AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY PAPER 2(LATEST 2025/2026) STUDY GUIDE WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
Give one reason why schema's are useful? - (answer)When we're in unknown situations schemas help us
know how to behave. So when we do not know what to do our schema fills in the gaps for us and allow
us to process situations better.
Give one reason why schema's are not useful? - (answer)schemas may exclude information which
doesn't conform to our prior expectations. As a result, we may form stereotypes which are difficult to
shift, even if new,disputing information is presented. This means we may not be processing the world
around us accurately and may misjudge or represent a person or situation.
Discuss the defense mechanism shown by Jed? - (answer)Displacement is when we redirect our hostile
feelings onto something else because it is not appropriate to express their feeling towards the person or
object in question. Jed can't take his frustration out on his teacher, who issued the detention and he
displaced his feelings by kicking the locker.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the biological approach,
(A01 Behaviourist) - (answer)The behaviourist approach suggests that the basic processes that govern
learning in all species are the same. We learn through two concepts: operant conditioning and classical
conditioning.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the biological approach, (classical
conditioning) - (answer)The idea of classical conditioning was developed by Pavlov who found that we
learn through association. He found that it was possible to condition dogs to associate the sound of a
bell with food. This resulted in the dogs producing a salivation response at the sound of a bell even
when no food was present. Pavlov demonstrated that repeated exposure to an event leads to a learned
and uncontrollable behaviour.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the biological approach, (operant
conditioning) - (answer)Skinner suggested behaviour resulted from learning through the consequences
of our actions. He conducted research into operant conditioning theory using rats, and found that three
types of consequences will affect behaviour: positive reinforcement involves rewarding a behaviour,
which increases it being repeated; negative reinforcement involves removing an unpleasant outcome to
increase it being repeated; punishment involves adding an unpleasant outcome,reducing the behaviour.
, AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY PAPER 2(LATEST 2025/2026) STUDY GUIDE WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the biological approach, (similarity to
biological) - (answer)Both the behaviourist approach and biological approach share a similarity in being
determinist. Both ignore the influence that the person can have and whether they have free will and can
make their own choices in these decisions.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the biological approach, (difference)
- (answer)However, they differ in that the behaviourist approach is environmentally determinist while
the biological approach is biologically determinist. Stating that behaviour is the product of internal
biological factors (e.g. genes, hormones, neurotransmitters, etc.) while behaviourists argue that
behaviour is determined by the environment and is a product of stimulus-response associations
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the biological approach (similarity) -
(answer)Both approaches take a nomothetic approach when studying human behaviour. Both
investigate behaviour to try to create universal laws that apply to all human beings. Biologists argue that
this is possible because human beings share similar physiologies, and behaviourists argue that this is
possible because all behaviour is the result of learning and stimulus-response associations. Therefore,
the aim of generating universal laws that apply to all humans is another similarity between the
behaviourist and biological approaches.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the biological approach (nature +
nurture) - (answer)the behaviourist approach and biological approach are different in their position on
the nature-nurture debate. Behaviourist views rest firmly on the nurture side of the debate, and that
human beings are blank slates and that all behaviour is learned. Biological psychologists argue a nature-
based view of behaviour. They posit that behaviour is the result of innate biological factors (e.g. genes,
hormones, neurotransmitters. etc.) and is, therefore, the product of nature and not nurture. Therefore,
despite their similarities in terms of determinism and their approach to investigation, the behaviourist
and biological approaches are radically different in terms of their position on the nature-nurture debate.
Name a difference between somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system? - (answer)The
somatic nervous system facilitates communication between the central nervous system and the outside
world, whereas the autonomic nervous system plays an important role in maintaining internal processes
like body temperature.
Label the picture of the diagram to show which neuron went where - (answer)A = Sensory
B = Relay
SOLUTIONS
Give one reason why schema's are useful? - (answer)When we're in unknown situations schemas help us
know how to behave. So when we do not know what to do our schema fills in the gaps for us and allow
us to process situations better.
Give one reason why schema's are not useful? - (answer)schemas may exclude information which
doesn't conform to our prior expectations. As a result, we may form stereotypes which are difficult to
shift, even if new,disputing information is presented. This means we may not be processing the world
around us accurately and may misjudge or represent a person or situation.
Discuss the defense mechanism shown by Jed? - (answer)Displacement is when we redirect our hostile
feelings onto something else because it is not appropriate to express their feeling towards the person or
object in question. Jed can't take his frustration out on his teacher, who issued the detention and he
displaced his feelings by kicking the locker.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the biological approach,
(A01 Behaviourist) - (answer)The behaviourist approach suggests that the basic processes that govern
learning in all species are the same. We learn through two concepts: operant conditioning and classical
conditioning.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the biological approach, (classical
conditioning) - (answer)The idea of classical conditioning was developed by Pavlov who found that we
learn through association. He found that it was possible to condition dogs to associate the sound of a
bell with food. This resulted in the dogs producing a salivation response at the sound of a bell even
when no food was present. Pavlov demonstrated that repeated exposure to an event leads to a learned
and uncontrollable behaviour.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the biological approach, (operant
conditioning) - (answer)Skinner suggested behaviour resulted from learning through the consequences
of our actions. He conducted research into operant conditioning theory using rats, and found that three
types of consequences will affect behaviour: positive reinforcement involves rewarding a behaviour,
which increases it being repeated; negative reinforcement involves removing an unpleasant outcome to
increase it being repeated; punishment involves adding an unpleasant outcome,reducing the behaviour.
, AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY PAPER 2(LATEST 2025/2026) STUDY GUIDE WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the biological approach, (similarity to
biological) - (answer)Both the behaviourist approach and biological approach share a similarity in being
determinist. Both ignore the influence that the person can have and whether they have free will and can
make their own choices in these decisions.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the biological approach, (difference)
- (answer)However, they differ in that the behaviourist approach is environmentally determinist while
the biological approach is biologically determinist. Stating that behaviour is the product of internal
biological factors (e.g. genes, hormones, neurotransmitters, etc.) while behaviourists argue that
behaviour is determined by the environment and is a product of stimulus-response associations
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the biological approach (similarity) -
(answer)Both approaches take a nomothetic approach when studying human behaviour. Both
investigate behaviour to try to create universal laws that apply to all human beings. Biologists argue that
this is possible because human beings share similar physiologies, and behaviourists argue that this is
possible because all behaviour is the result of learning and stimulus-response associations. Therefore,
the aim of generating universal laws that apply to all humans is another similarity between the
behaviourist and biological approaches.
Outline the key features of the behaviourist approach. Compare to the biological approach (nature +
nurture) - (answer)the behaviourist approach and biological approach are different in their position on
the nature-nurture debate. Behaviourist views rest firmly on the nurture side of the debate, and that
human beings are blank slates and that all behaviour is learned. Biological psychologists argue a nature-
based view of behaviour. They posit that behaviour is the result of innate biological factors (e.g. genes,
hormones, neurotransmitters. etc.) and is, therefore, the product of nature and not nurture. Therefore,
despite their similarities in terms of determinism and their approach to investigation, the behaviourist
and biological approaches are radically different in terms of their position on the nature-nurture debate.
Name a difference between somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system? - (answer)The
somatic nervous system facilitates communication between the central nervous system and the outside
world, whereas the autonomic nervous system plays an important role in maintaining internal processes
like body temperature.
Label the picture of the diagram to show which neuron went where - (answer)A = Sensory
B = Relay
