AS Psychology AQA PSYA1/2 Revision Thread 2015!

Can anyone give me any advice on how to distinguish between the types of experiment, experimental design and sampling? I find it really confusing and often end up writing about the wrong one!

Hi im a new member but have known about TSR for quite a while.
Im studying psy AS and we are currently covering Abnormality and Stress...early social development is last. I did revision on research methods now moved straight to social influence..currently covering conformity to social roles ( zimbardo prison exp./simulation). Im starting to follow x-char-x and fager.....

My revision consists of 7 pgs a day...activities on side I cover using small a5 coloured cards.Hopefully Ill get a A/b.

We are currently studying Abnormality and Conformity, I have already completed Unit One with college and I am finding this unit a lot more difficult to remember the information to, does anyone else have this problem or is it just me?

Hey, yeah i've also found this unit harder but wondering if thats because we have longer to learn Unit 1 ?We are doing abnormality and social influence but about to start stress as we have nearly finished social influence with one of our teachers , revision wise i have been copying up my notes onto a word document while also adding in some textbook information and notes i have found online. Hoping to print this off to use as a revision book when doing some past questions, is 9 weeks enough time to revise two alevels? I've started to double up my hours of study but still worrying i won't be able to fit it all in.

You will! Don't worry... Haha I'm also doing art and both english's so I'm stacked out with coursework at the moment as well as keeping on top of psychology and working part time on a Saturday... It's soooo stressful and that is a good idea, I just don't have the time to be able to do that... I'm just stressed that I won't feel ready for my PSYA2 exam.... *crys inside* hopefully there'll be a silver lining at some point

There are three experimental designs.

Independent groups; where there are TWO conditions and there are TWICE the amount of participants, this means that there will be less chance of order effects (so tiredness or rehearsal) and will help to increase the reliability of the study, however, it will take twice as long as the groups are unique and so the researcher will have to completed each condition separately.

Matched pairs design; participants are MATCHED based upon similar IQ or INTELLIGENCE levels. And so one ppt will complete one condition whilst the other will complete the rami img condition. This means that the results are not as reliable as their memories may be different regardless of their IQ.

Repeated measures design; Where the SAME ppts REPEAT their participation within both conditions, however, this can cause order effects and so reduce the reliability of the results. To over come this, we use something called the ABBA effect where condition A does one take while condition B completes another and then they swap over.

Usually in the PSYA1 papers the answer will be to due with a limitation of the design and how the researcher can overcome the issue. The go to answer is usually independent groups as there are more advantages and that it simply does not have the issue of order effects.

Sampling techniques are: volunteer, opportunity and random.
Volunteer is where a ad is placed in a paper or on the radio and people willingly apply.
Random is names out of a hat or a computer making a selection of 50 people out of 100.
Opportunity is where those who are available at the time will participate e.g. A psychology group.

Again, in an example they usually ask for the sample type and what could be the issue and again how it could be overcome. Research methods is not as interesting, but I hope I have helped you with your question.

Also, a lab is artificial, field is in the ppts own environment, but the researcher has some control over variables and natural is where everything occurs naturally i.e no control.

Thank you so much for taking the time to write all that, it's been really helpful!

Hopefully ! Wow thats a lot to manage i'm sure if you keep on top of it all you will be okay , balancing a weekend job is hard to! Just recently had to quit mine because the hours just kept going up and up , only managed to type up memory and attachment but if i get it finished i can maybe post it on here to help you and other people with revision

Hello, I did these exams last year but just thought I'd pop into the thread. I ended up with good marks (100ums and 98) so maybe I can give some useful advice (if not ignore me aha).

My advice would be plan for all the 12 markers there could be and practice writing them. A lot of that content may come up in the smaller questions too so it's very worthwhile. Condensing these 12 markers into notes is also good.

Also try to make sure your evaluation is top notch. Make a point e.g 'insert name refutes this claim.... Insert Their findings... Why this proves it wrong.



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Hi all again...we've just finished all but 1/2 attachments chapter which I will come to college in the holz....Printed out psya1 and 2 exam papers...time to ace this stuff.....also I nearly finished abnormality... heres what I know in brief:

3 definitions for abnormality:
-deviation from ideal mental health -needs limitations as a02.(evaluate)
-deviation from social norms - 2 types explicit norms and implicit norms. -needs limitations as a02.(evaluate)
-failure to function adequately eg. laughing in a funeral. -needs limitations as a02.(evaluate)

4 approaches to explaining why people become abnormal.
-biological/medical approach the acronym to help u remember is 'BIBG'..... STANDS FOR BRAIN DAMAGE,INFECTION,BIOCHEMISTRY (THATS TO DO WITH NEUROTRANSMITTER ACTIVITY) AND LAST 1 IS GENETICS

the other 3 approaches are psychological (to do with the mind,thinking,emotions rather than being to with brain..and biology)

-psychodynamic (freuds theory) id,ego,super ego, ego defences, and psychosexual stages ...acronym = AOP LG ...STANDS FOR anal,oral,phallic,latency,genitals.
+ strengths and weaknesses.....
(this is a potential 12 marker).

-cognitive approach..thinking irrationally
researchers: ellis and brook.