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

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Quick question; if anyone has the green hair book, do we need to know the DSM 5 Categories of OCD/DEPRESSION/PHOBIAS? As in e.g for phobias, agoraphobia, specific phobia etc. and OCD excoriation disorder

also gosh its a bit hefty learning all the cog/behvavuoursl and emotional symotom for the 3 disorders
(edited 7 years ago)
The 12 markers are likely to be on the cognitive approach and the biological approach to treating/explaining OCD, also expect a question on the economy in research methods and lots of evaluation in section a and b, as there wasn't much in unit 1, so I would expect evaluation of definitions of abnormality or some of the approaches
Original post by THESTRESS
Quick question; if anyone has the green hair book, do we need to know the DSM 5 Categories of OCD/DEPRESSION/PHOBIAS? As in e.g for phobias, agoraphobia, specific phobia etc. and OCD excoriation disorder

also gosh its a bit hefty learning all the cog/behvavuoursl and emotional symotom for the 3 disorders


It seems unlikely that you'll need to know that but it wouldn't hurt to include the DSM-5 categories if you've learnt them already

As for the characteristics, what i'm doing is using the actual disorders as acronyms to help me remember them. E.G:
P - Panic (Behavioural)
H - High levels of anxiety (Emotional)
O - Over the top responses (Emotional) + Cognitive distortions (Cognitive)
B - Behavioural Endurance
I - Irrational thoughts (Cognitive)
A - Avoidance (Behavioural)
S - Selective attention (Cognitive)

Hope that helps :smile:
Stupid question but if we get an essay on the behaviourist approach, do we also mention social learning theory too? Or would SLT come up in a question on its own?
Original post by jessicabristow
Stupid question but if we get an essay on the behaviourist approach, do we also mention social learning theory too? Or would SLT come up in a question on its own?


They're seperate.
Original post by TheAlphaParticle
i'm interested!


Great!! Just to let you know, approaches is much smaller as it has much less evaluation :smile:
Reply 86
is it likely that there would be a 8 or 12 mark question on the fight/flight response?


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again another question, thank you for helping everyone, but will we have to know evaluative points for say each separate treatments for the disorders. Say will we get an evaluation question for systematic desensitisation alone rather than an overall 'behavioural treatments' question?
Original post by THESTRESS
again another question, thank you for helping everyone, but will we have to know evaluative points for say each separate treatments for the disorders. Say will we get an evaluation question for systematic desensitisation alone rather than an overall 'behavioural treatments' question?

Id have thought that the question wouldn't specifically tell you to evaluate a treatment. However you will have to know evaluative points for each treatment you use.
Original post by THESTRESS
again another question, thank you for helping everyone, but will we have to know evaluative points for say each separate treatments for the disorders. Say will we get an evaluation question for systematic desensitisation alone rather than an overall 'behavioural treatments' question?



I did a 12 marker on systematic desensitisation for my January mock exams, so yes, it could come up! I don't remember if the question on s.d. was from the old spec or new (via specimen)- but either way, it could surely come up again. :u:

hope I helped =D
Thanks everyone for the replies. So I personally would hate it if anything about biological explanations of OCD came up, especially the neural explanation. Do we need to know about the worry circuit and comt and sert genes? The green hair book doesnt include them. If anyone has any revision sources for the biological exxplanaitions then i would appreciate it.

Also, since nothing about the biological exp/treament of OCD came up in the specimens, do you think it will come up in the exam?
Would it be safe to not focus so much on SLT since it came up on the specimen paper already? I have Economics on the same day too and I don't think I have time to properly go over everything once again...
Original post by THESTRESS
Quick question; if anyone has the green hair book, do we need to know the DSM 5 Categories of OCD/DEPRESSION/PHOBIAS? As in e.g for phobias, agoraphobia, specific phobia etc. and OCD excoriation disorder

also gosh its a bit hefty learning all the cog/behvavuoursl and emotional symotom for the 3 disorders


Yeah I have that book, I asked my teacher that earlier in the year and she said we don't need to know it, but I guess to be on the safe side,a learn them because they can ask us anything tbh
Original post by THESTRESS
Thanks everyone for the replies. So I personally would hate it if anything about biological explanations of OCD came up, especially the neural explanation. Do we need to know about the worry circuit and comt and sert genes? The green hair book doesnt include them. If anyone has any revision sources for the biological exxplanaitions then i would appreciate it.

Also, since nothing about the biological exp/treament of OCD came up in the specimens, do you think it will come up in the exam?


I think that may come up

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Original post by amelienine
Would it be safe to not focus so much on SLT since it came up on the specimen paper already? I have Economics on the same day too and I don't think I have time to properly go over everything once again...


I'm the same and have Economics too, it will be likely that the SLT to be a shorter answer question, so don't worry too much, it's also more likely to be a stem, so make sure you know it
Could someone explain Quasi experiments it's just something I don't understand?
Original post by The Panic Queen
Could someone explain Quasi experiments it's just something I don't understand?


A quasi experiment is where the independent variable of the experiment is a feature of a person:
for example, someone's height, or gender.


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A Quasi experiment is a study that is almost a study as the IV isn't directly measure it just exists. the research measure the effect the quasi-IV on the DV which can be measured in a lab. similar to a natural experiment by no manipulation to the IV and lack of random allocation mean only casual conclusions can be drawn from Quasi experiments.

Hope that helps!
Loopa's predictions:

The biological approach: The influence of genes, biological structures and neurochemistry on behaviour. Genotype and phenotype, genetic basis of behaviour, evolution of behaviour The biological approach is overdue in the unit 2 exam in the old spec (and its also in the new spec) and I think if it doesn’t make an appearance in the old spec retake exam which is on the same day, it’s very possible to be included in the new spec. This one is 50/50 as I doubt they will include a big question on the biological approach for both new AS students and old spec students so one set of students is likely to get this and it could be you guys if they want to go easy on you a little.

The cognitive approach: the study of internal mental processes, the role of schema, the use of theoretical and computer models to explain and make inferences about mental processes. The emergence of cognitive neuroscience. This section unlike the others within it has had a massive overhaul. Either this or the biological approach is likely in my eyes and this may be a big essay or a small one as it is dependent on whether the biological approach appears or not. This is the other approach I would personally prep for in greater detail.

Origins of psychology: Wundt, introspection and the emergence of psychology as a science: This section is new and incredibly awkward to write about so if you need help, download my ebook above as it covers it in detail. It won’t be a full essay I think but may make an appearance as a smaller question.

The fight or flight response including the role of adrenaline. I can’t really say why I think this is more likely beyond the fact that I think this has the highest chance of being a 12 marker within this topic of biopsychology. It’s also easier than the other topics I think so I’m hoping AQA choose to be nice to our new set of AS students. Its less likely than other topics however as a full essay in this exam in my opinion but may appear in a smaller form.

Definitions of abnormality (describe and evaluate): If this comes up it may ask you to describe and evaluate up to two definitions of abnormality. This would be more in line with what the old specification use to be like as the other topics were taken from the A2 element of the old spec and it would be pretty harsh to expect AS students to pick up A2 content really quickly. I’m hoping AQA are kind and ease you in by covering this topic which was part of the old AS unit 2 exam.

The behavioural approach to explaining phobias I did a comparison table which was an absolute nightmare to create and I can see this type of question hasn’t appeared as a full essay for the phobic disorders topic (which is now what phobias is in this unit 2 exam paper). Compared to the other topics (depression and OCD and explanations and treatments) this one appears like it’s a possibility check the one below too.

The Cognitive approach to explaining depression The comparison table also told me this one is likely too as it’s not had a question focus on psychological treatments for depression in the last 3 exam windows. This is more likely than the one above actually but both need to be prepared for.

Reply 99
Original post by THESTRESS
Thanks everyone for the replies. So I personally would hate it if anything about biological explanations of OCD came up, especially the neural explanation. Do we need to know about the worry circuit and comt and sert genes? The green hair book doesnt include them. If anyone has any revision sources for the biological exxplanaitions then i would appreciate it.

Also, since nothing about the biological exp/treament of OCD came up in the specimens, do you think it will come up in the exam?


The green-hair book does include The SERT gene, but under another name for that particular gene (5-HTT) from what I remember. They will be helpful for biological explanations.
(edited 7 years ago)

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