Psychology and organisations

Mark scheme

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

1. Marks: use generic levels of response Design a study question part (a).
2. Additional: Candidates should design the study showing evidence of design features appropriate to the named method. The named method is: any appropriate method.
3. Typical features: ∞ Experiments: type, IV, DV, controls, experimental design.
4. ∞ Observations: type, setting, response categories, sampling frame, number of observers.
5. ∞ Questionnaires/Interviews: type, setting, example questions. Scoring/rating scale, analysis of responses.
6. ∞ Typical features of research methodology: sampling technique and sample, type of data, ethics, reliability, validity, data analysis.
7. Marks: use generic levels of response ‘Design a study' question part (b). Note: If only methodological or psychological explanation is provided max 5 marks.
8. Candidates are expected to explain the reasons for the suggested design in part (a). Explanation should be both psychological and methodological. Psychological to include appropriate theory or research.
9. Additional: candidates are expected to justify their decisions or evidence presented regarding the design made in answer to question part (a).
10. Syllabus: Decision-making: groupthink (Janis, 1971) and strategies to avoid groupthink.
11. Psychological: According to Janis, the illusion of unanimity is when members of the group make the false assumption that any individual who remains silent during any part of the discussion is in full agreement with what the others are saying.
12. Methodological: explanation of method using typical features as above.