Exam questions 1: 120 minutes.
Instruction: In this paper, you must recall in detail the definitions, strengths and
weaknesses, application of observation, self-report, correlation, longitudinal and
case studies which I have been teaching you for 6 months. Thank you.
A. Comprehension.
1) Describe the positive correlation and a negative correlation, using any examples.
(6)
6 marks including 3 marks for positive correlation, 3 marks for negative correlation.
Positive correlation:
- What: A positive correlation is a relationship between two variables where both
increase or decrease together
- How: Phần này nêu example nào cũng được hoặc example trong core nếu nhớ
thì càng tốt. For example, there is a positive correlation between the number of
hours studied and exam scores; students who study more tend to achieve higher
scores.
- Why: (phần này nêu strength hoặc ứng dụng): The positive correlation allows
for predictions and illustrates the relationship bw two co-varibles either strong
or weak (strength). (extended application – must be relevant with How) In
education, teachers can encourage students to study more to improve their
performance, knowing that more study time is linked to better results.
Negative correlation:
- What: A negative correlation is a relationship between two variables where one
increases while the other decreases.
- How: For instance, there is a negative correlation between stress levels and sleep
duration that people who experience higher stress tend to sleep fewer hours.
- Why: Understanding that high stress reduces sleep quality, psychologists can design
relaxation techniques to help people improve their sleep and overall well-being.
2) Describe two types of observation, using any examples (6)
Tự nêu 2 loại trong tổng số 8 loại observation, tuy nhiên nên nêu 2 loại versus nhau,
phần này cô lấy ví dụ như sau:
What: Covert observation is a type of observation where participants are unaware that
they are being observed.
How: For example, a researcher studying group dynamics might secretly observe how
employees interact in a workplace without informing them of the study.
Why: covert observation helps to reduce demand characteristics and social desirability
bias, meaning participants behave naturally, leading to more valid results.
Tự làm phần còn lại nhé.
3) Describe two types of self-report, using any examples (6)
Tương tự, miêu tả questionnaire và interview. Có thể mô tả 2 loại trong interview
cũng được nhưng nó không phải 2 dạng lớn của self-reports, đó là subtypes.
4) Define what is meant by a correlation in psychological research, using any
examples (2)
What: A correlation in psychological research refers to a statistical relationship
between two co-variables, indicating how one variable changes in relation to the other.
How: (link ví dụ): In Baron-Cohen et al.’s study on theory of mind, there was a
correlation between AS/HFA and performance on the Eyes Task, participants with AS
tended to score lower on the test compared to normal group while AQ test was high.
5) Define what is meant by a longitudinal in psychological research, using any
examples (2)
What: A longitudinal study in psychological research is a research method that
involves studying the same participants over an extended period to observe changes
over time.
How: In Hölzel et al.’s study on mindfulness, researchers conducted a longitudinal
study to examine the effects of an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)
program. They found that participants showed increased gray matter density in brain
regions associated with learning, memory, and emotion regulation over time.
6) Explain the strengths and weaknesses of case studies. (6)
Strength:
- What: Case studies provide an in-depth investigation of an individual, group, or
event, often using multiple research methods such as interviews, observations, and
psychological tests.
- How: tự lấy example, ví dụ đứa bé sợ nút áo được thu data in-depth về trauma,…
- Why: which is useful for studying rare conditions and generating new theories that
can be tested in further research.
Weakness: tự viết
7) The researchers wondered whether there would be a relationship between time
spent on mindfulness activities over the eight weeks and increase in grey matter
concentration”
a. Explain why this part of the study was a correlation (2)
What: A correlation is a research method that examines the relationship between two
co-variables without manipulating them.
Why: In this study, researchers measured the amount of time participants spent on
mindfulness activities and the increase in grey matter concentration, analysing
whether changes in one variable were associated with changes in the other rather than
establishing a cause-and-effect relationship.
b. Explain one disadvantage of using correlational analysis (2)
- What: A disadvantage of correlational analysis is that it does not establish causation.
- How: Even if the study finds a positive correlation between mindfulness practice
and grey matter increase, it cannot confirm that mindfulness directly caused the brain
changes, as other factors (e.g., lifestyle, genetics) may have influenced the results.
(2 marks for part a: 1 mark for defining correlation, 1 mark for linking to the
study)
(2 marks for part b: 1 mark for identifying the limitation, 1 mark for explaining
why it is a disadvantage)
B. Application and Analysis.
1) Lotty and Nazeem are aiming to observe emotional responses to different films
at the cinema. They have different ideas for recording people’s emotions. Lotty
wants to do a structured observation, with fixed behaviours to record. However,
Nazeem wants to do an unstructured observation, and record whatever
behaviours are shown.
a. Suggest one way the aim of Lotty and Nazeem’s observation is ethical. (2)
b. Suggest how behaviours could be recorded using Lotty’s idea to do a structured
observation. (4)
c. Explain one advantage of Lotty’s idea to do a structured observation. (2)
d. Explain one advantage of Nazeem’s idea to do an unstructured observation. (2)
a. Suggest one way the aim of Lotty and Nazeem’s observation is ethical. (2
marks)
- What: One way their observation is ethical is by ensuring participants give informed
consent.
- How: Before observing emotional responses, they could inform cinema-goers about
the study and obtain their consent, ensuring that participants are aware of and agree to
being observed.
b. Suggest how behaviours could be recorded using Lotty’s idea to do a
structured observation. (4 marks)
- What: In a structured observation, researchers use a predetermined list of specific
behaviors to record.
- How: Lotty could create a behavioral checklist including facial expressions (e.g.,
smiling, frowning), body language (e.g., covering face, leaning forward), and verbal
reactions (e.g., laughter, gasps).
- Why: She could use a tally system to count the frequency of each behavior or use
time sampling to record behaviors at regular intervals (e.g., every 5 minutes).
- Application: This method ensures consistency and makes data collection easier to
analyze.
c. Explain one advantage of Lotty’s idea to do a structured observation. (2
marks)
- What: A structured observation improves reliability by providing standardized data
collection.
- How: Since all observers follow the same checklist, the results are more objective
and can be compared across participants, reducing the risk of bias.
d. Explain one advantage of Nazeem’s idea to do an unstructured observation. (2
marks)
- What: An unstructured observation allows for more in-depth and flexible data
collection.
- How? Since Nazeem does not limit observations to a fixed checklist, he may capture
unexpected emotional reactions that a structured approach might miss, providing
richer qualitative data.
(2 marks for each part: 1 mark for identifying the concept, 1 mark for
explanation/application.)
2) Arjun and Mary have collected data about aggression in adults using an
observation.
a.They want to know if they have good inter-observer reliability. Suggest how they
would test this for their study [3]
- What: Inter-observer reliability is tested by comparing the observations of multiple
researchers to check for consistency.
- How: Arjun and Mary could independently observe the same participants and record
their observations separately using the same behavioral checklist.
- Why: They would then calculate the level of agreement using a statistical measure
such as…
b. Explain why it is important that Arjun and Mary have good inter-observer reliability
in their study [2]
- What: High inter-observer reliability ensures that the data collected is consistent and
objective rather than subjective or biased.
- How: If both observers record similar results, it increases the credibility and
accuracy of the study, making the findings more reliable and valid for drawing
conclusions about aggression in adults.
c. Suggest one advantage of using participant observation in Arjun and Mary’s study
[2]
- What: Participant observation allows researchers to gain deeper insights into natural
behavior.
- How: By being part of the group, Arjun and Mary could observe real-life aggression
in a natural setting, increasing the ecological validity of their findings.
d. Suggest one disadvantage of using participant observation in Arjun and Mary’s
study. [2]
- What: Participant observation may lead to researcher bias.
- How: Since Arjun and Mary are involved in the group, they might unintentionally
influence or misinterpret behaviors, reducing the objectivity of their observations.
3) Sophia and Ethan are investigating the correlation between stress levels and
academic performance in university students. They have different ideas for
measuring these variables.
- Sophia wants to use a structured questionnaire with predetermined questions to
measure stress and academic performance.
- Ethan, however, prefers to conduct open-ended interviews to explore students’
experiences in more depth.
a) Write a directional hypothesis. (2)
There will be a negative correlation between stress levels and academic performance
in university students, such that higher stress levels will be associated with lower
academic performance.
b) Explain the way to analyse collected data. (4)
- What: The method of analysis depends on the type of data collected—quantitative
or qualitative.
- How:
- Sophia’s structured questionnaire will provide numerical data (e.g., stress scores
and GPA), which can be analyzed using statistical tests.
- Ethan’s open-ended interviews will generate qualitative data, which can be
analyzed using thematic analysis to identify common themes related to how students
experience stress and its impact on academic performance.
- Why: Using both methods ensures a comprehensive understanding of the
relationship between stress and academic performance by combining statistical trends
with in-depth personal experiences.
c) Drawing a graph to represent this relationship. ( positive, negative, no) (2)
Tự vẽ
4) Anna is investigating the impact of a flexible work schedule on employee
productivity in a tech company. She plans to study one particular department indepth, tracking their productivity and work patterns over a six-month period.
(a) Describe how Anna could conduct a case study to understand the impact of a
flexible work schedule on productivity in the department.
Do not describe sample/sampling technique or ethical issues/guidelines in your
answer.
a) 4P trừ people
- Clearly defines a case study as an in-depth investigation.
- Uses multiple research methods (e.g., interviews (cụ thể), observations (cụ thể),
productivity tracking, surveys). Nên dùng triangulation – 3 phương pháp và phân tích
sâu
- Provides examples of how productivity will be measured (e.g., deadlines met, task
completion,…).
- Explains why this approach is useful for understanding the impact of flexible
schedules.
Analyse data: quantitative, qualitative, theo dõi qua các sessions.
Level
Level 5
Score
9-10
Level 4
7-8
Level 3
5-6
Criteria
Provides a
comprehensive
description of a case study
using multiple research
methods, explains why
they are used, includes
clear examples, and
applies to workplace
productivity.
Covers a case study with
at least two research
methods, gives some
explanation of why they
are useful, and includes
some application to
workplace productivity.
Defines a case study,
mentions at least one
research method, but
lacks depth or detailed
Level 2
3-4
Level 1
1-2
explanation. May miss
examples.
Briefly describes a case
study but lacks clear
methods or application to
the workplace. Minimal
explanation.
Minimal or unclear
response. May only
mention “case study”
without details or
methods.
(b) (i) Describe one practical/methodological strength of the procedure you have
described in your answer to part (a).
(b) (ii) Describe one practical/methodological weakness of the procedure you have
described in your answer to part (a).
5) Liam is researching how sleep patterns change in teenagers as they transition
into adulthood. He plans to track the same group of participants over several
years, measuring their sleep duration and quality at multiple points in time.
(a) Describe how Liam could conduct a longitudinal study to examine changes in
sleep patterns among teenagers over time.
(b) (i) Describe one practical/methodological strength of the procedure you have
described in your answer to part (a). Do not refer to sampling or ethics in your answer.
(b) (ii) Describe one practical/methodological weakness of the procedure you have
described in your answer to part (a). Do not refer to sampling or ethics in your answer.
a) 4P
Có đủ sample
-
Defines a longitudinal study as a research method tracking the same
participants over time.
Specifies time intervals for data collection (e.g., every 6 months, annually).
Mentions methods of data collection (e.g., sleep diaries, wearable trackers,
surveys, interviews).
Highlights why this method is suitable for studying sleep changes over time.
Discusses application to teenage development.
Level
Level 5
Score
9-10
Criteria
Gives a detailed and wellstructured description of
a longitudinal study,
includes multiple data
collection methods,
Level 4
7-8
Level 3
5-6
Level 2
3-4
Level 1
1-2
explains why it is
effective, and provides
clear application to
teenage sleep patterns.
Covers longitudinal
research, includes at
least two data collection
methods, and explains
some application to sleep
changes.
Defines a longitudinal
study, mentions one data
collection method, but
lacks depth in explanation
or application.
Briefly describes the study
without clear
methodology or
explanation of how it
tracks changes over time.
Minimal or unclear
response. Might only
mention “longitudinal”
without elaboration.
6) Emily is investigating how customers behave in a supermarket. She is
particularly interested in how they make purchasing decisions and interact with
others while shopping. The supermarket offers various promotions and product
displays that might influence customer behavior. Emily intends to produce a
detailed record of the range of behaviors exhibited by customers in the
supermarket.
(a) Describe how Emily could conduct an observational study using structured
observation to record the range of customer behaviors in the supermarket. Do not
describe sampling technique or ethical issues/guidelines in your answer.
(b) (i) Describe one practical/methodological strength of the procedure you have
described in your answer to part (a).
Do not refer to sampling or ethics in your answer.
(b) (ii) Describe one practical/methodological weakness of the procedure you have
described in your answer to part (a).
Do not refer to sampling or ethics in your answer.
a) 4P – trừ people
-
4 key features: non - ppts or ppts/covert or overt/control or
naturalistic/structured or unstructured.
Defines structured observation as a method using a behavioral checklist.
Specifies categories of behavior to be recorded (e.g., time spent in aisles,
product choices, social interactions).
Explains how behaviors will be recorded (e.g., event sampling, time
sampling, tally system).
Justifies why structured observation is useful for studying customer behavior.
Shows application to supermarket settings (e.g., impact of promotions on
purchasing decisions).
Level
Level 5
Score
9-10
Level 4
7-8
Level 3
5-6
Level 2
3-4
Level 1
1-2
Criteria
Provides a detailed,
structured explanation
of the 4 key features
observation method,
includes specific
behavioral categories,
describes how data will
be recorded, and applies
findings to supermarket
behavior.
Explains structured
observation, 4 key
features mentions at least
three behavioral
categories, and provides
some explanation of how
data is collected.
Defines structured
observation, 4 key featuré
mentions one behavior
category, but lacks depth
or explanation.
Briefly describes the
observation method but
lacks clear structure or
specific behaviors.
Minimal or unclear
response. Might only
mention “observation”
without elaboration.