Psychology AQA A PSYA4 18th June 2012!

This thread seems really cool/helpful. Im currently studying schizophrenia, media psychology and research methods. Schizo is the most interesting for me and I can relate to it as my Grandmother had the disorder. Does anybody have detailed notes or any form of notes on the research methods section? I need some reassurance if I am to aim for this 90% in this exam :/

Reply 503

Jackkkkk

11

Original post by mkigz77

Hey I dont think that 'Is psychology a science?' section is needed anymore. It's not on the specification and also on the psychology specification document they mention that it has been removed
AQ 2012 Specification content changes.PDF

It comes under the bit where it says the major features of science such as objectivity and hypothesis testing :smile:

you then have to apply that to psychology ( as its a psychology exam of course ) :smile:

so its still needed they have jut hidden it in some word jargon aha

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 504

hannah_27

Original post by Heyimdec

Yes I am. Do you require any help? :smile:

oh tons!
I don't understand how the questions will be asked.....
for example, if we got a question on 'the biological explanations of addiction' would we have to include everything we know for smoking and gambling addiction or is that not then???

Reply 505

Original post by Jackkkkk

It comes under the bit where it says the major features of science such as objectivity and hypothesis testing :smile:

you then have to apply that to psychology ( as its a psychology exam of course ) :smile:

so its still needed they have jut hidden it in some word jargon aha

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Oh ok. It's just i read over the spec and it says under 'The application of scientific methods in psychology' - the major features of science including replicability, objectivity etc'. The 2009 spec included theory construction, generation of laws (Popper/Kuhn) etc. Im slightly confused because the new spec doesnt mention these things..

Reply 506

Mephestic

9

Original post by mkigz77

Oh ok. It's just i read over the spec and it says under 'The application of scientific methods in psychology' - the major features of science including replicability, objectivity etc'. The 2009 spec included theory construction, generation of laws (Popper/Kuhn) etc. Im slightly confused because the new spec doesnt mention these things..

its been removed-the major features of science as far as I can tell are just about empiricism, objectivity, replicability, control and theory construction.

popper, kuhn etc I believe were removed

Reply 507

sarah58

Can anyone advise how much detail the examiner needs in designing a study, I can think of a study but think I do it to vaguely. Do the examiners want details of exact instructions to participants, what questions in questionnaire, what tell participants in debriefing and things like that?

Reply 508

Original post by Mephestic

its been removed-the major features of science as far as I can tell are just about empiricism, objectivity, replicability, control and theory construction.

popper, kuhn etc I believe were removed

oh ok. I thought so. My teacher is relatively new (since Easter) and he doesnt really know what he is doing lol. The majority of us have had to do this independently, which is something that I prefer. Anyway thanks for clearing that up.

Reply 509

OP

Original post by hannah_27

oh tons!
I don't understand how the questions will be asked.....
for example, if we got a question on 'the biological explanations of addiction' would we have to include everything we know for smoking and gambling addiction or is that not then???

Questions on the models of addiction will usually state that they want you to talk to about one addiction specifically, or either one.

For example:

'Outline one biological explanation for an addiction to smoking. (4 marks)'

You should take a look at some past papers to get an idea of how the questions will be structured. :smile:

Reply 510

OP

Original post by mkigz77

Oh ok. It's just i read over the spec and it says under 'The application of scientific methods in psychology' - the major features of science including replicability, objectivity etc'. The 2009 spec included theory construction, generation of laws (Popper/Kuhn) etc. Im slightly confused because the new spec doesnt mention these things..

Original post by Mephestic

its been removed-the major features of science as far as I can tell are just about empiricism, objectivity, replicability, control and theory construction.

popper, kuhn etc I believe were removed

That's odd, my teacher has taught me both of those things. He took almost 2 lessons on them. :s-smilie:

Reply 511

Original post by Heyimdec

That's odd, my teacher has taught me both of those things. He took almost 2 lessons on them. :s-smilie:

what two things did he teach you in 2 lessons?

Reply 512

OP

Original post by mkigz77

what two things did he teach you in 2 lessons?

The above; the features of science and the views of popper and kuhn.

Reply 513

Original post by Heyimdec

The above; the features of science and the views of popper and kuhn.

oh right. Im sure that popper and kuhn will not be included - the specification changes document highlights it...

Reply 514

OP

Original post by mkigz77

oh right. Im sure that popper and kuhn will not be included - the specification changes document highlights it...

Alright I'm genuinely confused now..

The amended specification for 2012, says:

The major features of science, including replicability, objectivity, theory
construction, hypothesis testing, the use of empirical methods

Page 14: http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/pdf/AQA-2180-W-SP-12.PDF

But, the 'summary' of the 2012 specification changes states:

Replicability and objectivity are now a
requirement but generation of laws
and principles are no longer required.

Page 5: http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/pdf/AQA-2180-W-SP-12-SOC.PDF

Can anyone shed any light on this? I think I will ask my teacher(s) tomorrow. :s-smilie:

Reply 515

AQA Spec Change Outline.pdf500.7KB

Original post by Heyimdec

Alright I'm genuinely confused now..

The amended specification for 2012, says:

Page 14: http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/pdf/AQA-2180-W-SP-12.PDF

But, the 'summary' of the 2012 specification changes states:

Page 5: http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/pdf/AQA-2180-W-SP-12-SOC.PDF

Can anyone shed any light on this? I think I will ask my teacher(s) tomorrow. :s-smilie:

Yeah i was very confused as well. Back in January i download the new spec changes document for 2012 and it said that generation laws, the principles, the scientific process that involves what the British Science Council says at the beginning of the booklet (that I have) and a few other small topics had been taken out so that more focus could be applied on the other aspects of the scientific process (objectivity, empiricism etc). But i have only started going through research methods recently so that's why i got confused. I have emailed my psychology teacher today so hopefully he will reply. If he is still confused then the last resort will be to call up AQA lol....

Reply 516

Mephestic

9

Original post by Heyimdec

That's odd, my teacher has taught me both of those things. He took almost 2 lessons on them. :s-smilie:

hmm im quite confused myself to be honest :s-smilie:

I havnt learnt anything to do with induction deduction or whatever popper/kuhn talk about believing it has been removed...

I have uploaded the spec change outline I got earlier in the year...anyone able to understand it? :s-smilie:

Its a different one I had from Cara Flanagans blogsite (the complete companion author)

Reply 517

Hey guys, my psychology teacher emailed me this morning and told me that we need to know about peer review (which i think is already listed in the current spec), also popper/kuhn as they can be used to discuss how scientific a piece of research/method/theory are of Psychology as a science and that they may be intergrated into an answer if required. He then went on to say that I should learn the basics of these things. So basically even though they have been removed from the spec it's best to still go through them, according to him. Sighs.... :rolleyes:

Reply 518

Mephestic

9

Original post by mkigz77

Hey guys, my psychology teacher emailed me this morning and told me that we need to know about peer review (which i think is already listed in the current spec), also popper/kuhn as they can be used to discuss how scientific a piece of research/method/theory are of Psychology as a science and that they may be intergrated into an answer if required. He then went on to say that I should learn the basics of these things. So basically even though they have been removed from the spec it's best to still go through them, according to him. Sighs.... :rolleyes:

yeah peer review is still in the spec.

I good way I remember it all is through the use of this acronym-

apa-uapp

allocation of funding
publication in scientific journals
assessing research ratings of university departments

then commentary using uapp-

unachievable aim
anonymity
publication bias
preserving the status quo

:smile:

Reply 519

OP