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Marya carried out a field experiment to investigate whether cognitive-behavioural treatment was effective for treating offenders in prison and reducing their reoffending rates - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 8 - 2019 - Paper 2
Question 8
Marya carried out a field experiment to investigate whether cognitive-behavioural treatment was effective for treating offenders in prison and reducing their reoffen... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Marya carried out a field experiment to investigate whether cognitive-behavioural treatment was effective for treating offenders in prison and reducing their reoffending rates - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 8 - 2019 - Paper 2
Step 1
Calculate the range of Condition B and complete Table 2 with your answer.
Answer
To calculate the range for Condition B:
- Identify the highest and lowest reoffending rates from the provided data: The rates for Condition B are 3, 2, 4, 5, 2, 1, 5, 6, and 4.
- The highest rate is 6 and the lowest rate is 1.
- The formula for range is:
- Substitute the values:
Thus, the range for Condition B is 5.
Step 2
Explain why Marya used the mean rather than the mode in her field experiment.
Answer
Marya opted for the mean because it provides a more comprehensive summary of the data by incorporating all reoffending rates for the participants in both groups. Unlike the mode, which only considers the most frequently occurring value, the mean delivers a more accurate overall picture of the reoffending rates. This is particularly vital for understanding treatment effectiveness, as it offers a representation of outcomes across the entire sample rather than a single value.
Step 3
Explain one improvement Marya could make to her field experiment.
Answer
One improvement Marya could implement is to extend the timeframe for collecting data. Instead of only gathering reoffending rates six months post-release, she could collect data over a longer period, such as a year. This would allow for a clearer understanding of the long-term impacts of cognitive-behavioural treatment on reoffending rates and whether the treatment yields sustained benefits over time.