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A-LevelPsychologyResearch methods9990/23 · Oct/Nov 2020 · Q1014 Marks

Jayce owns a shop and is concerned that people are disobeying his signs which say 'Do not touch' or 'No food allowed'. Jayce has asked his daughter Kimberley, who is studying psychology, for some help to understand this disobedience.

  1. (a)Describe how Kimberley could conduct a non-participant observation of people in her father's shop to investigate obedience to his signs.[10]
  2. (b)Identify one practical weakness/limitation with the procedure you have described in your answer to part (a) and suggest how your study might be done differently to overcome the problem. Do not refer to ethics or sampling in your answer.[4]

Mark scheme

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

  1. Three majors for this non-participant observational study are:
  2. What: - behaviours that will be recorded e.g. one named (detail e.g. definition/ operationalisation of behavioural categories);
  3. How: - non-participant observation – details;
  4. How: - further details of:
  5. - naturalistic/controlled;
  6. - structured/unstructured;
  7. - covert/overt.
  8. The minors are:
  9. where - location of participants when data is collected (shop);
  10. who - participants (shoppers);
  11. Also:
  12. • sampling technique;
  13. • sample size;
  14. • description of how tallying will be done;
  15. • description of how data will analysed, e.g. use of averages/bar charts;
  16. • ethical issues;
  17. Other appropriate responses should also be credited.
  18. Mark according to the levels of response criteria below:
  19. Level 3 (8-10 marks)
  20. Response is described in sufficient detail to be replicable (i.e. what and how);
  21. Response may have a minor omission (i.e. who or where);
  22. Use of psychological terminology is accurate and comprehensive;
  23. Level 2 (5-7 marks)
  24. • Response is in some detail;
  25. • Response has minor omission(s) (i.e. who and/or where);
  26. • Use of psychological terminology is accurate;
  27. Level 1 (1-4 marks)
  28. Response is basic in detail;
  29. Response has major omission(s);
  30. If response is impossible to conduct max 2;
  31. Use of psychological terminology is mainly accurate;
  32. Level 0 (0 marks)
  33. No response worthy of credit.
  34. Answer will depend on problem identified. If the problem was an obvious omission in (a), fewer marks will have been awarded in (a), so they can be awarded here.
  35. Problems may, for example, be matters of:
  36. Validity
  37. • Operationalisation;
  38. • difficulty with lying/social desirability;
  39. • difficulty with response biases;
  40. Reliability
  41. • inter-rater consistency;
  42. • intra- rater consistency.
  43. This list is not exhaustive and other appropriate responses should also be credited.
  44. Marks Comments
  45. 3-4 Appropriate problem identified. Appropriate solution is clearly described.
  46. 2 Appropriate problem identified. plus EITHER Explanation of why it is a problem OR Ineffectual but possible solution described.
  47. 1 Appropriate problem identified. Little or no justification.
  48. 0 No response worthy of credit.

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About this question

Topic
Research methods, A-Level Psychology (syllabus 9990). Structured question, 14 marks.
Source
A-Level Psychology, Oct/Nov 2020 Paper 2 Variant 3, question 10.

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