AS Edexcel
Cognitive exam questions
2009 - 2013
Section B-C
Add this each time a group has done it
(copy & paste)
G1
G2
Tips
Consider changing a question, write it
differently:
Colour code different sections
Theories
- MSM (Atkinson & Shiffran, 1968)
- LOP (Craik &Lockheart, 1972)
Studies
- Craik & Tulving (1975)
- Godden & Baddley (1975)
Key Issues
- Eye witness testimony
Methodology
Section B
G1
January 2009
Q 14a (5 marks)
- You will have learned about one of the following
studies in detail from the Cognitive Approach:
• Peterson and Peterson (1959) study of the role of
interference
• Craik and Tulving (1975) study of levels of processing
• Ramponi et al (2004) study of age and levels of
processing
Describe one study from the list.
(write name of study down then complete)
January 2009
Q 14b (4 marks)
Outline one strength and one weakness of the
study you described in (a).
Strength…
Weakness…
January 2009
Q 16 (4 marks)
Explain why in psychology it might be preferable
to use a research method that produces
qualitative rather than quantitative data.
May 2009
Q 11 (12 marks)
A field experiment was carried out to see if environmental cues can aid recall. A
student ice hockey team learned a list of 20 unrelated words in an ice rink. Half the
group were then taken to a library (control group) whilst the other half (experimental
group) stayed in the ice rink. Both groups then had to recall as many of the 20 words
as possible.
The results are shown in the table below:
Mean number of words recalled
(out of 20)
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
Control group (Library)
Experimental group (Ice rink)
10
16
Which design is being used in this study? (1)
Explain why this design is appropriate for this study. (2)
Which measure of central tendency is being used in the table above? (1)
Would this study have high or low validity? Explain your answer. (2)
The researchers would have followed ethical guidelines. With reference to this
study, explain two ethical guidelines they would have to consider. (4)
(f) Outline one weakness of field experiments in general. (2)
May 2009
Q 14 (5 marks)
(a) Identify one model or theory of memory. (1)
(b) Describe the model or theory of memory
that you identified in (a). (4)
May2009
Q 15 (5 marks)
You are sitting in a lesson and suddenly hear a loud
explosion outside. You run to the window with all
your classmates and see a large cloud of smoke and
people running around. You are questioned the
next day by the police about what happened.
Using concepts, theories and/or research from the
Cognitive Approach explain why your recall of the
event might differ from others who saw the same
incident.
January 2010
Q 11 (7 marks)
You will have learned about a number of studies
from the Cognitive Approach. Answer the following
questions using one study you have learned.
(a) Identify one study from the Cognitive Approach.
(1)
(b) Describe the findings (results and/or
conclusions) of the study you identified in (a).
(4)
(c) Outline one strength of the study you identified
in (a). (2)
January 2010
Q 12 (6 marks)
As part of the course requirements for cognitive
psychology you will have conducted an experiment.
(a) Outline the aim/purpose of your experiment. (2)
(b) You will have chosen a design for your
experiment. Outline one strength and one
weakness of using that experimental design. You
must identify the design you used in your
answer. (4)
January 2010
Q 13 (5 marks)
There are three types of experiments (natural, field
and laboratory). Compare field experiments and
laboratory experiments.
Comparisons involve looking at similarities and
differences. You may wish to include strengths and
weaknesses such as:
• validity
• reliability
• ethics
January 2010
Q 15 (9 marks)
(a) Describe one theory of forgetting you have
studied other than cue dependency theory. (4)
(a) Evaluate one theory of forgetting. You may wish
to include:
• comparison with other theories
• looking at the methods used to study the theory
• assessing evidence. (5)
June 2010
Q13 (4 marks)
Each of the approaches in psychology has main
features (underlying concepts) that define it.
Describe one or more main features of the
Cognitive Approach in psychology.
June 2010
Q14 (5 marks)
Describe the Levels of Processing model of
memory.
June 2010
Q15 (12 marks)
(a) You want to investigate gender differences in the
speed of texting on mobile phones in order to
see who are the fastest, males or females.
Cognitive psychology would suggest you use a
laboratory experiment for this kind of
investigation.
(i) Identify the independent variable (IV) and the
dependent variable (DV) in this case. (2)
Continued on next slide
June 2010
Q15 (12 marks) continued
(ii) Write a plan showing how you would go
about your investigation.
In your plan you may wish to include:
• sampling
• procedure
• controls (4)
June 2010
Q15 (12 marks) continued
(b) Laboratory experiments have strengths and
weaknesses.
(i) Outline one strength of a laboratory
experiment. (2)
(ii) Outline one weakness of a laboratory
experiment. (2)
(iii) You will have studied two other types of
experiment apart from laboratory experiments.
Name these two types of experiment. (2)
January 2011
Q13 (8 marks)
Many parents complain that their children eat too much
junk food such as burgers and chips. Imagine that you
have been asked to carry out a survey to investigate
teenagers’ attitudes to healthy eating.
(a) What is meant by a survey? (2)
(b) Write an open question you might ask participants in
this survey about healthy eating. (1)
(c) Write a closed question you might ask participants in
this survey about healthy eating. (1)
(d) Outline two weaknesses of surveys in general. (4)
January 2011
Q14 (8 marks)
You will have learned about one of the following studies in detail from
cognitive psychology:
• Peterson and Peterson (1959)
• Craik and Tulving (1975)
• Ramponi et al (2004)
(a) Outline the aim(s) and conclusion(s) of one of these studies. (3)
(b) Evaluate the study you have used in (a). You might want to
consider issues of:
• Reliability
• Validity
• application to real life. (5)
January 2011
Q15 (7 marks)
You will have studied a key issue from the Cognitive Approach.
(a) Describe one key issue from the Cognitive Approach. (4)
(a) Imagine there has been a TV programme about the key
issue you have described in (a). You receive an e-mail from
your friend about the programme.
Write a short e-mail that you could send to your friend to help
explain this key issue using one concept (idea, theory or
research) from the Cognitive Approach. (3)
May 2011
Q13 (8 marks)
(a) Describe one theory of forgetting you have
studied within cognitive psychology other
than the cue dependent theory. (4)
(b) Outline one strength and one weakness of
the theory you described in (a). (4)
May 2011
Q15 (11 marks) a-e
Mrs Smith took over Mrs Jones’s Psychology class in January because
Mrs Jones went on maternity leave. Mr Brown’s class was not affected
by staff change. Researchers decided to use this as a natural
experiment to discover whether the students’ level of attendance is
affected by staff change part way through the year.
Figure 1: Table of Results to show class attendance throughout the
year
Mrs Smith’s & Mrs
Jones’s class
Mr Brown’s class
Class attendance (%)
before January
80%
95%
Class attendance (%)
from January onwards
92%
93%
Section C
January 2009
Q 18 (12 marks)
• Describe and evaluate the cue dependent
theory of forgetting. Your evaluation should
include:
- comparison with one other theory of
forgetting
- strengths and/or weaknesses of the cue
dependent theory.
June 2010
Q17 (12 marks)
Describe and evaluate Godden and Baddeley’s
(1975) study of cue dependent forgetting.
January 2011
Q16 (5 marks)
As part of the course requirements for cognitive
psychology you will have conducted a practical
using an experiment.
Evaluate your experiment. You may wish to look at:
• your sample
• how you controlled variables
• your research design decisions
• any ethical issues. (5)
May 2011
Question 1 (1 mark)
• Mr. Swain decides to investigate whether giving
feedback via e- mail to his students about their work
will improve their performance on future tests. He
selects two of his classes and decides to give class A
feedback and class B no feedback.
• Which type of design is being used in this study?
• A repeated measures
• B independent groups
• C matchedpairs D correlation
May 2011
Question 1 (1 mark)
• Mr. Swain decides to investigate whether giving
feedback via e- mail to his students about their work
will improve their performance on future tests. He
selects two of his classes and decides to give class A
feedback and class B no feedback.
• Which type of design is being used in this study?
• A repeated measures
• B independent groups
• C matchedpairs D correlation
May 2011
Question 2 (1 mark)
• The students in class B are told that neither
class will get feedback. Which ethical guideline
is being broken here?
A right to withdraw
B consent
C deception
D confidentiality
May 2011
Question 2 (1 mark)
• The students in class B are told that neither
class will get feedback. Which ethical guideline
is being broken here?
A right to withdraw
B consent
C deception
D confidentiality
May 2011
Question 3 (1 mark)
• Mr Swain devises the following hypotheses for his
study ‘students that receive feedback about their work
will do better on future tests than those who receive
no feedback’.
• Which of the following types of hypotheses is this an
example of
• A directional (one tailed)
• B nondirectional (two tailed)
• C null
May 2011
Question 3 (1 mark)
• Mr Swain devises the following hypotheses for his
study ‘students that receive feedback about their work
will do better on future tests than those who receive
no feedback’.
• Which of the following types of hypotheses is this an
example of
• A directional (one tailed)
• B nondirectional (two tailed)
• C null
May 2011
Question 4 (1 mark)
• Class B which receives no feedback is also
known as the
•
•
•
•
A experimental group
B control group
C independent group
D laboratory group
May 2011
Question 4 (1 mark)
• Class B which receives no feedback is also
known as the
•
•
•
•
A experimental group
B control group
C independent group
D laboratory group
May 2011
Question 5 (1 mark)
• Qualitative data is normally gathered in the
form of
•
•
•
•
A percentages
B numbers
C words
D graphs
May 2011
Question 5 (1 mark)
• Qualitative data is normally gathered in the
form of
•
•
•
•
A percentages
B numbers
C words
D graphs
May 2011
Question 6 (1 mark)
• The extent to which research conditions
represent real life is known as
•
•
•
•
A experimenter realism
B experimental realism
C participant validity
D ecological validity
May 2011
Question 6 (1 mark)
• The extent to which research conditions
represent real life is known as
•
•
•
•
A experimenter realism
B experimental realism
C participant validity
D ecological validity
May 2011
Question 10 (1 mark)
• Holding and keeping information in memory is
known as
•
•
•
•
A retrieval
B forgetting
C encoding
D storage
May 2011
Question 10 (1 mark)
• Holding and keeping information in memory is
known as
•
•
•
•
A retrieval
B forgetting
C encoding
D storage
May 2011
Question 11 (1 mark)
• Sumita wanted to make sure her presentation was
word- perfect and decided to use elaborative rehearsal
to help.
• Elaborative rehearsal refers to
• A learning and recalling information in the same
environment
• B delaying recall of information after learning it
• C a deeper consideration of information
• D rehearsing information to keep it for a short time
May 2011
Question 11 (1 mark)
• Sumita wanted to make sure her presentation was
word- perfect and decided to use elaborative rehearsal
to help.
• Elaborative rehearsal refers to
• A learning and recalling information in the same
environment
• B delaying recall of information after learning it
• C a deeper consideration of information
• D rehearsing information to keep it for a short time
May 2011
Question 13a (4 mark)
• Describe one theory of forgetting you have
studied within cognitive psychology other
than the cue dependent theory. (4) (Trace
Decay/ Interference)
May 2011
Question 13b (4 mark)
• Outline one strength and one weakness of the
theory described in (a). (4)
May 2011
Question 15a (2 mark)
• Mrs Smith is to take over Mrs Jones’s
Psychology class in January, as Mrs Jones is
going on maternity leave. Mr Brown’s class is
not affected by staff change. Researchers have
decided to use this as a natural experiment to
discover whether attendance is affected by
staff change part way through the year.
• Define what is meant by natural experiment.
May 2011
Question 15a (2 mark)
• Mrs Smith is to take over Mrs Jones’s
Psychology class in January, as Mrs Jones is
going on maternity leave. Mr Brown’s class is
not affected by staff change. Researchers have
decided to use this as a natural experiment to
discover whether attendance is affected by
staff change part way through the year.
• Define what is meant by natural experiment.
May 2011
Question 15b (2 mark)
• Identify both the independent variable (IV)
and the dependent (DV) variable in this
experiment.
May 2011
Question 15c (2 mark)
• Write a suitable null hypothesis for this
experiment.
May 2011
Question 15d (2 mark)
• Using the table in Figure 1, describe the
results of this experiment.
Mrs Smith’s and
Mrs Jones’s class
Mr Brown’s class
Class attendance
(%) before January
80%
95%
Class attendance
(%) from January
onwards
92%
93%
May 2011
Question 15e (2 mark)
• Identify one participant or situational
(extraneous) variable in this experiment and
suggest how it may have affected the results.
May 2011
Question 17 (12 mark)
• Describe and evaluate the Levels of Processing
model of memory.