AQA Psychology Paper 2 Questions with Answers All
Solved
1. Who was Wundt?: The 'father of psychology'
2. What did Wundt do?: Opened first lab in Leipzig, used introspection to study consciousness
3. What is introspection?: A method where subjects analyse their own thoughts and feelings in
relation to a stimulus (studies sensation and perception) using a standardised procedure
4. What are the limitations of introspection?: Subjective, unfalsifiable
5. How did Wundt attempt to make introspection scientific?: He used standard- ised procedures in
a controlled environment
6. What features make something a science? (5): Hypothesis testing, Objectivity, Replicability,
Falsifiability, Empirical
7. Which approaches take the most scientific (nomothetic) approach to psy- chology?:
Behaviourist, Cognitive, Biological
8. Which approaches take the least scientific approach to psychology?: Hu- manistic,
Psychodynamic
9. What are the assumptions of the behaviourist approach? (3): All behaviour is learnt, Animals
and humans learn in the same way, We a born a blank slate
10.How would you describe the research methods used by the behaviourist approach?: Use
experimental method, with animals as subjects, looking for quan- tifiable behaviour
11.Who proposed classical conditioning as a way of learning?: Pavlov
,12.How was Classical conditioning first identified?: Pavlov's dogs study - sali- vating at the
sound of a bell that indicated food was coming.
13.Describe the process of classical conditioning (you don't have to use an example).:
Unconditioned Stimulus à Unconditioned Response (usually a pre existing reflex, but can be a
previously learnt behaviour), Neutral Stimulus à No response, US + NS à UR (repeated pairing
of these means eventually the NS becomes...), Conditioned Stimulus à Conditioned Response
14.What is generalisation in Classical conditioning?: When stimuli similar to the original CS
produce the same response
15.What is extinction in classical conditioning?: Where the CR stops being produced by the
CS
16.Who proposed operant conditioning as a way of learning?: Skinner
17.How would you explain the difference between classical and operant con- ditioning?: Classical
conditioning is learning by association, operant conditioning is learning by reinforcement
18.List the three types of reinforcement key to explaining operant condition- ing.: Positive
reinforcement, Negative reinforcement, Punishment
19.Outline positive reinforcement in operant conditioning.: Behaviour is more likely to be
repeated as a result of reward
20.Outline negative reinforcement in operant conditioning.: Behaviour is more likely to be
repeated as a result of removing a negative stimulus
21.Outline punishment in operant conditioning.: Behaviour is less likely to be repeated as a
result of addition of a negative stimulus
22.What element of psychopathology have we explained with the behaviourist approach?: Phobias
23.What is the strength of the behaviourist approach?: Lots of experimental evidence à scientific
,credibility, Application to treatment of phobias and modification of problematic behaviour
(dealing with offending)
24.What are the problems with the behaviourist approach?: Generalising from animal studies,
Ethical issues associated with animal research, Reductionist & Deterministic
25.Which side of the nature nurture debate is the behaviourist approach on?: Nurture
26. What is the name given to psychologists who subscribe to the behaviourist approach?:
Empiricists
27.What is the learning approach developed by Bandura called?: Social learn- ing theory
28.What are the assumptions of Social Learning theory?: The same as the behaviourist
approach + addition of the importance of role models
29.Describe the key idea behind SLT.: We learn a lot of behaviour through role models using
cognitive mediational processes.
30.Explain the role of modelling and where our role models come from in SLT.: We observe and
imitate a role model, this requires us to identify with that role model. This is more likely if they
are the same gender as ourselves, considered attractive, or are of higher social status.
31.Describe vicarious reinforcement in SLT.: We learn by seeing others reward- ed for a
behaviour and then imitate those behaviours that are rewarded.
32.What are the 4 mediational processes in SLT?: Attention, Retention, Motor reproduction,
Motivation
33.Describe how the 4 mediation processes in SLT relate to learning and per- forming behaviours
we have observed.: Learning = attention - see the behaviour, and retention - remember the
behaviour and it's consequences, Performance = motor reproduction - the ability to reproduce
the behaviour, and motivation - whether we want to perform the behaviour or not (largely based
, on whether we saw it reinforced or not)
34.Outline the procedure for Bandura's original research which formed the basis of SLT.: Studied
learnt aggression, 36 boys and 36 girls, matched pairs design, 3 conditions, 1) Adult hits BoBo
doll, 2) Adult ignores BoBo doll and plays nicely with other toys, 3) No adult models, Children
put into play room and observed for 20 minutes
35.Outline the findings of Bandura's original research for SLT.: Children ex- posed to aggressive
role models also played aggressively, children with non-aggres- sive role models also played
non-aggressively. Children without a role model were slightly more aggressive in their play than
the non-aggressive children.
36.What conclusion was drawn from Bandura's original research for SLT?: -
Aggressive behaviour is learnt through imitation of role models.
37.As well as his original BoBo doll study, what other versions did Bandura conduct?: Children
saw the adults playing aggressively/non-aggressively on TV. Children saw fantasy characters
playing aggressively/non-aggressively.
38.What conclusions was Bandura able to draw from his extra variations of the BoBo doll study?:
The role model does not have to be physically present for imitation to occur. Imitation is more
likely when the role model was same gender as the observer, but this is not essential.
39.What are the strengths of Bandura's BoBo doll study?: Well controlled, so high reliability and
replication
40.What are the weaknesses of Bandura's BoBo doll study?: Low ecological validity, Hard to
generalise (all children from same school), Possible demand char- acteristics
41.Which two approaches is Bandura trying to combine in SLT?: Behaviourist and Cognitive
42.What are the implications of SLT?: Need to look carefully at role models provided for children
Solved
1. Who was Wundt?: The 'father of psychology'
2. What did Wundt do?: Opened first lab in Leipzig, used introspection to study consciousness
3. What is introspection?: A method where subjects analyse their own thoughts and feelings in
relation to a stimulus (studies sensation and perception) using a standardised procedure
4. What are the limitations of introspection?: Subjective, unfalsifiable
5. How did Wundt attempt to make introspection scientific?: He used standard- ised procedures in
a controlled environment
6. What features make something a science? (5): Hypothesis testing, Objectivity, Replicability,
Falsifiability, Empirical
7. Which approaches take the most scientific (nomothetic) approach to psy- chology?:
Behaviourist, Cognitive, Biological
8. Which approaches take the least scientific approach to psychology?: Hu- manistic,
Psychodynamic
9. What are the assumptions of the behaviourist approach? (3): All behaviour is learnt, Animals
and humans learn in the same way, We a born a blank slate
10.How would you describe the research methods used by the behaviourist approach?: Use
experimental method, with animals as subjects, looking for quan- tifiable behaviour
11.Who proposed classical conditioning as a way of learning?: Pavlov
,12.How was Classical conditioning first identified?: Pavlov's dogs study - sali- vating at the
sound of a bell that indicated food was coming.
13.Describe the process of classical conditioning (you don't have to use an example).:
Unconditioned Stimulus à Unconditioned Response (usually a pre existing reflex, but can be a
previously learnt behaviour), Neutral Stimulus à No response, US + NS à UR (repeated pairing
of these means eventually the NS becomes...), Conditioned Stimulus à Conditioned Response
14.What is generalisation in Classical conditioning?: When stimuli similar to the original CS
produce the same response
15.What is extinction in classical conditioning?: Where the CR stops being produced by the
CS
16.Who proposed operant conditioning as a way of learning?: Skinner
17.How would you explain the difference between classical and operant con- ditioning?: Classical
conditioning is learning by association, operant conditioning is learning by reinforcement
18.List the three types of reinforcement key to explaining operant condition- ing.: Positive
reinforcement, Negative reinforcement, Punishment
19.Outline positive reinforcement in operant conditioning.: Behaviour is more likely to be
repeated as a result of reward
20.Outline negative reinforcement in operant conditioning.: Behaviour is more likely to be
repeated as a result of removing a negative stimulus
21.Outline punishment in operant conditioning.: Behaviour is less likely to be repeated as a
result of addition of a negative stimulus
22.What element of psychopathology have we explained with the behaviourist approach?: Phobias
23.What is the strength of the behaviourist approach?: Lots of experimental evidence à scientific
,credibility, Application to treatment of phobias and modification of problematic behaviour
(dealing with offending)
24.What are the problems with the behaviourist approach?: Generalising from animal studies,
Ethical issues associated with animal research, Reductionist & Deterministic
25.Which side of the nature nurture debate is the behaviourist approach on?: Nurture
26. What is the name given to psychologists who subscribe to the behaviourist approach?:
Empiricists
27.What is the learning approach developed by Bandura called?: Social learn- ing theory
28.What are the assumptions of Social Learning theory?: The same as the behaviourist
approach + addition of the importance of role models
29.Describe the key idea behind SLT.: We learn a lot of behaviour through role models using
cognitive mediational processes.
30.Explain the role of modelling and where our role models come from in SLT.: We observe and
imitate a role model, this requires us to identify with that role model. This is more likely if they
are the same gender as ourselves, considered attractive, or are of higher social status.
31.Describe vicarious reinforcement in SLT.: We learn by seeing others reward- ed for a
behaviour and then imitate those behaviours that are rewarded.
32.What are the 4 mediational processes in SLT?: Attention, Retention, Motor reproduction,
Motivation
33.Describe how the 4 mediation processes in SLT relate to learning and per- forming behaviours
we have observed.: Learning = attention - see the behaviour, and retention - remember the
behaviour and it's consequences, Performance = motor reproduction - the ability to reproduce
the behaviour, and motivation - whether we want to perform the behaviour or not (largely based
, on whether we saw it reinforced or not)
34.Outline the procedure for Bandura's original research which formed the basis of SLT.: Studied
learnt aggression, 36 boys and 36 girls, matched pairs design, 3 conditions, 1) Adult hits BoBo
doll, 2) Adult ignores BoBo doll and plays nicely with other toys, 3) No adult models, Children
put into play room and observed for 20 minutes
35.Outline the findings of Bandura's original research for SLT.: Children ex- posed to aggressive
role models also played aggressively, children with non-aggres- sive role models also played
non-aggressively. Children without a role model were slightly more aggressive in their play than
the non-aggressive children.
36.What conclusion was drawn from Bandura's original research for SLT?: -
Aggressive behaviour is learnt through imitation of role models.
37.As well as his original BoBo doll study, what other versions did Bandura conduct?: Children
saw the adults playing aggressively/non-aggressively on TV. Children saw fantasy characters
playing aggressively/non-aggressively.
38.What conclusions was Bandura able to draw from his extra variations of the BoBo doll study?:
The role model does not have to be physically present for imitation to occur. Imitation is more
likely when the role model was same gender as the observer, but this is not essential.
39.What are the strengths of Bandura's BoBo doll study?: Well controlled, so high reliability and
replication
40.What are the weaknesses of Bandura's BoBo doll study?: Low ecological validity, Hard to
generalise (all children from same school), Possible demand char- acteristics
41.Which two approaches is Bandura trying to combine in SLT?: Behaviourist and Cognitive
42.What are the implications of SLT?: Need to look carefully at role models provided for children
