Skill Align QCE Psychology - Free Online Pack 0 Paper 2
An independently authored QCE Psychology practice paper with worked answers and question-specific human marking guidance.
- Paper
- Paper 2 Question and Response Book
- Reading
- 5 minutes
- Writing
- 90 minutes
- Assessment
- 46 marks
A QCAA-approved scientific or graphics calculator may be used. Notes and other unauthorised materials are not permitted.
Section 1 - Short-response questions
Questions 1-6 are short response. Answer every part, distinguish association from causation, and keep conclusions within the supplied evidence.
Question 1
7 marksA navigation simulation presents the same 18-step route to three matched groups. Group H completes a concurrent task that disrupts hippocampal-dependent relational encoding; Group V completes a concurrent visuospatial task; Group C completes no concurrent task. Mean correct junction order is H = 8, V = 12 and C = 16. Mean recognition of landmark pictures is H = 13, V = 9 and C = 16 out of 18.
Question 2
8 marksA study uses a novel four-note chime. During eight acquisition trials, the chime is followed by a bright locker flash that naturally produces an eye-blink. The proportion blinking to the chime before the flash rises from 0.05 on trial 1 to 0.75 on trial 8. During six chime-only trials it falls to 0.15. After a 24-hour break, the first chime-only trial produces a proportion of 0.35.
Question 3
6 marksA volunteer team rates whether an unpopular evening shift should be retained. Before discussion, 9 of 30 favour retention. After a high-status coordinator publicly supports it, 18 of 30 favour it on a show-of-hands vote. In a later anonymous ballot, 11 of 30 favour it. No further information about the shift is supplied.
Question 4
9 marksA study records 80 participants who voluntarily choose to sign a public pledge to use active travel twice in the following week. The same signers are measured immediately before signing and one week later; no non-signing comparison group is measured. Before signing, the group mean belief rating that active travel benefits the neighbourhood is 7.2 out of 10, mean positive-feeling rating is 6.8, and 22 participants complete two active trips. One week later, the ratings are 7.3 and 6.9, while 39 participants complete two trips.
Question 5
8 marksResearchers ask two convenience samples to identify 12 newly designed map symbols. Sample East includes 36 adults recruited at one transit hub; Sample West includes 42 adults recruited at one community market. Mean correct identifications are 9.1 and 7.4. The symbol instructions were translated by different local volunteers, and no translation-equivalence check was reported.
Question 6
8 marksFour existing youth groups complete a six-week navigation workshop. Group A has brief contact and separate goals; Group B has sustained contact but unequal decision power; Group C has sustained equal-status contact and a shared goal but tasks can be completed independently; Group D has sustained equal-status contact, a shared goal and mutual interdependence. Mean social-distance ratings fall by 0.3, 0.8, 1.4 and 2.2 points respectively on a 10-point scale. Groups were not randomly allocated.
Worked Solutions And Marking Guide
General marking principles
- Award each listed criterion independently when the required psychological idea or evidence decision is demonstrated.
- Accept accurate equivalent terminology that preserves the question-specific meaning.
- Do not award causal, diagnostic, cultural or population-wide claims that exceed the supplied evidence.
Section 1 Question 1
(a) Group H performs 5 items better on landmark recognition than junction order, whereas Group V performs 3 items better on junction order than landmarks.
The two concurrent tasks are associated with different profiles across route order and landmark recognition.
(b) The differing profiles suggest that route memory is not one indivisible record. Relational route order and visual landmark information can depend to different degrees on interacting systems, while Group C's 16 and 16 show that both outcomes can be retained well without either concurrent demand.
The evidence is consistent with multiple interacting contributions to one explicit route memory.
(c) For this simulation, the hippocampal-dependent interference condition was associated most strongly with lower junction-order accuracy, while visuospatial interference was associated most strongly with lower landmark recognition. The concurrent tasks are indirect manipulations rather than direct measurements of one brain region, so the pattern supports but does not prove exclusive localisation.
The interpretation follows the double-profile pattern while avoiding a claim that either feature is stored in only one location.
Mark allocation
- Human markers assess the independently authored 'route-feature-disruption' evidence decisions separately.
- Accept accurate equivalent psychological terminology; escalate culturally sensitive, contradictory or novel responses rather than inferring unsupported meaning.
- Do not double-penalise a consequential error unless a later criterion independently tests the same knowledge.
Detailed marking criteria
Part a (1 mark)
Calculates Group H's within-group difference as 5 items.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Calculates Group H's within-group difference as 5 items.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Calculates Group H's within-group difference as 5 items.
Part a (1 mark)
Calculates Group V's within-group difference as 3 items in the opposite direction.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Calculates Group V's within-group difference as 3 items in the opposite direction.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Calculates Group V's within-group difference as 3 items in the opposite direction.
Part b (1 mark)
Uses the different outcome profiles as evidence that route memory contains distinguishable features.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Uses the different outcome profiles as evidence that route memory contains distinguishable features.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Uses the different outcome profiles as evidence that route memory contains distinguishable features.
Part b (1 mark)
Explains that explicit memory relies on interacting regions or systems rather than one isolated store.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Explains that explicit memory relies on interacting regions or systems rather than one isolated store.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Explains that explicit memory relies on interacting regions or systems rather than one isolated store.
Part b (1 mark)
Uses Group C's matched high scores to show that the task can support both features when concurrent demands are absent.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Uses Group C's matched high scores to show that the task can support both features when concurrent demands are absent.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Uses Group C's matched high scores to show that the task can support both features when concurrent demands are absent.
Part c (1 mark)
States the supported direction for Group H and junction order.
Acceptable alternatives: Supporting guidance only; do not require separately for this mark: States the supported direction for Group V and landmark recognition.
Do not credit by itself: Do not infer that the hippocampus stores no landmark information or that visuospatial systems store no route order.
Part c (1 mark)
Identifies concurrent-task performance as indirect evidence about underlying brain systems.
Acceptable alternatives: Supporting guidance only; do not require separately for this mark: Rejects exclusive one-region localisation from these data.
Do not credit by itself: Do not infer that the hippocampus stores no landmark information or that visuospatial systems store no route order.
Section 1 Question 2
(a) The bright locker flash is the unconditioned stimulus, and the eye-blink naturally produced by the flash is the unconditioned response.
The flash elicits blinking before any learning involving the chime.
(b) The chime becomes a conditioned stimulus through repeated pairing with the flash, and blinking before the flash becomes the conditioned response. Repeated chime-only presentations then weaken that response from 0.75 to 0.15, demonstrating extinction.
Pairing builds the learned association; unreinforced chime trials reduce the conditioned response.
(c) The next-day proportion of 0.35 is 0.20 above the final extinction value but 0.40 below the acquisition peak. The partial return after a rest period is spontaneous recovery, not evidence that extinction restored the response to its acquisition strength.
The comparison shows a partial reappearance of the extinguished conditioned response.
Mark allocation
- Human markers assess the independently authored 'locker-chime-acquisition' evidence decisions separately.
- Accept accurate equivalent psychological terminology; escalate culturally sensitive, contradictory or novel responses rather than inferring unsupported meaning.
- Do not double-penalise a consequential error unless a later criterion independently tests the same knowledge.
Detailed marking criteria
Part a (1 mark)
Identifies the bright flash as the UCS.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Identifies the bright flash as the UCS.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Identifies the bright flash as the UCS.
Part a (1 mark)
Identifies the flash-elicited eye-blink as the UCR.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Identifies the flash-elicited eye-blink as the UCR.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Identifies the flash-elicited eye-blink as the UCR.
Part b (1 mark)
Identifies the paired chime as the CS and anticipatory blink as the CR.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Identifies the paired chime as the CS and anticipatory blink as the CR.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Identifies the paired chime as the CS and anticipatory blink as the CR.
Part b (1 mark)
Uses the rise from 0.05 to 0.75 as acquisition evidence.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Uses the rise from 0.05 to 0.75 as acquisition evidence.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Uses the rise from 0.05 to 0.75 as acquisition evidence.
Part b (1 mark)
Uses the fall to 0.15 during chime-only trials as extinction evidence.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Uses the fall to 0.15 during chime-only trials as extinction evidence.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Uses the fall to 0.15 during chime-only trials as extinction evidence.
Part c (1 mark)
Calculates 0.35 minus 0.15 as a 0.20 increase.
Acceptable alternatives: Supporting guidance only; do not require separately for this mark: Calculates 0.75 minus 0.35 as a 0.40 shortfall from the acquisition peak.
Do not credit by itself: Do not describe the next-day increase as new acquisition involving another flash.
Part c (1 mark)
Identifies the next-day rise as spontaneous recovery.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Identifies the next-day rise as spontaneous recovery.
Do not credit by itself: Do not describe the next-day increase as new acquisition involving another flash.
Part c (1 mark)
Explains that the recovery is partial rather than a full return to the earlier response level.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Explains that the recovery is partial rather than a full return to the earlier response level.
Do not credit by itself: Do not describe the next-day increase as new acquisition involving another flash.
Section 1 Question 3
(a) Support rises by 9 people from the initial rating to the public vote, then falls by 7 people in the anonymous ballot; the final support remains 2 above the initial rating.
The public response shifts much more than the later private response.
(b) The high-status coordinator may exert social power, and some volunteers may publicly comply without adopting the view privately. The anonymous result near the initial rating is consistent with that explanation.
A public behavioural shift that recedes in private fits compliance more closely than full internalisation.
(c) The record does not reveal each person's motive, so it cannot prove that all seven reversals were compliance. The same participants were measured over time and discussion may have introduced other influences; the evidence supports a plausible group-influence interpretation, not a diagnosis of individual beliefs.
Behavioural counts constrain but do not identify every participant's private process.
Mark allocation
- Human markers assess the independently authored 'public-private-shifts' evidence decisions separately.
- Accept accurate equivalent psychological terminology; escalate culturally sensitive, contradictory or novel responses rather than inferring unsupported meaning.
- Do not double-penalise a consequential error unless a later criterion independently tests the same knowledge.
Detailed marking criteria
Part a (1 mark)
Calculates the public increase as 9 people.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Calculates the public increase as 9 people.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Calculates the public increase as 9 people.
Part a (1 mark)
Calculates the fall from public to anonymous response as 7 people.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Calculates the fall from public to anonymous response as 7 people.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Calculates the fall from public to anonymous response as 7 people.
Part b (1 mark)
Links the coordinator's status to greater capacity for social influence.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Links the coordinator's status to greater capacity for social influence.
Do not credit by itself: Do not label the pattern internalisation without evidence of durable private belief change.
Part b (1 mark)
Identifies public compliance as behaviour change without necessary private belief change.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Identifies public compliance as behaviour change without necessary private belief change.
Do not credit by itself: Do not label the pattern internalisation without evidence of durable private belief change.
Part c (1 mark)
States that aggregate counts do not reveal each participant's motive.
Acceptable alternatives: Supporting guidance only; do not require separately for this mark: Rejects the claim that every public-private reversal must be compliance.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: States that aggregate counts do not reveal each participant's motive.
Part c (1 mark)
Identifies discussion or another time-varying influence as an alternative explanation.
Acceptable alternatives: Supporting guidance only; do not require separately for this mark: Limits the conclusion to a plausible group-influence account rather than certainty about private beliefs.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Identifies discussion or another time-varying influence as an alternative explanation.
Section 1 Question 4
(a) The benefit belief is cognitive, the positive-feeling rating is affective, and completion of two active trips is behavioural.
The measures represent a belief, a feeling and an observed action.
(b) Belief and feeling means each increase only 0.1 point, while the number completing two trips rises by 17, from 22 to 39. The most substantial recorded change is behavioural.
The behavioural count changes much more visibly than the two reported attitude ratings.
(c) A public pledge may create discomfort if later behaviour conflicts with the expressed commitment, motivating some participants to align behaviour with the pledge. However, the sample contains only voluntary signers and no non-signing comparison group, so the record cannot show that dissonance caused the 17-person increase.
Dissonance offers a mechanism, but the design does not isolate it.
Mark allocation
- Human markers assess the independently authored 'travel-mode-grid' evidence decisions separately.
- Accept accurate equivalent psychological terminology; escalate culturally sensitive, contradictory or novel responses rather than inferring unsupported meaning.
- Do not double-penalise a consequential error unless a later criterion independently tests the same knowledge.
Detailed marking criteria
Part a (1 mark)
Maps the belief rating to the cognitive component.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Maps the belief rating to the cognitive component.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Maps the belief rating to the cognitive component.
Part a (1 mark)
Maps the feeling rating to the affective component.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Maps the feeling rating to the affective component.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Maps the feeling rating to the affective component.
Part a (1 mark)
Maps completed trips to the behavioural component.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Maps completed trips to the behavioural component.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Maps completed trips to the behavioural component.
Part b (1 mark)
Calculates the cognitive-rating change as 0.1.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Calculates the cognitive-rating change as 0.1.
Do not credit by itself: Do not compare a 0-10 rating and a participant count as if they use the same scale.
Part b (1 mark)
Calculates the affective-rating change as 0.1.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Calculates the affective-rating change as 0.1.
Do not credit by itself: Do not compare a 0-10 rating and a participant count as if they use the same scale.
Part b (1 mark)
Calculates the behavioural-count increase as 17.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Calculates the behavioural-count increase as 17.
Do not credit by itself: Do not compare a 0-10 rating and a participant count as if they use the same scale.
Part c (1 mark)
Explains the possible inconsistency between a public commitment and non-active behaviour.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Explains the possible inconsistency between a public commitment and non-active behaviour.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Explains the possible inconsistency between a public commitment and non-active behaviour.
Part c (1 mark)
Explains behaviour change as one way to reduce the inconsistency.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Explains behaviour change as one way to reduce the inconsistency.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Explains behaviour change as one way to reduce the inconsistency.
Part c (1 mark)
Uses the voluntary-signer sample or absence of a comparison group to reject a causal conclusion about dissonance.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Uses the voluntary-signer sample or absence of a comparison group to reject a causal conclusion about dissonance.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Uses the voluntary-signer sample or absence of a comparison group to reject a causal conclusion about dissonance.
Section 1 Question 5
(a) Sample East's mean exceeds Sample West's by 1.7 symbols out of 12.
The calculation describes the sample-level difference on this symbol task.
(b) Recruitment at one different venue per sample may produce groups that differ in age, travel experience or other characteristics. Different unverified translations may also change how the task is understood, threatening cross-sample comparability.
Sampling and task presentation both provide alternatives to a simple cultural explanation.
(c) The East convenience sample identified more symbols on average in this task. The result cannot establish an inherent cultural difference or be generalised to the wider communities because sampling and translation equivalence were not controlled.
The conclusion retains the observed difference while rejecting essentialist and population-wide claims.
Mark allocation
- Human markers assess the independently authored 'map-symbol-interpretations' evidence decisions separately.
- Accept accurate equivalent psychological terminology; escalate culturally sensitive, contradictory or novel responses rather than inferring unsupported meaning.
- Do not double-penalise a consequential error unless a later criterion independently tests the same knowledge.
Detailed marking criteria
Part a (1 mark)
Calculates 9.1 minus 7.4 as 1.7 symbols.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Calculates 9.1 minus 7.4 as 1.7 symbols.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Calculates 9.1 minus 7.4 as 1.7 symbols.
Part a (1 mark)
States the direction as Sample East having the higher task mean.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: States the direction as Sample East having the higher task mean.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: States the direction as Sample East having the higher task mean.
Part b (1 mark)
Explains that the two convenience venues may create non-equivalent samples.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Explains that the two convenience venues may create non-equivalent samples.
Do not credit by itself: Do not merely name 'bias' without explaining how it affects comparability.
Part b (1 mark)
Explains that different unverified translations may change the measured task rather than only the target construct.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Explains that different unverified translations may change the measured task rather than only the target construct.
Do not credit by itself: Do not merely name 'bias' without explaining how it affects comparability.
Part b (1 mark)
Connects at least one identified uncertainty to the observed mean difference.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Connects at least one identified uncertainty to the observed mean difference.
Do not credit by itself: Do not merely name 'bias' without explaining how it affects comparability.
Part c (1 mark)
States the supported difference for the two samples and this task.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: States the supported difference for the two samples and this task.
Do not credit by itself: Do not rank the two communities' perceptual ability from one task.
Part c (1 mark)
Rejects an inherent or fixed cultural explanation.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Rejects an inherent or fixed cultural explanation.
Do not credit by itself: Do not rank the two communities' perceptual ability from one task.
Part c (1 mark)
Rejects wider population generalisation using the stated sampling or translation limitation.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Rejects wider population generalisation using the stated sampling or translation limitation.
Do not credit by itself: Do not rank the two communities' perceptual ability from one task.
Section 1 Question 6
(a) Group D has sustained contact, equality of status, a superordinate shared goal and mutual interdependence.
All four stated features align with favourable intergroup contact.
(b) The decrease grows as favourable conditions accumulate: 0.3, 0.8, 1.4 and 2.2 points. Group D's decrease is 1.9 points larger than Group A's and 0.8 larger than Group C's.
The ordered pattern is consistent with stronger outcomes under the fullest set of contact conditions.
(c) Group D shows the largest mean reduction, consistent with the proposition that sustained, equal-status and interdependent contact around a shared goal can reduce prejudice-related social distance. Because existing groups were not randomly allocated, pre-existing group differences could contribute, so the comparison does not prove that the conditions alone caused the changes.
The pattern supports the contact account but remains observational across existing groups.
Mark allocation
- Human markers assess the independently authored 'joint-navigation-contact' evidence decisions separately.
- Accept accurate equivalent psychological terminology; escalate culturally sensitive, contradictory or novel responses rather than inferring unsupported meaning.
- Do not double-penalise a consequential error unless a later criterion independently tests the same knowledge.
Detailed marking criteria
Part a (1 mark)
Identifies sustained contact and equal status.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Identifies sustained contact and equal status.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Identifies sustained contact and equal status.
Part a (1 mark)
Identifies the shared superordinate goal and mutual interdependence.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Identifies the shared superordinate goal and mutual interdependence.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that omits or contradicts this question-specific decision: Identifies the shared superordinate goal and mutual interdependence.
Part b (1 mark)
Describes the monotonic increase across the four displayed conditions.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Describes the monotonic increase across the four displayed conditions.
Do not credit by itself: Do not describe a decrease in social distance as an increase in prejudice.
Part b (1 mark)
Calculates Group D minus Group A as 1.9 points.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Calculates Group D minus Group A as 1.9 points.
Do not credit by itself: Do not describe a decrease in social distance as an increase in prejudice.
Part b (1 mark)
Calculates Group D minus Group C as 0.8 points.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Calculates Group D minus Group C as 0.8 points.
Do not credit by itself: Do not describe a decrease in social distance as an increase in prejudice.
Part c (1 mark)
Links Group D's largest decrease to the full favourable-contact combination.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Links Group D's largest decrease to the full favourable-contact combination.
Do not credit by itself: Do not claim that all members changed by exactly the group mean.
Part c (1 mark)
Identifies lack of random allocation as allowing pre-existing group differences.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: Identifies lack of random allocation as allowing pre-existing group differences.
Do not credit by itself: Do not claim that all members changed by exactly the group mean.
Part c (1 mark)
States a supported association rather than an unqualified causal claim.
Acceptable alternatives: Accept equivalent wording that preserves this decision: States a supported association rather than an unqualified causal claim.
Do not credit by itself: Do not claim that all members changed by exactly the group mean.
Diagnostic Checklist
| Topic | Questions | Marks | Marks Lost | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 3 - Brain function | Q1 | 7 | ___ | Review the prescribed concepts and evidence limits for localised and distributed brain function in memory. |
| Unit 3 - Learning | Q2 | 8 | ___ | Review the prescribed concepts and evidence limits for classical conditioning and fear responses. |
| Unit 3 - Sensation and perception | Q5 | 8 | ___ | Review the prescribed concepts and evidence limits for cultural influences on perception. |
| Unit 4 - Attitudes | Q4 | 9 | ___ | Review the prescribed concepts and evidence limits for attitude structure, implicit/explicit attitudes and dissonance. |
| Unit 4 - Cross-cultural psychology | Q6 | 8 | ___ | Review the prescribed concepts and evidence limits for intergroup contact and prejudice reduction. |
| Unit 4 - Social psychology | Q3 | 6 | ___ | Review the prescribed concepts and evidence limits for group social influence, status, roles and power. |