How well did you or your student do on the Psychology A-Level May/June 2026? -PAPER 2 (Model Answers)

Section A- Approaches in Psychology

Q1 (2 marks)

Outline one assumption of the cognitive approach in psychology.

Model Answer:
One assumption of the cognitive approach is that behaviour is influenced by internal mental processes such as memory and thinking. These processes can be studied scientifically by making inferences about how the mind works.

Q2 (6 marks)

Liam is playing with his toys. His sister, Suki, asks to play with one of his toys. Liam refuses and tells her to play with her own toys. Liam's father then gives Suki his mobile phone to play with. Suki smiles, giving her father a hug. The next time Liam and Suki are playing, Liam offers her one of his toys. Suki gives Liam a huge smile.
Use your knowledge of social learning theory to explain Liam's change in behaviour.

Model Answer:

Social learning theory suggests that behaviour is learned through observation and imitation of others, particularly role models. It also involves vicarious reinforcement, where individuals learn by observing the consequences of another person’s behaviour.

In the scenario, Liam observes his father giving Suki the phone, which results in Suki smiling and showing affection. This acts as vicarious reinforcement, as Liam sees that sharing leads to a positive outcome. Liam then imitates this behaviour when he offers his toy to Suki, expecting a similar positive response. When Suki smiles at Liam, this directly reinforces his behaviour, making it more likely he will share again in the future.

 

Q3 (16 marks)

Outline the humanistic approach in psychology. Compare the humanistic approach with the psychodynamic approach.

Model Answer:

The humanistic approach focuses on free will, personal growth, and self-actualisation (achieving one’s full potential). Rogers also proposed the importance of unconditional positive regard (receiving acceptance without conditions), which allows individuals to develop a positive self-concept. This approach sees individuals as active agents who can make choices and shape their own behaviour. This is important for understanding human behaviour in health, as it emphasises personal responsibility and growth, which can be used to support individuals in improving their mental wellbeing through therapies such as counselling.

One difference between the humanistic approach and the psychodynamic approach is their view on free will versus determinism. The humanistic approach argues that behaviour is driven by free will, meaning individuals actively choose their actions, whereas the psychodynamic approach is deterministic, suggesting behaviour is controlled by unconscious drives and early childhood experiences. This is because Freud believed unresolved conflicts in the unconscious mind shape behaviour, while Rogers believed individuals can consciously change and grow. This is supported by Freud’s case studies, such as Little Hans, which show behaviour being explained through unconscious conflict, whereas humanistic therapy focuses on conscious experience. This is useful as the psychodynamic approach allows psychologists to understand underlying causes of behaviour, particularly abnormal behaviour, whereas the humanistic approach allows for more positive change and personal development. Even though both provide valuable insights, the psychodynamic approach can be seen as more limiting, as it suggests individuals are not in control of their behaviour, whereas the humanistic approach is more empowering. Even though this difference exists, we can still understand that both approaches contribute to improving treatment approaches in health, as they offer different ways to understand and support mental wellbeing.

One similarity between the humanistic approach and the psychodynamic approach is that both adopt an idiographic approach. The humanistic approach focuses on subjective experience and individual potential, often using methods such as interviews, while the psychodynamic approach uses case studies to explore unconscious motivations in depth. This is because both approaches aim to understand the individual as unique, rather than applying general laws. For example, Freud’s case studies and Rogers’ client-centred therapy both involve detailed exploration of personal experiences. This is useful as it allows for a deeper understanding of complex human behaviour, particularly in therapy. However, this approach is problematic as it lacks scientific rigour and cannot easily be generalised to the wider population. Even though this limits the reliability of the findings, it can be argued that understanding individuals in depth is more beneficial when treating mental health issues, as it allows for personalised treatment. Therefore, both approaches remain valuable in health, as they support more tailored therapeutic interventions.

Another difference between the approaches is how scientific they are. The humanistic approach is considered less scientific, as it relies on subjective measures and concepts that are difficult to test, such as self-actualisation. In contrast, the psychodynamic approach is also criticised for lacking scientific validity due to its unfalsifiable concepts, such as the unconscious mind. This means that neither approach fully meets the criteria of scientific research. This is problematic because it reduces the reliability and validity of the findings, making it difficult to objectively measure effectiveness. However, it can be argued that human behaviour is complex and cannot always be studied using strict scientific methods, meaning both approaches still offer valuable insights. Even though they may lack scientific rigour, they remain useful in health, as they have both contributed to the development of therapies that focus on understanding behaviour and improving mental wellbeing.

 

Section B: Biopsychology

Q4 (2 marks)

Which two of the following statements about neurons are correct?

Model Answer:
A Motor neurons transmit electrical impulses from the central nervous system to effectors such as muscles and glands.
E Sensory neurons transmit impulses from sensory receptors to the central nervous system.

Q5 (6 marks)

Ava was having a driving lesson when a dog ran out in the road in front of the car. Ava braked quickly, her heart began to race, she began to sweat and started shaking.
Outline the fight or flight response. Refer to Ava's experience in your answer.

Model Answer:

The fight or flight response is a physiological reaction to a perceived threat, controlled by the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system. When a threat is detected, the hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system and the adrenal medulla releases adrenaline.

In Ava’s situation, the sudden appearance of the dog acts as a stressor. The release of adrenaline causes physiological changes such as increased heart rate, sweating, and shaking, which prepare her body to respond quickly. This would help her react faster, allowing her to brake quickly and avoid danger.

Q6 (2 marks)

What is an infradian rhythm? Give an example.

Model Answer:
An infradian rhythm is a biological rhythm that lasts longer than 24 hours.
An example is the menstrual cycle, which typically occurs over approximately 28 days.

Q7 (6 marks)

Describe circadian rhythms. Include an outline of one research study in your answer.

Model Answer:

Circadian rhythms are biological rhythms that occur over a 24-hour period and are regulated by internal body clocks such as the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). They are influenced by external cues like light, which help to regulate processes such as the sleep-wake cycle.

Research by Siffre supports this, as he lived in an underground cave for several months without access to natural light. His body clock continued to operate, but his sleep-wake cycle extended beyond 24 hours, showing that circadian rhythms are internally controlled but can be influenced by environmental cues.

Q8 (8 marks)

Discuss the localisation of language function in the brain.

Model Answer:

Localisation of function refers to the idea that specific areas of the brain are responsible for particular behaviours. In terms of language, Broca’s area, located in the left frontal lobe, is associated with speech production, while Wernicke’s area, located in the temporal lobe, is responsible for language comprehension. Damage to Broca’s area results in Broca’s aphasia, where speech becomes slow and difficult, whereas damage to Wernicke’s area results in Wernicke’s aphasia, where speech may be fluent but meaningless.

A strength of localisation of language is that there is strong supporting evidence from brain-damaged patients. Because studies such as Broca’s patient “Tan” showed that damage to a specific brain area led to loss of speech production while comprehension remained intact. This suggests that language functions are localised in specific brain regions. This is useful because it allows for more accurate diagnosis and treatment of language impairments. However, a limitation is that localisation may be too simplistic, as language processing appears to involve multiple areas of the brain working together. Research using brain scans has shown that a range of interconnected regions are active during language tasks, suggesting a more distributed system. Even though localisation provides a clear structure for understanding brain function, it may not fully explain the complexity of language processing. Even though this is a limitation, we can still use localisation to improve understanding and treatment of neurological conditions in health, such as supporting stroke patients with targeted rehabilitation strategies to regain language abilities.

 

Section C: Research Methods

Q9 (2 marks)

Should the hypothesis for this observation be directional or non-directional? Justify your answer.

Model Answer:
A non-directional hypothesis should be used. This is because the teacher read contradictory evidence, meaning there is no clear prediction about the direction of the results.

Q10 (3 marks)

Write an appropriate hypothesis for this study.

Model Answer:
There will be a significant difference in the number of on-topic verbal contributions between students working in pairs and students working in a group.

Q11 (3 marks)

Describe how the teacher could use random sampling to do this.

Model Answer:
The teacher could assign each student in the class a number from 1 to 32. A random number generator could then be used to select eight numbers. The students corresponding to these numbers would be chosen for the sample.

Q12 (3 marks)

Why might the teacher have chosen to make covert observations in this study?

Model Answer:
Covert observations are used so that participants are unaware they are being observed. This reduces demand characteristics, as students are less likely to change their behaviour. As a result, the data collected is more valid.

Q13 (2 marks)

What is meant by a behavioural category?

Model Answer:
A behavioural category is a clearly defined, observable behaviour that is being recorded. It allows behaviours to be measured in a structured and consistent way during observations.

Q14 (2 marks)

Explain why it was important to use behavioural categories in this study.

Model Answer:
Behavioural categories ensure that observations are objective, as they clearly define what counts as on-topic or off-topic. This increases reliability because different observers are more likely to record behaviour consistently.

Q15 (7 marks)

Identify an appropriate statistical test that the teacher could use to analyse the verbal contributions of the students in this study. Explain three reasons for your choice in the context of this study.

Model Answer:

The most appropriate statistical test is the chi-squared test. One reason for this is that the data is nominal, as responses are categorised into on-topic or off-topic contributions. Another reason is that the test is looking for a difference between two conditions (pairs vs group work). A final reason is that the data is from independent groups, as different students took part in each condition.

Q16 (3 marks)

The teacher chose to use the 5% level of significance. The calculated value from his statistical test was 2.89.
With reference to the critical values in Table 1, explain whether the calculated value is significant or not. Justify your answer.

Model Answer:
The result is not significant. At the 5% level of significance, the critical value is 3.84, and the calculated value of 2.89 is lower than this. Therefore, the result is not significant, and the null hypothesis should be accepted.

Q17 (4 marks)

The teacher did not ask for informed consent before carrying out the study.
Identify two other ethical issues that should have been addressed in this study.
Outline how one of the issues you have identified could be dealt with.

Model Answer:

One ethical issue is deception, as students were unaware they were being observed. Another ethical issue is the right to withdraw, as students may not have been given the opportunity to leave the study. One way to deal with deception is to carry out a full debrief after the study, where participants are informed of the true aim and given the option to withdraw their data.

Q18 (4 marks)

Explain how using self-report might have affected the validity of the data collected.

Model Answer:

Using self-report may reduce validity because participants may not accurately assess their own contribution. This could be due to social desirability bias, where students overestimate their involvement to appear more engaged. Additionally, students may lack self-awareness, leading to inaccurate responses. This means the data collected may not reflect actual behaviour.

Q19 (3 marks)

Briefly describe one other piece of information that he should include in his introduction. Refer to the detail of his study in your answer.

Model Answer:
The teacher should include background research on group size and its effect on focus. This could involve explaining previous findings that suggest group size may influence student engagement. This helps justify the aim of the study and provides context for the hypothesis.

Q20 (12 marks)

Psychological research has shown that teacher feedback plays an important role in students' progress.
Design an experiment to investigate the effect of teacher feedback on academic progress over one month at a local school.

Model Answer:

A laboratory experiment would be used, as this allows for greater control over variables and increases the reliability of the findings. This is appropriate because the researcher wants to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between teacher feedback and academic progress.

The independent variable would be the type of teacher feedback, with two conditions: positive, detailed feedback and minimal feedback. The dependent variable would be academic progress, which could be measured using test scores before and after the one-month period. This allows for a clear comparison of improvement between conditions.

A repeated measures design would be used, where the same students experience both conditions. This controls for participant variables such as ability, as each student acts as their own control. This increases the validity of the results.

One extraneous variable that would need to be controlled is prior academic ability. This could be controlled by using baseline test scores and ensuring that any improvement is measured relative to each student’s starting point. This helps ensure that differences in performance are due to the feedback rather than pre-existing ability.

 

 

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