AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY 7182/3
PAPER 3 ISSUES AND OPTIONS IN
PSYCHOLOGY MARK SCHEME JUNE
FINAL TEST 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ ABC model.
Answer: Ellis proposed that depression occurs when an activating event
triggers an irrational belief which in turn produces a consequence i.e. an
emotional response like depression
◍ Humanistic approach:Free will and self actualisation.
Answer: understands behaviour that emphasises importance of subjective
exp and capacity for self determinationFree will: notion that humans can
make choices r not determined by external forces. Active
agentsSelf-actualisation: desire to grow psychologically and fulfil ones full
potential, innate
◍ ABCDE model.
Answer: extends Ellis's explanation of depression to a therapy - D stands for
disputing irrational thoughts and E for the effect of disputing
◍ Humanistic ApproachMaslows hierachy of needies.
Answer: 1) physiological needs 2) safety and security3) love and
belongingness4) self esteem5) self actualisation• Hum psychs regard
personal growth as essential, its developing n changing as a person to
become fulfilled satisfied n goal orientated• However psych barriers
preventing person from reaching potential
◍ Humanistic approachSelfCongruenceConditions of worth.
, Answer: Self: the way they see themselves Congruence: when self concept
and ideal self match Conditions of worth: when a parent places limits or
boundaries on their love of their child • Rogers: for personal growth to be
achieved, self and congruence has to happen• If too big of a gap then person
experiences incongruence n self act wont be possible • Client centre therapy:
people with unconditional positive regard from childhood so therapist needs
to give this now
◍ +AO3: Humanistic approachMore holistic.
Answer: more validity bcs considers meaningful human behv within its real
life context compared to all other approaches
◍ +AO3: Humanistic approachPositive approach.
Answer: offers a refreshing and optimistic alternative to E.G Freud - seeing
humans as slaves to their past. H.A sees people as good and free to work
towards achievement of their potential and in control of their lives
◍ acetylcholine.
Answer: a neurotransmitter. In the central nervous system it plays a key role
in attention and arousal. In the peripheral nervous system it causes muscles
to contract
◍ acoustically.
Answer: refers to sounds or the sense of hearing
◍ acquiescence bias.
Answer: tendency for a person to respond to any questionnaire/interview
item with agreement regardless of the actual content
◍ -AO3: Humanistic approachCultural bias:.
Answer: ideas such as individual freedom, autonomy, personal growth more
associated with individualist cultures in west. Collectivist such as India
emphasises on needs of the group, community, interdependence may not
identify with values of H.A
◍ -AO3: Humanistic approachuntestable concepts:.
Answer: vague ideas which are difficult to test - self actualisation and
, congruence useful therapeutic tools but hard to assess under experimental
conditions so its ANTI SCIENTIFIC and short on empirical evidence to
support its claims
◍ Behaviourist ApproachAssumptions:.
Answer: • All behv is learnt from the environment• Focuses on observable
behv• Animals and humans learn behv in the same way so psychs carry out
exps on animals and extrapolate results to humans
◍ action potential.
Answer: a short increase and decrease of electrical activity in the membrane
of a neuron, transmitting a signal away from the cell
◍ Theodor Adorno.
Answer: German philosopher and sociologist who came up with the theory
of authoritarian personality
◍ adrenal glands.
Answer: small glands located on top of each kidney that are part of the
endocrine system that release adrenaline and noradrenaline
◍ adrenaline.
Answer: a hormone produced by the adrenal gland that are often part of the
immediate stress response
◍ Behaviourist ApproachClassical conditioning.
Answer: • Pavlov: showed that dogs can be conditioned to salivate at the
sound of a bell if it was repeatedly present at the same time food was given.
• Food - UCS unconditioned stimulus• Salivation- UCR unconditioned
response • Bell (before association made): NS neutral stimulus • Bell (after
association made): CS conditioned stimulus • Salivation: CR conditioned
response• Food UCS = UCR Salivation • Bell NS = NR No response •
NS+UCS= UCR• CS=CR
◍ Behaviourist ApproachOperant conditioning..
Answer: • Skinner: learning is an active process, when humans act on n in
their envs, consequences follow the behvs • If consq is good, they repeat the
, behv.• Positive reinforcement: rewarded when certain behv is done•
Negative reinforcement: certain behv to avoid bad consequences, doing HW
to avoid shout• Punishment: unpleasant consequence of behv• Skinner: rats
inside a box, every time rat activated a lever, rewarded with food. After a
while rat continued this behv bcs knew it would get reward• Also negative
reinforcement bcs if press lever, electric shock so learnt to avoid pressing
◍ adrenocotricotrophic hormone.
Answer: stimulates the release of cortisol from the cortex of the adrenal
gland
◍ affectionless psychopathy.
Answer: a behaviour disorder in which the individual has no ability to
experience shame or guilt and lacks a social conscience, meaning that they
may find it easier to commit crimes
◍ agentic shift.
Answer: changing from being in an autonomous state to being in an agentic
state
◍ +AO3:Behaviourist Approachscientific credibility.
Answer: PAVLOV N SKINNER STUDY: focused on careful measurement
observable behv in controlled setting and emphasised importance of
scientific processes: objectivity, replicationit means that the principals of the
behavioural approach have been measured in a scientific and objective way
(not influenced by human bias).
◍ agentic state.
Answer: a mental state where we feel no personal responsibility for our
behaviour because we believe ourselves to be acting for an authority figure.
This frees us from the demands of our consciences and allows us to obey
even a destructive authority figure
◍ +AO3: Behaviourist ApproachReal life application.
Answer: OPERANT: token economy, where prisoners can exchange tokens
earned from good behv for rewards, good for people that are incapable of
PAPER 3 ISSUES AND OPTIONS IN
PSYCHOLOGY MARK SCHEME JUNE
FINAL TEST 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ ABC model.
Answer: Ellis proposed that depression occurs when an activating event
triggers an irrational belief which in turn produces a consequence i.e. an
emotional response like depression
◍ Humanistic approach:Free will and self actualisation.
Answer: understands behaviour that emphasises importance of subjective
exp and capacity for self determinationFree will: notion that humans can
make choices r not determined by external forces. Active
agentsSelf-actualisation: desire to grow psychologically and fulfil ones full
potential, innate
◍ ABCDE model.
Answer: extends Ellis's explanation of depression to a therapy - D stands for
disputing irrational thoughts and E for the effect of disputing
◍ Humanistic ApproachMaslows hierachy of needies.
Answer: 1) physiological needs 2) safety and security3) love and
belongingness4) self esteem5) self actualisation• Hum psychs regard
personal growth as essential, its developing n changing as a person to
become fulfilled satisfied n goal orientated• However psych barriers
preventing person from reaching potential
◍ Humanistic approachSelfCongruenceConditions of worth.
, Answer: Self: the way they see themselves Congruence: when self concept
and ideal self match Conditions of worth: when a parent places limits or
boundaries on their love of their child • Rogers: for personal growth to be
achieved, self and congruence has to happen• If too big of a gap then person
experiences incongruence n self act wont be possible • Client centre therapy:
people with unconditional positive regard from childhood so therapist needs
to give this now
◍ +AO3: Humanistic approachMore holistic.
Answer: more validity bcs considers meaningful human behv within its real
life context compared to all other approaches
◍ +AO3: Humanistic approachPositive approach.
Answer: offers a refreshing and optimistic alternative to E.G Freud - seeing
humans as slaves to their past. H.A sees people as good and free to work
towards achievement of their potential and in control of their lives
◍ acetylcholine.
Answer: a neurotransmitter. In the central nervous system it plays a key role
in attention and arousal. In the peripheral nervous system it causes muscles
to contract
◍ acoustically.
Answer: refers to sounds or the sense of hearing
◍ acquiescence bias.
Answer: tendency for a person to respond to any questionnaire/interview
item with agreement regardless of the actual content
◍ -AO3: Humanistic approachCultural bias:.
Answer: ideas such as individual freedom, autonomy, personal growth more
associated with individualist cultures in west. Collectivist such as India
emphasises on needs of the group, community, interdependence may not
identify with values of H.A
◍ -AO3: Humanistic approachuntestable concepts:.
Answer: vague ideas which are difficult to test - self actualisation and
, congruence useful therapeutic tools but hard to assess under experimental
conditions so its ANTI SCIENTIFIC and short on empirical evidence to
support its claims
◍ Behaviourist ApproachAssumptions:.
Answer: • All behv is learnt from the environment• Focuses on observable
behv• Animals and humans learn behv in the same way so psychs carry out
exps on animals and extrapolate results to humans
◍ action potential.
Answer: a short increase and decrease of electrical activity in the membrane
of a neuron, transmitting a signal away from the cell
◍ Theodor Adorno.
Answer: German philosopher and sociologist who came up with the theory
of authoritarian personality
◍ adrenal glands.
Answer: small glands located on top of each kidney that are part of the
endocrine system that release adrenaline and noradrenaline
◍ adrenaline.
Answer: a hormone produced by the adrenal gland that are often part of the
immediate stress response
◍ Behaviourist ApproachClassical conditioning.
Answer: • Pavlov: showed that dogs can be conditioned to salivate at the
sound of a bell if it was repeatedly present at the same time food was given.
• Food - UCS unconditioned stimulus• Salivation- UCR unconditioned
response • Bell (before association made): NS neutral stimulus • Bell (after
association made): CS conditioned stimulus • Salivation: CR conditioned
response• Food UCS = UCR Salivation • Bell NS = NR No response •
NS+UCS= UCR• CS=CR
◍ Behaviourist ApproachOperant conditioning..
Answer: • Skinner: learning is an active process, when humans act on n in
their envs, consequences follow the behvs • If consq is good, they repeat the
, behv.• Positive reinforcement: rewarded when certain behv is done•
Negative reinforcement: certain behv to avoid bad consequences, doing HW
to avoid shout• Punishment: unpleasant consequence of behv• Skinner: rats
inside a box, every time rat activated a lever, rewarded with food. After a
while rat continued this behv bcs knew it would get reward• Also negative
reinforcement bcs if press lever, electric shock so learnt to avoid pressing
◍ adrenocotricotrophic hormone.
Answer: stimulates the release of cortisol from the cortex of the adrenal
gland
◍ affectionless psychopathy.
Answer: a behaviour disorder in which the individual has no ability to
experience shame or guilt and lacks a social conscience, meaning that they
may find it easier to commit crimes
◍ agentic shift.
Answer: changing from being in an autonomous state to being in an agentic
state
◍ +AO3:Behaviourist Approachscientific credibility.
Answer: PAVLOV N SKINNER STUDY: focused on careful measurement
observable behv in controlled setting and emphasised importance of
scientific processes: objectivity, replicationit means that the principals of the
behavioural approach have been measured in a scientific and objective way
(not influenced by human bias).
◍ agentic state.
Answer: a mental state where we feel no personal responsibility for our
behaviour because we believe ourselves to be acting for an authority figure.
This frees us from the demands of our consciences and allows us to obey
even a destructive authority figure
◍ +AO3: Behaviourist ApproachReal life application.
Answer: OPERANT: token economy, where prisoners can exchange tokens
earned from good behv for rewards, good for people that are incapable of
