AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY: PAPER 1
ACTUAL NEWEST EXAM 2025 WITH WELL
SORTED QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS ALREADY GRADED A+
STATISTICAL INFREQUENCY - CORRECT ANSWER-abnormality is
defined as those behaviours that are extremely rare, i.e. any behaviour
that is found in very few people is regarded as abnormal.
e.g. IQ - statistically unusual if below 70. diagnosed w/ intellectual
disability disorder
DEVIATION FROM SOCIAL NORMS - CORRECT ANSWER-behaviour
that is different from the accepted standards of behaviour in a
community or society
abnormality based on social context
example: antisocial personality disorder (formerly psychopathy) -
failure to conform to lawful and culturally normal behaviour.
,psychopaths are abnormal because they deviate from social
norms/standards.
STRENGTH OF STATISTICAL INFREQUENCY: REAL LIFE
APPLICATION - CORRECT ANSWER-all assessment of patients w/
mental disorders includes comparison to statistical norms.
thus a useful part of clinical assessment.
LIMITATION OF STATISTICAL INFREQUENCY: UNUSUAL ≠ BAD -
CORRECT ANSWER-IQ scores of >130 are also statistically abnormal,
but people with this are not diagnosed w/ a disorder like those who
have IQ<70.
limitation because this means it should never be used alone to make a
diagnosis
LIMITATION OF STATISTICAL INFREQUENCY: NOT EVERYONE
BENEFITS FROM A LABEL - CORRECT ANSWER-if someone is happy
and fulfilled, there is no benefit from being labelled as abnormal -
could cause a negative view of self and others.
LIMITATION OF DEVIATION FROM SOCIAL NORMS: CULTURALLY
RELATIVE - CORRECT ANSWER-different cultures label people
,differently - creates problems for people from one culture living w/i
another culture
creates cultural bias in assessment
LIMITATION OF DEVIATION FROM SOCIAL NORMS: HUMAN
RIGHTS ABUSES - CORRECT ANSWER-too much reliance on this
method of assessment and lead to systematic abuse of human rights,
for example diagnosing people with conditions for trying to escape
slavery or being attracted to working-class people - diagnoses used for
control.
FAILURE TO FUNCTION ADEQUATELY - CORRECT ANSWER-occurs
when someone is unable to cope with ordinary demands of day-to-day
living.
no longer conforming to interpersonal rules, experience personal
distress, behave irrationally or dangerously.
DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH - CORRECT ANSWER-
occurs when someone does not meet a set of criteria for good mental
health. can overlap w/ failure to function adequately
, JAHODA (1958) - CORRECT ANSWER-Six conditions of ideal mental
health:
(1) positive self attitude
(2) self actualisation - realising your potential, being fulfilled.
(3) resistance to stress
(4) personal autonomy - making your own decisions, being in control.
(5) accurate perception of reality
(6) adaption to the environment.
STRENGTH OF FAILURE TO FUNCTION ADEQUATELY:
RECOGNISES PATIENT'S PERSPECTIVE - CORRECT ANSWER-allows
patient to discuss how they struggle to cope w/ everyday pressures -
captures experience of those who need help
LIMITATION OF FAILURE TO FUNCTION ADEQUATELY: SAME AS
DEVIATION FROM SOCIAL NORMS - CORRECT ANSWER-hard to say
when someone is really failing to function, or if they just deviate from
social norms. e.e people who live alternative lifestyles. treating this as
failures of adequate functioning limits freedom.
LIMITATION OF FAILURE TO FUNCTION ADEQUATELY:
SUBJECTIVE - CORRECT ANSWER-someone has to judge distress -
patients may feel distressed but may not be viewed as suffering.
ACTUAL NEWEST EXAM 2025 WITH WELL
SORTED QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS ALREADY GRADED A+
STATISTICAL INFREQUENCY - CORRECT ANSWER-abnormality is
defined as those behaviours that are extremely rare, i.e. any behaviour
that is found in very few people is regarded as abnormal.
e.g. IQ - statistically unusual if below 70. diagnosed w/ intellectual
disability disorder
DEVIATION FROM SOCIAL NORMS - CORRECT ANSWER-behaviour
that is different from the accepted standards of behaviour in a
community or society
abnormality based on social context
example: antisocial personality disorder (formerly psychopathy) -
failure to conform to lawful and culturally normal behaviour.
,psychopaths are abnormal because they deviate from social
norms/standards.
STRENGTH OF STATISTICAL INFREQUENCY: REAL LIFE
APPLICATION - CORRECT ANSWER-all assessment of patients w/
mental disorders includes comparison to statistical norms.
thus a useful part of clinical assessment.
LIMITATION OF STATISTICAL INFREQUENCY: UNUSUAL ≠ BAD -
CORRECT ANSWER-IQ scores of >130 are also statistically abnormal,
but people with this are not diagnosed w/ a disorder like those who
have IQ<70.
limitation because this means it should never be used alone to make a
diagnosis
LIMITATION OF STATISTICAL INFREQUENCY: NOT EVERYONE
BENEFITS FROM A LABEL - CORRECT ANSWER-if someone is happy
and fulfilled, there is no benefit from being labelled as abnormal -
could cause a negative view of self and others.
LIMITATION OF DEVIATION FROM SOCIAL NORMS: CULTURALLY
RELATIVE - CORRECT ANSWER-different cultures label people
,differently - creates problems for people from one culture living w/i
another culture
creates cultural bias in assessment
LIMITATION OF DEVIATION FROM SOCIAL NORMS: HUMAN
RIGHTS ABUSES - CORRECT ANSWER-too much reliance on this
method of assessment and lead to systematic abuse of human rights,
for example diagnosing people with conditions for trying to escape
slavery or being attracted to working-class people - diagnoses used for
control.
FAILURE TO FUNCTION ADEQUATELY - CORRECT ANSWER-occurs
when someone is unable to cope with ordinary demands of day-to-day
living.
no longer conforming to interpersonal rules, experience personal
distress, behave irrationally or dangerously.
DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH - CORRECT ANSWER-
occurs when someone does not meet a set of criteria for good mental
health. can overlap w/ failure to function adequately
, JAHODA (1958) - CORRECT ANSWER-Six conditions of ideal mental
health:
(1) positive self attitude
(2) self actualisation - realising your potential, being fulfilled.
(3) resistance to stress
(4) personal autonomy - making your own decisions, being in control.
(5) accurate perception of reality
(6) adaption to the environment.
STRENGTH OF FAILURE TO FUNCTION ADEQUATELY:
RECOGNISES PATIENT'S PERSPECTIVE - CORRECT ANSWER-allows
patient to discuss how they struggle to cope w/ everyday pressures -
captures experience of those who need help
LIMITATION OF FAILURE TO FUNCTION ADEQUATELY: SAME AS
DEVIATION FROM SOCIAL NORMS - CORRECT ANSWER-hard to say
when someone is really failing to function, or if they just deviate from
social norms. e.e people who live alternative lifestyles. treating this as
failures of adequate functioning limits freedom.
LIMITATION OF FAILURE TO FUNCTION ADEQUATELY:
SUBJECTIVE - CORRECT ANSWER-someone has to judge distress -
patients may feel distressed but may not be viewed as suffering.
