procedures in a controlled environment
⩥ What features make something a science? (5) Answer: Hypothesis
testing, Objectivity, Replicability, Falsifiability, Empirical
⩥ Which approaches take the most scientific (nomothetic) approach to
psychology? Answer: Behaviourist, Cognitive, Biological
,⩥ Which approaches take the least scientific approach to psychology?
Answer: Humanistic, Psychodynamic
⩥ What are the assumptions of the behaviourist approach? (3) Answer:
All behaviour is learnt, Animals and humans learn in the same way, We a
born a blank slate
⩥ How would you describe the research methods used by the
behaviourist approach? Answer: Use experimental method, with animals
as subjects, looking for quantifiable behaviour
⩥ Who proposed classical conditioning as a way of learning? Answer:
Pavlov
⩥ How was Classical conditioning first identified? Answer: Pavlov's
dogs study - salivating at the sound of a bell that indicated food was
coming.
⩥ Describe the process of classical conditioning (you don't have to use
an example). Answer: Unconditioned Stimulus à Unconditioned
Response (usually a pre existing reflex, but can be a previously learnt
behaviour), Neutral Stimulus à No response, US + NS à UR (repeated
pairing of these means eventually the NS becomes...), Conditioned
Stimulus à Conditioned Response
,⩥ What is generalisation in Classical conditioning? Answer: When
stimuli similar to the original CS produce the same response
⩥ What is extinction in classical conditioning? Answer: Where the CR
stops being produced by the CS
⩥ Who proposed operant conditioning as a way of learning? Answer:
Skinner
⩥ How would you explain the difference between classical and operant
conditioning? Answer: Classical conditioning is learning by association,
operant conditioning is learning by reinforcement
⩥ List the three types of reinforcement key to explaining operant
conditioning. Answer: Positive reinforcement, Negative reinforcement,
Punishment
⩥ Outline positive reinforcement in operant conditioning. Answer:
Behaviour is more likely to be repeated as a result of reward
⩥ Outline negative reinforcement in operant conditioning. Answer:
Behaviour is more likely to be repeated as a result of removing a
negative stimulus
, ⩥ Outline punishment in operant conditioning. Answer: Behaviour is
less likely to be repeated as a result of addition of a negative stimulus
⩥ What element of psychopathology have we explained with the
behaviourist approach? Answer: Phobias
⩥ What is the strength of the behaviourist approach? Answer: Lots of
experimental evidence à scientific credibility, Application to treatment of
phobias and modification of problematic behaviour (dealing with
offending)
⩥ What are the problems with the behaviourist approach? Answer:
Generalising from animal studies, Ethical issues associated with animal
research, Reductionist & Deterministic
⩥ Which side of the nature nurture debate is the behaviourist approach
on? Answer: Nurture
⩥ What is the name given to psychologists who subscribe to the
behaviourist approach? Answer: Empiricists
⩥ What is the learning approach developed by Bandura called? Answer:
Social learning theory
