AQA A LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY PAPER 2
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADE A+
Give one reason why schema's are useful?
When we're in unknown situations schemas help us know how to behave.
So when we do not know what to do our schema fills in the gaps for us
and allow us to process situations better.
Give one reason why schema's are not useful?
schemas may exclude information which doesn't conform to our prior
expectations. As a result, we may form stereotypes which are
difficult to shift, even if new,disputing information is presented.
This means we may not be processing the world around us accurately
and may misjudge or represent a person or situation.
Discuss the defense mechanism shown by Jed?
Displacement is when we redirect our hostile feelings onto something
else because it is not appropriate to express their feeling towards
the person or object in question. Jed can't take his frustration out
on his teacher, who issued the detention and he displaced his
feelings by kicking the locker.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the
biological approach,
(A01 Behaviourist)
The behaviourist approach suggests that the basic processes that
govern learning in all species are the same. We learn through two
concepts: operant conditioning and classical conditioning.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the
biological approach, (classical conditioning)
The idea of classical conditioning was developed by Pavlov who found
that we learn through association. He found that it was possible to
condition dogs to associate the sound of a bell with food. This
resulted in the dogs producing a salivation response at the sound of
a bell even when no food was present. Pavlov demonstrated that
repeated exposure to an event leads to a learned and uncontrollable
behaviour.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the
biological approach, (operant conditioning)
Skinner suggested behaviour resulted from learning through the
consequences of our actions. He conducted research into operant
conditioning theory using rats, and found that three types of
consequences will affect behaviour: positive reinforcement involves
, rewarding a behaviour, which increases it being repeated; negative
reinforcement involves removing an unpleasant outcome to increase it
being repeated; punishment involves adding an unpleasant
outcome,reducing the behaviour.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the
biological approach, (similarity to biological)
Both the behaviourist approach and biological approach share a
similarity in being determinist. Both ignore the influence that the
person can have and whether they have free will and can make their
own choices in these decisions.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the
biological approach, (difference)
However, they differ in that the behaviourist approach is
environmentally determinist while the biological approach is
biologically determinist. Stating that behaviour is the product of
internal biological factors (e.g. genes, hormones, neurotransmitters,
etc.) while behaviourists argue that behaviour is determined by the
environment and is a product of stimulus-response associations
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the
biological approach (similarity)
Both approaches take a nomothetic approach when studying human
behaviour. Both investigate behaviour to try to create universal laws
that apply to all human beings. Biologists argue that this is
possible because human beings share similar physiologies, and
behaviourists argue that this is possible because all behaviour is
the result of learning and stimulus-response associations. Therefore,
the aim of generating universal laws that apply to all humans is
another similarity between the behaviourist and biological approaches.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the
biological approach (nature + nurture)
the behaviourist approach and biological approach are different in
their position on the nature-nurture debate. Behaviourist views rest
firmly on the nurture side of the debate, and that human beings are
blank slates and that all behaviour is learned. Biological
psychologists argue a nature-based view of behaviour. They posit that
behaviour is the result of innate biological factors (e.g. genes,
hormones, neurotransmitters. etc.) and is, therefore, the product of
nature and not nurture. Therefore, despite their similarities in
terms of determinism and their approach to investigation, the
behaviourist and biological approaches are radically different in
terms of their position on the nature-nurture debate.
Name a difference between somatic nervous system and autonomic
nervous system?
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADE A+
Give one reason why schema's are useful?
When we're in unknown situations schemas help us know how to behave.
So when we do not know what to do our schema fills in the gaps for us
and allow us to process situations better.
Give one reason why schema's are not useful?
schemas may exclude information which doesn't conform to our prior
expectations. As a result, we may form stereotypes which are
difficult to shift, even if new,disputing information is presented.
This means we may not be processing the world around us accurately
and may misjudge or represent a person or situation.
Discuss the defense mechanism shown by Jed?
Displacement is when we redirect our hostile feelings onto something
else because it is not appropriate to express their feeling towards
the person or object in question. Jed can't take his frustration out
on his teacher, who issued the detention and he displaced his
feelings by kicking the locker.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the
biological approach,
(A01 Behaviourist)
The behaviourist approach suggests that the basic processes that
govern learning in all species are the same. We learn through two
concepts: operant conditioning and classical conditioning.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the
biological approach, (classical conditioning)
The idea of classical conditioning was developed by Pavlov who found
that we learn through association. He found that it was possible to
condition dogs to associate the sound of a bell with food. This
resulted in the dogs producing a salivation response at the sound of
a bell even when no food was present. Pavlov demonstrated that
repeated exposure to an event leads to a learned and uncontrollable
behaviour.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the
biological approach, (operant conditioning)
Skinner suggested behaviour resulted from learning through the
consequences of our actions. He conducted research into operant
conditioning theory using rats, and found that three types of
consequences will affect behaviour: positive reinforcement involves
, rewarding a behaviour, which increases it being repeated; negative
reinforcement involves removing an unpleasant outcome to increase it
being repeated; punishment involves adding an unpleasant
outcome,reducing the behaviour.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the
biological approach, (similarity to biological)
Both the behaviourist approach and biological approach share a
similarity in being determinist. Both ignore the influence that the
person can have and whether they have free will and can make their
own choices in these decisions.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the
biological approach, (difference)
However, they differ in that the behaviourist approach is
environmentally determinist while the biological approach is
biologically determinist. Stating that behaviour is the product of
internal biological factors (e.g. genes, hormones, neurotransmitters,
etc.) while behaviourists argue that behaviour is determined by the
environment and is a product of stimulus-response associations
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the
biological approach (similarity)
Both approaches take a nomothetic approach when studying human
behaviour. Both investigate behaviour to try to create universal laws
that apply to all human beings. Biologists argue that this is
possible because human beings share similar physiologies, and
behaviourists argue that this is possible because all behaviour is
the result of learning and stimulus-response associations. Therefore,
the aim of generating universal laws that apply to all humans is
another similarity between the behaviourist and biological approaches.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the
biological approach (nature + nurture)
the behaviourist approach and biological approach are different in
their position on the nature-nurture debate. Behaviourist views rest
firmly on the nurture side of the debate, and that human beings are
blank slates and that all behaviour is learned. Biological
psychologists argue a nature-based view of behaviour. They posit that
behaviour is the result of innate biological factors (e.g. genes,
hormones, neurotransmitters. etc.) and is, therefore, the product of
nature and not nurture. Therefore, despite their similarities in
terms of determinism and their approach to investigation, the
behaviourist and biological approaches are radically different in
terms of their position on the nature-nurture debate.
Name a difference between somatic nervous system and autonomic
nervous system?
