Unit 2 Revision Notes

Click on the link to access the revision notes for Unit 2. Try creating your own as part of your own revision. Revision Notes
Note that there may be some differences in terms and studies as these revision notes were written last year, and probably from different textbooks.

UNIT 2
Biological psychology - Extended writing essay question 1 Complete one of the following two extended writing essay questions:

1. Outline and evaluate research into the relationship between the immune system and stress-related illness. (12 marks)
2. Outline and evaluate research into stress-related illness. (12 marks)

Over the past few lessons we have discussed stress-related illness. In some cases illness can be related to immune system activity (or inactivity) but not in other cases. For example, cardiovascular illness is not related to changes in the immune system. This means that you need to be careful when answering questions on stress-related illness. The research covered in the ‘Stress-related illness: Cardiovascular and Psychiatric disorders lesson’ would not be creditworthy in a question on stress-related illness that mentioned the immune system. However, it would be creditworthy in an essay that just referred to stress-related illness (as in the second question above). In some questions, such as the examples above, the word ‘research’ is used. This means you could describe research studies (such as Kiecolt-Glaser or Williams) but you could also describe explanations (such as the effects of the stress hormone cortisol on immune system activity, or the diathesis-stress model). The term ‘research’ includes studies and/or explanations.

DUE NEXT FRIDAY 25TH JAUARY 2013

TYPES OF ATTACHMENT HOMEWORK

HOMEWORK – DUE FRIDAY 16^TH NOVEMBER 2012

Extended writing essay questions

Discuss research into the different types of attachment. (12 marks)

In order to achieve top marks on extended writing questions you must be familiar with the marking criteria. In a 12-mark extended writing question essay there are a possible 6 marks for description (AO1) and 6 marks for evaluation (A02). In this exam corner we are going to focus on description.

            There are two key criteria: detail and selection.

Mark	AO1
6	Accurate and reasonably detailed description that demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the topic. There is appropriate selection of material to address the question.
5-4	Less detailed but generally accurate. There is some evidence of selection of material to address the question.

What is detail?

Many people think it means writing more. But it isn’t just that. Consider the following two paragraphs:

There was one study that found that there are three attachment types. They used a special method, which is a observational study where observers watch an infant playing in room and its mother and a stranger.

Ainsworth et al. (1970s) found there are three attachment types. They devised a method called the strange situation to systematically test how an infant behaves when playing alone or in the presence of its mother or a stranger.

What is selection?

It means choosing what to include and what to leave out. Students often simply write down everything that they can think of related to the exam question. They believe this will show the examiner the breadth of their knowledge. However, what it demonstrates is a lack of clarity about the topic. A Grade A student can decide what material won’t be relevant because they know the topic well enough. So they are careful in what to include and what to leave out. 

EXPLANATIONS ATTACHMENT HOMEWORK 25/10/2012

HOMEWORK  25/10/2012

Extended writing essay question

You have now studied two explanations of attachment – learning theory and Bowlby’s theory. In the exam it is possible that you will be asked an extended writing question on one or both of these explanations. For example, any of the following questions are possible:

1. Discuss the learning theory of attachment (12 marks)

2. Discuss Bowlby’s theory of attachment (10 marks)

3. Discuss one theory of attachment (8 marks)

4. Discuss one or more theories of attachment (12 marks)

5. Discuss two theories of attachment (12 marks)

Note that a question may specify which theory you have to describe and evaluate (examples 1 and 2) or the choice may be left to you (examples 3 and 4).

Questions are not always worth 12 marks. Sometimes extended writing questions are worth 8 or 10 marks (examples 2 and 3). Any question worth more than 6 marks is an extended writing question and requires both description (AO1) and evaluation (AO2) in equal measure. So, if the question is worth 8 marks then there are 4 marks for description and 4 marks for evaluation.

In order to complete your study of explanations of attachment you need to prepare for all possible extended writing questions.

Prepare two prompt cards each with a table (see handout page 27) and fill these in for each theory. The ‘Can you….? questions on handout pages 51, 53 and 55 will help you.

The prompt cards you have prepared should provide sufficient information for a 12-mark answer – six points of description and four evaluation points (each point must be elaborated so four is sufficient for 6 marks – as long as they are elaborated).

ANSWER this exam question:

     There are many explanations for attachment, such as learning theory and Bowlby’s     theory.

      Discuss one or more explanations of attachment. (12 marks)

 Some extended essay questions start with a brief statement which is provided as guidance. You must answer the question that follows the statement (not the statement).

You may think that, if you know about both theories (which you should), then why not discuss both of them? The danger is that you will spend a lot of time describing both theories (maximum nark for description is 6) and have little time to evaluate either. You may end up with little more than 6 marks for your whole answer, so you could gain higher marks by only writing about one theory. 

DUE 9TH NOVEMBER 2012

Increase your knowledge and understanding of mnemonics techniques as strategies for memory improvement. Click on the link below:

MNEMONICS

Homework - The Cognitive Interview

Homework – The Cognitive Interview Essay Question

Discuss the use of the cognitive interview in obtaining evidence from eyewitnesses. (12 marks)

This is a slightly different kind of extended writing question to the other two types you have done so far. However, the principle is the same:

AO1 = Knowledge and understanding

AO2 = Evaluation

First the ‘injunction’ used is different. This time it says ‘discuss’ instead of ‘outline’ and ‘evaluate’. The injunction ‘outline and evaluate’ clearly means ‘do AO1 and do AO2’ but ‘discuss’ means the same thing.

Think – what’s the AO1 and what’s the AO2? You should then prepare to write about 150 words for each:

AO1 You should describe the cognitive interview. Your answer to question 1 of the CAN YOU…?, on page 37 of the cognitive interview lesson hand-out, provides 6 marks worth of description of the cognitive interview.

AO2 You can use research evidence that supports the effectiveness of the cognitive interview as well as research evidence that challenges its effectiveness.

DON’T FORGET, when doing AO2, to follow the three-point rule for every critical point:

1 Identify the criticism	For example, ‘One study that supports the effectiveness of the cognitive interview is by Kohnken et al’.
2 Justify this claim	For example, ‘The study found that there was a 34% increase in recall when the cognitive interview was used compared to standard interviewing techniques.’
3 Explain what this means	For example, ‘ This shows that the CI is a more effective way to access memories for an incident than existing methods of interviewing are’.

Prepare a prompt card for revision based on tour essay. This card should only contain key words to prompt your answer.

DUE FRIDAY THE 12^th October 2012 

RESEARCH METHODS
Read ALL of the information about DATA ANALYSIS and CENTRAL TENDENCY by clinking on the links attached to these two terms.

Then complete the MEAN, MEDIAN, MODE AND RANGE tasks on the homework sheet provided in class.

This MUST be done for next lesson.