plumiDesigning research: AQA GCSE Psychology questions
Every AQA GCSE Psychology exam question on 3.1.4.4 Designing research, 2020–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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Q04.2
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Q11.4
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Q04.1
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Q19.1
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All 44 questions on Designing research, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q17 (6 marks): Research findings show that different types of praise can affect learning. You have been asked to carry out an experiment to test these findings. You will use t
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q19 (2 marks): In psychological research, what is meant by a ‘case study’? [2 marks]
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q21 (9 marks): During your psychology course, you have learnt about a number of psychologists who have carried out different types of experiments and had their findings publis
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q04.2 (4 marks): Briefly explain two strengths of field experiments. Refer to Piliavin’s subway study in your answer. [4 marks]
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q07.2 (2 marks): Explain why a case study can be seen as a suitable method for researching the non-verbal behaviour of the sensory deprived. [2 marks]
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q09 (3 marks): Imagine that you have been asked to conduct a study to investigate the use of postural echo in a conversation. Use your knowledge of psychology to describe how
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q11.4 (1 mark): Name the experimental design being used in the described study of scanning techniques. [1 mark]
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q14 (6 marks): Hebb’s theory of learning and neuronal growth suggests that repeating the same task allows us to develop stronger cell assemblies. You have been asked to conduc
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q17.2 (4 marks): Kaij used questionnaires in his twin study of alcohol abuse. Explain one strength and one weakness of using questionnaires in psychological research. [4 marks]
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q12 (6 marks): You have been asked to investigate the effect of emotion on perception. Explain how you would design an experiment to do this. You need to include the following
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q16 (6 marks): A researcher wants to investigate the most common behaviours displayed by children during the sensorimotor stage of development. The researcher and an assistant
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q22 (6 marks): Outline and evaluate the use of interviews in psychological research. [6 marks]
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q04 (9 marks): Read the following conversation. Two psychology students were having a conversation about the lesson they had just had. Aneeta: “I found the results of Asch’s s
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q10 (6 marks): Research has been carried out with different cultures to see whether or not non-verbal behaviour is innate. The results show that the facial expressions of ange
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q14 (4 marks): Read the following information. Some social psychologists believe that men and women react differently to highly stressful social situations. They believe that
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q04.1 (6 marks): A researcher wanted to investigate the effect of context on the accuracy of memory. Describe how she could design a laboratory experiment to do this. You need t
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q04.2 (4 marks): The researcher considered different experimental designs when planning her experiment. Identify and explain one strength and one weakness of an independent grou
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q18 (9 marks): McGarrigle and Donaldson investigated the development of conservation in the ‘naughty teddy study’. Describe this study. Evaluate the research method used in Mc
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q19.1 (1 mark): Identify the type of experiment used in this study. Shade one box only. [1 mark] A Field B Independent groups C Laboratory D Matched pairs E Repeated measures
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q19.2 (1 mark): Identify the experimental design used in this study. Shade one box only. [1 mark] A Field B Independent groups C Laboratory D Matched pairs E Repeated measures
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q21.5 (4 marks): Sketch a frequency table the researcher and their assistant can use to collect information about the types of learning activity participants do during study les
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q21.6 (2 marks): The psychologist and their assistant had high interobserver reliability in their observation study. Define what is meant by ‘interobserver reliability’ in obser
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q21.7 (5 marks): From the results of the observation, the researcher realised that students spent more time chatting to friends during study lessons than they had estimated on t
- June 2023, Paper 2, Q05.3 (4 marks): The researchers who carried out the described questionnaire would like you to do a follow-up study. The participants who took part in the questionnaire have als
- June 2023, Paper 2, Q17.4 (2 marks): Outline one strength of using questionnaires to carry out psychological research. [2 marks]
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q03.2 (3 marks): Psychologists sometimes study unique individuals like TJ using a case study. Briefly evaluate the use of case studies in psychological research. [3 marks]
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q04 (6 marks): You have been asked to investigate the effect of interference on the accuracy of memory. Describe how you would design an experiment to do this. You need to inc
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q11 (9 marks): Bruner and Minturn investigated the effect of expectation on perception. Describe this study. Evaluate the research method used in this study. [9 marks]
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q18 (1 mark): Which one of the following is a feature of an interview? Shade one box. [1 mark] A Changing an independent variable in a controlled environment B Directly askin
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q22.5 (2 marks): Name the experimental design used by the psychologist in this study. Explain your answer. [2 marks] Experimental design Explain your answer
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q22.6 (2 marks): Explain one weakness of using the experimental design you named in Question 22.5. [2 marks]
- June 2022, Paper 2, Q09 (6 marks): Imagine that you have been asked to conduct a study to investigate the idea that non-verbal behaviour is learned. Use your knowledge of psychology to describe h
- June 2022, Paper 2, Q16 (5 marks): You have been asked to compare the different scanning techniques used to identify brain functioning. To do this, you are going to interview people who use scann
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q18 (6 marks): You have been asked to compare the effects of using different learning styles to revise the structure of the brain. Describe how you would design an experiment
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q22.7 (5 marks): This study is an example of a field experiment. Evaluate the use of field experiments in psychological research. [5 marks]
- November 2021, Paper 2, Q04 (4 marks): Briefly explain two weaknesses of laboratory experiments. Refer to Asch’s study of conformity in your answer. [4 marks]
- November 2021, Paper 2, Q21.1 (4 marks): You have been asked to research the effectiveness of self-management programmes as an intervention for addiction. Explain how you would use interviews to do thi
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q07 (6 marks): You have been asked to investigate the effect of context on the accuracy of memory. Describe how you would design an experiment to do this. You need to include
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q14 (2 marks): Explain one strength of using laboratory experiments in research. [2 marks]
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q22 (2 marks): Which two of the following are commonly understood to be advantages of case studies? Shade two boxes. [2 marks] A The conclusions drawn are objective. B The fin
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q24 (9 marks): Outline what is meant by independent groups and repeated measures. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of both of these types of experimental design. [9 marks]
- November 2020, Paper 2, Q02.1 (6 marks): You have been asked to design an experiment to investigate the effect of anonymity on conformity. In your answer outline the following information: • what your
- November 2020, Paper 2, Q03.1 (1 mark): Which of the following research methods is being used in this study on bystander behaviour? Shade one box. [1 mark] A Case study B Field experiment C Interview
- November 2020, Paper 2, Q14 (9 marks): Describe Penfield’s case study of the interpretive cortex. Evaluate the research method used in this study. [9 marks]
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