AQA PSYCHOLOGY 300 ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
100% VERIFIED ANSWERS ALREADY GRADED A+
ASSURRED PASS
This comprehensive question bank contains 300 multiple-choice questions
designed for AQA A-level Psychology. It systematically covers all core topics,
including Approaches, Biopsychology, Research Methods, and Issues and
Debates. The questions progress from foundational concepts to complex
evaluation, covering the nature-nurture debate, free will versus determinism,
reductionism versus holism, and the idiographic versus nomothetic
approaches. Research methodology is extensively addressed, including
experimental designs, sampling techniques, ethical issues, statistical testing,
and data analysis. Each question is accompanied by the correct answer and a
detailed rationale that explains the underlying psychological principles,
ensuring thorough understanding. This resource supports effective exam
preparation and knowledge consolidation for A-level students.
1. According to the biological approach, which of the following statements is
TRUE?
A) Environment may influence the expression of the genotype.
B) Genotype is just the expression of the environment.
C) Outside influences cannot affect the expression of the genotype.
D) Phenotype is only the expression of the genotype.
Answer: A
Rationale: The biological approach distinguishes between genotype (genetic
makeup) and phenotype (observable characteristics). While genotype is inherited,
its expression as phenotype can be influenced by environmental factors.
2. A phenotype is the result of the combined effect of which factors?
A) Neurotransmitters and environment.
B) Inheritance and environment.
C) Genetic makeup and neurotransmitters.
,D) Genotype and evolution.
Answer: B
Rationale: Phenotype is the observable expression of an individual's genotype in
interaction with environmental factors, not just biological components alone.
3. Which one of the following statements about evolution is false?
A) Evolution involves adapting to the environment.
B) Evolution involves breeding of those best able to survive.
C) Evolution involves common genetic material between species.
D) Evolution involves changes in behaviour from one generation to the next.
Answer: D
Rationale: Evolution involves changes in genetic makeup and physical or
behavioural traits through natural selection over generations. While behaviour can
be influenced by evolution, the statement as phrased is overly simplistic and can be
considered false in the context of the biological approach.
4. Which of the following terms best represents the view that biology and
environment work together to determine behaviour?
A) Determinism
B) Ethnocentrism
C) Holism
D) Interactionism
Answer: D
Rationale: Interactionism is the view that behaviour is determined by the
interaction between biological (nature) and environmental (nurture) factors, rather
than one alone.
5. Which psychologist believes in environmental determinism?
A) Adam studies a single case of a serial killer in intense detail to understand his
unique psychological history.
B) Bushra uses a standardised questionnaire on 500 offenders to measure the
prevalence of psychoticism.
C) Callum proposes that men and women differ fundamentally in their capacity for
moral reasoning.
D) Elena claims that criminal actions are fully determined by early childhood
conditioning.
Answer: D
Rationale: Environmental determinism is the view that behaviour is determined by
external influences such as learning and conditioning. Elena's claim that criminal
actions are fully determined by early childhood conditioning reflects this view.
,6. Which of the following best describes environmental determinism?
A) Behaviour results from unconscious conflicts repressed in childhood.
B) Behaviour results from innate physiological factors, such as genes.
C) Behaviour results from external influences, such as learning, culture and social
conditions.
D) Behaviour results from the individual's own free choice and agency.
Answer: C
Rationale: Environmental determinism holds that behaviour is caused by external
environmental factors rather than internal biological or psychological forces.
7. Which two of the following statements describe a strongly deterministic view?
A) People are always responsible for their own actions.
B) People behave in a random fashion.
C) People's behaviour always has a cause.
D) People exercise full choice over how they behave.
E) People have no choice about how to act.
Answer: C and E
Rationale: Determinism is the view that all events, including human behaviour,
have causes and are therefore predictable. Options C and E reflect this by asserting
that behaviour always has a cause and that people have no choice.
8. What is meant by soft determinism?
A) The view that all human behaviour is controlled by external forces.
B) The view that behaviour is determined by biological factors only.
C) The view that while behaviour has causes, humans still have some conscious
control.
D) The view that humans have complete free will over their actions.
Answer: C
Rationale: Soft determinism is the compromise position that behaviour is
determined by internal and external causes, but individuals still have some element
of conscious choice and control.
9. Which one of the following statements is a limitation of using twin studies to
investigate the genetic basis of behaviour?
A) Twins are not representative of the general population.
B) Twin studies are the only way to separate nature and nurture.
C) Twin studies always have high internal validity.
D) Twin studies can easily control for environmental variables.
Answer: A
, Rationale: A key limitation of twin studies is the issue of generalisability. Twins
have unique prenatal and shared environments that may not be representative of
the wider population, making it difficult to apply findings to everyone.
10. What is a key strength of cognitive neuroscience?
A) It relies solely on animal research.
B) It provides biological evidence for cognitive processes.
C) It ignores the role of the brain in behaviour.
D) It uses only self-report methods.
Answer: B
Rationale: Cognitive neuroscience is a strength because it brings together biology
and cognitive psychology, providing scientific, objective biological evidence (for
example, via fMRI scans) for cognitive processes.
11. What is meant by standardisation in a research study?
A) Using the exact same procedures for all participants.
B) Randomly allocating participants to conditions.
C) Changing the procedure for different participants.
D) Ensuring the study is conducted in a natural environment.
Answer: A
Rationale: Standardisation refers to keeping the procedures, instructions, and
environment exactly the same for all participants to ensure the study is replicable
and reliable.
12. What is a pilot study?
A) The main data collection phase of an experiment.
B) A small-scale trial run of the study to check the procedure.
C) The final analysis of the study's results.
D) A study that uses a very large sample.
Answer: B
Rationale: A pilot study is a small-scale version of a study conducted before the
main research to identify any flaws in the design or procedure, allowing for
improvements.
13. Which two of the following are aims of a pilot study?
A) To identify flaws in the procedure.
B) To test the study's reliability and validity.
C) To ensure that there is enough funding to go ahead with the study.
D) To hide any ethical issues that may arise.
Answer: A and B
100% VERIFIED ANSWERS ALREADY GRADED A+
ASSURRED PASS
This comprehensive question bank contains 300 multiple-choice questions
designed for AQA A-level Psychology. It systematically covers all core topics,
including Approaches, Biopsychology, Research Methods, and Issues and
Debates. The questions progress from foundational concepts to complex
evaluation, covering the nature-nurture debate, free will versus determinism,
reductionism versus holism, and the idiographic versus nomothetic
approaches. Research methodology is extensively addressed, including
experimental designs, sampling techniques, ethical issues, statistical testing,
and data analysis. Each question is accompanied by the correct answer and a
detailed rationale that explains the underlying psychological principles,
ensuring thorough understanding. This resource supports effective exam
preparation and knowledge consolidation for A-level students.
1. According to the biological approach, which of the following statements is
TRUE?
A) Environment may influence the expression of the genotype.
B) Genotype is just the expression of the environment.
C) Outside influences cannot affect the expression of the genotype.
D) Phenotype is only the expression of the genotype.
Answer: A
Rationale: The biological approach distinguishes between genotype (genetic
makeup) and phenotype (observable characteristics). While genotype is inherited,
its expression as phenotype can be influenced by environmental factors.
2. A phenotype is the result of the combined effect of which factors?
A) Neurotransmitters and environment.
B) Inheritance and environment.
C) Genetic makeup and neurotransmitters.
,D) Genotype and evolution.
Answer: B
Rationale: Phenotype is the observable expression of an individual's genotype in
interaction with environmental factors, not just biological components alone.
3. Which one of the following statements about evolution is false?
A) Evolution involves adapting to the environment.
B) Evolution involves breeding of those best able to survive.
C) Evolution involves common genetic material between species.
D) Evolution involves changes in behaviour from one generation to the next.
Answer: D
Rationale: Evolution involves changes in genetic makeup and physical or
behavioural traits through natural selection over generations. While behaviour can
be influenced by evolution, the statement as phrased is overly simplistic and can be
considered false in the context of the biological approach.
4. Which of the following terms best represents the view that biology and
environment work together to determine behaviour?
A) Determinism
B) Ethnocentrism
C) Holism
D) Interactionism
Answer: D
Rationale: Interactionism is the view that behaviour is determined by the
interaction between biological (nature) and environmental (nurture) factors, rather
than one alone.
5. Which psychologist believes in environmental determinism?
A) Adam studies a single case of a serial killer in intense detail to understand his
unique psychological history.
B) Bushra uses a standardised questionnaire on 500 offenders to measure the
prevalence of psychoticism.
C) Callum proposes that men and women differ fundamentally in their capacity for
moral reasoning.
D) Elena claims that criminal actions are fully determined by early childhood
conditioning.
Answer: D
Rationale: Environmental determinism is the view that behaviour is determined by
external influences such as learning and conditioning. Elena's claim that criminal
actions are fully determined by early childhood conditioning reflects this view.
,6. Which of the following best describes environmental determinism?
A) Behaviour results from unconscious conflicts repressed in childhood.
B) Behaviour results from innate physiological factors, such as genes.
C) Behaviour results from external influences, such as learning, culture and social
conditions.
D) Behaviour results from the individual's own free choice and agency.
Answer: C
Rationale: Environmental determinism holds that behaviour is caused by external
environmental factors rather than internal biological or psychological forces.
7. Which two of the following statements describe a strongly deterministic view?
A) People are always responsible for their own actions.
B) People behave in a random fashion.
C) People's behaviour always has a cause.
D) People exercise full choice over how they behave.
E) People have no choice about how to act.
Answer: C and E
Rationale: Determinism is the view that all events, including human behaviour,
have causes and are therefore predictable. Options C and E reflect this by asserting
that behaviour always has a cause and that people have no choice.
8. What is meant by soft determinism?
A) The view that all human behaviour is controlled by external forces.
B) The view that behaviour is determined by biological factors only.
C) The view that while behaviour has causes, humans still have some conscious
control.
D) The view that humans have complete free will over their actions.
Answer: C
Rationale: Soft determinism is the compromise position that behaviour is
determined by internal and external causes, but individuals still have some element
of conscious choice and control.
9. Which one of the following statements is a limitation of using twin studies to
investigate the genetic basis of behaviour?
A) Twins are not representative of the general population.
B) Twin studies are the only way to separate nature and nurture.
C) Twin studies always have high internal validity.
D) Twin studies can easily control for environmental variables.
Answer: A
, Rationale: A key limitation of twin studies is the issue of generalisability. Twins
have unique prenatal and shared environments that may not be representative of
the wider population, making it difficult to apply findings to everyone.
10. What is a key strength of cognitive neuroscience?
A) It relies solely on animal research.
B) It provides biological evidence for cognitive processes.
C) It ignores the role of the brain in behaviour.
D) It uses only self-report methods.
Answer: B
Rationale: Cognitive neuroscience is a strength because it brings together biology
and cognitive psychology, providing scientific, objective biological evidence (for
example, via fMRI scans) for cognitive processes.
11. What is meant by standardisation in a research study?
A) Using the exact same procedures for all participants.
B) Randomly allocating participants to conditions.
C) Changing the procedure for different participants.
D) Ensuring the study is conducted in a natural environment.
Answer: A
Rationale: Standardisation refers to keeping the procedures, instructions, and
environment exactly the same for all participants to ensure the study is replicable
and reliable.
12. What is a pilot study?
A) The main data collection phase of an experiment.
B) A small-scale trial run of the study to check the procedure.
C) The final analysis of the study's results.
D) A study that uses a very large sample.
Answer: B
Rationale: A pilot study is a small-scale version of a study conducted before the
main research to identify any flaws in the design or procedure, allowing for
improvements.
13. Which two of the following are aims of a pilot study?
A) To identify flaws in the procedure.
B) To test the study's reliability and validity.
C) To ensure that there is enough funding to go ahead with the study.
D) To hide any ethical issues that may arise.
Answer: A and B
