Error

An observant reader noticed an error on page 198 of the new AS/Year 1 AQA book. In the key terms box the definitions for covert and obvert observation are the wrong way round, though the text is correct. Overt observation is open – people know they are being observed. Covert observation is closed – people […]

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Is DSM 4 still creditworthy?

I asked AQA about this and received the following reply from AQA: Both A2 Principal Examiners have agreed that as DSM5 has only just been released, students will be credited if they do use it effectively but examining will reflect both versions of the manual.  At least for this teaching year, examiners in summer 2014 will […]

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Older adults have less accurate memories

On page 35 of the AS  Complete Companion the text concerns the influence of age on the accuracy of eyewitness testimony. A study by Yarmey is discussed under the heading ‘Age differences in accuracy’. The second sentence says that there were no significant differences in the accuracy of recall – but this is wrong. The […]

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Finding a partner on-line

A newly published American study by Cacioppo and colleagues (2013)  looked at the satisfaction in couples who met on-line. They analysed responses from nearly 20,000 people who married between 2005 and 2012. They found that more than one-third of marriages in America now begin on-line! In comparison with more traditional off-line meeting, the on-line couples expressed greater marital satisfaction and […]

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Neural mechanisms

After a query from a student in our forum, I sent the following question to AQA: In the AQA A Psychology specification there are several references to ‘neural mechanisms’. In the mark schemes these are explicitly linked to brain mechanisms (e.g. see question 5, June 2011 PSYA3). However the term ‘neural’ is defined as ‘of, […]

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Antipsychotic drugs

A German study just published by Moritz and colleagues provides an interesting insight into antipsychotic drugs used in the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychotic illnesses. Data was collected by asking psychiatric patients to complete a questionnaire about their experiences in taking antipsychotic medication for their mental disorder. The conclusion was that such drugs are effective […]

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