Experiments: past paper questions
Real questions on experiments
The newest 20 of 374 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.
- 9990/32 · May/June 2026 · Q12b[10]
Evaluate the study by Yokley and Glenwick (1984), including a discussion about the use of children in research. Evaluation in your answer can include strengths, weaknesses and a discussion of issues and debates. Section D: Organisational Psychology Answer all questions.
See it on the paper → - 9990/41 · May/June 2026 · Q2b[2]
Suggest one method that could be used to investigate the cognitive explanation of schizophrenia.
See it on the paper → - 9990/41 · May/June 2026 · Q2c[4]
Explain two weaknesses of the method you suggested in 2(b) to investigate the cognitive explanation of schizophrenia. Consumer Psychology Answer all questions if you have studied this option.
See it on the paper → - 9990/41 · May/June 2026 · Q7c[4]
Explain two strengths of using quantitative data to assess the supervisor’s leadership capacity.
See it on the paper → - 9990/41 · May/June 2026 · Q9a[10]
Plan an experiment to investigate gender differences in the words used to attribute mental states to virtual reality avatars. Your plan must include details about: • • type of data dependent variable.
See it on the paper → - 9990/41 · May/June 2026 · Q9c(i)[2]
Explain one reason for your choice of type of data. (c) (i)
See it on the paper → - 9990/41 · May/June 2026 · Q9c(ii)[2]
Explain one weakness with your choice of type of data.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · May/June 2026 · Q3c[4]
Explain two weaknesses of using a field experiment to investigate musical style and restaurant customers’ spending.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · May/June 2026 · Q12a[10]
Plan an experiment to investigate the effectiveness of performance monitoring to reduce social loafing in employees. Your plan must include details about: • • controls dependent variable.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · May/June 2026 · Q12c(i)[2]
Explain one reason for your choice of controls. (c) (i)
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · May/June 2026 · Q12c(ii)[2]
Explain one weakness with your choice of type of experiment.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · May/June 2026 · Q12c(iii)[2]
Explain one reason for your choice of dependent variable.
See it on the paper → - 9990/43 · May/June 2026 · Q1a[4]
Describe the procedure of this study.
See it on the paper → - 9990/43 · May/June 2026 · Q9a[10]
Plan an experiment to investigate gender differences in the words used to attribute mental states to virtual reality avatars. Your plan must include details about: • • type of data dependent variable.
See it on the paper → - 9990/43 · May/June 2026 · Q9c(i)[2]
Explain one reason for your choice of type of data. (c) (i)
See it on the paper → - 9990/43 · May/June 2026 · Q9c(ii)[2]
Explain one weakness with your choice of type of data.
See it on the paper → - 9990/32 · February/March 2026 · Q10b[2]
Explain one reason why measuring stress using a heart rate monitor could be reductionist.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · February/March 2026 · Q12b(ii)[4]
Explain how you used two features of this psychological knowledge to plan your study.
See it on the paper → - 9990/21 · October/November 2025 · Q9a[1]
Explain whether the experimental design of Dr Okami’s study is repeated measures or independent measures.
See it on the paper → - 9990/22 · October/November 2025 · Q1a[1]
Outline what is meant by the term ‘fatigue effect’.
See it on the paper →
What examiners said
Comprehensive responses • Could explain that a measuring heart rate represents a single element of how stress manifests itself. • Candidates often supported their points with one or two examples, such as noting that heart rate can be elevated for reasons other than stress, or that stress can cause other physiological changes like increased cortisol levels or psychological responses that a heart ra...
— Examiner report, February/March 2026, 9990/32 Q10(b) (Cambridge)
Comprehensive responses • Many candidates correctly explained that they had used the different types of bullying (outlined in (b)(i) to help construct the questions they asked participants in their plan, explicitly showing that ‘this is the knowledge from part (b)(i) and this is how it formed this question in part (a)’. Limited responses • Some candidates focused on methodology which is not psych...
— Examiner report, February/March 2026, 9990/42 Q12(b)(ii) (Cambridge)
Nearly all candidates were awarded full marks. Many stated that the reason why a control group was used was so that there could be a comparison between the test and control group (which earned 1 mark) and most candidates went on to state that this was so the alleles/polymorphisms/5- HTR2c and 5-HTT genes could be checked, any of these showing appropriate knowledge of the study.
— Examiner report, February/March 2025, 9990/42 Q1(b) (Cambridge)
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