Specification

  • One practical research exercise to gather data relevant to topics covered in cognitive psychology. This practical research exercise must adhere to ethical principles in both content and intention. In conducting the practical research exercise, you must: 
  • design and conduct a laboratory experiment using a repeated measures design to gather quantitative data and include descriptive statistics as analysis and the Wilcoxon nonparametric test of difference 
  • make design decisions when planning and conducting their experiment, using a repeated measures design, sampling decisions, operationalisation, control, ethical considerations, hypothesis construction, experimenter effects and demand characteristics and order effects 
  • collect, present and comment on data gathered, including using measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode as appropriate); measures of dispersion (including range and standard deviation as appropriate); bar graph, histogram, frequency graph as relevant; normal distribution if appropriate and draw conclusions 
  • use a Wilcoxon non-parametric test of difference to test significance, including level of significance and critical/observed values 
  • consider strengths and weaknesses of the experiment, and possible improvements 
  • write up the procedure, results and discussion section of a report. 

Suitable examples 

  • Dual task experiment to investigate phonological and/or visuospatial components of working memory. 
  • An experiment to look at acoustic similarity of words and the effect on short-term memory.

Past Paper Questions

1 Markers
  • State the dependent variable from your cognitive practical investigation. (1) June 2018
  • State the aim of your cognitive practical investigation. (1) January 2020
2 Markers
  • Describe one control you implemented to make your procedure reliable. (2) June 2018
  • Describe how you operationalised the variables in your practical investigation. (2) October 2016
  • Give two conclusions you reached in your practical investigation. (2) October 2016
  • Explain one way demand characteristics were controlled in your practical investigation. (2) October 2016
3 Marker
  • Describe the procedure of your cognitive practical investigation. (3) January 2020
  • Describe the results from your cognitive practical investigation. (3) June 2018
8 Marker
  • Discuss how laboratory experiments are designed and conducted. You must refer to your cognitive practical investigation in your answer. (8) January 2019