Peter is studying psychology at university and has decided to conduct an experiment about positive emotions and pulse rate because he believes that people's pulse rate changes with mood.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Feb/Mar 2018). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [10] (a) Indicative content for a laboratory experiment:
2. ∞ How – identification of the independent variable
3. ∞ operationalisation of the independent variable
4. ∞ What – identification of the dependent variable
5. ∞ operationalisation of the dependent variable
6. ∞ including examples of ways to measure the variable such as questions/tests used
7. ∞ How – controls
8. ∞ experimental design (any are appropriate here)
9. ∞ sampling technique
10. ∞ sample size
11. ∞ description of how data will analysed, e.g. use of measures of central tendency and spread, bar charts
12. ∞ ethical issues
13. Other appropriate responses should also be credited.
14. Three major omissions for a laboratory experiment are:
15. What will be recorded, i.e. DV
16. How: – IV
17. – controls
18. The minor omissions are:
19. ∞ where – location of participants when data is collected (laboratory setting)
20. ∞ who – participants
21. Mark according to the levels of response criteria below:
22. Level 3 (8–10 marks)
23. ∞ Response is described in sufficient detail to be replicable (i.e. what and how).
24. ∞ Response may have a minor omission (i.e. who or where).
25. ∞ Use of psychological terminology is accurate and comprehensive.
26. Level 2 (5–7 marks)
27. ∞ Response is in some detail.
28. ∞ Response has minor omission(s) (i.e. who and/or where).
29. ∞ Use of psychological terminology is accurate.
30. Level 1 (1–4 marks)
31. ∞ Response is basic in detail.
32. ∞ Response has major omission(s).
33. ∞ If response is impossible to conduct max. 2.
34. ∞ Use of psychological terminology is mainly accurate.
35. Level 0 (0 marks)
36. No response worthy of credit.
37. [4] (b) Answer will depend on problem identified.
38. Problems may, for example, be matters of:
39. Validity
40. ∞ difficulty with creating emotional manipulation ethically
41. ∞ difficulty with being sure that manipulation has affected emotions (operationalisation)
42. ∞ controls
43. ∞ demand characteristics
44. Reliability
45. ∞ the manipulation might affect some people more than others emotionally
46. ∞ consistency of pulse measure.
47. ∞ standardisation
48. ∞ sample size.
49. This list is not exhaustive and other appropriate responses should also be credited.
50. Marks | comment
51. 3–4 | Appropriate problem identified. Appropriate solution is clearly described.
52. 2 | Appropriate problem identified. plus EITHER Explanation of why it is a problem OR Solution is possible but ineffectual.
53. 1 | Appropriate problem identified. Little or no justification.
54. 0 | No response worthy of credit