exam style questions plans (brief)

Question 1

Discuss the psychodynamic approach. Refer to two other approaches (16 marks)

Answer 1

• psychodynamic A03

1. psychotherapy
2. counterpoint
3. humanistic approach more optimistic than psychodynamic
4. has untestable concepts cant be falsified due to unconscious unlike other approaches like biological - can prove its concepts wrong/right

Question 2

Tatiana’s parents are concerned about her mobile phone use. She is an anxious child and has low self-esteem. Tatiana only feels good about herself when she receives messages or positive comments on social media. She feels safe when she has her phone and socially isolated without it. Tatiana’s parents worry that her dependence on her mobile phone is starting to affect her well-being and achievement at school.
Outline and evaluate the humanistic approach. Refer to Tatiana’s behaviour in your answer (16 Marks)

Answer 2

humanistic A01 -free will etc.
Come to
- self actualisation - not achieving self actualisation
- esteem needs arent being fulfilled

1.

Question 3

Explain one reason why using schema might be useful when processing information from
the world around us, and explain one reason why using schema might not be useful when
processing information from the world around us.
(Total 4 marks)

Answer 3

Schema might be useful as it helps us understand the world and prevents individuals from getting overwhelmed as they arent having to explain everything. However, schemas might not be so useful as we can develop negative stereotypes about certain things based on our past experiences, disorting our perception which could potentially lead to discrimination against others etc.

Question 4

In a laboratory study of problem-solving, cognitive psychologists asked
participants to solve problems presented in different colours of ink. They found that it took longer to solve problems presented in green ink, than it did to solve problems presented in other colours. They inferred that the mental processing of problems is made more difficult when a problem is presented in
green ink.
Explain what is meant by ‘inference’ in relation to this stud

Answer 4

These psychologists inferred that green ink helps with problem solving based on observing the behaviour of these participants.

Question 5

A student asked his teacher: “Why are there so many approaches in psychology?”
The teacher replied: “Because each has something different to offer to our understanding
of the human mind and behaviour. This means that every approach is unique.”
Discuss what makes the psychodynamic approach unique in psychology. Refer to other approaches

Answer 5

psychodynamic A01

1. introduced idea of psychotherapy through psychoanalysis
   counterpoint
2. explanatory power unlike behaviourists - reduces to stimulus-response
3. has untestable concepts which cant be falsified -
   - uses case study to make generalisations instead of experiments like slt/behaviourists

Question 6

Discuss Wundt’s Role in the emergence of psychology

Answer 6

Wilhelm Wundt, “the founding father” of psychology was the first to clarify the difference between physiology and psychology ; psychology being the study of conscious experience.
Wundt believed that the mind could be broken down into constituent element - reductionism and these would be found and analysed using introspection (a process of self-observation). He introduced psychology to the idea of experimental methods, a crucial segment of psychology today.
-opened the first lab