plumiIssues and debates: AQA A‑Level Psychology questions
Every AQA A-Level Psychology exam question on 4.3.1 Issues and debates, 2020–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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![June 2025 Paper 3, question 05: Explain what is meant by cultural relativism in psychology. Use one topic you have studied in psychology as part of your explanation. [4 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun25-05-qp.webp)
![June 2025 Paper 3, question 06: Discuss the idiographic approach to psychological investigation. [8 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun25-06-qp.webp)
![June 2024 Paper 3, question 01: Which psychologist believes in interactionism? Write the correct name in your answer book. [1 mark]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun24-01-qp.webp)
![June 2024 Paper 3, question 02: Which psychologist believes in environmental reductionism? Write the correct name in your answer book. [1 mark]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun24-02-qp.webp)
![June 2024 Paper 3, question 03: What is meant by ethnocentrism in psychology? [2 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun24-03-qp.webp)
![June 2024 Paper 3, question 04: Outline two limitations of ethnocentrism. [4 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun24-04-qp.webp)
![June 2023 Paper 3, question 01: What is meant by androcentrism? [2 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun23-01-qp.webp)
![June 2023 Paper 3, question 02: Suggest two ways in which psychologists could avoid gender bias in their research. [2 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun23-02-qp.webp)
![June 2022 Paper 3, question 01: Outline what is meant by soft determinism. [2 marks] A psychologist investigated the effect of the presence of a friend on mood. She used a controlled laborator](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun22-01-qp.webp)
![June 2022 Paper 3, question 03: What is meant by a causal explanation? Explain why it was appropriate to claim that there was a causal explanation in this case. [4 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-jun22-03-qp.webp)
![November 2021 Paper 3, question 06: Discuss gender bias in psychological research. Refer to one topic you have studied in your answer. [8 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/71823-nov21-06-qp.webp)
All 24 questions on Issues and debates, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 3, Q01 (4 marks): A researcher tested the musical ability of two groups of children. The parents of children in Group 1 were professional musicians. The parents of children in Gr
- June 2025, Paper 3, Q05 (4 marks): Explain what is meant by cultural relativism in psychology. Use one topic you have studied in psychology as part of your explanation. [4 marks]
- June 2025, Paper 3, Q06 (8 marks): Discuss the idiographic approach to psychological investigation. [8 marks]
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q01 (1 mark): Which psychologist believes in interactionism? Write the correct name in your answer book. [1 mark]
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q02 (1 mark): Which psychologist believes in environmental reductionism? Write the correct name in your answer book. [1 mark]
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q03 (2 marks): What is meant by ethnocentrism in psychology? [2 marks]
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q04 (4 marks): Outline two limitations of ethnocentrism. [4 marks]
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q05 (16 marks): Maria is a successful gymnast. Her mother was also an athlete and encouraged Maria throughout her childhood, taking her to practice sessions before school from
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q01 (2 marks): What is meant by androcentrism? [2 marks]
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q02 (2 marks): Suggest two ways in which psychologists could avoid gender bias in their research. [2 marks]
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q03 (4 marks): Bob and Mike each have a daughter. Both girls are talented swimmers. Bob says his daughter was destined to be a good swimmer because her grandfather was a great
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q04 (16 marks): There are different levels of explanation in psychology, ranging from reductionism to holism. Discuss levels of explanation in psychology. Refer to one or more
- June 2022, Paper 3, Q01 (2 marks): Outline what is meant by soft determinism. [2 marks] A psychologist investigated the effect of the presence of a friend on mood. She used a controlled laborator
- June 2022, Paper 3, Q03 (4 marks): What is meant by a causal explanation? Explain why it was appropriate to claim that there was a causal explanation in this case. [4 marks]
- June 2022, Paper 3, Q04 (4 marks): Using an example of a research study you have learned about in psychology, outline what is meant by a nomothetic approach to psychological investigation. [4 mar
- June 2022, Paper 3, Q05 (2 marks): Referring to the example used in your answer to Question 04, briefly explain how the same behaviour might be studied using an idiographic approach to psychologi
- June 2022, Paper 3, Q06 (8 marks): Outline what social sensitivity means in the context of psychology. Explain how researchers in psychology could deal with issues related to social sensitivity.
- November 2021, Paper 3, Q01 (1 mark): Which of the following terms best represents the view that biology and environment work together to determine behaviour? Write the correct letter in your answer
- November 2021, Paper 3, Q05 (3 marks): Name the opposite approach to the nomothetic approach. Briefly outline what this opposite approach might have involved in a study of friendly behaviour. [3 mark
- November 2021, Paper 3, Q06 (8 marks): Discuss gender bias in psychological research. Refer to one topic you have studied in your answer. [8 marks]
- November 2020, Paper 3, Q01 (2 marks): Outline what is meant by cultural relativism. [2 marks]
- November 2020, Paper 3, Q02 (2 marks): Suggest two ways in which researchers might reduce cultural bias in their research. [2 marks]
- November 2020, Paper 3, Q03 (4 marks): Jonny is 25 years old. He is a very anxious person. Colleagues tease him at work because he chews his pen all the time and spends hours tidying his desk. He fin
- November 2020, Paper 3, Q04 (16 marks): ‘Psychologists sometimes adopt a reductionist approach to their investigations when they want their research to be objective and empirical.’ Discuss reductionis
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