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AQA AS Psychology Paper 2, 23 May 2016 Opinions. UNOFFICIAL MARK SCHEME

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Reply 180

Mina_

If a 4 marker came up on 'outline synaptic transmission through neurons' what 4 marking points would you state?

Reply 181

Natashja

Original post by THESTRESS

Yeah i do not think we do...we just need to know the process

Thank god ahahh :biggrin:

Reply 182

dmy15

Original post by Mephestic

Ahh cool - whos your psychology teacher? I use to have a teacher called Mrs Philpot (if i recall) - doubt she will be there anymore.

I dont know her lol and mine is Mr Dajee

Reply 183

Natashja

Original post by Mina_

If a 4 marker came up on 'outline synaptic transmission through neurons' what 4 marking points would you state?

An electrical impulse travels along an axon.

This triggers the nerve-ending of a neuron to release chemical messengers called neurotransmitters.

These chemicals diffuse across the synapse (the gap) and bind with receptor molecules on the membrane of the next neuron.

The receptor molecules on the second neuron bind only to the specific chemicals released from the first neuron. This stimulates the second neuron to transmit the electrical impulse.

Reply 184

Kefte

Original post by Mina_

If a 4 marker came up on 'outline synaptic transmission through neurons' what 4 marking points would you state?

What an awfully worded question. This is about synapses though, so I'd just describe what happens there.

I'd probably state:
A synapse is a junction between two neurons.
At the presynaptic neuron an electrical impulse, called an action potential, stimulates the release of chemicals called neurotransmitters (e.g. serotonin) stored in vesicles to exit the presynaptic neuron via exocytosis into a gap - called the synaptic cleft.
The neurotransmitter diffuse across the synaptic cleft and bind to specific receptors on the postsynaptic neuron.
Depending on the neurotransmitter this can be inhibitory (decrease the likelihood of action potential in the postsynaptic neuron), or excitatory (increase the likelihood of an action potential postsynaptic neuron).

Reply 185

ellabailey2701

Will we need to know about Watson? Or would Wundt be enough?

Reply 186

98curry76

Original post by ellabailey2701

Will we need to know about Watson? Or would Wundt be enough?

Try your best to learn about both of them - it'd be important to write about Wundt in a question asking about the emergence of psychology as a science, but equally important to write about Watson in a question about the behaviourist approach. :smile:

Reply 187

Namita Gurung

Hi
Could someone briefly talk me through the cognitive approach in case it comes up as a 12 marker?
I don't need a full essay - just some of the key points. The cognitive approach is my weakest point :frown:

Reply 188

hopeless.student

The only thing that I hate about psychopathology is OCD and the behavioural approach to explaining and treating OCD. This is the only thing I left out as it's really long and so complicated. I really hope it doesn't come up!! Who thinks it's likely to come up?? :frown:

Reply 189

Hogthoughts

What about the 4 definitions of abnormality? And their evaluations 😩 I'm dreading them.

Reply 190

Mina_

Original post by hopeless.student

These are predictions from loopa

http://www.loopa.co.uk/unit-2-new-spec-predictions-as-psychology-may-2016

Reply 191

Namita Gurung

Original post by kaykaayy

What about the 4 definitions of abnormality? And their evaluations 😩 I'm dreading them.

Failure to function adequately
Strengths
Matches sufferer's perspective
Assesses degree of abnormality
Checklist
Weakness
Abnormality is not always accompanied by a dysfunction e.g. psychopaths
Subjective
Normal abnormality e.g. mourning
Personally rewarding abnormality e.g. attention for bulimia sufferers

Deviation from ideal mental health
Weakness
Over-demanding criteria
Subjective
Changes over time
Cultural variation
Strengths
Positivity
Goal setting
Holistic - considers individual as a whole person

Deviation from social norms
Strengths
Helps people
Situational and developmental norms
Clear difference between normal/abnormal behaviour
Weakness
Subjective
Changes over time
Individualism
Ethnocentric bias in diagnosis

Statistical infrequency
Strengths
Objective
No value judgement
Evidence for assistance
Based on real data
Weakness
Not sure where to draw the line (most agree on 5%)
Not all infrequent behaviours are abnormal
Not all abnormal behaviours are infrequent
Cultural factors (some cultures will have certain behaviour traits that we will find to be 'abnormal'

Hope this helps!

Reply 192

ramseyisbuff

can anyone please " Describe and evaluate the biological approach" (12 marks)

Reply 193

hopeless.student

Original post by Mina_

/

These are predictions from loopa

http://www.loopa.co.uk/unit-2-new-spec-predictions-as-psychology-may-2016

Thanks, I already saw them, I'm abit skeptical of these predictions though as anything could come up to be honest :-/ and it's a new spec so predictions are harder to make

Reply 194

ellabailey2701

Will we need to know the different areas of the brain for the cognitive approach?

Reply 195

hopeless.student

I really don't get the biological approach overall, can someone please explain as I'm anxious of it coming up as a 12 marker😫

Reply 196

Mina_

Original post by ramseyisbuff

can anyone please " Describe and evaluate the biological approach" (12 marks)

AO1:
The biological approach emphasises the influence of a persons genes on their behaviour. This can be shown with twin studies, where concordance rates are compared between mono-zygotic twins and di-zygotic twins. Because MZ twins have the same genetic make up, if their concordance rate is higher then it suggests that there is a genetic influence on behaviour.
The biological approach also explains behaviour in terms on the functioning of the nervous system, including the central nervous system (spinal cord and brain) and the PNS. Neurotransmitters carry chemical messages from one neuron to another across a synapse. As a result, this can influence behaviour, for example, a deficit in serotonin is linked to the symptoms of depression.
Evolutionary psychologists claim that human behaviour have evolved over time the same way our bodies have as they have been adapted to our stone age environment.

AO3: [copied]The biological approach isscientific, the use of experimental methods such as lab experiments allows theresearcher rigorous ways of collecting and evaluating evidence. Therefore theresult of a controlled environment is the ability to establish a cause andeffect relationship thus making the research conclusive.
The biological approach has many practicalapplications, for example the development of drugs to correct chemicalimbalances.
However the biological approach isreductionist, the approach argues human behaviour can be explained throughgenes and neurotransmitters, it ignores the idea of other factors such ascognitions or emotions.

Reply 197

ebxnyxo

Quite excited for this paper tbh. These topics are my best because there isn't as much evaluation (thank God).

Reply 198

username2250433

What researchers do we need to know specifically, like the ones it tells you on the specification that you have to mention?
Also what glands do we need to know specifically?

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 199

Ihonestlydk

Original post by Mina_

Biological also needs to include the explanations of the genes, genotype and phenotype which THEN you can elaborate on twin studies along with biological structures, neurotransmitters (excitatory and inhibitory) and finally hormones.

Other than that everything else seems fine! :smile: