AQA A LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY PAPER 1
INTRODUCTORY TOPICS IN PSYCHOLOGY
7182/1 FINAL PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS VERIFIED
◉ ISABELLA ET AL (1989). Answer: observed 30 babies and their
mothers and found that higher levels of interactional synchrony
were associated with better quality attachment
◉ RECIPROCITY. Answer: one person responds to another to elicit
another response. involves close attention to each other's verbal and
facial signals.
◉ LIMITATION OF CAREGIVER-INFANT INTERACTION STUDIES:
HARD TO DETERMINE WHAT IS GOING ON. Answer: all that is being
observed is merely hand gestures or changes in movement →
difficult to be sure, based on these observations what is taking place
from infant's perspective.
◉ STRENGTH OF CAREGIVER-INFANT INTERACTION STUDIES:
WELL-CONTROLLED PROCEDURES. Answer: interactions usually
filmed from multiple angles → very fine detail can be recorded.
,babies unaware of being observed so behaviour doesn't change (no
demand characteristics).
∴ studies have good validity.
◉ LIMITATION OF CAREGIVER-INFANT INTERACTION STUDIES:
DON'T TELL US PURPOSE OF SYNCHRONY AND RECIPROCITY.
Answer: reciprocity and synchrony simply point out behaviours that
occur at the same time - observations don't tell us the purpose,
though.
◉ LIMITATION OF CAREGIVER-INFANT INTERACTION STUDIES:
SOCIAL SENSITIVITY. Answer: caregiver-infant interaction research
suggests that children may be disadvantaged by certain child-
rearing practices, specifically mothers who return to work soon after
birth. this is a socially sensitive issue as it creates a negative view of
the working mother.
◉ STRENGTH OF CAREGIVER-INFANT INTERACTION STUDIES:
POTENTIAL VALUE TO SOCIETY. Answer: research could lead to
valuable methods of improving mother-infant attachments -
particularly in at-risk groups.
◉ PRIMARY ATTACHMENT. Answer: the first strong bond a child
makes with a career, demonstrated by the intensity of the
relationship, is normally associated as the mother
,◉ SECONDARY ATTACHMENTS. Answer: additional attachments
that the baby forms with close family members such as father or
grandparents
◉ GROSSMAN (2002). Answer: longitudinal study looking at
relationship btwn parents' behaviour and quality of attachments
into teens.
found that quality of attachment w/ father was less important in
attachment type of teenager than that of the mother.
∴ fathers may be less important in long-term emotional
development.
◉ ROLE OF THE FATHER - PLAY. Answer: quality of father's play
related to children's attachments.
suggests fathers' role in attachment is more related to play and
stimulation than nurturing.
◉ FATHER AS PRIMARY CAREGIVER. Answer: evidence suggests
that when fathers take on role as primary caregiver they adopt
typical behaviours of mothers.
, level of response is important: can be the more nurturing
attachment figure if they give correct cues such as smiling, holding
hands, etc.
◉ LIMITATION OF RESEARCH INTO ROLE OF THE FATHER:
RESEARCHERS INTERESTED IN DIFFERENT QUESTIONS. Answer:
some psychologists are interested in father as primary attachment
figure, some interested in father as secondary attachment figure →
psychologists see them in each light specific to which type of
research is being carried out.
∴ psychologists cannot answer simple question over role of father
◉ LIMITATION OF RESEARCH INTO ROLE OF THE
FATHER:EVIDENCE UNDERMINES IDEA OF DISTINCT ROLES.
Answer: Grossman found that fathers as secondary figures had
distinct play-based role in children's development.
Other studies on single or same-sex parent families found no
difference in development → suggests father's role in secondary
attachment is not important.
◉ LIMITATION OF RESEARCH INTO ROLE OF THE FATHER: NO
CLEAR ANSWER OVER FATHER AND PRIMARY ATTACHMENTS.
INTRODUCTORY TOPICS IN PSYCHOLOGY
7182/1 FINAL PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS VERIFIED
◉ ISABELLA ET AL (1989). Answer: observed 30 babies and their
mothers and found that higher levels of interactional synchrony
were associated with better quality attachment
◉ RECIPROCITY. Answer: one person responds to another to elicit
another response. involves close attention to each other's verbal and
facial signals.
◉ LIMITATION OF CAREGIVER-INFANT INTERACTION STUDIES:
HARD TO DETERMINE WHAT IS GOING ON. Answer: all that is being
observed is merely hand gestures or changes in movement →
difficult to be sure, based on these observations what is taking place
from infant's perspective.
◉ STRENGTH OF CAREGIVER-INFANT INTERACTION STUDIES:
WELL-CONTROLLED PROCEDURES. Answer: interactions usually
filmed from multiple angles → very fine detail can be recorded.
,babies unaware of being observed so behaviour doesn't change (no
demand characteristics).
∴ studies have good validity.
◉ LIMITATION OF CAREGIVER-INFANT INTERACTION STUDIES:
DON'T TELL US PURPOSE OF SYNCHRONY AND RECIPROCITY.
Answer: reciprocity and synchrony simply point out behaviours that
occur at the same time - observations don't tell us the purpose,
though.
◉ LIMITATION OF CAREGIVER-INFANT INTERACTION STUDIES:
SOCIAL SENSITIVITY. Answer: caregiver-infant interaction research
suggests that children may be disadvantaged by certain child-
rearing practices, specifically mothers who return to work soon after
birth. this is a socially sensitive issue as it creates a negative view of
the working mother.
◉ STRENGTH OF CAREGIVER-INFANT INTERACTION STUDIES:
POTENTIAL VALUE TO SOCIETY. Answer: research could lead to
valuable methods of improving mother-infant attachments -
particularly in at-risk groups.
◉ PRIMARY ATTACHMENT. Answer: the first strong bond a child
makes with a career, demonstrated by the intensity of the
relationship, is normally associated as the mother
,◉ SECONDARY ATTACHMENTS. Answer: additional attachments
that the baby forms with close family members such as father or
grandparents
◉ GROSSMAN (2002). Answer: longitudinal study looking at
relationship btwn parents' behaviour and quality of attachments
into teens.
found that quality of attachment w/ father was less important in
attachment type of teenager than that of the mother.
∴ fathers may be less important in long-term emotional
development.
◉ ROLE OF THE FATHER - PLAY. Answer: quality of father's play
related to children's attachments.
suggests fathers' role in attachment is more related to play and
stimulation than nurturing.
◉ FATHER AS PRIMARY CAREGIVER. Answer: evidence suggests
that when fathers take on role as primary caregiver they adopt
typical behaviours of mothers.
, level of response is important: can be the more nurturing
attachment figure if they give correct cues such as smiling, holding
hands, etc.
◉ LIMITATION OF RESEARCH INTO ROLE OF THE FATHER:
RESEARCHERS INTERESTED IN DIFFERENT QUESTIONS. Answer:
some psychologists are interested in father as primary attachment
figure, some interested in father as secondary attachment figure →
psychologists see them in each light specific to which type of
research is being carried out.
∴ psychologists cannot answer simple question over role of father
◉ LIMITATION OF RESEARCH INTO ROLE OF THE
FATHER:EVIDENCE UNDERMINES IDEA OF DISTINCT ROLES.
Answer: Grossman found that fathers as secondary figures had
distinct play-based role in children's development.
Other studies on single or same-sex parent families found no
difference in development → suggests father's role in secondary
attachment is not important.
◉ LIMITATION OF RESEARCH INTO ROLE OF THE FATHER: NO
CLEAR ANSWER OVER FATHER AND PRIMARY ATTACHMENTS.
