Cambridge International AS & A Level
PSYCHOLOGY 9990/04
Paper 4 Specialist Options: Application For examination from 2020
SPECIMEN PAPER 1 hour 30 minutes
You must answer on the enclosed answer booklet.
*0123456789*
You will need: Answer booklet (enclosed)
INSTRUCTIONS
● Answer four questions in total:
Answer questions from two options.
Section A: answer two questions.
Section B: answer one question.
Section C: answer one question.
● Follow the instructions on the front cover of the answer booklet. If you need additional answer paper,
ask the invigilator for a continuation booklet.
INFORMATION
● The total mark for this paper is 60.
● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].
This document has 6 pages. Blank pages are indicated.
© UCLES 2019 [Turn over
, 2
Section A
You must answer two questions from this section.
Answer all the parts for the two questions you choose.
Psychology and abnormality
1 A study (Ost, 1991) identified the causes of blood and injection phobias. The following table shows
the percentages of participants in each category.
Cause of phobia Blood Injection
phobia phobia
Conditioning 49.4% 57.1%
Vicarious experiences 25.9% 21.4%
Instruction/information 7.4% 5.4%
No recall 17.3% 16.1%
(a) Give one conclusion that can be drawn from this table. [2]
(b) Give two advantages of the treatment of applied tension for blood phobia. [4]
(c) Fear of blood and injections are common phobias.
Describe how a different phobia can be explained through conditioning. [4]
(d) Discuss the evidence suggesting that phobias are learned. You should consider both sides of
the argument and include a conclusion. [5]
Psychology and consumer behaviour
2 In relation to the participants in their experiment, Braun-LaTour et al. write:
Sixty-six undergraduates (32 female, 34 male) at a large Northwestern University participated in
this experiment for course credit. The average age was 21. Participants were randomly assigned
to one of two conditions.
(a) Outline what Braun-LaTour et al. mean by ‘participants were randomly assigned’. [2]
(b) Identify one strength and one weakness of the sample in this study. Give reasons for your
answer. [4]
(c) Describe two alternative ways in which a sample for this study could have been gathered.
[4]
(d) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using students in psychology experiments.
You should include a conclusion in your answer. [5]
© UCLES 2019 9990/04/SP/20
PSYCHOLOGY 9990/04
Paper 4 Specialist Options: Application For examination from 2020
SPECIMEN PAPER 1 hour 30 minutes
You must answer on the enclosed answer booklet.
*0123456789*
You will need: Answer booklet (enclosed)
INSTRUCTIONS
● Answer four questions in total:
Answer questions from two options.
Section A: answer two questions.
Section B: answer one question.
Section C: answer one question.
● Follow the instructions on the front cover of the answer booklet. If you need additional answer paper,
ask the invigilator for a continuation booklet.
INFORMATION
● The total mark for this paper is 60.
● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].
This document has 6 pages. Blank pages are indicated.
© UCLES 2019 [Turn over
, 2
Section A
You must answer two questions from this section.
Answer all the parts for the two questions you choose.
Psychology and abnormality
1 A study (Ost, 1991) identified the causes of blood and injection phobias. The following table shows
the percentages of participants in each category.
Cause of phobia Blood Injection
phobia phobia
Conditioning 49.4% 57.1%
Vicarious experiences 25.9% 21.4%
Instruction/information 7.4% 5.4%
No recall 17.3% 16.1%
(a) Give one conclusion that can be drawn from this table. [2]
(b) Give two advantages of the treatment of applied tension for blood phobia. [4]
(c) Fear of blood and injections are common phobias.
Describe how a different phobia can be explained through conditioning. [4]
(d) Discuss the evidence suggesting that phobias are learned. You should consider both sides of
the argument and include a conclusion. [5]
Psychology and consumer behaviour
2 In relation to the participants in their experiment, Braun-LaTour et al. write:
Sixty-six undergraduates (32 female, 34 male) at a large Northwestern University participated in
this experiment for course credit. The average age was 21. Participants were randomly assigned
to one of two conditions.
(a) Outline what Braun-LaTour et al. mean by ‘participants were randomly assigned’. [2]
(b) Identify one strength and one weakness of the sample in this study. Give reasons for your
answer. [4]
(c) Describe two alternative ways in which a sample for this study could have been gathered.
[4]
(d) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using students in psychology experiments.
You should include a conclusion in your answer. [5]
© UCLES 2019 9990/04/SP/20
