1 Read the item and then answer the question that follows.
Psychologists investigating theoretical models of cognitive processing study
human cognitive processing. They sometimes give participants problems to solve
then ask them about the experience afterwards. Typical participant responses are
as follows:
Response A: ‘There were too many things to think about at the same time.’
Response B: ‘I had to do one task at a time, then do the next task, and so on.’
Briefly suggest how each of these responses might inform psychologists investigating models of
human cognitive processing.
.................................................................................................................................
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.................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................
(Total 2 marks)
2 Read the item and then answer the questions that follow.
A behaviourist researcher studying reinforcement carried out a laboratory
experiment. He put a cat in a puzzle box. The cat was able to escape from the
puzzle box by pulling on a string which opened the door. Each time the cat
escaped it was given a food treat. At first, the cat escaped quite slowly, but
with each attempt the escape time decreased.
(a) Explain which type of conditioning is being investigated in this experiment?
........................................................................................................................
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........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
(2)
Read the item and then answer the questions that follow.
The data from the laboratory experiment are shown in the table below.
Time taken for the cat to escape from the puzzle box
Page 1 of 50
, Attempt Time taken for the cat to
escape from the puzzle box
(seconds)
1 63
2 60
3 45
4 37
5 18
6 15
7 5
8 3
(b) Calculate the mean time taken for the cat to escape from the puzzle box. Show your
calculations.
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
(2)
(c) The researcher compared the time taken for the cat to escape at the first attempt, with the
time taken for the eighth attempt. He found that after learning had taken place the cat’s
escape time was: Shade one box only.
A 9 times faster than it was at the start.
B 11 times faster than it was at the start.
C 15 times faster than it was at the start.
D 21 times faster than it was at the start.
(1)
(Total 5 marks)
Page 2 of 50
,3 Read the item and then answer the question that follows.
A psychologist carried out a study of social learning. As part of the
procedure, he showed children aged 4-5 years a film of a 4 year-old boy
stroking a puppy. Whilst the children watched the film, the psychologist
commented on how kind the boy was. After the children had watched
the film, the psychologist brought a puppy into the room and watched to
see how the children behaved with the puppy.
Outline what is meant by social learning theory and explain how social learning might have
occurred in the procedure described above.
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Extra space...............................................................................................................
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(Total 6 marks)
Page 3 of 50
, 4 Discuss two limitations of social learning theory.
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Extra space...............................................................................................................
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(Total 6 marks)
5 A cognitive psychologist investigating how memory works gave participants the same word list to
recall in one of two conditions. All the words were of equal difficulty.
Condition 1: Ten participants recalled the words in the same room in which they had learned the
words.
Condition 2: Ten different participants recalled the words in a room that was not the same room
as that in which they had learned the words.
The following results were obtained:
Mean values and standard deviations for Condition 1 and Condition 2 in a memory
experiment.
Condition 1 Condition 2
Mean 15.9 10.6
Standard deviation 3.78 1.04
Page 4 of 50
Psychologists investigating theoretical models of cognitive processing study
human cognitive processing. They sometimes give participants problems to solve
then ask them about the experience afterwards. Typical participant responses are
as follows:
Response A: ‘There were too many things to think about at the same time.’
Response B: ‘I had to do one task at a time, then do the next task, and so on.’
Briefly suggest how each of these responses might inform psychologists investigating models of
human cognitive processing.
.................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................
(Total 2 marks)
2 Read the item and then answer the questions that follow.
A behaviourist researcher studying reinforcement carried out a laboratory
experiment. He put a cat in a puzzle box. The cat was able to escape from the
puzzle box by pulling on a string which opened the door. Each time the cat
escaped it was given a food treat. At first, the cat escaped quite slowly, but
with each attempt the escape time decreased.
(a) Explain which type of conditioning is being investigated in this experiment?
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
(2)
Read the item and then answer the questions that follow.
The data from the laboratory experiment are shown in the table below.
Time taken for the cat to escape from the puzzle box
Page 1 of 50
, Attempt Time taken for the cat to
escape from the puzzle box
(seconds)
1 63
2 60
3 45
4 37
5 18
6 15
7 5
8 3
(b) Calculate the mean time taken for the cat to escape from the puzzle box. Show your
calculations.
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
(2)
(c) The researcher compared the time taken for the cat to escape at the first attempt, with the
time taken for the eighth attempt. He found that after learning had taken place the cat’s
escape time was: Shade one box only.
A 9 times faster than it was at the start.
B 11 times faster than it was at the start.
C 15 times faster than it was at the start.
D 21 times faster than it was at the start.
(1)
(Total 5 marks)
Page 2 of 50
,3 Read the item and then answer the question that follows.
A psychologist carried out a study of social learning. As part of the
procedure, he showed children aged 4-5 years a film of a 4 year-old boy
stroking a puppy. Whilst the children watched the film, the psychologist
commented on how kind the boy was. After the children had watched
the film, the psychologist brought a puppy into the room and watched to
see how the children behaved with the puppy.
Outline what is meant by social learning theory and explain how social learning might have
occurred in the procedure described above.
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
Extra space...............................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
(Total 6 marks)
Page 3 of 50
, 4 Discuss two limitations of social learning theory.
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
Extra space...............................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
(Total 6 marks)
5 A cognitive psychologist investigating how memory works gave participants the same word list to
recall in one of two conditions. All the words were of equal difficulty.
Condition 1: Ten participants recalled the words in the same room in which they had learned the
words.
Condition 2: Ten different participants recalled the words in a room that was not the same room
as that in which they had learned the words.
The following results were obtained:
Mean values and standard deviations for Condition 1 and Condition 2 in a memory
experiment.
Condition 1 Condition 2
Mean 15.9 10.6
Standard deviation 3.78 1.04
Page 4 of 50
