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Noah is investigating a new treatment for offenders - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 8 - 2021 - Paper 2
Question 8
Noah is investigating a new treatment for offenders. He decided to conduct a case study on one offender from his local prison. Before Noah conducted his case study,... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Noah is investigating a new treatment for offenders - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 8 - 2021 - Paper 2
Step 1
Describe the risk management Noah would have had to carry out for his case study.
Answer
To ensure the safety of the offender and others during the case study, Noah would need to undertake several key risk management measures. Firstly, he must assess the potential risks associated with the new treatment, ensuring that it does not pose any foreseeable adverse effects on the offender's well-being. He should conduct a thorough evaluation of any possible negative consequences versus the expected benefits of the treatment. Furthermore, Noah must implement protective measures to maintain a safe environment, such as ensuring secure handling of the offender and providing adequate supervision to guard against any violent incidents. Additionally, it is vital to have a contingency plan in place, including insurance against any unforeseen circumstances that could arise from the treatment process.
Step 2
Identify the experimental/research design Noah used in the experiment.
Answer
Noah used a repeated measures design in his experiment to assess the effectiveness of the new treatment. This design allows the same individual to be observed in both conditions: before and after the implementation of the treatment, facilitating a direct comparison of behavioral changes.
Step 3
Explain one reason why qualitative data may be better than quantitative data when researching criminological psychology.
Answer
Qualitative data provides a deeper understanding of the offender’s thoughts, feelings, and motivations, capturing the underlying reasons behind criminal behavior. This in-depth information can reveal nuanced insights that quantitative data, which often relies on numerical measurements and statistics, may overlook. For example, qualitative interviews may allow offenders to express their personal experiences and reasons for their actions, fostering a more comprehensive view of the factors influencing their behavior.
Step 4
Explain one weakness of Noah’s investigation into the new treatment for offenders.
Answer
One significant weakness of Noah's investigation is the potential lack of validity due to the small sample size. If Noah only studies one offender, the results may not be generalizable to all offenders, as individual experiences can vary greatly. This limited scope could result in findings that do not accurately reflect the effectiveness of the treatment for a broader population, thus undermining the study's overall reliability.