Section C Structure

Question 1

In core studies section C - You are given a short source (News article, blog post etc) - Your job is to spot the psychological issue (concept/problem/content) in the article.
You can be asked to: (6 things)

Answer 1

You can be asked to:

• Link the article to an area (Principle of the area)
• Link the article to a study (study details/results/conclusions)
• Link the study to a debate (define debate)
• Identify psychological issue(s) (concept/problem/content)
• Make suggestions to deal with the problem
• Evaluate your suggestion

Question 2

a. Explain why this article can be viewed as being relevant to cognitive psychology. [4] (what to do)

Answer 2

Principles of an area help to define that area. You should include them in your answer [2 marks] and make links to the article. [2 marks]

Question 3

b. Briefly outline one core study and explain how it could explain the different witness reports. [7] (how to answer)

Answer 3

Give a brief summary of key parts of study (aim, method, sample, procedure and results) [5 marks]

Make a clear link between what happened in the study and what’s happened in the article [2 marks]

Question 4

c. Identify one psychological issue raised by the above article. Support your answer with evidence from the article. [4] (2 things to remember about this)

Answer 4

• Not necessarily evaluation issue
• Your job is to spot the psychological concept/problem/content in the article, describe it and link it to the article using quotes/describing. E.g.

Question 5

d. Use your psychological knowledge to suggest a training programme to manage the issue you have identified in question 10c. [8/10] (3 things)

Answer 5

You need to make suggestions (2) of how to improve the issue.
They should be specific, not vague, so give examples [6 marks]
You should support suggestions by briefly linking to relevant core studies [2 marks]

Question 6

e. Evaluate your suggested training programme. [8/10]
Evaluation might refer to: (6 things)

Other tips (3 things)

Answer 6

Evaluation might refer to:

• Issues/debates
• financial implications
• resources available
• time constraints
• ethics
• other appropriate points should be credited.
• Need to make 2 issues for each suggestion (4 in total)
• Each evaluation point must be clearly linked to the suggestion (name it).
• Can be positive or negative

Question 7

Remember some studies have more applications than others……(3 things)

Answer 7

• Bandura’s Social Learning Theory has lots of applications. If someone models a behaviour then the behaviour may be imitated in a similar situation. If the model is seen to be rewarded for a behaviour it increases the likelihood of imitation.
• Chaney uses Operant conditioning (Skinner). Positive reinforcement can be used to strengthen behaviours.
• On their own they are powerful behaviour modification tools, put them together and they are even better….