Sunday, 13 November 2011

Unit 1 (AQA)

Cognitive Psychology - Memory
Models of memory: • The multi-store model, including the concepts of encoding, capacity and 
duration.  Strengths and limitations of the model
• The working memory model, including its strengths and limitations
Memory in everyday life: • Eyewitness testimony (EWT). Factors affecting the accuracy of EWT, including 
misleading information, anxiety, age of witness
• Improving accuracy of EWT, including the use of the cognitive interview
• Strategies for memory improvement
Developmental Psychology – Early Social Development
Attachment: • Explanations of attachment, including learning theory and Bowlby’s theory
• Types of attachment: secure attachment, insecure-avoidant and insecureresistant 
• Use of the “Strange Situation” in attachment research
• Cultural variations in attachment
• The effects of disruption of attachment, failure to form attachment (privation) 
and institutional care
Attachment in everyday life
• The impact of different forms of day care on children’s social development, 
including the effects on aggression and peer relations
• How research into attachment and day care has influenced child care 
practices

Research Methods
Methods and techniques
Candidates will be expected to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the 
following research methods, their advantages and weaknesses: 
• Experimental method, including laboratory, field and natural experiments
• Studies using a correlational analysis
• Observational techniques
• Self-report techniques including questionnaire and interview
• Case studies
Investigation design: Candidates should be familiar with the following features of investigation design:
• Aims
• Hypotheses, including directional and non-directional
• Experimental design (independent groups, repeated measures and matched 
pairs)
• Design of naturalistic observations, including the development and use of 
behavioural categories
• Design of questionnaires and interviews
• Operationalisation of variables, including independent and dependent variables
• Pilot studies
• Control of extraneous variables
• Reliability and validity
• Awareness of the British Psychological Society (BPS) Code of Ethics
• Ethical issues and ways in which psychologists deal with them
• Selection of participants and sampling techniques, including random, 
opportunity and volunteer sampling
• Demand characteristics and investigator effects
Data analysis and presentation:
Candidates should be familiar with the following features of data analysis, 
presentation and interpretation:
• Presentation and interpretation of quantitative data including graphs, 
scattergrams and tables
• Analysis and interpretation of quantitative data.  Measures of central tendency 
including median, mean, mode. Measures of dispersion including ranges and 
standard deviation
• Analysis and interpretation of correlational data.  Positive and negative 
correlations and the interpretation of correlation coefficients
• Presentation of qualitative data
• Processes involved in content analysis
-1 Hour 30 minutes.
80 - 100 = A
70 - 79 = B
60 - 69 = C
50 - 59 = D
40 - 49 = E
How to achieve a level 4

AO1: Knowledge and understanding
(a) recognise, recall and show understanding of 
scientific knowledge
(b) select, organise and communicate
AO2: Application of knowledge
(a) analyse and evaluate scientific knowledge and 
processes
(b) apply scientific knowledge and processes to 
unfamiliar situations including those related to 
issues
(c) assess the validity, reliability and credibility of 
scientific information.

AO3:
(a) describe ethical, safe and skilful practical 
techniques and processes, selecting appropriate 
qualitative and quantitative methods
(b) know how to make, record and communicate 
reliable and valid observations and measurements 
with appropriate precision and accuracy, through 
using primary and secondary sources
(c) analyse, interpret, explain and evaluate the 
methodology, results and impact of their own and 
others’ experiment

No comments:

Post a Comment