Psychology 9990/22 May/June 2024: question paper and mark scheme

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1(a)(i) State the two main features of a case study. 2 Longitudinal / over a long time = 0 Aim to give therapy = 0 Single unit / person is studied = 1 (definitive) Rare case = 0 In depth / detailed study = 1 (definitive). Lots of data = 0 Accept two points on one line 1(a)(ii) Explain why the study by Saavedra and Silverman 2 Why single unit = 1 (button phobia) was a case study, in relation to these Why in depth = 1 two main features. Just one boy (and his mum) = 1 (single unit) History of his phobia; (in depth) Measurement of his phobia; (in depth) Monitoring change in his phobia; (in depth) 1(b) Explain one way to improve validity in a case study. 3 Way = 1 Detail = 2 (detail can include any example) Triangulation / use several different sources of data; (way) to confirm that each data source support the same findings / interpretation; (detail) e.g., using interviews, with them and family, questionnaires, observations; (any two) Use pre-validated measures; (way) e.g., standardised tests of personality; (detail) this would reduce researcher bias; (detail) Use several different methods to get in depth data; (way) e.g., use observations and interviews; (detail) as people might do things you can see that they would not say in interview; (detail) Use both qualitative and quantitative data; (way) to balance depth and being able to compare / analyse / measure; (detail) e.g., to get opinions about what something feels like and measure it with a machine; (detail) Maintain distance between the researcher and P; (way) to ensure objectivity; (detail) because if they built a relationship the researcher might become biased; (detail) Use standardisation / operationalisation (of data collected); (way) to ensure objectivity / avoid bias; (detail) e.g., if observing have categories with definitions; (detail)

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2 Kanav wanted to recruit participants from his town for his study. He put an advertisement into the window of every shop in his town and used all the people who responded as his sample. 2(a)(i) Explain the sampling technique Kanav used. 2 Identification of sampling technique = 1 Explanation = 1 Volunteer / self-selecting = 1 (definitive) Using people who choose to participate / respond to a request /advertisement to participate = explanation. The participants are those who were willing to take part = explanation; 2(a)(ii) Suggest one weakness of using this sampling 2 Weakness = 1 technique in Kanav’s study. Link = 1 Low generalisability / poor representation (of variety in the population); (weakness) Sample will only include shoppers / ones who responded to his advert; (link) Could include people who are not ‘from his town’ (e.g., delivery people, visitors); (link).

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3(a) A study has the hypothesis ‘Four-year-old children 1 make more language mistakes than eight-year-old children.’ State whether this hypothesis is a: directional hypothesis non-directional hypothesis null hypothesis directional hypothesis (definitive) 3(b) Explain the reason for your choice in part (a). 2 Generic response = 1 Linked response = 2 It says which level of the IV will be better/higher; (generic) It says which IV level, in this case older children, will be ‘Shows direction of results’ = 0 = REP ‘better’; (link) As it states the causal effect of older age causing fewer mistakes; (link)

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4 The study by Hassett et al. (monkey toy preferences) 4 Name of animal guideline = 1 ×2 used animals. Link to monkeys / Hassett = 1 ×2 Outline two named ethical guidelines in relation to the use of animals in this study. Note: ‘Lots of space and controlled temperature’ = 0 = NAQ as just description. minimising harm / pain, suffering and distress / reward, deprivation and aversive stimuli; Not physically / psychologically hurting monkeys; monkeys sense pain; Replacement; use alternatives e.g., previous videos of monkeys; species; monkeys are clever so useful as human models; numbers; use as few (monkeys) as possible; (procedures) housing; Animals need enough space / monkeys are big, move; they need to be kept with conspecifics.

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5 In the study by Baron-Cohen et al. (eyes test), a control task was used to be certain that the AS / HFA participants could use information from pictures of eyes to make simple judgements. 5(a) Identify this control task. 1 Accept judgement of male / female Gender (recognition) = 1 (definitive) 5(b) Outline what participants were required to do in this 1 ‘To say whether they/ a person was male of female’ = 0 control task. ‘To say whether a (person in) a photograph was male of To judge the gender/sex of each person in each female’ = 1 photograph / of the eyes = 1 (definitive)

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6 Describe how variables in correlations can be 6 1 mark per definition/point of detail, max 2 for each term / measured, using any example(s). concept. ‘How’ may be interpreted as the technique, the 1 mark per example, max 2 for each term / concept. measurement, or the operationalisation of the variable. Any is acceptable. Examples can be any studies (core studies, other studies, candidate’s own). Interview / questionnaire: (closed Qs with ratings, numerical scores assigned to Likert scales, open questions used to Max 4 if no examples or if only one term / concept. generate continuous score); Only 1 example needed to access 6 marks. tests / tasks: generating numerical values; percentages; totals; Note: Any point must relate to a continuous variable, otherwise = 0 for that point. observations: tallying of behavioural categories; durations. Baron-Cohen: AQ / IQ / eyes test; Dement & Kleitman: number of words in narrative and dream duration / time in REM sleep; Piliavin et al.: group size (number of individuals) and frequency of helping;

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7 Chyou is conducting a self-report about students’ subject choices. Four of her questions are: A Describe how much you like maths. B How much do you enjoy studying science? 0 = do not enjoy it at all, 5 = enjoy it a lot. C “I have always known what subjects I want to study.” To what extent do you agree with this statement? strongly agree/ agree/ neither agree nor disagree/ disagree/ strongly disagree. D Write about whether you would like to be a doctor. 7(a) Identify one closed question from A to D. 1 1 mark for B or C (definitive) 7(b) Identify one open question from A to D. 1 1 mark for A or D (definitive) 7(c) Chyou has written two questions to investigate the process of students choosing their subjects. E How old were you when you decided you did or did not like science? F Describe how you felt when you made your final decision about subject choices. 7(c)(i) State one strength of question E. 1 Strength = 1 (generic or linked) Question E quantitative data so can be used to compare Note: a term alone is not an explanation. between participants / can be analysed statistically 7(c)(ii) State one strength of question F. 1 Strength = 1 (generic or linked) Question F qualitative data so provides detail (of feelings) Note: a term alone is not an explanation. 7(d) Suggest two questions Chyou could ask to investigate 2 1 mark per question about factor affecting subject choices factors affecting students’ subject choices. x2 1 Explain how members of your family / teacher / hobbies / Questions and be open, closed or one of each. work experience affected your choice of subjects. Closed questions must have choices. Open questions must 2 Do you think being an only child affected your subject generate genuine qualitative data (Describe, explain, tell choices? me…).

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8 Daku is observing the obedience of boys and girls to teachers and older pupils when they are waiting for their lunch. Fig. 8.1 is a graph of Daku’s results. 8(a) Daku’s conclusion is that girls are more obedient than 2 Reason why Daku is incorrect = 1 boys. Daku’s colleague, Jedda, has looked at Daku’s graph and disagrees with Daku’s conclusion. Explain Detail = 1 one reason why Daku’s conclusion may be incorrect. Do not refer to the sample size in your answer. The difference is very small; (reason) so it might not be significant / important / big enough to matter / could be due to chance; (detail) 8(b) Dr Jedda suggests that Daku needs a bigger sample. 2 Reason why = 1 Explain one benefit of increasing the sample size in this Detail = 1 study. Because a small difference in a large sample is more Better generalisability from a larger sample; (reason) reliable than a small difference in a small sample = (2) Because it should contain a bigger variety of children with different obedience levels; (detail) Improve reliability/replicability = 0 8(c) Daku has identified a problem caused by an uncontrolled variable. The boys had to wait longer for their lunch than the girls. 8(c)(i) Explain whether this problem is caused by a situational 1 Explanation of situational variable = 1 variable or a participant variable. Note: No mark for stating ‘situational variable’, the mark is Situational because this was an external/environmental for the explanation. factor affecting the likelihood of being disobedient. Don’t accept reverse argument, i.e., ‘not participant’? 8(c)(ii) Explain how this problem would have affected Daku’s 1 Explanation = 1 results. The boys would have been more likely to be disobedient than the girls because they were provoked / irritated / hungrier by being kept in a queue (whereas the girls did not need to queue).

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9 Carol is investigating how music in a sports centre affects the amount that people exercise. On each visit she listens to the music that is playing. She measures the music by counting the number of musical beats per minute (faster music has more musical beats per minute than slower music). 9(a) Suggest one problem with Carol’s measure of the 2 Weakness = 1 music. detail = 1 Carol may not count / time accurately; (weakness) so her analysis of the music may be unreliable; (detail) Other aspects of music (than tempo) may matter; (weakness) e.g., major / minor key / lyrics / genre (detail) 9(b) Carol records the time each person in the sports centre 4 Reason = 1 (×2) starts and stops exercising. All of the sports centre Linked detail = 1 (×2) members have given permission for this to happen. Explain two reasons why Carol obtained permission to gather her data, in relation to the ethical guidelines. Informed consent; (reason) Sports centre-goers need to know about / agree to, having their exercise watched; (linked detail) Privacy; (reason) (Carol is observing people and) they may not want to be watched when exercising; (linked detail) People may stop exercising early; (linked detail) Psychological harm; (reason) People may be embarrassed about being unfit; (linked detail) 9(c) Explain one reason why it is important that Carol visits 2 Reason = 1 the sports centre at different times of day. Linked detail = 1 e.g., morning people may be more fit; (reason) So might exercise for longer regardless of musical tempo; (linked detail) The music tempo may vary over the day; (reason) e.g., faster music in the evening so exercise would be more active then; (linked detail) type of people; (reason) e.g., old people come in the morning and are less fit; (linked detail)

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10 Chloë is studying behaviour in the workplace. She wants to investigate how people behave during mealtimes at work. A range of food is available to the workers, which can be eaten in different ways. The workers also vary in how sociable they are during meals. Chloë intends to produce a detailed description of the variety of behaviours during meals at work. 10(a) Describe how Chloë could conduct an observational 10 To mark Q10(a), create four ‘imaginary columns’ down one study using participant observation to record the variety margin, using one column for each of the four required of behaviours during meals at work. features. Tick each feature (tick-a, tick-b, tick-c, tick-d) when it appears, then underline the letter ( ) for detail. Do not describe sample/sampling technique or ethical issues/guidelines in your answer. Use L1, L2, L3, L4, L5 at the end of the response to indicate the level. The four required features for this participant observation are: Use the table below to mark candidate responses to this question. (a) participant observation (outlined): (how the observer(s) will be engaged in the social context of eating / servers in Level The response: the canteen) Level 5 has all the required features, all with (b) overt/covert: (explicit and separate from participant) 9–10 marks detail, with mostly appropriate terminology. (c) naturalistic / controlled; (probably naturalistic – but AND impacted by nature of food being served / time of day) clearly applies knowledge of methodology involved in planning an (d) structured (behavioural categories) / unstructured: investigation. (probably structured – ‘foods they eat, how they eat them, how social’ – but unstructured would allow for ‘detailed Level 4 has all the required features, but description of variety’) 7–8 marks only some of these with detail, with some appropriate terminology. Other appropriate responses should also be credited. AND applies knowledge of methodology involved in planning an investigation. 10(a) Level The response: Level 3 has some of the required features 5–6 marks with detail / all of the required features with no detail, and some appropriate terminology. AND applies a basic knowledge of methodology involved in planning an investigation. Level 2 has at least two of the required 3–4 marks features, with little appropriate terminology. AND attempts to use knowledge of methodology involved in planning an investigation. Level 1 has one of the required features and 1–2 marks uses little appropriate terminology. AND makes a limited attempt to use knowledge of methodology involved in planning an investigation, e.g., may not use the method required by the question 0 marks No creditable response. 10(b)(i) Describe one practical / methodological strength of the 2 identification of generic strength = 1 procedure you have described in your answer to part detail = 1 (generic or linked). (a). Do not refer to sampling or ethics in your answer. Strengths may relate to: Validity operationalisation situational / participant variables factors controls / standardisation Demand characteristics Reliability inter-rater consistency intra-rater consistency. Accept other practical / methodological strengths. 10(b)(ii) Describe one practical / methodological weakness of 2 identification of generic weakness = 1 the procedure you have described in your answer to detail = 1 (generic or linked). part (a). Do not refer to sampling or ethics in your answer. Weaknesses may relate to: Validity operationalisation situational / participant variables factors controls / standardisation Demand characteristics Reliability inter-rater consistency / two observers that were not standardised intra-rater consistency. Accept other practical / methodological weaknesses.