Hey. Many of PY1 Psychology will be the same questions but will alternate between the four types - Psychodynamic, Biological, Cognitive and behavioural. This is great because we know exactly what questions will come up and there'll be no suprises.
This thread will contain all model answers, Welsh or English. Some may argue my answers are too long, but there is an ongoing debate between how much should be written and as the answer varies in Psychology WJEC less is more. Hundreds of pupils have done worse than they thought by following model answers with too little information.
Question 1A
Outline two assumptions of the Psychodynamic approach. [4]
Outline two assumptions of the Cognitive approach. [4]
Outline two assumptions of the Biological approach. [4]
Outline two assumptions of the Behavioural approarch. [4]
Question 1B
Describe Freud's theory of personality developtment. [8]
Describe Attribution theory. [8]
Describe Social Learning Theory of Aggression. [8]
Describe Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome. [8]
Question 2
Describe how the Biological approach has been applied in either Psychosurgery or chemotherapy. [12]
Describe how the Cognitive approach has been applied in either Psychosurgery or chemotherapy. [12]
Describe how the Psychodynamic approach has been applied in either Psychosurgery or chemotherapy. [12]
Describe how the Behaviourist approach has been applied in either Psychosurgery or chemotherapy. [12]
Question 3A
Evaluate two strengths of the Psychodynamic approach. [6]
Evaluate two strenghts of the Cognitive approach. [6]
Evaluate two strengths of the Behaviourist approach. [6]
Evaluate two strengths of the Biological approach. [6]
Question 3B
Evaluate two weaknesses of the Psychodynamic approach. [6]
Evaluate two weaknesses of the Biological approach. [6]
Evaluate two weaknesses of the Cognative approach. [6]
Evaluate two weaknesses of the Behaviourist approach. [6]
Question 4
Question 4 has a different structure, but here we'd have to work out what is simular for each individual approach and work it out ourselves.
e.g Compare and contrast the cognitive and biological approaches in terms of simularities and differences. [12]
Question 5
Explain and evaluate the methodology used by the Psychodynamic approach. [12]
Explain and evaluate the methodolgy used by the Cognitive approach. [12]
Explain and evaluate the methodolgy used by the Behaviourist approach. [12]
Explain and evaluate the methodolgy used by the Biological approarch. [12]
I'm going to add the answers to these myself, along with your answers if anyone wants to contribute. I will also be adding a Welsh version.
are these really the only possible questions?
So, what are you looking for? Some model answers?
I will look through my students papers ( exam papers from past exams) and see which of the above have grade A answers on them.
I cant promise to do them all.
You will need everyone to help out to get a full pack
Can't wait to see the answers :P
Well, I will give you a start off. This is a model answer for question 1 - sections a and b for the cognitive approach.
It was an A grade marked answer from the exam paper.
An assumption of the cognitive approach is that all behaviour is a result of mental processes (thinking) Human beings are seen as information processors. Cognitive processes (eg attention, perception, memory language) enable us to understand and respond to the world around us.
Another assumption is that human beings and the human brain and the way it works can be compared to a PC. This means that cognitive psychologists create models of mental processes similar to computer ones and apply it to human behaviour. An example of this is the multistore model of memory by Atkinson and Shiffron. (4 marks )
A theory of the cognitive approach is attribution theory. It is based on the assumption that all behaviour is a result of thinking and that we think to decide the cause of other peoples behaviour.
Heiders earlier theories suggested that we always blame personal factors for the cause of other people’s behaviour and therefore make dispositional attributions. His later theories also recognised that we may also blame environmental factors for the cause of other peoples behaviour (situational attributions).
Kelley’s covariation theory tries to account for both dispositional and situational attribution and it explains how we decide the cause of other peoples behaviour when we have enough information.
Kelley claimed that we use three pieces of information to decide. He called these consistency, consensus and distinctiveness. Consensus means that all agree about a persons behaviour. Eg all teachers think that Claire is a good student. Distinctiveness is when a persons behaviour is unique. An example of this is Jamie is the only one who did his homework (ed note examiner has written muddled next to this.)
Consistency is when an individual behaves in the same way all the time. For example Claire works hard during the whole term.
When an individuals behaviour is consistent and distinctive we usually think that it is dispositional
(ed note examiner has written muddled here)
Kelleys theory has its weaknesses. It is a complex and mechanistic model We do not usually have all these three pieces of information and people sometimes also behave irrationally. A strength is that it is good at providing a working model for explaining how we can explain the behaviour of others when we have enough information.
(this was given a 7/8 by the examiner. Presumably the "muddled " comment explains the loss of a mark.
Anyone else care to contribute?
Bumping.
If anyone is interested I have written out some answers for bio and behaviourist for PY1 ( from the past exam papers).
Give me a shout if you want them
Do you mind sharing that? At the moment I'm gonna start doing revision notes on the behaviourist and psychodynamic approach - because I love them and understand them so well :b. It would be nice to see some stuff on the biological approach and the cognitive.
Cognitive and psychodynamic are not complete yet. I did put up one answer for cognitive previously - can I refer you to that for the moment?
Could someone give me some extra pointers on the Behaviourist approach assumptions and the Biological approach theory.
Thanks.
Lakhvir!
Extra pointers? In what respect? The spec requires you to state clearly two assumptions and to say what these mean ( giving an example is an option clarification)
Its worth four marks and shouldn't require a lot of time to be spent answering it. Short , sharp and to the point is how to answer that question.
Viological approach theory is Selye on stress. I uploaded a doc with the theory described. The answer was one that received an A grade on the exam paper.
I dont quite understand what you think you need?
The key is linking the theory to the assumptions and then describing it succinctly.
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