Design an experiment to investigate the effectiveness of ‘attention diversion' for patients during a painful medical procedure.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2019). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. 7(a) Marks: use generic levels of response Design a study question part (a). Additional: Candidates should design the study showing evidence of design features appropriate to the named method. The named method: experiment. Specific features: Experiments: type, IV, DV, controls, experimental design. General features of research methodology: sampling technique and sample, type of data, ethics, reliability, validity, data analysis.
2. 7(b) Marks: use generic levels of response ‘Design a study' question part (b). Note: If only methodological or psychological explanation is provided max 5 marks 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. Additional: candidates are expected to justify their decisions or evidence presented regarding the design made in answer to question part (a). Syllabus: psychological techniques: cognitive strategies (attention diversion, non-pain imagery and cognitive redefinition) Psychological: Attention diversion is the process of diverting the attention of a person from the source of potential discomfort thereby reducing its impact. Attention can be diverted in a number of different ways, such as simply not looking, talking about something else, watching television, listening to music, etc. Non-pain imagery could also divert attention, where person tries to alleviate discomfort by creating or imagining a mental scene that is unrelated to or incompatible with the pain. As the question involves a laboratory experiment then a candidate could use these as conditions of the IV. Note: non-pain imagery is different from attention diversion, as is cognitive redefinition. Methodological: explanation of method using general and specific features as above.