How to answer
short-answer
questions
SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS
TIPS
• Read the question carefully.
• Determine just what the question is asking.
Underlining key words will help.
• There will be a key element you will be expected
to address.
• A succinct (short and to the point) answer will be
expected.
• Generally, the score indicates how many points
need to be made in your answer.
• Examiners look for key psychological
terminology and explanations in
your answers.
• USE appropriate terms when answering
questions
Question 1
• What is meant by the term
“consciousness”?
ANSWER:
• Consciousness is one’s awareness of
objects and events in the external world
(1 mark), and of ones own existence and
activities (1 mark).
Question 2
• What does the term ‘state of
‘consciousness’ refer to? (2 marks)
• An individual’s level of mental awareness
of sensations, perceptions, memories and
feelings (1 mark). Ones states of
consciousness can range from fully awake
and focussed through to unconsciousness
(1 mark).
Question 3
Fiona is an experienced driver. She can
drive her manual car whilst having an indepth conversation with her sister in the
passenger seat. With reference to Fiona’s
driving, name and justify the
psychological process she applies while
this state of normal waking consciousness.
(2 marks)
Sample higher level answer
• Fiona’s driving is an automatic
process because it requires little
concentration.
• Key terms are ‘name’, ‘describe’ and
‘psychological’. To obtain 1 mark, the
psychological characteristics must be named
and clearly justified.
Sample lower level answer
• Driving requires concentration
• Pay attention to what the question require,
and check your answer. The process is
not named and there is no reference to the
example (i.e. driver is not concentrating on
driving).
Question 4
• A psychologist is conducting research to
investigate the physiological responses
that can indicate different states of
consciousness. Name three of these
physiological responses.
Answer???
• What are the 3 physiological states?
Question 5
• An altered state of consciousness is
different from normal waking
consciousness in a number of ways. Give
an example of an altered state of
consciousness and identify two
psychological characteristics that could
distinguish this example from normal
waking consciousness. (1 + 2 = 3 marks)
Sleep/dreaming/daydreaming
• • thought patterns are
disorganised
• • distorted perception of time
• • lack of control of movements
• • sensations and perceptions are
dulled
Meditation
• • sensations or perceptions are
dulled (for example, pain)
• • distorted perception of time
• • awareness of external
environment is reduced
Hypnosis
• • distorted perception of time
• • sensations or perceptions are
dulled (for example, pain)
• • loss of awareness of self
• • can increase self control (for
example, quitting smoking)
• • more suggestible, so less
inhibited
From drug use
• • thought processes are
disorganised
• • sensations or perceptions are
dulled or heightened
• • memory impaired
• • more/less/inappropriate
emotional reactions
• • distorted perception of time
• • lack of self control
Heightened awareness
• • hyperfocus (selective attention)
• • distorted perception of time
• • extra sensitive perceptions
Question 6
• Yusef has just obtained his driver’s
licence, and is excited about being able to
drive his own car. Yusef understands that
it would be extremely dangerous for him to
drive his new car and talk on a mobile
phone at the same time. Why, in terms of
attention and processing, is it dangerous
to carry out both tasks simultaneously? (2
marks)
Answer
• Driving is a complex task, a controlled process
that requires selective attention. In attempting
to perform these two tasks at once, Yusef would
be using divided attention and would not be
able to concentrate sufficiently on driving, thus
causing danger.
• Students needed to refer to both attention and
processing in order to score full marks for this
question.
Question 7
• Dr Jens, a psychologist, is using hypnosis
with a patient as part of a treatment plan.
During hypnosis a patient is in an altered
state of consciousness. Give three
psychological characteristics the patient
may report to Dr Jens to indicate he is
experiencing an altered state of
consciousness.
Answer:
•
Three psychological characteristics the patient may report include:
– • differences in attention; for example, a very narrow focus on one thought to the
exclusion of all others, or openness to a wide range of stimuli
– • heightened or reduced awareness compared with non-waking consciousness
(NWC)
– • distortions in perception (sensory thresholds) from NWC
– • distortions in cognition/memory/thought processes
– • distortions in the perception of time (may seem to pass faster or slower) from
NWC
– • distortions/changes in time orientation
– • changes in emotional feeling (greater or less than in NWC)
– • changes in self control (greater or less than in NWC)
– • changes in openness to suggestibility (greater or less than in NWC)
– • changes in perception of pain (may be perceived as more or less intense than
in NWC).
•
The answer did not need to refer to hypnosis as the question asked about
altered states of consciousness in general.