Extra Notes on Depression, Schizophrenia, Issues etc and others, go to this link:
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/show...&postcount=588
Predictions
Predictions
Psychopathology
Schizophrenia came up in January 09, this suggests that anxiety order or depression should come up. This is because so far, what ever came up in January never comes up again in June. So predictions (1 being highest 3 being lowest)
= 1 Depression
= 1 Anxiety Orders (i.e. phobias and OCD)
3 Schizophrenia
Issues
Since Human Ethics and Gender bias came up in January, it is highly unlikely - but still possible, that they will be repeated again.
This leaves with Culture Bias, Non-human animals and Socially Sensitive Research. Now if AQA does decides to be a ****** then 1 of the questions might be repeated. Which leaves the second to be open for Culture, animals or SSR. In my case, I'll go with these 3 if anything as 1 of them are BOUND to come up.
Debates
Psychology as a science and Reductionism came up in January, due to the pattern of what ever coming up in January NOT coming up in June, would lead us to believe that Nature v Nurture and Free will v Determinism are likely to come up. As the question 'Discuss the relationship between nature and nurture etc' has not come up since 2006, it is LIKELY that this should be the question to come up. So do not revise only the generic question usually given about 'Discuss the debate of Nature v Nurture'. I do not have any hints on what the question for Free Will determinism will be, but it is likely it will be the usual question(s). Predictions (1 being highest 4 being lowest)
1 = Free Will - Determinism
1 = Nature and Nurture
4 = Psychology as a science
4 = Reductionism within psychology
All of these predictions are based on PAST patterns, nothing has been fundamentally stated by AQA that these patterns are formal. Following these patterns is at your own risk. I will be following these patterns, but i have the luxury of resitting in January if i screw up.
Essays-- Psychological and Biological explanations of Depression, SSR essay and notes, Non-Human animals, Culture Bias refer to this page (Page 20)
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/show...1#post19521270
So Please!!! Relax! Stay Calm! And Revise!! If you have any further questions please do ask!! BUT before that please READ this POST!!
Note on Questions: If the question is split into a) and b) meaning it has a 5 mark and 25 mark question within it, the first 5 mark question is A01 only, and the latter is 10 A01 and 15 A02, because you already used 5 marks for the AO1 on the question before (part a). So if you learn a model 30 mark essay, remember to take out some AO1 from it, to make up the time you loose in the 5 mark question.
EDIT: Added Biological Approach!! Scroll down to near the bottom!
Clarification For the approaches questions - 8 and 9.
For this, you have to read the text and then select two appropriate approaches to explain the text.
This is for part a) you outline two approaches in relation to the text.
Say for example you did Behavioural and Biological.
For part b) you have to evaluate one - it can be any either Behavioural or Biological.
Say you do Biological
Now for c) where it askes you for the methodology, you don't neccessarily have to use Biological, you can use Behavioural for it.
But then part d) is the evaluation for the methology in part c).
For the Behavioural Approach, please scroll down near the bottom to see it. Will try to get Bio and Psy done by today. And if possible, a depression essay
EDIT: I added a Cultre bias essay as well as the Behavioural Apprach. Bio and Psy approach I'll add when I can. Also, I'll add a anxiety essay when I have the time!!!
And if you +rep, please state your name so I can give thanks!!! Thank you to those who gave rep (Nathan2010)
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Well, this thread is in alternative to PYA4 thread and discussion of the after math.
This thread is to post your notes for PYA5. I chose to create a new one as the other one has many posts for PYA4, so to make it easier, I created this!
So post your notes her, discuss about it etc. I shall post some notes when I can xD
And remember... do your best!!!!
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Here are the past papers from Jan 06 to Jan 09
Links to AQA Site Past Papers
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Here are the questions for Anxiety disorders and Issues
Questions in small are the ones that we don't have to focuse much on as
schizophrenia,
human ethics and
gender bias came up in Jan 09. But, theres a chance of human ethics or gender bias being repeated.
What I planned on doing is since Social Senstive might come up as well as Culture bias and non-human ethics, revise all 3. But, you can take the risk of SSR deffinetly coming up along with culture bias or non-human ethics and ignore SSR, as you will have either of the other two to do. But thats a risk.
Depression and Phobias is not that hard. Also, I left out the approaches as it depends on the text. If you wish to see the previous ones, look at the mark schemes for the questions and answers.
Hope it helps, also I will upload essays for these questions
Psychology Exam Questions for PYA5 + Link to MS
June 2008
2 ‘Depression tends to run in families and symptoms are similar across cultures, gender and ages.
This suggests that biological mechanisms play a strong part in the development of the disorder.’
Describe and evaluate explanations of depression. Refer to issues such as those raised in the above quotation. (30 marks)
4 Discuss cultural bias in psychological research. (30 marks)
5 (a) Identify two psychological studies that can be considered socially sensitive. Explain why each study can be considered socially sensitive. (15 marks)
(b) Consider the extent to which it is ethically justifiable for psychologists to carry out socially sensitive research. (15 marks)
http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gceasa/...W-MS-JUN08.PDF
January 2008
2 (a) Outline clinical characteristics of any one anxiety disorder. (5 marks)
(b) Discuss biological and psychological explanations of the anxiety disorder that you have outlined in part (a). (25 marks)
4 (a) Explain what is meant by the term gender bias. (5 marks)
(b) ‘Bias in psychological research has distorted our understanding of male and female behaviour.’
Discuss gender bias in psychological theories and/or studies. (25 marks)
5 Discuss ethical issues involved in psychological investigations using human participants. Refer to at least three psychological studies in your answer. (30 marks)
http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gceasa/...W-MS-JAN08.PDF
June 2007
2 Discuss at least one biological and at least one psychological explanation of any one anxiety disorder. (30 marks)
4 ‘Socially sensitive research can be controversial and some people say it should not be carried out at all. However, other people argue that such research is important because it can havebeneficial effects.’
(a) Explain what is meant by the term socially sensitive research in psychology. (5 marks)
(b) Discuss the ethics of socially sensitive research in psychology. (25 marks)
5 ‘Some researchers believe that non-human animals are so similar to humans that they provide suitable subjects for research into human behaviour. However, if they are really so similar, such research raises significant ethical issues.’
Discuss the use of non-human animals in psychological investigations, with reference to issues such as those raised in the quotation above. (30 marks)
http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gceasa/...W-MS-JUN07.PDF
January 2007
2 ‘Psychological research has shown that people are much more likely to experience depression now than a hundred years ago. One explanation is that modern life involves high levels of stress and psychological pressures.’
Discuss the view that depression can be explained primarily by psychological factors.
(30 marks)
4 Discuss two or more examples of gender bias in psychological studies. (30 marks)
5 (a) Describe constraints on the use of non-human animals in psychological investigations.
(15 marks)
(b) Evaluate arguments against the use of non-human animals in psychological investigations. (15 marks)
June 2006
2 (a) Outline two or more psychological explanations of schizophrenia. (15 marks)
(b) To what extent is it possible to explain schizophrenia purely in terms of psychological explanations? (15 marks)
4 (a) Outline what is meant by cultural bias. (5 marks)
(b) Describe cultural bias in two psychological studies. (10 marks)
(c) ‘Psychological research carried out in Europe and the United States is relevant to all other cultures.’
Consider the extent to which this statement is true. (15 marks)
5 Discuss the ethics of socially sensitive research in psychology. (30 marks)
January 2006
2 (a) Outline clinical characteristics of depression. (5 marks)
(b) Discuss one biological and one psychological explanation of depression. (25 marks)
4 Discuss gender bias in psychological theories and/or studies (eg androcentrism and alpha-beta bias). (30 marks)
5 Discuss two or more ethical issues relating to psychological investigations involving human participants. (30 marks)
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Approaches
Approaches in Note form of Behavioural, Psychodynamic and Biological
For Approaches:
First off all, read the text carefully and then decide which of the 4 (or 3 if you remember 3) is best to use for the text. Once you’ve selected them answer part a) by outlining both approaches in relation to the text e.g. smoking. Why people smoke? > Behavioural is rewards and reinforcement etc.
For Part b) you have to select one of the two you mentioned and evaluate it in relation to the text.
For part c) you talk about the methodology of the chosen approach.
For part d) it’s the evaluation of the methodology.
Hope that helps
Behavioural Approach
Behavioural Explanation
Classical Conditioning
- Pavlov
- Stimuluse – response
- UC --> UCR
- UCS + NS--> UCR
- CS ---> CR
Operant Conditioning – Watson; rewards and reinforcement
SLT – Bandura : imitation/modeling.
Evaluation
- Ignored biological influence
- Takes into account cultural and social factors
- Supporting evidence
- Scientific evidence
- Deterministic – focuses only on environment
- Reductionist – breaks down behaviour to stimulus response actions.
Methodology
- Experimental design – Natural, field etc.
- Aim
- Hypothesis
- Independent and Dependent Variable (IV/DV)
- Controlled – situation; subject.
- Research design – independent, repeated etc.
- Sampling method – random etc.
- Data
- Ethical issues.
Evaluation of Methodology
- Demand characteristics
- Research bias
- Ethical issues
- High control
- Low Ecological Validity
- Establishes cause and effect
- Research design
o Independent: individuation differences etc.
o Repeated – boredom, practice, demand characteristic, minimize individual differences.
Psychodynamic Approach
Biological Approach
Biological Explanation
Physiological Approach – Concentrates on the ways in which bodily activity can explain behaviour
- Such as explaining the role of adrenaline, increased heart rate, brain activity when sleep/dreaming etc.
- Role of serotonin/melatonin etc. in mood disorders
- Role of dopamine in Schizophrenia.
Medical Approach – Explains and treats mental disorders in terms of physical illness.
Mental Illness – Mental illness can be described in terms of symptoms and treated by medication e.g. abnormal levels of neurotransmitters treated by antidepressants.
Inherited behaviour
Genes - twins
Evaluation
+ It has much supporting evidence
+ Treatments are successful
+ Patient not to blame
+ Most widely accepted model
- Ignores Social and Cultural factors on behaviour
- It is reductionist - ignores role of free will
- Deterministic
- It is rather simplistic - ignores the complex interplay of the body, mind, role of emotions, consciousness thoughts and behaviour
- Ethics - Animals used. (rats)
Methology
- Experimental method.
- Family, twins and adoption studies - inverstigate concordance rate.
- Regarding rates in people who share genese or environment or both e.g. mental illness, personality, intelligence.
- Brain scans, CAT, PET and MRIs - used to investigate the structure and funtioning of the brain.
Evaluation
+ Quantitative data
+ Scientific explanation
+ Stablishes cause and effect
+ High control
+ Easy to replicate
- Concordance rates not 100% - therefore, there must be other factors - environment
- Small samples used
- Demand Characteristics
- Low Ecological Validty
- Research Bias
- Ethical Issues
Approach Question:
Some people are very superstitious and think that they will have bad luck if they do not behave
in a certain way. Sometimes this involves avoidance behaviour, such as not travelling on Friday
13th, not walking under ladders and not stepping on the cracks in the pavement, etc. For other
people, it involves ritualistic behaviour such as always wearing a particular shirt to watch their
favourite football team or taking a ‘lucky mascot’ into an examination.
(a) Describe how being superstitious might be explained by two different approaches.
(6 marks + 6 marks)
(b) Assess one of these explanations of being superstitious in terms of its strengths and
limitations.
(6 marks)
(c) How might being superstitious be investigated by one of these approaches? (6 marks)
(d) Evaluate the use of this method of investigating being superstitious. (6 marks)
Answer to part a)
Possible approaches here are:
Cognitive approach
People might have developed faulty schemas. It might be that, on one occasion, someone wore a particular shirt to watch his/her football team in a difficult fixture. The team won against the odds and the next time they play, the individual wants to have the same outcome and so tries to make sure that other things remain the same as well. The shirt becomes a kind of talisman and the individual develops the irrational belief that wearing the shirt is vital for the team’s success. Every time the team wins, this irrational belief is strengthened. People generally like to feel that they have some control over events, and indulging in ritualistic behaviours might endow a sense of control, ie that the individual has done everything possible to ensure the outcome they are looking for. Where individuals take lucky mascots into exams, it might, for example, be explained in terms of a placebo effect. The strong belief that the mascot endows special power and aids memory and performance will influence expectations and preconceptions and, as a result, might have an actual effect on performance.
Psychodynamic approach
Psychoanalysts might explain the behaviour in terms of orally dependent personality. This is related to the oral stage of development where children can become too dependent and fail to develop true independence and responsibility for their own lives. Such people tend to have an external locus of control where they feel that things happen to them instead of them being in control of their own fate. Research has shown that such people are more likely to be superstitious, possibly as a way of trying to exert more power over their own lives.
It would also be possible to explain this kind of behaviour in biological or behavioural terms.
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Essays!
NOTE:
If you are goign to post an essay , please use spoilers. To do so you just simply put
at the beginning of it (the essay) and then at the end [./SPOILER] but without the full stop. Also, please specify for what topic the essay is for? Social Psychology etc? (or preferably, question number from the paper).
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/show...&postcount=588
Discussion about A Level exams and choosing A Level courses, including VCEs.
Useful Resources:
AQA Psychology - PYA5 Aftermath!!!
And I hope You All Get The Grades You Need For Uni!!
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