AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY 7182/3
PAPER 3 ISSUES AND OPTIONS IN
PSYCHOLOGY MARK SCHEME JUNE
ACTUAL EXAM PAPER 2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED
A+
◍ Statistical infrequency.
Answer: Number of times it is observedDifferent/rare = abnormalE.g. IDD -
average IQ 85-115, only 2% below 70
◍ Statistical infrequency - real life applications.
Answer: All MI assessments include comparison to statistical normsIDD
demonstrates how it can be usedUseful in clinical assessment
◍ Statistical infrequency - unusual characteristics can be positive.
Answer: Statistically abnormal but may not need treatmentE.g. IQ of 130
not undesirableShould never be used alone to make diagnosis
◍ Conformity (Asch).
Answer: Aim- to investigate whether individual should conform to a
majority giving an obviously incorrect answerprocedure - 123 American
male students tested- placed in groups with confederates, 6-8 people per
group- shown line comparison task- matched standard line with one of three
comparison lines- confederates deliberately gave incorrect answers on 12 of
18 trials findings- 36.8% conformity rate- 75% conformed at least once-
25% never conformedconclusion- people conform due to NSI (want to be
accepted) even if answer is wrong
,◍ Statistical infrequency - not everyone benefits from labels.
Answer: Happy/fulfilled lifeLow IQ, not distressed/unemployed = not
necessaryMay negatively affect how others view them/how they view
themselves
◍ Asch A03.
Answer: - artificial task: line judgement is trivial, behaviour may not reflect
real-life conformity, limits generalisation and ecological validity + high
control: standardised procedure reduces extraneous variables, strong
cause-effect conclusions and high internal validity- temporal validity issue:
conducted in 1950s America- may not apply today, may be cultural
variations and supported by lower conformity in later replicaitons- ethical
issues (deception): participants missed about true aim- potential
psychological discomfort e.g.depression, feeling excluded and dumb
◍ Asch group size.
Answer: Procedure- number of confederates varied: 1,2,3+- same line
judgement tasksfindings- 1 confederate- 3% conformity -2 confederates-
13% conformity3 confederates- 32% conformity- after 3 confederates,
conformity plateausconclusionconformity increases with group size up to a
point, then levels off
◍ Deviation from social norms.
Answer: Abnormality based on social context (different than
expected)Collected judgement on 'correct'Few behaviours universally
abnormal (cultural context)Historical differences e.g. homosexualityAPD:
failure to conform to lawful and culturally normative ethical behaviour
◍ Deviation from social norms - not sole explanation.
Answer: APD: place for deviation from social norms in thinking what is
abnormalOther factors: e.g. distress to other people from APD (a failure to
function adequately)Never sold reason for defining abnormality
◍ Asch unanimity.
Answer: procedure - one confederate gave the correct answer or a different
, wrong answer- broke the majority unanimous agreementfindings-
conformity dropped from 36.8% to 5.5%conclusion- unanimity is crucial,
even one dissenter greatly reduces conformity
◍ Asch task difficulty.
Answer: procedure- lines made more similar in length, making task
harderfindings- conformity increased above 36.8% baselineconclusion -
greater difficulty increases conformity due to ISI
◍ Obedience (Milgram).
Answer: Aim- to investigate obedience to authority procedure- 40 male
participants - teacher-learner experiment with fake electric shocks (15v to
450v)- learner (confederate_ gave wrong answers and appeared to suffer-
experimenter used standardised prods to encourage continuation findings-
65% went to 450v- all participants went to 300vmany showed signs of stress
but still obeyedconclusion- ordinary people will obey authority figures even
when actions conflict with personal morals
◍ Deviation from social norms - cultural relativism.
Answer: Ethnocentrism: one person may judge someone from another
culture as abnormal using their own cultural standardsHearing voices
acceptable in some culturesProblems for people living outside of own
cultural group
◍ Milgram A03.
Answer: + high internal validity: standardised prods and procedure means
that there is a reliable cause-effect conclusions that can be made- low
ecological validity: artificial task in a lab that may not reflect real-world
obedience although argued mundane realism - ethical issues: psychological
distress, deception, lack of fully informed consent- challenged by modern
ethical standards- seizures+ real-world application- explains events like
holocaust, supporting external validity
◍ Deviation from social norms - could lead to human rights abuse.
Answer: Systematic abuse of human rightsDrapetomania (black slaves
trying to escape) + nymphomania (women attracted to working class men) =
, used for social controlArgued that some modern classifications abuse right
to be different
◍ Milgram proximity.
Answer: procedure variation- learner placed at different distances from
participant findings- remote (voice only)- 65%- same room: 40%- forced
proximity: 30%conclusion obedience decreases as moral strain increases
and victim becomes more immediate
◍ milgram location.
Answer: procedure- experiment moved from prestigious Yale university to a
run-down officefindings- obedience dropped from 65% to 47.5%conclusion-
legitimacy of authority affects obedience with moderate effect
◍ Failure to function adequately.
Answer: Cannot cope with everyday lifeE.g. maintain
job/relationships/hygieneRosenhan & Seligman: signs1. No longer conform
to interpersonal rules2. Experience personal distress3. Behave
irrationally/dangerouslyIDD: must be clear signs that they are unable to
cope for diagnosis
◍ milligram uniform.
Answer: procedure- experimenter replaced by a member of public (no lab
coat)findings- obedience dropped from 65% to 20%conclusion- visible
authority is a key factor in obedience
◍ animal studies (Lorenz).
Answer: Aim- to investigate imprinting in birdsprocedure- split goose eggs
into two groups- one hatched with Lorenz present, other with their mother-
Lorenz ensured he was the first moving object seen by half the
golsingsFindings- Goslings followed first moving object- Those hatched
with Lorenz followed him everywhereConclusion- imprinting occurs during
a critical period shortly after brith and forms a strong attachment
◍ Failure to function adequately - patient's perspective.
Answer: Difficult to assess distressAcknowledges experience of patient is
PAPER 3 ISSUES AND OPTIONS IN
PSYCHOLOGY MARK SCHEME JUNE
ACTUAL EXAM PAPER 2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED
A+
◍ Statistical infrequency.
Answer: Number of times it is observedDifferent/rare = abnormalE.g. IDD -
average IQ 85-115, only 2% below 70
◍ Statistical infrequency - real life applications.
Answer: All MI assessments include comparison to statistical normsIDD
demonstrates how it can be usedUseful in clinical assessment
◍ Statistical infrequency - unusual characteristics can be positive.
Answer: Statistically abnormal but may not need treatmentE.g. IQ of 130
not undesirableShould never be used alone to make diagnosis
◍ Conformity (Asch).
Answer: Aim- to investigate whether individual should conform to a
majority giving an obviously incorrect answerprocedure - 123 American
male students tested- placed in groups with confederates, 6-8 people per
group- shown line comparison task- matched standard line with one of three
comparison lines- confederates deliberately gave incorrect answers on 12 of
18 trials findings- 36.8% conformity rate- 75% conformed at least once-
25% never conformedconclusion- people conform due to NSI (want to be
accepted) even if answer is wrong
,◍ Statistical infrequency - not everyone benefits from labels.
Answer: Happy/fulfilled lifeLow IQ, not distressed/unemployed = not
necessaryMay negatively affect how others view them/how they view
themselves
◍ Asch A03.
Answer: - artificial task: line judgement is trivial, behaviour may not reflect
real-life conformity, limits generalisation and ecological validity + high
control: standardised procedure reduces extraneous variables, strong
cause-effect conclusions and high internal validity- temporal validity issue:
conducted in 1950s America- may not apply today, may be cultural
variations and supported by lower conformity in later replicaitons- ethical
issues (deception): participants missed about true aim- potential
psychological discomfort e.g.depression, feeling excluded and dumb
◍ Asch group size.
Answer: Procedure- number of confederates varied: 1,2,3+- same line
judgement tasksfindings- 1 confederate- 3% conformity -2 confederates-
13% conformity3 confederates- 32% conformity- after 3 confederates,
conformity plateausconclusionconformity increases with group size up to a
point, then levels off
◍ Deviation from social norms.
Answer: Abnormality based on social context (different than
expected)Collected judgement on 'correct'Few behaviours universally
abnormal (cultural context)Historical differences e.g. homosexualityAPD:
failure to conform to lawful and culturally normative ethical behaviour
◍ Deviation from social norms - not sole explanation.
Answer: APD: place for deviation from social norms in thinking what is
abnormalOther factors: e.g. distress to other people from APD (a failure to
function adequately)Never sold reason for defining abnormality
◍ Asch unanimity.
Answer: procedure - one confederate gave the correct answer or a different
, wrong answer- broke the majority unanimous agreementfindings-
conformity dropped from 36.8% to 5.5%conclusion- unanimity is crucial,
even one dissenter greatly reduces conformity
◍ Asch task difficulty.
Answer: procedure- lines made more similar in length, making task
harderfindings- conformity increased above 36.8% baselineconclusion -
greater difficulty increases conformity due to ISI
◍ Obedience (Milgram).
Answer: Aim- to investigate obedience to authority procedure- 40 male
participants - teacher-learner experiment with fake electric shocks (15v to
450v)- learner (confederate_ gave wrong answers and appeared to suffer-
experimenter used standardised prods to encourage continuation findings-
65% went to 450v- all participants went to 300vmany showed signs of stress
but still obeyedconclusion- ordinary people will obey authority figures even
when actions conflict with personal morals
◍ Deviation from social norms - cultural relativism.
Answer: Ethnocentrism: one person may judge someone from another
culture as abnormal using their own cultural standardsHearing voices
acceptable in some culturesProblems for people living outside of own
cultural group
◍ Milgram A03.
Answer: + high internal validity: standardised prods and procedure means
that there is a reliable cause-effect conclusions that can be made- low
ecological validity: artificial task in a lab that may not reflect real-world
obedience although argued mundane realism - ethical issues: psychological
distress, deception, lack of fully informed consent- challenged by modern
ethical standards- seizures+ real-world application- explains events like
holocaust, supporting external validity
◍ Deviation from social norms - could lead to human rights abuse.
Answer: Systematic abuse of human rightsDrapetomania (black slaves
trying to escape) + nymphomania (women attracted to working class men) =
, used for social controlArgued that some modern classifications abuse right
to be different
◍ Milgram proximity.
Answer: procedure variation- learner placed at different distances from
participant findings- remote (voice only)- 65%- same room: 40%- forced
proximity: 30%conclusion obedience decreases as moral strain increases
and victim becomes more immediate
◍ milgram location.
Answer: procedure- experiment moved from prestigious Yale university to a
run-down officefindings- obedience dropped from 65% to 47.5%conclusion-
legitimacy of authority affects obedience with moderate effect
◍ Failure to function adequately.
Answer: Cannot cope with everyday lifeE.g. maintain
job/relationships/hygieneRosenhan & Seligman: signs1. No longer conform
to interpersonal rules2. Experience personal distress3. Behave
irrationally/dangerouslyIDD: must be clear signs that they are unable to
cope for diagnosis
◍ milligram uniform.
Answer: procedure- experimenter replaced by a member of public (no lab
coat)findings- obedience dropped from 65% to 20%conclusion- visible
authority is a key factor in obedience
◍ animal studies (Lorenz).
Answer: Aim- to investigate imprinting in birdsprocedure- split goose eggs
into two groups- one hatched with Lorenz present, other with their mother-
Lorenz ensured he was the first moving object seen by half the
golsingsFindings- Goslings followed first moving object- Those hatched
with Lorenz followed him everywhereConclusion- imprinting occurs during
a critical period shortly after brith and forms a strong attachment
◍ Failure to function adequately - patient's perspective.
Answer: Difficult to assess distressAcknowledges experience of patient is
