ALDENHAM PSYCHOLOGY
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  • Paper 1: Research Methods
    • Paper 1: What the paper is like >
      • Research Methodology of the Core Studies
    • The 4 main research methods
    • Populations and Samples
    • Ethical Issues
    • Self-reports
    • Observations
    • Correlations
    • Experiments
    • Reliability and Validity
    • Descriptive Statistics >
      • Distribution Curves
    • Inferential Statistics
    • Reporting, Referencing and Design your Own >
      • Sections of a Psychology Report
      • Harvard Referencing
      • Peer Review
  • Paper 2: Core Studies
    • Paper 2: What the paper is like
    • Areas and Perspectives >
      • Social Area >
        • Milgram
        • Bocchiaro
        • Piliavin
        • Levine
      • Cognitive Area >
        • Loftus
        • Grant
        • Moray
        • Simons & Chabris
      • Developmental Area >
        • Bandura
        • Chaney
        • Kohlberg
        • Lee
      • Biological Area >
        • Sperry
        • Casey
        • Blakemore and Cooper
        • Maguire
      • Individual Differences Area >
        • Freud
        • Baron Cohen
        • Gould
        • Hancock
      • Behaviourist Perspective
      • Psychodynamic Perspective
    • Debates >
      • Nature v Nurture
      • Free Will v Determinism
      • Reductionism v Holism
      • Individual v Situational
      • Usefulness
      • Ethical Considerations
      • Socially Sensitive Research
      • Psych as a Science
      • Methodological Issues
      • Ethnocentrism
  • Paper 3: Applied Psychology
    • Issues of Mental Health >
      • Historical Context of Mental Health
      • The Medical Model
      • Alternatives to the Medical Model
    • Paper 3: Options
    • Child Psychology >
      • Intelligence
      • Pre-adult brain development
      • Perception
      • Cognitive Development
      • Attachment
      • Impact of Advertising
    • Criminal Psychology >
      • What makes a criminal?
      • Forensic Evidence
      • Collection of Evidence
      • Psychology & the Courtroom
      • Crime Prevention
      • Effect of Imprisonment
    • Environmental Psychology
    • Sport and Exercise Psychology
Areas and Perspectives
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Listen to OCR Psychology's podcast on Expert Answers on Psychological Studies, Areas and Debates here
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Hashtags for the different areas and perspectives can be found here
Areas in Psychology
An area in Psychology is a field in which psychologists work.
Most will work mainly in one area and will agree with the principles of this area.
Perspectives in Psychology
A perspective in Psychology is a set of ideas which psychologists use to answer specific issues. For example, Individual Differences psychologists will sometimes take a Psychodynamic perspective on a topic like mental health
5 Areas
There are 5 areas in which psychologists usually work. These areas have distinct:
  • principles which explain what causes behaviour
  • things they like to focus on
  • strengths and weaknesses
  • ways of researching behaviour
  • practical applications.​​
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and 2 Perspectives
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There are 2 perspectives or ways of thinking that any psychologist may use when looking at specific behaviours. These perspectives also have distinct:
  • principles which explain what causes behaviour
  • things they like to focus on
  • strengths and weaknesses
  • ways of researching behaviour
  • practical applications.​​
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For each of the 5 areas and 2 perspectives, you need to be able to:
  • Explain its defining principles and concepts
  • Discuss research which illustrate it
  • Evaluate its strengths and weaknesses
  • Hypothesise applications of it
  • Compare how each is different from and similar to the other areas / perspective.

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Exam Paper Questions on the Areas / Perspectives
This is part of paper 2 section B.
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You could be asked to
  • outline the area / perspective
  • explain 1 or more of its principles
  • explain why a Core Study links with the area / perspective
  • compare how one area / perspective is similar / different to another
  • link the area / perspective to a debate

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Independent Learning
Prepare your answers to these example exam questions. The students who did this in 2018 achieved the highest grades.

paper_2_section_b_question_bank.docx
File Size: 21 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

Comparing the Areas and Perspectives
This is a very difficult task to do. You need to be able to say how each are similar and different to each other. This is a popular question in Paper 2 section B.
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Comparison Questions
Many students only get half marks when comparing, as they forget to do the first two things in this mark scheme.
  • Point of comparison need to be identified
  • Then discussed / elaborated
  • and supported by evidence from one side
  • and supported by evidence from the other side.
comparing_the_areas.docx
File Size: 16 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

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Independent Learning
Using the comparisons above, prepare your answer to the following question, adding in the names of the different areas / perspectives.

Explain how the .... area / perspective is different to the .... area / perspective. Support your answer with evidence from core studies. (15)
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Strengths and Weaknesses Questions
You could be asked to evaluate the areas / perspectives in Paper 2 Section B. This will mean that you have to know strengths and weaknesses of the areas in general (not just the Core Studies). Use the P-E-E-C-C structure to develop your answer.
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P - E - E - C - C
Point - Explanation - Example – Conclusion - Challenge
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Point
Explanation – because / this means …
Example – this is shown by the study by … 
Conclusion - this matters / is helpful / is a problem because …

Challenge - however / alternatively ...

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Independent Learning
Prepare your answers to the example exam questions above. The students who did this in 2018 achieved the highest grades.

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Linking and Locating Questions

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The specification expects you to know how each of the 20 core studies relate to their key theme and to the area of psychology it is placed within. 

Remember there are 3 parts to show here:
  1. knowledge of the key theme / areas - be prepared to explain what it means, such as referring to its principles
  2. knowledge of the core study - remember that good AO1 makes full use of key terms
  3. How #2 shows / links to #1

linking_the_core_studies_to_the_areas.docx
File Size: 24 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

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Independent Learning
Prepare your answers to this question, filling in the names of the areas / perspectives:
Explain how any 1 core study can be considered to be located within the ... area / perspective. (5)

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  • Everything else
    • Year 11 into A Level >
      • Week 1 Mental Health
      • Week 2 Memory
      • Week 3 Attachment
      • Week 4 Social Attitudes and Influence
    • Year 13 Pre-U Programme
    • Independent Learning
    • Revision
    • Exams >
      • Mock Exams
      • Past papers
    • Assessment Objectives
    • Teachers
    • For Parents
    • Classrooms
    • UCAS >
      • Results Day
      • Criminology
    • Trips
    • Aldenham Attributes >
      • Aspiration
      • Co-operation
      • Courage
      • Curiosity
      • Independence
      • Respect
  • Paper 1: Research Methods
    • Paper 1: What the paper is like >
      • Research Methodology of the Core Studies
    • The 4 main research methods
    • Populations and Samples
    • Ethical Issues
    • Self-reports
    • Observations
    • Correlations
    • Experiments
    • Reliability and Validity
    • Descriptive Statistics >
      • Distribution Curves
    • Inferential Statistics
    • Reporting, Referencing and Design your Own >
      • Sections of a Psychology Report
      • Harvard Referencing
      • Peer Review
  • Paper 2: Core Studies
    • Paper 2: What the paper is like
    • Areas and Perspectives >
      • Social Area >
        • Milgram
        • Bocchiaro
        • Piliavin
        • Levine
      • Cognitive Area >
        • Loftus
        • Grant
        • Moray
        • Simons & Chabris
      • Developmental Area >
        • Bandura
        • Chaney
        • Kohlberg
        • Lee
      • Biological Area >
        • Sperry
        • Casey
        • Blakemore and Cooper
        • Maguire
      • Individual Differences Area >
        • Freud
        • Baron Cohen
        • Gould
        • Hancock
      • Behaviourist Perspective
      • Psychodynamic Perspective
    • Debates >
      • Nature v Nurture
      • Free Will v Determinism
      • Reductionism v Holism
      • Individual v Situational
      • Usefulness
      • Ethical Considerations
      • Socially Sensitive Research
      • Psych as a Science
      • Methodological Issues
      • Ethnocentrism
  • Paper 3: Applied Psychology
    • Issues of Mental Health >
      • Historical Context of Mental Health
      • The Medical Model
      • Alternatives to the Medical Model
    • Paper 3: Options
    • Child Psychology >
      • Intelligence
      • Pre-adult brain development
      • Perception
      • Cognitive Development
      • Attachment
      • Impact of Advertising
    • Criminal Psychology >
      • What makes a criminal?
      • Forensic Evidence
      • Collection of Evidence
      • Psychology & the Courtroom
      • Crime Prevention
      • Effect of Imprisonment
    • Environmental Psychology
    • Sport and Exercise Psychology