AQA Psychology A level 2021 PAPer 2 officiAl
MArk scheMe (Ms) | reseArch Methods, sociAl
influence, MeMory, AttAchMent,
PsychoPAthology | exAMiner Answers, MArking
Points & exAM revision guide
Exam: AQA Psychology A Level 2021 Paper 2
Question 1:
Which of the following best describes the term "operant conditioning"?
A) Learning through imitation
B) Learning through reward and punishment
C) Learning through association
D) Learning through insight
Correct Option: B) Learning through reward and punishment
Rationale: Operant conditioning, developed by B.F. Skinner, describes a method of learning that
occurs through rewards (reinforcements) or punishments, influencing behavior.
Question 2:
What is the role of the amygdala in emotional processing?
A) It regulates breathing.
B) It processes visual information.
C) It is responsible for emotional responses.
D) It controls voluntary movements.
Correct Option: C) It is responsible for emotional responses.
Rationale: The amygdala is crucial in the processing of emotions, particularly fear and pleasure,
and is involved in the formation of emotional memories.
Question 3:
Which study is associated with the concept of the "bystander effect"?
A) Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment
B) Piliavin's Subway Study
,AQA Psychology A level 2021 PAPer 2 officiAl
MArk scheMe (Ms) | reseArch Methods, sociAl
influence, MeMory, AttAchMent,
PsychoPAthology | exAMiner Answers, MArking
Points & exAM revision guide
C) Asch's Conformity Study
D) Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment
Correct Option: B) Piliavin's Subway Study
Rationale: Piliavin's study investigated the bystander effect, demonstrating how the presence of
others can influence an individual's likelihood to help in emergencies.
Question 4:
In the context of memory, what does "rehearsal" refer to?
A) The repetition of information to keep it in short-term memory
B) The process of encoding information
C) The organization of information into meaningful units
D) The retrieval of stored information
Correct Option: A) The repetition of information to keep it in short-term memory
Rationale: Rehearsal is the cognitive process used to maintain information in short-term
memory by repeating it, which can also aid in its transfer to long-term memory.
Question 5:
The "strange situation" is a method developed by which psychologist?
A) Bowlby
B) Ainsworth
C) Harlow
D) Bandura
Correct Option: B) Ainsworth
Rationale: Mary Ainsworth developed the "strange situation" to study attachment styles in
children through observing their behavior in a controlled environment.
Question 6:
, AQA Psychology A level 2021 PAPer 2 officiAl
MArk scheMe (Ms) | reseArch Methods, sociAl
influence, MeMory, AttAchMent,
PsychoPAthology | exAMiner Answers, MArking
Points & exAM revision guide
What type of validity assesses whether a study’s findings can be generalized beyond the specific
context studied?
A) Internal validity
B) Construct validity
C) External validity
D) Ecological validity
Correct Option: C) External validity
Rationale: External validity refers to the extent to which results from a study can be generalized
to other settings, populations, and times.
Question 7:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is primarily used to treat which of the following disorders?
A) Phobias
B) Schizophrenia
C) Bipolar disorder
D) Alzheimer’s disease
Correct Option: A) Phobias
Rationale: CBT is an effective treatment for phobias, as it addresses dysfunctional emotions and
behaviors through goal-oriented strategies.
Question 8:
What is the function of the corpus callosum?
A) To regulate hormone levels
B) To connect the left and right cerebral hemispheres
C) To control voluntary actions
D) To process auditory information
MArk scheMe (Ms) | reseArch Methods, sociAl
influence, MeMory, AttAchMent,
PsychoPAthology | exAMiner Answers, MArking
Points & exAM revision guide
Exam: AQA Psychology A Level 2021 Paper 2
Question 1:
Which of the following best describes the term "operant conditioning"?
A) Learning through imitation
B) Learning through reward and punishment
C) Learning through association
D) Learning through insight
Correct Option: B) Learning through reward and punishment
Rationale: Operant conditioning, developed by B.F. Skinner, describes a method of learning that
occurs through rewards (reinforcements) or punishments, influencing behavior.
Question 2:
What is the role of the amygdala in emotional processing?
A) It regulates breathing.
B) It processes visual information.
C) It is responsible for emotional responses.
D) It controls voluntary movements.
Correct Option: C) It is responsible for emotional responses.
Rationale: The amygdala is crucial in the processing of emotions, particularly fear and pleasure,
and is involved in the formation of emotional memories.
Question 3:
Which study is associated with the concept of the "bystander effect"?
A) Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment
B) Piliavin's Subway Study
,AQA Psychology A level 2021 PAPer 2 officiAl
MArk scheMe (Ms) | reseArch Methods, sociAl
influence, MeMory, AttAchMent,
PsychoPAthology | exAMiner Answers, MArking
Points & exAM revision guide
C) Asch's Conformity Study
D) Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment
Correct Option: B) Piliavin's Subway Study
Rationale: Piliavin's study investigated the bystander effect, demonstrating how the presence of
others can influence an individual's likelihood to help in emergencies.
Question 4:
In the context of memory, what does "rehearsal" refer to?
A) The repetition of information to keep it in short-term memory
B) The process of encoding information
C) The organization of information into meaningful units
D) The retrieval of stored information
Correct Option: A) The repetition of information to keep it in short-term memory
Rationale: Rehearsal is the cognitive process used to maintain information in short-term
memory by repeating it, which can also aid in its transfer to long-term memory.
Question 5:
The "strange situation" is a method developed by which psychologist?
A) Bowlby
B) Ainsworth
C) Harlow
D) Bandura
Correct Option: B) Ainsworth
Rationale: Mary Ainsworth developed the "strange situation" to study attachment styles in
children through observing their behavior in a controlled environment.
Question 6:
, AQA Psychology A level 2021 PAPer 2 officiAl
MArk scheMe (Ms) | reseArch Methods, sociAl
influence, MeMory, AttAchMent,
PsychoPAthology | exAMiner Answers, MArking
Points & exAM revision guide
What type of validity assesses whether a study’s findings can be generalized beyond the specific
context studied?
A) Internal validity
B) Construct validity
C) External validity
D) Ecological validity
Correct Option: C) External validity
Rationale: External validity refers to the extent to which results from a study can be generalized
to other settings, populations, and times.
Question 7:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is primarily used to treat which of the following disorders?
A) Phobias
B) Schizophrenia
C) Bipolar disorder
D) Alzheimer’s disease
Correct Option: A) Phobias
Rationale: CBT is an effective treatment for phobias, as it addresses dysfunctional emotions and
behaviors through goal-oriented strategies.
Question 8:
What is the function of the corpus callosum?
A) To regulate hormone levels
B) To connect the left and right cerebral hemispheres
C) To control voluntary actions
D) To process auditory information
