Cambridge International Examinations
Cambridge International Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced Level
PSYCHOLOGY 9990/41
Paper 4 Specialist Options: Application May/June 2018
1 hour 30 minutes
No Additional Materials are required.
* 9 1 2 7 1 8 6 2 3 4 *
READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST
An answer booklet is provided inside this question paper. You should follow the instructions on the front cover
of the answer booklet. If you need additional answer paper ask the invigilator for a continuation booklet.
There is a choice of four specialist options in this question paper. You must answer questions from two
specialist options.
Answer two questions in Section A.
Answer one question in Section B.
Answer one question in Section C.
At the end of the examination, fasten all your work securely together.
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.
This document consists of 5 printed pages, 3 blank pages and 1 Insert.
DC (CE) 152349/1
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Section A
You must answer two questions from this section.
Answer all the parts for the two questions you choose.
Psychology and abnormality
1 Blaszczynski and Nower (2002) looked at the effect of imaginal desensitisation on patients
with impulse control disorders and used relaxation (trigger) monitoring tables to measure the
effectiveness of their therapy. These tables are completed at home by the patient. At the end of
their treatment, the patient should report a significant reduction in the frequency and intensity of
urges to act on impulse.
(a) Explain the technique of ‘imaginal desensitisation’. [2]
(b) Give two advantages of ‘imaginal desensitisation’. [4]
(c) Suggest two problems with the use of relaxation monitoring tables. [4]
(d) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of psychological techniques to treat impulse
control disorders. You should include a conclusion in your answer. [5]
Psychology and consumer behaviour
2 In their laboratory experiment Mackay and Olshavsky (1975) state ‘A number of methods can be
used for externally measuring a cognitive map.’ The most popular method has been the ‘draw-a-
map’ technique.
(a) Explain the ‘draw-a-map’ technique. [2]
(b) Describe two ways in which cognitive maps can be measured, other than using the ‘draw-a-
map’ technique. [4]
(c) Suggest how ‘draw-a-map’ data could be analysed. [4]
(d) Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of data gathered by the ‘draw-a-map’ technique. You
should include a conclusion in your answer. [5]
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Psychology and health
3 ‘Please don’t make me sit in the middle!’
Evans and Wener (2007) claim that sitting in the middle seat of a row of three and having their
personal space invaded is the reason why people experience crowding and stress on public
transport.
(a) Explain how salivary cortisol can be used to measure stress. [2]
(b) Give two advantages of measuring salivary cortisol. [4]
(c) Suggest two alternative physiological measures of stress and explain why each of these was
not used in the Evans and Wener study. [4]
(d) Different ways to investigate stress can be more or less reductionist.
Discuss the evidence that the approach taken by Evans and Wener is reductionist. You
should consider both sides of the argument and include a conclusion. [5]
Psychology and organisations
4 The study by Gold et al. (1992) found that the number of shiftwork accidents made by nurses was
significantly higher in those working a ‘rotator’ shift. To investigate this further, the researchers
sent questionnaires to all nurses. However, only 78% returned their questionnaires.
(a) Explain what Gold et al. meant by a ‘rotator’ shift. [2]
(b) Give two findings for ‘rotators’ compared with ‘non-rotators’, other than the number of
shiftwork accidents. [4]
(c) Suggest two reasons why only 78% of participants returned their questionnaires. [4]
(d) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using questionnaires to gather data about
accidents in the workplace. You should include a conclusion in your answer. [5]
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Section B
You must answer one question from this section.
Psychology and abnormality
5 A person is accused of setting several fires. You have to determine whether they are an accidental
firesetter, an arsonist or a pyromaniac.
(a) Design an interview to find out what type of firesetter the accused person is. [10]
(b) Explain the psychological and methodological evidence on which your interview is based. [8]
Psychology and consumer behaviour
6 Most people do not like to queue in a fast-food restaurant.
(a) Design a field experiment to investigate which layout design option for a fast-food restaurant
produces the least queueing. [10]
(b) Explain the psychological and methodological evidence on which your experiment is based.
[8]
Psychology and health
7 (a) Design an experiment to investigate the effectiveness of a stress inoculation programme to
reduce ill health. [10]
(b) Explain the psychological and methodological evidence on which your experiment is based.
[8]
Psychology and organisations
8 (a) Design a study using a questionnaire to investigate management perceptions of bullying at
work. [10]
(b) Explain the psychological and methodological evidence on which your questionnaire is based.
[8]
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Section C
You must answer one question from this section.
Psychology and abnormality
9 ‘Electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) is not a cure for depression.’
To what extent do you agree with this statement? Use examples of research you have studied to
support your answer. [12]
Psychology and consumer behaviour
10 ‘To gather data about table spacing in restaurants, online questionnaires are more effective than
studying participants in actual restaurants.’
To what extent do you agree with this statement? Use examples of research you have studied to
support your answer. [12]
Psychology and health
11 ‘Some studies of patient-practitioner relationships only collect data about non-verbal
communications. This is too reductionist to be of any value.’
To what extent do you agree with this statement? Use examples of research you have studied to
support your answer. [12]
Psychology and organisations
12 ‘Job design techniques always improve job satisfaction.’
To what extent do you agree with this statement? Use examples of research you have studied to
support your answer. [12]
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