(a) Design a study to investigate which type of phobia the general public think is the most common. (b) Explain the psychological and methodological evidence on which your study is based.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2020). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. use generic levels of response Design a study question part (a).
2. Candidates should design the study showing evidence of design features appropriate to the named method. The named method is: any appropriate method.
3. Specific features: Experiments: type, IV, DV, controls, experimental design.
4. Specific features: Observations: type, setting, response categories, sampling frame, number of observers.
5. Specific features: Questionnaires/Interviews: type, setting, example questions. Scoring/rating scale, analysis of responses.
6. General features of research methodology: sampling technique and sample, type of data, ethics, reliability, validity, data analysis.
7. use generic levels of response 'Design a study' question part (b).
8. NB If only methodological or psychological explanation is provided max 5 marks
9. Candidates are expected to explain the reasons for the suggested design in part (a). Explanation should be both psychological and methodological.
10. Psychological to include appropriate theory or research.
11. Additional: candidates are expected to justify their decisions or evidence presented regarding the design made in answer to question part (a).
12. Syllabus: characteristics of anxiety disorders: types: agoraphobia and specific phobias (blood phobia, animal phobia, button phobia).
13. Psychological: Types of phobia from various sources: dogs (DiNardo et al.); buttons (Saavedra and Silver); various animals (Watson and Rayner) Horses (little Hans).
14. NB 2 marks max if psychological knowledge is not related to answer.
15. Methodological: explanation of method using general and specific features as above.