Three decision-making strategies are compensatory, non-compensatory or partially compensatory.

Mark scheme

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

1. [10] Design a study showing evidence of design features appropriate to the named method (any appropriate method).
2. [10] Specific features: Experiments: type, IV, DV, controls, experimental design. Observations: type, setting, response categories, sampling frame, number of observers. Questionnaires/Interviews: type, setting, example questions. Scoring/rating scale, analysis of responses.
3. [10] General features of research methodology: sampling technique and sample, type of data, ethics, reliability, validity, data analysis.
4. [8] Explanation should be both psychological and methodological, justifying decisions made in part (a).
5. [8] Psychological evidence: Syllabus: strategies: compensatory, non-compensatory and partially compensatory.
6. [8] Psychological evidence: In compensatory choice models, the overall value (utility) of a brand is a weighted average of the brand's position on some set of attributes, where the weights measure attribute importances. Consumers make a rational choice and, select the brand with the highest overall utility. Non-compensatory decision making essentially shortcuts the compensatory process to make the decision making process easier. Consumers consider attributes sequentially and benefits on some attributes may not overbalance shortfalls on others. For example, Satisficing is a non-compensatory decision strategy in which we select the first adequate option, failing to explore or consider the entire set of options.
7. [8] Methodological evidence: Explanation of method using general and specific features as above (from 6(a)).