AS Edexcel

Cognitive exam questions

2009 - 2013

Section B-C

Add this each time a group has done it (copy & paste)

G1 G2

Tips

Consider changing a question, write it differently:

Colour code different sectionsTheories- MSM (Atkinson & Shiffran, 1968)- LOP (Craik &Lockheart, 1972)

Studies- Craik & Tulving (1975)- Godden & Baddley (1975)

Key Issues- Eye witness testimony

Methodology

Section B

January 2009 Q 14a (5 marks)

- You will have learned about one of the following studies in detail from the Cognitive Approach:

• Peterson and Peterson (1959) study of the role of interference

• Craik and Tulving (1975) study of levels of processing • Ramponi et al (2004) study of age and levels of processing

Describe one study from the list. (write name of study down then complete)

G1

January 2009 Q 14b (4 marks)

Outline one strength and one weakness of the study you described in (a).

Strength…

Weakness…

January 2009 Q 16 (4 marks)

Explain why in psychology it might be preferable to use a research method that produces qualitative rather than quantitative data.

May 2009 Q 11 (12 marks)

A field experiment was carried out to see if environmental cues can aid recall. A student ice hockey team learned a list of 20 unrelated words in an ice rink. Half the group were then taken to a library (control group) whilst the other half (experimental group) stayed in the ice rink. Both groups then had to recall as many of the 20 words as possible. The results are shown in the table below:

(a) Which design is being used in this study? (1)(b) Explain why this design is appropriate for this study. (2)(c) Which measure of central tendency is being used in the table above? (1)(d) Would this study have high or low validity? Explain your answer. (2)(e) The researchers would have followed ethical guidelines. With reference to this

study, explain two ethical guidelines they would have to consider. (4)(f) Outline one weakness of field experiments in general. (2)

Control group (Library) Experimental group (Ice rink)

Mean number of words recalled (out of 20)

10 16

May 2009 Q 14 (5 marks)

(a) Identify one model or theory of memory. (1)(b) Describe the model or theory of memory that you identified in (a). (4)

May2009 Q 15 (5 marks)

You are sitting in a lesson and suddenly hear a loud explosion outside. You run to the window with all your classmates and see a large cloud of smoke and people running around. You are questioned the next day by the police about what happened.

Using concepts, theories and/or research from the Cognitive Approach explain why your recall of the event might differ from others who saw the same incident.

January 2010 Q 11 (7 marks)

You will have learned about a number of studies from the Cognitive Approach. Answer the following questions using one study you have learned.

(a) Identify one study from the Cognitive Approach. (1)(b) Describe the findings (results and/or conclusions) of

the study you identified in (a). (4)(c) Outline one strength of the study you identified in

(a). (2)

January 2010 Q 12 (6 marks)

As part of the course requirements for cognitive psychology you will have conducted an experiment.

(a) Outline the aim/purpose of your experiment. (2)(b) You will have chosen a design for your experiment.

Outline one strength and one weakness of using that experimental design. You must identify the design you used in your answer. (4)

January 2010 Q 13 (5 marks)

There are three types of experiments (natural, field and laboratory). Compare field experiments and laboratory experiments. Comparisons involve looking at similarities and differences. You may wish to include strengths and weaknesses such as: • validity • reliability • ethics

January 2010 Q 15 (9 marks)

(a) Describe one theory of forgetting you have studied other than cue dependency theory. (4)

(b) Evaluate one theory of forgetting. You may wish to include:

• comparison with other theories • looking at the methods used to study the theory • assessing evidence. (5)

June 2010 Q13 (4 marks)

Each of the approaches in psychology has main features (underlying concepts) that define it.

Describe one or more main features of the Cognitive Approach in psychology.

June 2010 Q14 (5 marks)

Describe the Levels of Processing model of memory.

June 2010 Q15 (12 marks)

(a) You want to investigate gender differences in the speed of texting on mobile phones in order to see who are the fastest, males or females. Cognitive psychology would suggest you use a laboratory experiment for this kind of investigation.

(i) Identify the independent variable (IV) and the dependent variable (DV) in this case. (2)

Continued on next slide

June 2010 Q15 (12 marks) continued

(ii) Write a plan showing how you would go about your investigation. In your plan you may wish to include: • sampling• procedure• controls (4)

June 2010 Q15 (12 marks) continued

(b) Laboratory experiments have strengths and weaknesses. (i) Outline one strength of a laboratory

experiment. (2)(ii) Outline one weakness of a laboratory

experiment. (2) (iii) You will have studied two other types of

experiment apart from laboratory experiments. Name these two types of experiment. (2)

January 2011 Q13 (8 marks)

Many parents complain that their children eat too much junk food such as burgers and chips. Imagine that you have been asked to carry out a survey to investigate teenagers’ attitudes to healthy eating.

(a) What is meant by a survey? (2)(b) Write an open question you might ask participants in this survey about healthy eating. (1)(c) Write a closed question you might ask participants in this survey about healthy eating. (1)(d) Outline two weaknesses of surveys in general. (4)

January 2011 Q14 (8 marks)

You will have learned about one of the following studies in detail from cognitive psychology: • Peterson and Peterson (1959) • Craik and Tulving (1975) • Ramponi et al (2004)

(a) Outline the aim(s) and conclusion(s) of one of these studies. (3)(b) Evaluate the study you have used in (a). You might want to

consider issues of: • Reliability• Validity• application to real life. (5)

January 2011 Q15 (7 marks)

You will have studied a key issue from the Cognitive Approach.

(a) Describe one key issue from the Cognitive Approach. (4)

(b) Imagine there has been a TV programme about the key issue you have described in (a). You receive an e-mail from your friend about the programme.

Write a short e-mail that you could send to your friend to help explain this key issue using one concept (idea, theory or research) from the Cognitive Approach. (3)

May 2011 Q13 (8 marks)

(a) Describe one theory of forgetting you have studied within cognitive psychology other than the cue dependent theory. (4)

(b) Outline one strength and one weakness of the theory you described in (a). (4)

May 2011 Q15 (11 marks) a-e

Mrs Smith took over Mrs Jones’s Psychology class in January because Mrs Jones went on maternity leave. Mr Brown’s class was not affected by staff change. Researchers decided to use this as a natural experiment to discover whether the students’ level of attendance is affected by staff change part way through the year. Figure 1: Table of Results to show class attendance throughout the year Mrs Smith’s & Mrs

Jones’s class Mr Brown’s class

Class attendance (%) before January

80% 95%

Class attendance (%) from January onwards

92% 93%

Section C

January 2009 Q 18 (12 marks)

• Describe and evaluate the cue dependent theory of forgetting. Your evaluation should include:

- comparison with one other theory of forgetting

- strengths and/or weaknesses of the cue dependent theory.

June 2010 Q17 (12 marks)

Describe and evaluate Godden and Baddeley’s (1975) study of cue dependent forgetting.

January 2011 Q16 (5 marks)

As part of the course requirements for cognitive psychology you will have conducted a practical using an experiment.

Evaluate your experiment. You may wish to look at: • your sample• how you controlled variables • your research design decisions • any ethical issues. (5)

May 2011Question 1 (1 mark)

• Mr. Swain decides to investigate whether giving feedback via e- mail to his students about their work will improve their performance on future tests. He selects two of his classes and decides to give class A feedback and class B no feedback.

• Which type of design is being used in this study?

• A repeated measures • B independent groups • C matchedpairs D correlation

May 2011Question 1 (1 mark)

• Mr. Swain decides to investigate whether giving feedback via e- mail to his students about their work will improve their performance on future tests. He selects two of his classes and decides to give class A feedback and class B no feedback.

• Which type of design is being used in this study?

• A repeated measures • B independent groups • C matchedpairs D correlation

May 2011Question 2 (1 mark)

• The students in class B are told that neither class will get feedback. Which ethical guideline is being broken here?

A right to withdraw B consentC deceptionD confidentiality

May 2011Question 2 (1 mark)

• The students in class B are told that neither class will get feedback. Which ethical guideline is being broken here?

A right to withdraw B consentC deceptionD confidentiality

May 2011Question 3 (1 mark)

• Mr Swain devises the following hypotheses for his study ‘students that receive feedback about their work will do better on future tests than those who receive no feedback’.

• Which of the following types of hypotheses is this an example of

• A directional (one tailed) • B nondirectional (two tailed) • C null

May 2011Question 3 (1 mark)

• Mr Swain devises the following hypotheses for his study ‘students that receive feedback about their work will do better on future tests than those who receive no feedback’.

• Which of the following types of hypotheses is this an example of

• A directional (one tailed) • B nondirectional (two tailed) • C null

May 2011Question 4 (1 mark)

• Class B which receives no feedback is also known as the

• A experimental group • B control group • C independent group • D laboratory group

May 2011Question 4 (1 mark)

• Class B which receives no feedback is also known as the

• A experimental group • B control group • C independent group • D laboratory group

May 2011Question 5 (1 mark)

• Qualitative data is normally gathered in the form of

• A percentages • B numbers • C words • D graphs

May 2011Question 5 (1 mark)

• Qualitative data is normally gathered in the form of

• A percentages • B numbers • C words • D graphs

May 2011Question 6 (1 mark)

• The extent to which research conditions represent real life is known as

• A experimenter realism • B experimental realism • C participant validity • D ecological validity

May 2011Question 6 (1 mark)

• The extent to which research conditions represent real life is known as

• A experimenter realism • B experimental realism • C participant validity • D ecological validity

May 2011Question 10 (1 mark)

• Holding and keeping information in memory is known as

• A retrieval • B forgetting • C encoding • D storage

May 2011Question 10 (1 mark)

• Holding and keeping information in memory is known as

• A retrieval • B forgetting • C encoding • D storage

May 2011Question 11 (1 mark)

• Sumita wanted to make sure her presentation was word- perfect and decided to use elaborative rehearsal to help.

• Elaborative rehearsal refers to

• A learning and recalling information in the same environment

• B delaying recall of information after learning it • C a deeper consideration of information • D rehearsing information to keep it for a short time

May 2011Question 11 (1 mark)

• Sumita wanted to make sure her presentation was word- perfect and decided to use elaborative rehearsal to help.

• Elaborative rehearsal refers to

• A learning and recalling information in the same environment

• B delaying recall of information after learning it • C a deeper consideration of information • D rehearsing information to keep it for a short time

May 2011Question 13a (4 mark)

• Describe one theory of forgetting you have studied within cognitive psychology other than the cue dependent theory. (4) (Trace Decay/ Interference)

May 2011Question 13b (4 mark)

• Outline one strength and one weakness of the theory described in (a). (4)

May 2011Question 15a (2 mark)

• Mrs Smith is to take over Mrs Jones’s Psychology class in January, as Mrs Jones is going on maternity leave. Mr Brown’s class is not affected by staff change. Researchers have decided to use this as a natural experiment to discover whether attendance is affected by staff change part way through the year.

• Define what is meant by natural experiment.

May 2011Question 15a (2 mark)

• Mrs Smith is to take over Mrs Jones’s Psychology class in January, as Mrs Jones is going on maternity leave. Mr Brown’s class is not affected by staff change. Researchers have decided to use this as a natural experiment to discover whether attendance is affected by staff change part way through the year.

• Define what is meant by natural experiment.

May 2011Question 15b (2 mark)

• Identify both the independent variable (IV) and the dependent (DV) variable in this experiment.

May 2011Question 15c (2 mark)

• Write a suitable null hypothesis for this experiment.

May 2011Question 15d (2 mark)

• Using the table in Figure 1, describe the results of this experiment.

Mrs Smith’s and Mrs Jones’s class

Mr Brown’s class

Class attendance (%) before January

80% 95%

Class attendance (%) from January

onwards

92% 93%

May 2011Question 15e (2 mark)

• Identify one participant or situational (extraneous) variable in this experiment and suggest how it may have affected the results.

May 2011Question 17 (12 mark)

• Describe and evaluate the Levels of Processing model of memory.