Question 1: Define the term 'hypothesis' in the context of psychological research.

Answer: A hypothesis is a clear, testable prediction about what the researcher expects to find in a study.

Question 2: Describe a simple experiment involving two variables, such as studying the effect of sleep on memory.

Answer: An experiment could involve two variables: amount of sleep (independent variable) and memory performance (dependent variable). Participants are divided into different sleep groups, and their memory is tested to see if sleep affects recall.

Question 3: Explain why it is important for researchers to conduct a fair test when studying human behaviour.

Answer: A fair test ensures that only the variables being studied are affecting the results, so the findings are reliable and valid.

Question 4: Identify one ethical consideration that psychologists must follow when conducting experiments with participants.

Answer: Psychologists must ensure participants give informed consent before taking part in the study.

Question 5: Describe what a controlled variable is and give an example from a study about testing the effect of music on concentration.

Answer: A controlled variable is something kept the same throughout the experiment. For example, the volume of music or the time of day when the test is conducted could be controlled.

Question 6: Sketch a simple diagram of a basic experimental setup involving two groups of participants, a control group and an experimental group.

Answer: A diagram should show two separate groups of participants, with arrows indicating one group receiving the 'treatment' (e.g., exposure to music) and the other not. Both groups undergo the same memory test afterward.

Question 7: Explain why it is important for psychologists to repeat experiments multiple times.

Answer: Repeating experiments helps ensure that the results are reliable and not due to chance or errors.

Question 8: Imagine you are conducting a study on whether animals prefer one type of food over another. Describe one way you could ensure your study is fair and unbiased.

Answer: You could randomize the order in which animals are offered the different foods and ensure the environment is the same for all animals to prevent bias.

Question 9: Describe what a 'sample' is in psychological research and why it is important.

Answer: A sample is the group of people or animals who participate in a study. It is important because it represents the larger population being studied.

Question 10: Sketch a brief outline of how a psychologist might record data during an experiment on how quickly students solve puzzles.

Answer: The sketch should include a table or chart with columns for participant number, time taken to solve each puzzle, and any observations like errors or hesitations.