Consumer decision-making: past paper questions
Real questions on consumer decision-making
The newest 20 of 268 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.
- 9990/31 · May/June 2026 · Q5a[2]
Suggest how a customer would choose a new mobile phone using utility theory.
See it on the paper → - 9990/31 · May/June 2026 · Q5b[2]
Suggest how a customer would choose a new mobile phone using satisficing.
See it on the paper → - 9990/31 · May/June 2026 · Q7b[2]
Outline one problem a psychologist may have when investigating the effect of retail atmospherics.
See it on the paper → - 9990/32 · May/June 2026 · Q7a[4]
Suggest two responses of queuing customers to intrusions into their queue. Use a study that investigated responses of people queuing in your answer.
See it on the paper → - 9990/32 · May/June 2026 · Q7b[2]
Outline one problem a psychologist may have when investigating the responses of people queuing.
See it on the paper → - 9990/32 · May/June 2026 · Q8a[6]
Describe the following: • • a study that investigates point of purchase decisions a study that investigates applying heuristics to decision‑making styles.
See it on the paper → - 9990/32 · May/June 2026 · Q8b[10]
Evaluate the following, including a discussion about experiments: • • a study that investigates point of purchase decisions a study that investigates applying heuristics to decision‑making styles. Evaluation in your answer can include strengths, weaknesses and a discussion of issues and debates. Section C: Health Psych...
See it on the paper → - 9990/33 · May/June 2026 · Q5a[2]
Suggest how a customer would choose a new mobile phone using utility theory.
See it on the paper → - 9990/33 · May/June 2026 · Q5b[2]
Suggest how a customer would choose a new mobile phone using satisficing.
See it on the paper → - 9990/41 · May/June 2026 · Q9c(iii)[2]
Explain one reason for your choice of dependent variable. Consumer Psychology
See it on the paper → - 9990/41 · May/June 2026 · Q10a[10]
Plan a study using a naturalistic observation to investigate personal space distances between people of different ages queueing to buy a bus ticket. Your plan must include details about: • • behavioural categories analysis of data.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · May/June 2026 · Q4a[2]
Explain what is meant by the term ‘post-purchase cognitive dissonance’, using an example.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · May/June 2026 · Q4b[2]
Suggest one way in which post-purchase cognitive dissonance could be reduced by the person selling the product.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · May/June 2026 · Q10a[10]
Plan a study using a face-to-face interview to investigate gender differences in reasons for store choice. Your plan must include details about: • • location of the study question format.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · May/June 2026 · Q10b(i)[4]
Describe this psychological knowledge.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · May/June 2026 · Q10b(ii)[4]
Explain how you used two features of this psychological knowledge to plan your study.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · May/June 2026 · Q10c(i)[2]
Explain one reason for your choice of location for your study. (c) (i)
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · May/June 2026 · Q10c(ii)[2]
Explain one weakness with your choice of location.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · May/June 2026 · Q10c(iii)[2]
Explain one reason for your choice of question format. Health Psychology
See it on the paper → - 9990/43 · May/June 2026 · Q9c(iii)[2]
Explain one reason for your choice of dependent variable. Consumer Psychology
See it on the paper →
What examiners said
Comprehensive responses • Responses demonstrated a clear understanding of determinism and could apply it to the effects of crowding on shoppers PAD. • These candidates outlined a clear definition (behaviour is caused/determined by external or unconscious forces) and give an example (level of crowding in a shop is an external force which the shopper has no control over, and this causes a reduction...
— Examiner report, February/March 2026, 9990/32 Q6(a) (Cambridge)
Comprehensive responses • Comprehensive responses demonstrated an outline of the problem and explained in relation to shopper behaviour being due to external factors or free-will. • Common problems included difficulties in observing what is causing behaviour, challenges for consumers in accurately reporting the causes of their behaviour through self-report methods, and the complexity of determinin...
— Examiner report, February/March 2026, 9990/32 Q6(b) (Cambridge)
Comprehensive responses • Comprehensive responses were able to describe the Engel Kollat Blackwell model and a study that investigates post-purchase cognitive dissonance in some detail and included a result in the outline of the study. • The use of psychological terminology was accurate and appropriate and excellent understanding of the material was demonstrated. Limited responses • Candidates te...
— Examiner report, February/March 2026, 9990/32 Q8(a) (Cambridge)
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