VOCABULARY
Directional (One-tailed)
hypothesis that predicts a significant difference or correlation and also the direction of results
A hypothesis in a study says ‘Emotions will differ following exposure to a happy or an angry stooge’. Is this a directional (one-tailed) hypothesis or a non-directional (two tailed) hypothesis? Include a reason for your answer.
Award 1 mark for the correct answer. Must include an appropriate reason for this mark, answer without reason cannot be credited.
For example: • non-directional/two-tailed (hypothesis), because the direction of change is not specified.
Non-directional (two-tailed)
hypothesis that predicts a difference or correlation but not the expected direction of results
Identify an alternative measure of central tendency that Bandura et al. could have used.
Award 1 mark for the correct answer:
• mode/median
Null hypothesis
there is no correlation, or the correlation is due to chance
Carrie is studying when people decide to eat meals and the quality of
their sleep. She is worried about variables that could affect when people
decide to eat meals, and the effect these could have on validity.
3(a)(i) Suggest one participant variable that could affect when people decide to
eat meals.
1 mark for variable
When someone normally eats = 1
Culture/ethnicity/lifestyle = 1
How busy they are = 1
How much someone normally eats at meals = 1
Their age / young/old eat earlier = 1
If they are dieting / have special dietary needs = 1
Drugs affect hunger: tea/coffee/alcohol = 1
Hunger/thirst = 1
Bar chart
nominal data (results in named categories) or plotting the average scores; x-axis is category, y-axis is value
A company is having a new kitchen built that will produce better quality
food for its workers so will improve work output. Cedric measures work
output three weeks before the new kitchen opens, as a baseline. He
finds work output is low. When Cedric measures work output again
three weeks after the new kitchen opens, he finds that work output is
higher.
7(a) State how Cedric could operationalise the independent variable in his
study.
1 mark for identifying the independent variable
1 mark for operationalisation
Kitchen = 1 independent variable
Poor quality and good quality food = 1 operationalisation
Also accept: food quality = 1 independent variable
Old kitchen and new kitchen = 1 operationalisation
Histogram
continuous data; x-axis is data category, y-axis is frequency
Explain what is meant by the ethical guideline of ‘reward’ in relation to animals in psychological research
1 for explanation
Motives for animals should be pleasant (reinforcement) rather than unpleasant (punishment/deprivation) = 1
Scatter graph
plotting correlations; x-axis one numerical measure, y-axis represent the other numerical measure
Explain one advantage of the sampling method used in the study by Milgram (obedience).
Award 1 mark for the advantage.
Award 2 marks for the advantage and an explanation.
For example:
• the people are willing because they have volunteered (1) so are likely to
be prepared to complete the experiment/are unlikely to withdraw (1)
• the participants come to the experimenter (1) which is easy/quick. (1)
Other appropriate responses should also be credited
Concurrent validity
comparing existing results to new results
From the study by Baron-Cohen et al. (eyes test): Describe two ways in which the study was valid.
For each way: Award 1 mark for a brief description. Award 2 marks for a detailed description.
For example: • there were important controls between the two conditions (1), e.g. a glossary to ensure comprehension (1)
• there were two control groups, one matched for IQ (1) so intelligence wouldn’t affect the results in relation to comparing (1)
• descriptive words matched images. (1) They were agreed by five judges (1)
• differences not due to understanding of the words (1) because they had been given a glossary. (1)
Other appropriate responses should also be credited
Predictive validity
comparing old results to predict the future
State two ways in which the research methods of an experiment and a case study are different.
Award 1 mark for stating a difference.
Two from:
• participants: many in an experiment, one (or a single unit, e.g. a family)
in a case study (1)
• controls: many in an experiment, none/few in a case study (1)
• data: typically quantitative in an experiment, qualitative in a case study
(1)
• data: objective in an experiment, subjective in a case study (1)
• aim: to find causal relationship in an experiment, not possible in a case
study. (1)
Other appropriate responses should also be credited.