1. Getting to know the Mark Scheme… Key Terms Explained
Formation of Relationships
Getting to know the Mark Scheme… Key Terms Explained
Key Term
What it means in the context of the mark scheme
Knowledge and Understanding
Showing that you understand the material
Evaluation and Commentary
Critical commentary of the material including use of studies and synoptic A02 points.
Range / Breadth
Have you presented and explained a good variety of points?
Depth/
Detailed
Have you fully explained all your points in detail to show the ‘depth’ of your understanding? Elaboration!
Well Structured
/Coherent
Have you structured your arguments in a clear logical order? Does it flow? Have you made links and used connectives?
Look at the mark scheme for a 24 marker and answer the questions..

2. Getting to know the Mark Scheme… Key Terms Explained
Formation of Relationships
Getting to know the Mark Scheme… Key Terms Explained
Key Term
What it means in the context of the mark scheme
Accurate/
Relevant
You have selected the correct material to answer the question.
Issues, Debates & Approaches
This is your synoptic A02 (IDA).
Terminology
Have you used the psychological key terms and if so, have you used them correctly?
Punctuation, Grammar & Spelling
The quality of your English is also assessed.
Superficial/
Rudimentary
AVOID THIS AT ALL COSTS.
Your work is superficial or rudimentary if your explanation doesn’t adequately show that you understand. Elaborate and explain to show the examiner what you mean!
Look at the mark scheme for a 24 marker and answer the questions..

3. Elaboration: How do you Elaborate?
Formation of Relationships
Elaboration: How do you Elaborate?
PEEL
POINT
Make your point.
Reward/Need Theory of relationship formation argues that relationships are formed on the basis of classical conditioning and association.
EVIDENCE
Support it with psychological research.
May and Hamilton (1980) conducted an experiment to look at the role that association played in relationship formation. They got females to evaluate photos of men whilst they were listening to three different types of music which induced three different types of mood.
EXPLAIN
Explain what the research shows or suggests.
Females evaluated the men most positively when listening to a piece of rock music which induced a positive mood. This suggests that we find mates most attractive when we associate them with a positive feeling or experience.
LINK
Link it back to your point or the question.
This supports the Reward/Need theory of relationship formation as it implies that we form relationships on the basis of learning through association.
Look at the mark scheme for a 24 marker and answer the questions..

4. Issues, Debates, Approaches (IDA)

5. Think of one study relevant to
Issues:
Ethical issues
Gender bias
Cultural bias

6. Debates
Free will vs determinism
Reductionist vs Holistic
Psychology As a Science
Nature vs Nurture
Think of one study you know in psychology where the debate is relevant.

7. Approaches
Evolutionary
Biological
Behavioural
Cognitive
Psychodynamic
Think of one study you know in psychology where you have come across the approach.

8. Mark bands for AO2 Perfection Where to aim to Rudimentary 1-4
Rudimentary, with very limited understanding.
The answer is weak, muddled and incomplete. Material is not used effectively and may be mainly irrelevant.
Absent or muddled IDA. QWC has errors.
Perfection
Basic 5-8
Basic, superficial understanding.
The answer is sometimes focused and shows some evidence of elaboration.
Superficial reference to IDA. QWC lacks clarity, limited use of terms.
Reasonable 9-12
Reasonable analysis and understanding.
The answer is generally focused and shows reasonable elaboration and/or a line of argument is evident.
Reasonably effective IDA. QWC is clear and appropriate.
Where to aim to
Effective 13-16
Sound analysis, understanding and interpretation.
The answer is well focused and shows coherent elaboration and/or a clear line of argument.
IDA used effectively. QWC has fluent effective use of terms.

9. So…A02 Mark bands and IDA Rudimentary 0-4: Muddled and inaccurate IDA
Basic 5-8: Superficial reference to IDA
Reasonable 9-12: Reasonably effective use of IDA
Effective 13-16: Effective use of IDA
Perfection

10. Effective use of issues and debates
To access higher marks :
Reference to issues and debates should be thoughtful and relevant.
It does not have to be substantial. One or two well chosen I&D will be fine (less is more).
Candidates should be able to elaborate and explain why the issue or debate is important.
It is fine to link one debate to another (e.g. determinism to socially sensitive research).

11. PEEL your way through the IDA
One way of ensuring effective use of issues and debates is to “PEEL” them.
Point (make sure it is relevant to question)
Elaboration (explain, analyse, review implication)
Evidence (to support the point) or further explanation/elaboration
Link back to the point or to the question itself

12. Elaboration: How do you Elaborate?
Formation of Relationships
Elaboration: How do you Elaborate?
PEEL
POINT
Make your point.
The reward-need satisfaction model can be criticised for being culturally biased and may therefore lack generalisability to non-Western cultures.
EVIDENCE
Support it with psychological research.
Lott (1994) suggests that in many cultures, it is the woman who focuses on the needs of others. In addition, collectivist cultures do not have the same emphasis on the need for reward and satisfaction of the individual that this theory claims.
EXPLAIN
Explain what the research shows or elaborate with another example.
In addition, arranged marriages , for example, are not based on positive associations made through conditioning, and their formation is for less emotional reasons (e.g family ties, financial reasons)
LINK
Link it back to your point or the question.
This suggests that the Reward/Need theory is not a universal explanation of the formation of relationships and is culturally biased in its interpretation and application as a theory.
Look at the mark scheme for a 24 marker and answer the questions..

13. Elaboration: How do you Elaborate?
Maintenance of Relationships
Elaboration: How do you Elaborate?
PEEL
POINT
Make your point.
It can be argued that Equity theory is culturally biased in its view of factors that are important in the maintenance of a relationship
EVIDENCE
Support it with psychological research.
Research where men & women were interviewed at the university of Hawaii (relatively individualistic) culture & the university of the West Indies in Jamaica (a relatively collectivistic culture) found differences in how men & women from these different cultures reacted to perceived inequalities in their relationships
EXPLAIN
Explain what the research shows or elaborate with another example.
The Hawaiian sample were most satisfied when they perceived the relationship as equitable, but the Jamaican sample was most satisfied when they perceived themselves to be overbenefiting from their relationship.
LINK
Link it back to your point or the question.
This suggests that the Reward/Need theory is not a universal explanation of the formation of relationships and is culturally biased in its interpretation and application as a theory.
Look at the mark scheme for a 24 marker and answer the questions..

14. Elaboration: How do you Elaborate?
Breakdown of Relationships
Elaboration: How do you Elaborate?
PEEL
POINT
Make your point.
Carrying out research in this sensitive area raises particular ethical issues. Researchers are reluctant to investigate at such a time in case they cause additional distress.
EVIDENCE
Or EXPLAIN
Support it with psychological research or examples.
For example, participants may experience distress when revisiting the issues that led to the breakdown, privacy (many issues are of an intensely personal nature) or confidentiality. In addition, the partner who did not initiate the break up, could experience particular distress.
EXPLAIN
Or EVIDENCE
Explain what the research shows or elaborate with another example.
Akert (1998), for example, found that the partners who did not initiate the breakup, also tended to be the most miserable, reported the highest levels of loneliness & unhappiness after the end of the relationship rather than the initiators who were less stressed and less upset than their partners.
LINK
Link it back to your point or the question.
This implies that ethical issues are particularly important when researching this area of relationships as the psychological costs to the participant can be so devastating.
Look at the mark scheme for a 24 marker and answer the questions..

15. Elaboration: How do you Elaborate?
Sexual selection: Basic IDA
Elaboration: How do you Elaborate?
PEEL
POINT
Make your point.
The research into sexual selection often involves animals like peacocks, and the results might not be true of humans.
EVIDENCE
What does this candidate do?
This theory, based on evolutionary ideas is also reductionist because it doesn’t consider non biological influences. In addition, the theory can be seen as deterministic as it sees all of our behaviour as being determined by evolution
EXPLAIN
Try to write an effective IDA for sexual selection.
Examples, cultural bias; gender bias (textbook p55)
LINK
Link it back to your point or the question.
Create a short list of Dos & Don’t’s for IDAs.
Look at the mark scheme for a 24 marker and answer the questions..

16. Elaboration: How do you Elaborate?
Sexual selection: A grade
Elaboration: How do you Elaborate?
PEEL
POINT
Make your point.
According to the theory of sexual selection, males are more predisposed towards short term mating than are females.
EVIDENCE or EXPLAIN
Reproductive success for males is determined solely by the number of fertilisations they can achieve. Females on the other hand, are less predisposed towards casual sex because the costs of such inappropriate matings are much higher.
EXPLAIN or EVIDENCE
Explain what the research shows or elaborate with another example.
However, Greiling & Buss (2000) suggest that this ignores the possible benefits of short term mating to the female, including using it to exit a poor quality relationship or as a way of producing more genetically offspring.
LINK
Link it back to your point or the question.
This suggests that the theory of sexual selection is gender biased as it only considers the male advantages of short term mating in sexual selection.
Look at the mark scheme for a 24 marker and answer the questions..

17. Elaboration: How do you Elaborate?
Parental investment: IDA
Elaboration: How do you Elaborate?
PEEL
POINT
Make your point.
Evolutionary theories are reductionist.
(see page 57 of textbook & complete PEEL for this)
EVIDENCE
Support it with psychological research.
EXPLAIN
Explain what the research shows or suggests.
LINK
Link it back to your point or the question.
Can you now add any additional points for your Do’s for IDA?
In pairs, one partner to write IDA for influence of childhood, the other for culture.
Look at the mark scheme for a 24 marker and answer the questions..

18. examples

19. examples
Discuss Genetic factors involved in aggressive behaviour. (4 +16 marks)
Basic IDA:

20. examples
Discuss Genetic factors involved in aggressive behaviour. (4 +16 marks)
Reasonable IDA:

21. examples
Outline and evaluate one theory of the maintenance of romantic relationships (4+8 marks)
Reasonable IDA: