Assignment
Task 1
Q1.Psychologists often conduct experiments seeking to identify causal relationships between different variables,and how this might influence individuals’ choice and behavior. Dr Jones is interested in whether the prior consumption of fizzy drinks can affect subsequent driver performance in a driving test. He decided to test this experimentally, predicting that those who had previously consumed a fizzy drink would show superior performance.
Dr. Jones designed a pilot study using twenty participants who volunteered to undertake a two-week intensive driving course.The participants were allocated into two gender groups(10 males in the experimental group and 10 females in the control group). Each participant in the experimental group was given a can of fizzy drink, and each participant in the control group was given a glass of plain water to drink 10 minutes before undertaking their ‘practice driving test’. During the ‘test’, the participants’ driving skills.e. the number of ‘minor’ or ‘major errors were assessed and documented by the driving instructor.
After the experiment, Dr Joneswanted to understand more about the effects of fizzy drinks upon the participants’ thinking processes. He decided to conduct semi-structured interviews with some of the participants.
a.Identify and outline the Dependant Variable (DV) in this experiment.
b.Identify and outline the Independent Variable (IV) in this experiment.
c.Identify at least two Extraneous Variables(EVs) which may have impacteduponthe resultsand how they might have operated.
d.Imagine that you are Dr Jones, and you need to write a research question to create a focus for your research. Please write a suitable one to reflect the aims ofthis particular study.
e.The interviews produced qualitative data. Provide a definition for qualitative data, identify and explain one strength andoneweakness of collecting qualitative data in this study.
Maximum 800 word
Task 2
.Psychology uses various approaches to understand human behaviour. Compare and contrastthe following twoapproachesin psychology which help us to understand how we behave
(a)TheEvolutionary approach,with reference to Charles Darwin’s work on ‘natural selection’. Consider how far it can explaingender role development
and
(b)the Behaviourist approach with reference to Pavlov’s ‘Classical conditioning’ and Skinner’s ‘Operant Conditioning’; exploring their influence upon behaviourist approaches to Leadership.
Maximum of 1100words
Q3. Short Essay
-Essay Question:
The current Covid-19 pandemic has seen the emergence of a raft of new behavioural practices and norms.
A.Considerhow aspects of the following Social Psychological research traditionsmight offer scientific explanations of individual and group orientationsto the evolving regulations
:(i)Conformity (10 marks)
(ii)Obedience to Authority (10 marks)
B.If you were responsible for setting publicpolicy, outlineand explainonePsychological approach to leadership you may adopt in seeking to encourage others to conform to the ‘social distancing’and ‘sheltering’practices designed to protect the most vulnerable members of society (20 marks).
(Maximum of 1100 words
