Four A* full mark whole paper examples of Paper 1 (two sets) and Paper 2 (two sets) AQA AS Psychology examinations.

A*, full mark examples of the AQA AS PAPER 1 (first and second set) and AQA AS PAPER 2 (first and second set) specimen papers.
Featuring answers to the following questions:

Paper 1 (First set)
Section A
Social influence
0 1 Briefly outline and evaluate the authoritarian personality as an explanation of obedience to authority. [4 marks]
0 2 With reference to the article above, explain how social influence leads to social change. [6 marks]
0 3 Describe and evaluate two studies of social influence. [12 marks]
Section B
Memory
0 1 The experiment used an independent groups design. Explain how this study could have been modified by using a matched pairs design. [4 marks]
02 Identify and outline two techniques that may be used in a cognitive interview. [4 marks]
0 3 Outline and evaluate research into the effects of leading questions on the accuracy of eyewitness testimony. [8 marks]
Section C
Attachment
0 1 With reference to Abdul’s conversation with his friend, outline two features of caregiver-infant interaction. [4 marks]
0 2 Explain how such observational research might be refined through the use of behavioural categories. [4 marks]
0 3 Discuss Bowlby’s maternal deprivation theory. Refer to the experience of Joe as part of your discussion. [12 marks]
(1698 words for this file)

Paper 1 (Second set)
Section A
Social influence
0 1 Identify and briefly discuss two reasons why people have criticised Zimbardo’s prison study. [6 marks]
0 2 With reference to this example of social change, explain how psychology might affect the economy. [4 marks]
0 3 Discuss two explanations for conformity. Refer to Polly and Jed in your discussion. [12 marks]
Section B
Memory
0 1 Use your knowledge of the multi-store model of memory to explain the purpose of this research and the likely outcome. [4 marks]
0 2 Suggest one 4-letter sequence and one 5-letter sequence that the researcher could use. In the case of each sequence, give a justification for your choice. Use a different justification for each sequence. [4 marks]
0 3 Discuss two explanations for forgetting. Refer to Martin’s experiences in your answer. [12 marks]
Section C
Attachment
0 1 Using the data in Table 1, explain the procedure used for the time sampling technique in this study. [3 marks]
0 2 In what percentage of the total observations was the baby gazing at his mother? Show your calculations. [2 marks]
0 3 Explain what is meant by ‘overt observation’. [2 marks]
0 4 Outline the procedure used in one study of animal attachment. [4 marks]
0 5 Briefly discuss one limitation of using animals to study attachment in humans. [4 marks]
0 6 Outline and evaluate Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment. [8 marks]
(1884 words for this file)

Paper 2 (first set)
Approaches in Psychology
0 1 Briefly suggest how each of these responses might inform psychologists investigating models of human cognitive processing. [2 marks]
0 2 Explain which type of conditioning is being investigated in this experiment? [2 marks]
0 3 Outline what is meant by social learning theory and explain how social learning might have occurred in the procedure described above. [6 marks]
0 4 Discuss two limitations of social learning theory. [6 marks]
Section B
Psychopathology
0 1 Distinguish between obsessions and compulsions. [2 marks]
0 2 With reference to the study described above, what do the results seem to show about possible influences on the development of OCD? [4 marks]
0 3 Outline one cognitive characteristic of OCD and one behavioural characteristic of OCD that can be identified from the description provided by Steven. [2 marks]
0 4 Briefly outline one strength of the cognitive explanation of depression. [2 marks]
0 5 Outline and evaluate the behavioural approach to treating phobias. [12 marks]
Section C
Research methods
Identify the experimental design used in this study and outline one advantage of this experimental design. [3 marks]
0 2 Describe one other experimental design that researchers use in psychology. [2 marks]
0 3 Apart from using random allocation, suggest one way in which the psychologist might have improved this study by controlling for the effects of extraneous variables. Justify your answer. [2 marks]
0 4 Write a suitable hypothesis for this study. [3 marks]
0 5 From the information given in the description, calculate the number of participants in each group in Condition B. [1 mark]
0 6 Name a measure of dispersion the psychologist could use. [1 mark]
0 7 The psychologist uses the measure of dispersion you have named in your answer to question 0 6. State how the result for each condition would differ. [1 mark]
0 8 Explain how the psychologist could have used random allocation to assign the 15 participants in Condition B into the 5 groups. [3 marks]
0 9 Using the information given, explain how the psychologist could further analyse the data using percentages. [2 marks]
1 0 At the end of the study the psychologist debriefed each participant. Write a debriefing that the psychologist could read out to the participants in Condition A. [6 marks]
(2251 words for this file)

Paper 2 Second set
Section A
Approaches in Psychology
0 1 Briefly explain one function of the endocrine system. [2 marks]
0 2 Why are the standard deviation values found in the study above useful descriptive statistics for the cognitive psychologist? [2 marks]
0 3 Outline one problem of studying internal mental processes like memory ability by conducting experiments such as that described in Question 03 above. [2 marks]
0 4 Use your knowledge of genotype and phenotype to explain this difference in their personalities. [4 marks]
0 5 Outline and evaluate the social learning theory approach. Refer to evidence in your answer. [12 marks]
Section B
Psychopathology
0 1 What is meant by ‘statistical infrequency’ as a definition of abnormality? [2 marks]
Outline two characteristics of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Refer to Gavin in your answer. [4 marks]
A psychologist has suggested treating Tommy’s fear of birds using systematic desensitisation. Explain how this procedure could be used to help Tommy overcome his phobia. [4 marks]
0 4 Explain why systematic desensitisation might be more ethical than using flooding to treat Tommy’s phobia. [2 marks]
0 5 Outline and evaluate at least one cognitive approach to explaining depression. [12 marks] Section C
Research Methods
0 1 What does the table suggest about the relationship between age and attitude to social care issues? Explain your answer. [2 marks]
0 2 The researchers rated the active engagement of the participants in the discussion on social care. They used this rating as a measure of each participant’s attitude to social care issues. Briefly explain how investigator effects might have occurred in this study. [2 marks]
0 3 Outline how the researchers could have avoided investigator effects having an impact on the study. [2 marks]
0 4 Briefly discuss the benefits for the researchers of using both closed and open questions on their questionnaire about attitudes to social care. [4 marks]
0 5 Write one question that you think the researchers might have put on their questionnaire. Explain which type of question you have written and why you think this would be a suitable question for this study. [3 marks] 0 6 Identify the qualitative and quantitative data collected in this study. Explain your answer. [4 marks]
0 7 Explain how the researchers should have addressed two ethical issues in the investigation. [4 marks]
(2265 words for this file)

8129 words for all 4 files in this bundle.