Unit 4 June 2010
SECTION A: CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Answer ALL questions. You are advised to spend approximately one hour on Section A.
1 (a) Describe the symptoms of schizophrenia. (4)
(b) (i) Describe one explanation for schizophrenia. (4)
(ii) Evaluate the explanation for schizophrenia you have given in (b)(i). (5)
(c) Describe one research method used to study schizophrenia. (4)
2 (a) You have learned about Rosenhan’s (1973) study ‘On being sane in insane places’.
Outline what the pseudo-patients did in the study. (2)
(b) Rosenhan (1973) used primary data. What is meant by primary data? (1)
(c) Many psychologists use primary data to investigate issues in clinical psychology.
Evaluate the use of primary data. (5)
3 You have learned about a study that investigates one disorder other than schizophrenia.
(a) Outline the findings (results and/or conclusions) of this study. Identify the study in
your answer. (3)
Study
(b) Evaluate the study that you have outlined in (a). (5)
*4 Michael has been referred to a therapist for help with his mental health problems. The therapist has
suggested that either a token economy programme or systematic desensitisation will help Michael.
Describe and evaluate either a token economy programme or systematic desensitisation as it is used to
treat mental disorders. Identify the therapy in your answer. (12)
Therapy ..................................
SECTION B: ISSUES AND DEBATES
Answer Questions 5, 6 and 7 and then EITHER Question 8(a) OR Question 8(b).
You are advised to spend approximately one hour on Section B.
5 During your course you will have studied two applications of Psychology from the
following:
• Criminological
• Child
• Health
• Sport.
Choose one of the applications from the list above and explain how it has contributed
to society. (5)
6 (a) Within the Psychodynamic Approach you learned about the study by Freud (1909) into the case of
Little Hans who had a phobia of horses. In this study, Hans’s father wrote to Freud to tell him the content of
Hans’s dreams and his interviews with his child. Freud then analysed this information.
(i) Evaluate this study in terms of validity issues. (2)
(ii) Suggest one way in which the Little Hans study might have been improved. (2)
(b) Freud developed psychoanalysis, a therapy designed to treat patients with psychological issues. Today
there are many other treatments/therapies available to help people. Treatments/therapies can be seen as
forms of social control.
Assess both practical and ethical implications of the social control exerted by those who provide
treatment/therapy. (6)
*7 You have been asked to conduct an experiment to test the effectiveness of two different types of
revision. One type is doing some each day over an extended period (spaced revision). The other type is
where the learner does all the revision in a short period of time (cramming). Write a plan for an experiment
to test which of these two ways of revising is better. You should use either a laboratory experiment, a field
experiment or a natural experiment. You should consider the following issues (there are others):
• design
• variables
• ethical issues
• type of data and how it would be gathered. (12)
Answer EITHER Question 8(a) OR Question 8(b).
EITHER
*8 (a) You have studied the Social, Cognitive, Psychodynamic, Biological and Learning
Approaches during your course. Describe Psychodynamic explanations of human behaviour and evaluate
these explanations using at least two other approaches. (18)
OR
*8 (b) With reference to the article above, use your knowledge of psychological theories
to describe and evaluate one or more explanations for why people behave in this way. (18)
Finders’ keepers? Is taking something from a shipwreck theft?
Several recent incidents of ships losing some of their cargo in stormy weather have revived
behaviour thought to have disappeared from modern life, with people descending on
the coastline to help themselves to the goods washed ashore. The police have reminded
people that such behaviour is theft. Others argue the activities are traditional, people
have done this ever since humans started travelling by sea, and no-one is harmed by
taking shipwrecked goods as the owners will not want to reclaim items spilling out of the
containers into the sea.
With reference to the article above, use your knowledge of psychological theories to describe and evaluate
one or more explanations for why people behave in this way.(18)
Unit 4 June 2011
SECTION A: CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Answer ALL questions. You are advised to spend approximately one hour on Section A.
1 (a) You have learned about either family therapy or care in the community (Social
Approach) as ways of treating mental disorders. Describe one of these treatments/therapies. (4)
(b) Evaluate the treatment/therapy you have described in (a). (4)
(c) A local clinic wants to advertise for lead workers/therapists for their programmes of family therapy and
care in the community. The job description might include responsibilities, guidelines for interacting with
clients and colleagues, and daily duties. For one of these programmes, write a job description for the role
of the person/therapist who will be employed to run the programme.(3)
Programme................................................................................
2 (a) Using an example, outline what is meant by validity when diagnosing mental disorders. (3)
(b) Using psychological research, evaluate issues in the diagnosis of mental disorders. (4)
3 (a) As part of your course in clinical psychology you will have prepared a leaflet in which you have used
secondary data. What is meant by secondary data? (2)
(b) Explain one strength and one weakness of using secondary data in psychological research.(4)
4 (a) Describe the findings (results and/or conclusions) of the study by Rosenhan (1973)
‘On being sane in insane places’. (4)
(b) Evaluate the study by Rosenhan (1973) ‘On being sane in insane places’. (5)
*5 There are many explanations for schizophrenia including biological ones. Describe one explanation for
schizophrenia and compare this with one other explanation. Comparisons include considering similarities
and/or differences. (12)
SECTION B: ISSUES AND DEBATES
Answer Questions 6, 7 and 8 and then EITHER Question 9(a) OR Question 9(b).
You are advised to spend approximately one hour on Section B.
6 (a) Describe the main features of observations as a research method. (4)
(b) (i) Explain one weakness of observations as a research method. (2)
(ii) Explain how the weakness you have explained in (b)(i) could be put right. (2)
7 (a) Read the information below about a psychological study.
A study was conducted into sleep deprivation in rats. The aim of the study was to
see what happened if a rat was not allowed to sleep. Each experimental rat was paired with a control rat.
Every time an experimental rat fell asleep they were woken up by being pushed into water. At the same
time the control rat was pushed into water whether it was asleep or awake.
The experimental rats that had been deprived of sleep suffered from many health problems and all died
within a few weeks. The control rats however remained healthy.
The researchers concluded that lack of sleep caused the health problems and death of the experimental
rats, and this suggests that humans would suffer if they did not get enough sleep.
Evaluate this study in terms of reliability, validity and generalisability. (6)
(b) Describe ethical issues that researchers should take into account when undertaking psychological
research using animals. (4)
8 (a) What is meant by ethnocentrism (ethnocentric bias) in psychological research? (3)
(b) Ethnocentrism can affect the way researchers interpret their findings. Assess how ethnocentrism
may influence the conclusions of psychological research. (6)
Answer EITHER Question 9(a) OR Question 9(b).
EITHER
*9 (a) Describe the contributions to society of the Cognitive and Psychodynamic Approaches, and compare
the two approaches in terms of their scientific status. (18)
OR
*9 (b) Read the information in the box below.
Montbretia Lodge Nursing Home has several residents who are unable to live at home, but who still have
lively, active minds and strong views. This can make this group of residents difficult to manage as they
often disagree with staff, refuse to co-operate when told to do so and behave in ways that staff view as
disruptive. The staff have asked the nursing home manager to help
them implement psychological strategies to ensure the residents are more likely to do as they are told.
Describe strategies based on psychological theory that the staff might consider using to gain control over
the residents’ behaviour, and assess both the practical and ethical implications of such strategies. (18)
SECTION A: CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Answer ALL questions.
You are advised to spend approximately one hour on Section A.
1 You have studied research into psychological disorders, including schizophrenia.
(a) Describe the procedure of one study you have learned about that investigated
schizophrenia. (Do not use Rosenhan’s (1973) study as this did not investigate the disorder of
schizophrenia.) (4)
Unit 4 June 2012
(b) Evaluate the study for which you have described the procedure in (a). (4)
2 During your study of clinical psychology you studied a key issue. You also produced a
leaflet relating to this key issue.
(a) (i) Who were the target audience for your leaflet? (1)
(ii) Outline the intended outcome of your leaflet. (2)
(iii) Explain one reason why you used the material you did for the content of your leaflet. (2)
(b) When you created the leaflet described in (a) you will have used secondary data.
Explain how you gathered your secondary data. (4)
3 (a) You have learned about either systematic desensitisation or the token economy
programme as treatments/therapies within the Learning Approach.
Describe one of these treatments/therapies as it is used in clinical psychology. (4)
(b) Magda has mental health issues and has been recommended therapy by her
psychiatrist. Her psychiatrist has suggested that she would benefit from a
behavioural therapy.
Evaluate the treatment/therapy you described in (a) with reference to Magda’s
mental health issues. (5)
4 You have studied one disorder from the following list:
__ unipolar depression
__ bipolar depression
__ phobias
__ obsessive compulsive disorder
__ anorexia nervosa
__ bulimia nervosa.
Choose one disorder from the list.
Disorder ..........................................................................................................................
(a) Outline one explanation for your chosen disorder. (3)
(b) Using research evidence, evaluate the explanation you have outlined in (a). In
your answer make at least one comparison with a different explanation for the
disorder you are using. (4)
*5 Dr Padawi wishes to explain to a group of hospital volunteers how psychiatrists try
to make decisions about abnormality. Dr Padawi decides to start by explaining how
abnormality is defined.
Describe and evaluate two definitions of abnormality. In your answer you must refer
to how Dr Padawi might explain definitions of abnormality to the volunteers. (12)
SECTION B: ISSUES AND DEBATES
Answer Questions 6, 7 and 8 and then EITHER Question 9(a) OR Question 9(b).
You are advised to spend approximately one hour on Section B.
6 (a) Olaf is a psychology student and he wishes to ensure his study is scientific.
Explain one factor that would make a study scientific. (2)
(b) Olaf has been told not to use the Psychodynamic Approach.
Explain why the Psychodynamic Approach is often seen as unscientific. (4)
(c) You have studied several different approaches to psychology as part of your
course.
Identify one psychological approach other than the Psychodynamic Approach
and explain why it is considered scientific. (4)
Approach
During her work experience at a local newspaper the editor asks Sophia to write an
article using her psychological knowledge. The headline of the article reads:
Does someone’s upbringing make them who they are?
Write a brief article giving both sides of the argument. In your answer use examples
from at least two areas of psychology to illustrate your argument. (5)
8 Read the information in the box below.
Researchers conducted a structured observation to discover the preferred
distance people would sit from each other in a college library. There were
ten tables, each with four seats at them. Some of the tables had a single seat
occupied by a confederate (actor). The researchers then observed where
people chose to sit when they entered the library. The researchers were
positioned around the library either ‘reading items in the magazine area’ or
‘hunting for a book on the shelves’ so they could observe what happened.
(a) (i) Explain practical issues the researchers might have taken into account when
carrying out the study described in the box above (4)
(ii) The researchers worked hard to address issues such as ecological validity
when designing the study described in the box above
Explain either how the study might be said to have high ecological validity or
how the study might be said to have low ecological validity. (2)
*(b) As a follow-up to the structured observation, the researchers decide to conduct a
naturalistic observation on the distance apart from strangers that people choose
to sit.
Explain how the researchers might plan to carry out such an observation.
Possible practical factors that may be considered include choice of location,
sample, type of data and means of collecting data. There are other factors. No
credit will be given for ethical issues. (6)
Answer EITHER Question 9(a) OR Question 9(b).
EITHER
*9 (a) Describe at least three ethical guidelines that researchers should follow when
conducting psychological research using human participants. Assess the ethical
issues of two or more studies using human participants that you have learned
about during your course.
(18)
OR
*9 (b) You will have covered issues in your course where psychology has helped to
explain how harm can be done in society.
Here are three examples that show how psychology can explain why harm
may happen:
_ _ Milgram’s research on obedience showed most people
have the potential to harm others if ordered to do so.
_ _ Imprisonment of innocent people on the basis of
eyewitness memory has been exposed as a major hazard
in the judicial system.
_ _ Social psychologists have sought to explain why during
times of hardship, people will attack (either physically or
verbally) members of minority groups.
Describe and evaluate at least two ways in which psychological knowledge has
contributed to our understanding of why harm happens in society. (You may use
the examples given above if you wish.) (18)
June 2013 SECTION A: CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Answer ALL questions.
You are advised to spend approximately one hour on Section A.
1 A neighbour visits and tells you that their friend has recently been diagnosed with a
mental illness. Your neighbour needs your help as they cannot remember the name
of the disorder but thinks it may be one of the following:
 Unipolar depression
 Phobias
 OCD
 Anorexia/Bulimia Nervosa
(a) Describe the symptoms of one disorder from the list to help your neighbour. (4)
Disorder?
Symptoms?
(b) Your neighbour asks you to explain what may have caused their friend’s disorder.
Describe ONE explanation for the disorder that you described in (a) (4)
(c) Using research evidence evaluate the explanation you described in (b) (5)
2 Your cousin Hugo is training to become a psychotherapist. In the autumn term he
is starting a course on Psychodynamic therapies and will be learning about free associationand dream
analysis. He has asked you to explain one of these therapies to him so he will be well prepared for the
course.
(a) Describe either free association or dream analysis. (4)
(b) Evaluate the usefulness of the therapy you described in (a) in treating mental
disorders. In your answer include one comparison with a treatment/therapy from a different
approach. (5)
3 Chantelle is planning some research into mental illness. She has gone to see her
supervisor about the project. Her supervisor suggests that there may be some data available from
a previous student’s research that Chantelle could use.
Explain the advantages and disadvantages of using secondary data rather than primary data that
Chantelle needs to consider before deciding whether to use the previous student’s research. (6)
4 As part of a campaign to raise awareness of mental disorders, your school/college
magazine has published an article on what makes behaviour abnormal. You know that there are
other explanations of abnormality but this article only explains the statistical definition of
abnormality.
Write a letter to the editor evaluating the statistical definition of abnormality. (5)
Dear Editor,
5 Astrid, a community psychiatric nurse (CPN), has contacted the emergency team at
the mental health unit as a client has had a serious relapse. Once the client has been
admitted the duty psychiatrist decides to use a biological treatment/therapy to treat
the client.
Describe one treatment/therapy from the Biological Approach that the duty
psychiatrist may use to treat a mental disorder. Evaluate this treatment/therapy using
research evidence. (12)
SECTION B: ISSUES AND DEBATES
Answer Questions 6, 7 and 8 and then EITHER Question 9(a) OR Question 9(b).
You are advised to spend approximately one hour on Section B.
6 Zac and Yan have collected data for a cross-cultural research study into how children learn. Zac
collected data from his own country Pranzakia. Yan’s data if from a different country, Scolana, a
country he is visiting for the first time. They wish to combine their data but are concerned about
possible bias.
Use your knowledge of ethnocentrism to explain the potential effects of cultural bias in Zac
and Yan’s research (5)
(b) Zac and Yan think there may be issues of nature and nurture in the way that
children learn.
Explain what is meant by the term ‘nurture’ (3)
7 (a) Outline two contributions to society from the Learning Approach. (4)
(b) Evaluate contributions from the Learning Approach using psychological research. (5)
8 Sometimes companies use tests to assess applicants for a job as part of the
interview day. Professor Trestle is doing a research project and has asked two of her students to
investigate how people feel about the way companies choose new employees.
The students decide to conduct a survey.
(a) Explain how the students may design and carry out their survey (6)
(b) As part of the research project Professor Trestle wishes to try out some of the tests
used by one company. She wants to use a sample of participants who can then be asked about
their experiences. Proff Trestle recruits her sample by putting an advert on the student’s notice
board in the common room.
Explain the strengths & weaknesses of recruiting a sample in this way. (4)
Answer EITHER Question 9(a) OR Question 9(b).
EITHER
*9 (a) Psychology A Level is officially a science. However, imagine you are applying for a
university course which means you need to explain that your Psychology A level is counted as a
science.
Using research evidence from at least two different areas of psychology, assess
whether psychology can be called a science.
Include in your answer at least one argument you might use to convince an
admissions tutor that psychology is a science. (18)
OR
*9 (b) A team of psychologists has applied for research funds to carry out a study into
the effects of both biological and learning factors on gender development.
The team has decided to use laboratory bred rhesus monkeys as they wish to artificially
manipulate hormone levels in some animals as well as controlling the conditions in which the
animals are raised.
Describe and evaluate the ethical issues this team of psychologists should take into account when
carrying out the study described above .Your answer must be focused on this study. (18)