Core Studies 2

 

Section A structured essays

 

 

1

 

One way in which psychologists carry out research is by gathering a great deal of data about one individual.  This method is known as the case study.

 

 

 

Choose one of the core studies listed below and answer the following questions.

 

 

 

Freud (Little Hans)

Thigpen and Cleckley (multiple personality disorder)

Gardner and Gardner (Project Washoe)

 

 

 

 

(a)

Describe how the case study method was used in your chosen study

[6]

 

 

 

(b)

Using examples, give two strengths and two weaknesses of the case study as used in your chosen study

  [12]

 

 

 

(c)

Suggest one alternative way your study could have been investigated and say how you think this might affect the results

  [8]

 

 

[Total

 

26]

 

 

Specimen 2003

 

 

2

Psychological research is often carried out on a limited number of people.  The sample chosen will have an effect on the results of the research

 

 

 

Choose one of the core studies listed below and answer the following questions

 

 

 

Haney, Banks and Zimbardo (prison simulation)

Milgram (obedience)

Tajfel (intergroup discrimination)

 

 

 

 

(a)

Describe how participants were selected in your chosen study

[6]

 

   

 

(b)

Using examples, give two strengths and two weaknesses of the sample used in your chosen study.

  [12]

 

   

 

(c)

Suggest two other sample for your chosen study and say how you think these might affect the results

  [8]

 

 

[Total

 

26]

 

 

Specimen 2003

 

 

  3

One of the ethical issues that causes concern in the conduct of psychological investigations is that of deception.  It is sometimes argued that the use of deception is an essential part of research, and that, without some form of deception, research would be impossible.

 

 

Choose one of the core studies listed below and answer the following questions.

 

Rosenhan (sane in insane places)

Milgram (obedience)

Piliavin, Rodin and Piliavin (subway samaritans)


(a) Describe how deception was used in your chosen study. [6]

(b) Give two reasons supporting the use of deception in your chosen study and two reasons against the use of deception in your chosen study.   [12]

(c) Suggest one way in which your chosen study could have been conducted without the use of deception and say how this might affect the results.   [8]

 

[Total

 

26]

 

May 2003

 

4 Psychological research is often carried out in laboratories using specialised apparatus and complex recording devices.  Such equipment may produce very precise, detailed and accurate data.  
 

Choose one of the core studies listed below and answer the following questions.

 

Dement and Kleitman (sleep and dreaming)

Raine, Buchsbaum and LaCasse (brain scans)

Sperry (split brain)


(a) Describe the way in which the equipment was used to collect data in your chosen study. [6]

(b) Give two advantages of using this equipment in your chosen study and give two disadvantages of using this equipment in your chosen study.  
[12]

(c) Suggest one way in which data could have been gathered for your chosen study without the use of this equipment and say how you think this might effect the results.   

[8]

 

[Total

 

26]

 

May 2003

 

5 Some studies in psychology describe behaviour and experience using numbers and statistics.   This is the quantitative approach.

 

  
  Choose one of the core studies listed below and answer the following questions.

 

  
  Loftus and Palmer (eyewitness testimony)
Samuel and Bryant (conservation)
Dement and Kleitman (sleep and dreaming)		  
     
(a) Describe how the quantitative data was gathered in your chosen study. [6]
     
(b) Using examples from your chosen study, give two advantages and two disadvantages of using the quantitative approach. [12]
     
(c) Suggest one other way the behaviour and experience in your chosen study could be investigated, and say how you think this might affect the results.

January 2004

 [8]
 

 

  
6 A long standing debate in psychology is whether our behaviour is inherited (the nature argument) or whether our behaviour is learned (the nurture argument).

 

  
  Choose one of the core studies listed below and answer the following questions.  
     
  Gould (IQ testing)
Deregowski (perception)
Gardner and Gardner (Project Washoe)		  
     
(a) Describe what your chosen study tells us about the inheritance or learning of behaviour. [6]
     
(b) Using examples from your chosen study, give four problems in the research. [12]
     
(c) Suggest one other way of gathering data in your chosen study, and say how you think this might affect the conclusions. [8]
 

[Total

 26]
  January 2004  
 

 

  
7 Ecological validity refers to whether psychological research is related to everyday life.  It is often difficult to carry out ecologically valid research in a laboratory.
 		  
  Choose one of the core studies listed below and answer the following questions.  
     
  Haney, Banks and Zimbardo (prison simulation)  
  Tajfel (intergroup discrimination)  
  Dement and Kleitman (sleep and dreaming)  
     
(a) Describe the procedure of your chosen study. [6]
     
(b) Using examples, give four ways in which your chosen study was low in ecological validity.
[12]
     
(c) Suggest one way in which the ecological validity could be improved and say how you think this might affect the results.
[8]
 

[Total

 26]
  May 2004  
 

 

  
8 Psychologists, sometimes gather data about behaviour and experience by observing the ways in which people behave.  Such observations may be done in a number of ways.  
     
  Choose one of the core studies listed below and answer the following questions.  
     
  Rosenhan (sane in insane places)
Piliavin, Rodin and Piliavin (subway Samaritans)
Bandura (aggression)		  
     
(a) Describe how observational data was gathered in your chosen study [6]
     
(b) Using examples, give two advantages and two disadvantages of observing behaviour in your chosen study.
[12]
     
(c) Suggest two other ways in which data could be gathered in your chosen study. [8]
 

[Total

 26]
  May 2004
  
11 Psychological research is often conducted in laboratories.  
     
  Choose one of the core studies listed below and answer the following questions.  
     
  Dement and Kleitman (sleep and dreaming)
Loftus and Palmer (eyewitness testimony)
Bandura, Ross and Ross (aggression)		  
     
(a) Describe how the data was gathered in your chosen study. [6]
     
(b) Briefly discuss two strengths and two weaknesses of conducting psychological studies in a laboratory with examples from your chosen study.  

[12]
     
(c) Suggest one other way data could have been gathered for your chosen study and say how you think this might affect the results.  

[8]
 

[Total

 26]
  May 2005
 

 

  
12 Psychological research is often conducted in everyday settings.  
     
  Choose one of the core studies listed below and answer the following questions.  
     
  Freud (Little Hans)
Piliavin, Rodin and Piliavin (subway Samaritans)
Rosenhan (sane in insane places)		  
     
(a) Describe how data was gathered in your chosen study. [6]
     
(b) Briefly discuss two strengths and two weaknesses of conducting psychological research in everyday settings with examples from your chosen study.  

[12]
     
(c) Suggest one other way data could have been gathered for your chosen study and say how you think this might affect the results.   

[8]
 

[Total

 26]
  May 2005  
     

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

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Here are some tips on how to answer core studies 2 section a questions.