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EnglandPsychology

Component 1: Psychology Past to Present - classic research evidence

5 dot points across 5 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

What did Bartlett (1932) show about memory as reconstruction, and why is it the classic evidence for the cognitive approach?

Classic research for the cognitive approach: Bartlett (1932), War of the Ghosts (reconstructive memory and schemas). Aim, method, results, conclusions and evaluation.
An Eduqas A-Level Psychology answer to the classic cognitive research, Bartlett (1932), War of the Ghosts. Covers the aim, the repeated and serial reproduction method, how recall was distorted by schemas, the conclusion that memory is reconstructive, and a balanced evaluation.
14 min answer →

What did Freud's case study of Little Hans claim to show, and why is it the classic evidence for the psychodynamic approach?

Classic research for the psychodynamic approach: Freud (1909), Analysis of a phobia in a five-year-old boy (Little Hans). Aim, method, results, conclusions and evaluation.
An Eduqas A-Level Psychology answer to the classic psychodynamic research, Freud's (1909) case study of Little Hans. Covers the aim, the case-study method via the boy's father, the horse phobia, the Oedipal interpretation, the conclusions about psychosexual development, and a balanced evaluation.
15 min answer →

What did Myers and Diener (1995) conclude about who is happy, and why is it the classic evidence for the positive approach?

Classic research for the positive approach: Myers and Diener (1995), Who is happy? Aim, method (review of subjective wellbeing research), results, conclusions and evaluation.
An Eduqas A-Level Psychology answer to the classic positive-psychology research, Myers and Diener (1995), Who is happy? Covers the aim, the review of subjective wellbeing evidence, the findings on what does and does not predict happiness, the conclusions, and a balanced evaluation.
14 min answer →

What did Raine et al. (1997) find about the brains of murderers, and why is it the classic evidence for the biological approach?

Classic research for the biological approach: Raine et al. (1997), Brain abnormalities in murderers indicated by positron emission tomography. Aim, method, results, conclusions and evaluation.
An Eduqas A-Level Psychology answer to the classic biological research, Raine et al. (1997), on brain abnormalities in murderers using PET scans. Covers the aim, the quasi-experiment with NGRI participants, the PET findings, conclusions about brain dysfunction and violence, and a balanced evaluation.
15 min answer →

What did Watson and Rayner (1920) show with Little Albert, and why is it the classic evidence for the behaviourist approach?

Classic research for the behaviourist approach: Watson and Rayner (1920), Conditioned emotional reactions (Little Albert). Aim, method, results, conclusions and evaluation.
An Eduqas A-Level Psychology answer to the classic behaviourist research, Watson and Rayner (1920), the Little Albert study. Covers the aim, the controlled procedure that conditioned a fear response, generalisation, the conclusions about learned emotion, and a balanced evaluation including the ethical issues.
15 min answer →