2022 May/June · Paper 42 · Q6 (a, b)4.5 marksAdvertising
2022 May/June · Paper 42 · Q103 marksAdvertising
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Practice questions
Original questions written by HomiLabs in the style of the exam, with answers and mark schemes. They are not
Cambridge past paper questions and have not been reviewed by Cambridge. Try each one before opening the answer.
Q1The physical environment · Core · Paper 3 style · 6 marks
(a)Describe two types of retail store layout.[4]
(b)Explain one reason why a freeform layout might suit a small clothing boutique better than a grid layout.[2]
Show answer
(a) Grid layout: shelves arranged in long parallel aisles at right angles, as in most supermarkets; shoppers move up and down aisles, and it is efficient for finding everyday items. Freeform layout: displays and racks are placed in irregular, flowing patterns, as in fashion boutiques; it encourages browsing and relaxed movement around the store. (Accept racetrack/loop layout: one main path leads shoppers past all departments, as in large furniture stores.)
2 marks per layout: 1 for naming/identifying it with a key feature, 1 for a further detail or example.
(b) Customers in a boutique want to browse and try items rather than find things quickly; a freeform layout encourages them to wander, look at more displays and stay longer, which can increase unplanned purchases.
1 mark: browsing/exploration/longer time in store; 1 mark: link to more purchases or customer enjoyment.
Q2The physical environment · Core · Paper 3 style · 4 marks
(a)Outline the findings of research by Milliman on music tempo in a supermarket.[2]
(b)Suggest how a Karachi supermarket manager could apply these findings, and give one reason why this might not work.[2]
Show answer
(a) When slow-tempo music was played, shoppers moved through the store more slowly and sales were higher than when fast-tempo music was played.
1 mark: slow music slowed shoppers' pace; 1 mark: higher sales with slow music.
(b) Play slow music during quiet weekday hours to encourage longer browsing; however, at busy times slow movement may cause crowding and annoy shoppers, so faster music might be better then (or local shoppers may prefer different music).
1 mark: suitable application; 1 mark: limitation (crowding, cultural differences, customer purpose such as quick top-up shopping).
Q3The physical environment · Standard · Paper 3 style · 4 marks
(a)Nadia is opening a clothing store for young adults in a Lahore shopping mall. Suggest how she could use music to influence customers' behaviour in her store.[4]
Show answer
(a) She could play music that fits the store's image and her young customers, such as current pop music, because music congruent with the store and audience creates a positive mood and approach behaviour. She could use slower-tempo music at quiet times so customers move more slowly and browse longer (research found slow music in a supermarket slowed shoppers and increased sales). She should keep the volume moderate so customers can talk and are not driven away.
1 mark per relevant, justified suggestion, up to 4; suggestions must be linked to psychological evidence (tempo, congruence/fit, volume, mood) and applied to Nadia's store; max 2 if no link to evidence.
Q4The physical environment · Standard · Paper 4 style · 6 marks
(a)Describe the procedure of North et al.'s study of music in a restaurant.[3]
(b)State the main finding of this study.[1]
(c)Explain one weakness of the way the conditions were organised in this study.[2]
Show answer
(a) The study took place in a real restaurant over a number of evenings. On different evenings either classical music, pop music or no music was played in the background. The bills of diners were used to record how much was spent per head on starters, main courses, desserts, coffee, drinks and in total, and this was compared across the three music conditions.
1 mark each, up to 3: field setting (a real restaurant); three conditions – classical, pop, no music; conditions varied between evenings; spending per person measured from bills, including different courses/items.
(b) Customers spent more in total when classical music was played than when pop music or no music was played.
1 mark: classical music led to the highest spending.
(c) Different evenings had different customers, so differences in spending may be due to the kind of diners on each evening (e.g. people celebrating special occasions) rather than the music; customers could not be randomly allocated to conditions.
1 mark: weakness (participant variables / independent measures / no random allocation / other changes between evenings); 1 mark: explained in context.
Q5The physical environment · Standard · Paper 4 style · 6 marks
(a)Describe the conditions in North, Hargreaves and McKendrick's study of in-store music and wine choice.[2]
(b)Outline the results of the study.[2]
(c)Some shoppers were asked whether the music had influenced their choice. Explain what their answers suggested.[2]
Show answer
(a) On alternate days, French accordion music or German Bierkeller (beer-hall) music was played beside a display of French and German wines in a supermarket.
1 mark: French vs German music; 1 mark: alternated between days, at a wine display in a supermarket.
(b) More French wine than German wine was sold when French music was played, and more German wine than French wine when German music was played.
1 mark for each direction of the result.
(c) Very few shoppers said the music had influenced their choice, suggesting that the music affected their decisions without conscious awareness (it primed thoughts of the country).
1 mark: few shoppers aware/mentioned music; 1 mark: influence was unconscious/priming.
Q6The physical environment · Standard · Paper 3 style · 4 marks
(a)Outline the determinism versus free will debate.[2]
(b)Explain one reason why research into store atmospherics (such as music and scent) can be seen as deterministic.[2]
Show answer
(a) Determinism is the view that behaviour is caused by factors outside a person's control (internal or external), whereas free will is the view that people can choose how to behave.
1 mark: determinism; 1 mark: free will.
(b) It suggests customers' choices – what they buy and how much they spend – are caused by environmental cues like music tempo or scent that they are not aware of, rather than by free, conscious choices.
1 mark: environmental cues cause behaviour; 1 mark: example from research (e.g. French music → French wine) and lack of awareness/control.
Q7The physical environment · Standard · Paper 3 style · 6 marks
(a)Explain what is meant by 'congruence' between scent and other features of a store, using research to support your answer.[2]
(b)Ali owns a perfume and attar shop in Rawalpindi. Suggest two ways he could use the physical environment to increase sales during Eid.[4]
Show answer
(a) Congruence is when the scent fits the store, its products or other atmospheric cues such as music. Spangenberg et al. found that a Christmas scent produced more favourable evaluations of a store when Christmas music was also played, but less favourable evaluations with non-Christmas music.
1 mark: definition of congruence; 1 mark: supporting research evidence.
(b) 1) Use a light, festive scent congruent with his products (e.g. a mild rose or oud attar) diffused in the shop, as congruent scents improve evaluations and approach behaviour. 2) Use warm lighting and an uncluttered layout with testers displayed at the front, so customers can browse comfortably; play quiet traditional music congruent with Eid, as music that fits the setting creates a positive mood.
2 marks per suggestion: 1 for a suitable suggestion, 1 for justification from psychology.
Q8The physical environment · Challenge · Paper 3 style · 16 marks
(a)Describe research into the effects of sound (music) on consumer behaviour.[6]
(b)Evaluate research into the effects of sound on consumer behaviour, including a discussion of ecological validity.[10]
Show answer
(a) North et al. found that restaurant diners spent more when classical music was played than with pop music or no music, possibly because classical music creates an upmarket image (a 'sophisticated' priming effect). North, Hargreaves and McKendrick played French or German music on alternate days next to a supermarket wine display: French wine outsold German wine when French music played, and German wine outsold French when German music played; few shoppers said the music had influenced them. Milliman found that slow-tempo music in a supermarket slowed shoppers' movement and increased sales compared with fast-tempo music.
Credit named studies with procedure and findings; theory such as priming/congruence/arousal. Marks: 1 mark per accurate point, or 2 for a well-detailed point, up to 6; the answer should name the research and its findings in detail for full marks.
(b) Strengths: field studies in real restaurants and supermarkets have high ecological validity – real customers spending their own money; useful applications for retailers. Weaknesses: lack of control in field settings – other variables (weather, day of the week, special offers) may affect spending; customers cannot be randomly allocated; ethical concerns – shoppers are influenced without awareness or consent (unconscious manipulation); cultural differences – musical associations (e.g. classical = expensive) may not hold in other cultures such as Pakistan; results are often small and may depend on the type of product; reductionism – music is only one part of the atmosphere; determinism vs free will – suggests consumers are passive.
Must include ecological validity (named issue); credit other issues and debates (application, ethics, control, generalisability, culture, determinism). Level 4 (9–10): a range of well-developed evaluative points, including the named issue, with effective use of examples from research; clear structure. Level 3 (6–8): several evaluative points, mostly developed; the named issue covered. Level 2 (3–5): limited evaluation, mostly undeveloped; the named issue may be missing. Level 1 (1–2): brief, general points. 0: nothing creditworthy.
Q9The physical environment · Challenge · Paper 4 style · 24 marks
(a)Plan a field experiment to investigate whether a pleasant scent in a bakery increases the amount customers spend. Your plan must include an independent measures design and a way of measuring the dependent variable from sales records.[10]
(b)Describe the psychological knowledge on which your plan is based.[8]
(c)Explain two reasons for choosing the features of your plan.[6]
Show answer
(a) A possible plan: field experiment in a bakery in Islamabad; IV – a vanilla/fresh-bread scent released from a diffuser near the entrance vs no added scent; conditions alternate on matched days (e.g. Mondays and Wednesdays scent, Tuesdays and Thursdays no scent) over four weeks; independent measures – different customers in each condition; DV – mean spending per customer from till receipts (total sales ÷ number of transactions), plus the number of items per receipt; controls – same opening hours, prices, staff, displays and music, no promotions during the study, scent intensity kept the same; ethics – scent safe and mild, no personal data recorded, public setting.
Mark points: IV operationalised; independent measures with how conditions are allocated; DV from sales records operationalised; controls; sample/setting; duration; ethics. Level 4 (9–10): detailed, coherent plan covering all the required features with clear operationalisation. Level 3 (6–8): clear plan with most features. Level 2 (3–5): basic plan, several features missing. Level 1 (1–2): brief/muddled. 0: no creditworthy response.
(b) Research on scent in retail: pleasant ambient scent can improve mood and evaluations of a store, increasing approach behaviour such as browsing longer and spending more. Spangenberg et al. found that a Christmas scent improved evaluations of a store when combined with Christmas music, but not with non-Christmas music – showing the importance of congruence between scent and setting; a bread or vanilla scent is congruent with a bakery. Mehrabian–Russell model: environmental stimuli produce pleasure and arousal, leading to approach or avoidance behaviour.
Credit relevant theories and studies on scent/atmospherics and their link to the plan. Level 4 (7–8): accurate, detailed psychology (named theory/studies) clearly linked to the plan. Level 3 (5–6): mostly accurate and linked. Level 2 (3–4): basic or partly relevant. Level 1 (1–2): brief or anecdotal.
(c) Independent measures: customers each visit only once, so a repeated measures design is not practical and order effects are avoided; alternating days balances out weekday differences. Sales records: objective, quantitative and already collected by the bakery, so customers are unaware they are being studied (no demand characteristics) and the measure is reliable.
3 marks for each of two choices: 1 identifies the choice, 1 explains why it is appropriate, 1 links to the plan or psychological evidence.
Q10The product · Core · Paper 3 style · 4 marks
(a)Explain two ways in which packaging can influence consumer choice.[4]
Show answer
(a) Colour: colours carry associations, e.g. green packaging suggests a natural or healthy product, so consumers may judge the product as healthier. Shape and size: a tall, slim bottle may look as if it holds more, or an attractive shape stands out on a crowded shelf and attracts attention, increasing the chance of purchase.
2 marks each: 1 for the feature (colour, shape, size, labels/information, material), 1 for how it influences perception or choice.
Q11The product · Core · Paper 4 style · 5 marks
A researcher at a university in Faisalabad asked 30 students to taste three mango juices from unlabelled cups and to rank them in order of preference.
(a)Explain why the taste test was carried out 'blind'.[2]
(b)Explain why the order in which the three juices were tasted was varied between participants.[2]
(c)Suggest one way of measuring participants' preferences, other than asking them to rank the juices.[1]
Show answer
(a) So that participants rated the juices on taste alone; if they could see the brands, their existing brand loyalty and expectations would affect their ratings.
1 mark: brand not visible; 1 mark: removes the effect of expectations/brand image.
(b) To counterbalance order effects – e.g. the first juice might seem better because the participant was thirsty, or later juices worse because of aftertaste – so these effects are spread equally across the juices.
1 mark: counterbalancing/order effects; 1 mark: example of an order effect in tasting.
(c) Ask them to rate each juice from 1 (very unpleasant) to 9 (very pleasant), or measure how much of each juice they drink when offered freely.
1 mark: a different, operationalised measure (rating scale, amount consumed, choice of a free bottle).
Q12The product · Standard · Paper 4 style · 6 marks
(a)Describe how McClure et al. investigated the effect of brand knowledge on preferences for cola drinks.[3]
(b)Outline one finding of this study.[1]
(c)Explain why the blind-tasting condition was needed.[2]
Show answer
(a) Participants tasted cola drinks in a brain scanner (fMRI). In some trials they did not know which brand they were drinking (blind tasting); in others they were told or shown the brand (e.g. a Coke label) before tasting. Their preferences and brain activity were compared across these conditions.
1 mark each, up to 3: blind tasting vs brand-labelled tasting; drinks delivered while in an fMRI scanner; preferences/stated choices recorded; brain activity compared.
(b) Knowing that the drink was Coke increased people's preference for it, compared with blind tasting.
1 mark: brand knowledge (Coke) biased preferences; accept activation of brain areas linked to memory and higher thinking (e.g. hippocampus, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) when the brand was known.
(c) It showed preference based on taste alone, so any change when the brand was known could be attributed to brand knowledge rather than the taste of the drink.
1 mark: baseline/control based on taste only; 1 mark: allows effect of brand to be isolated.
Q13The product · Standard · Paper 3 style · 4 marks
(a)Bilal is launching a new brand of packaged chai for busy young professionals in Pakistan. Suggest how he could use psychology to design the product's name and packaging.[4]
Show answer
(a) Name: choose a short, easy-to-pronounce name that is easy to remember and conveys the benefit (e.g. a word suggesting energy or speed), because easy-to-process names are liked more and remembered better. Packaging: use colours associated with warmth and energy (e.g. deep red or gold) and a modern, simple design that stands out on the shelf and matches the young professional image; include clear information about preparation time to show convenience.
1 mark per relevant suggestion with justification, up to 4; suggestions must apply to Bilal's product and use psychology (memorability, colour associations, brand image, attention).
Q14The product · Standard · Paper 3 style · 4 marks
(a)Outline the individual versus situational explanations debate.[2]
(b)Explain how research on the product supports a situational explanation of consumer choice.[2]
Show answer
(a) Individual explanations say behaviour is caused by characteristics of the person (e.g. personality, preferences, biology); situational explanations say behaviour is caused by features of the environment (e.g. packaging, price, store setting).
1 mark each.
(b) Blind taste tests show that preferences change when the brand label is visible, so the choice is driven by information in the situation (the packaging/brand) rather than only by the person's own taste.
1 mark: situational feature of the product influences choice; 1 mark: example from research.
Q15The product · Challenge · Paper 3 style · 16 marks
(a)Describe research into how product information, such as brand or price, affects how consumers experience a product.[6]
(b)Evaluate research into how product information affects how consumers experience a product, including a discussion of the use of physiological measures.[10]
Show answer
(a) McClure et al. used fMRI while participants tasted colas: when they knew a drink was Coke, their preference for it increased compared with blind tasting, and brain areas linked to memory and higher thinking were more active – brand associations changed the experience. Plassmann et al. found that when the same wine was presented with a higher price, participants rated it as more pleasant and activity in an area of the brain linked to pleasure (medial orbitofrontal cortex) increased – a price–quality heuristic. Blind taste tests in general show that people often cannot identify their 'favourite' brand without the label.
Credit named studies, procedure, findings and explanations (brand associations, price–quality heuristic, expectation). Marks: 1 mark per accurate point, or 2 for a well-detailed point, up to 6; the answer should name the research and its findings in detail for full marks.
(b) Physiological measures (fMRI): objective evidence that brand/price information changes brain responses, not just what people say – avoids social desirability; but scanners are artificial (lying still, drinks via tubes), samples are small and costly, and brain activity is correlational and open to interpretation (reverse inference). Other points: laboratory control allows causal conclusions about the label; low ecological validity – tasting tiny amounts is unlike real consumption; generalisability across cultures and brands (Coke is unusually familiar); application – explains why branding and pricing are effective; ethics – raises concerns about 'neuromarketing'; reductionism – reduces preference to brain areas.
Must include physiological measures (named issue). Level 4 (9–10): a range of well-developed evaluative points, including the named issue, with effective use of examples from research; clear structure. Level 3 (6–8): several evaluative points, mostly developed; the named issue covered. Level 2 (3–5): limited evaluation, mostly undeveloped; the named issue may be missing. Level 1 (1–2): brief, general points. 0: nothing creditworthy.
Q16Consumer decision-making · Core · Paper 3 style · 6 marks
(a)Describe utility theory and satisficing as explanations of consumer decision-making.[4]
(b)Give one example of satisficing in an everyday purchase.[2]
Show answer
(a) Utility theory: consumers are rational; they consider all available options and their features, and choose the one that gives the greatest overall value (utility). Satisficing (Simon): consumers do not have the time or ability to compare every option, so they choose the first option that meets their minimum requirements – 'good enough' rather than the best.
2 marks per theory: 1 for the basic idea, 1 for elaboration or example.
(b) When buying a pen at a stationery shop, a student picks the first one that writes well and costs under Rs 100 rather than comparing every brand.
1 mark: everyday example; 1 mark: shows a minimum standard accepted without full comparison.
Q17Consumer decision-making · Standard · Paper 3 style · 4 marks
(a)Farah visits an electronics market in Karachi to buy a mobile phone. The shop shows her more than 40 models, and she leaves without buying anything. Suggest how psychology could explain her behaviour and how the shop could make a sale more likely.[4]
Show answer
(a) Choice overload: when there are too many options, comparing them is difficult and people worry about making the wrong choice, so they may delay or avoid deciding (Iyengar and Lepper found more people bought jam when 6 rather than 24 varieties were offered). The shop could ask Farah about her needs and budget and then show only three or four suitable phones, or group phones into clear categories (e.g. 'best for camera', 'best battery'), making comparison easier.
Q18Consumer decision-making · Standard · Paper 4 style · 7 marks
(a)Describe the procedure of Iyengar and Lepper's jam study.[3]
(b)Outline the findings of the study.[2]
(c)Explain one strength of this study.[2]
Show answer
(a) A tasting booth was set up in an upmarket grocery store. On some occasions it offered 24 varieties of jam (extensive choice) and on others 6 (limited choice). Researchers recorded how many passing shoppers stopped at the booth and how many later used the discount coupon they were given to buy a jar of jam.
1 mark each, up to 3: field setting in a grocery store; 24 vs 6 jams; conditions alternated over time; number stopping recorded; purchases measured by use of discount coupons.
(b) More shoppers stopped at the booth with 24 jams, but a much higher proportion of those who saw only 6 jams went on to buy one.
1 mark: extensive choice attracted more shoppers; 1 mark: limited choice led to more purchases.
(c) It was a field experiment with real shoppers making real purchases, so it has high ecological validity and they were unaware of being studied, so demand characteristics were low.
1 mark: identify (ecological validity, realistic behaviour, no demand characteristics, objective measure via coupons); 1 mark: explain in context.
Q19Consumer decision-making · Standard · Paper 3 style · 6 marks
(a)A shoe shop in Lahore labels a pair of shoes 'Was Rs 9,000 – now Rs 5,499'. Explain how the anchoring heuristic could influence customers.[2]
(b)The shop also displays a sign: 'Only 3 pairs left in your size!' Explain why this might increase sales.[2]
(c)Explain one ethical issue with using these techniques.[2]
Show answer
(a) The original price (Rs 9,000) acts as an anchor; customers judge the new price relative to it, so Rs 5,499 seems like a bargain even if it is the normal market price.
1 mark: anchor = first number seen; 1 mark: later judgement made relative to it → perceived bargain.
(b) Scarcity heuristic: people assume items that are scarce are more valuable and fear missing out (a potential loss), so they decide quickly without comparing alternatives.
1 mark: scarcity heuristic/value; 1 mark: urgency/fear of loss → faster decision.
(c) If the 'was' price was never really charged or the stock is not actually low, customers are being deceived and pushed into decisions they might regret, which exploits cognitive biases.
1 mark: deception/manipulation; 1 mark: consequence for consumers.
Q20Consumer decision-making · Challenge · Paper 3 style · 16 marks
(a)Describe prospect theory as an explanation of consumer decision-making.[6]
(b)Evaluate prospect theory as an explanation of consumer decision-making, including a discussion of the usefulness of the theory.[10]
Show answer
(a) Kahneman and Tversky proposed that people evaluate outcomes as gains or losses relative to a reference point, not in terms of final wealth. Losses are felt more strongly than equal gains (loss aversion), e.g. losing Rs 1,000 feels worse than gaining Rs 1,000 feels good. People are risk-averse for gains but risk-seeking to avoid losses. This explains framing effects: '20 % off' or 'save Rs 500' (a gain) and 'avoid paying Rs 500 extra' (a loss) can lead to different choices though the outcome is the same; and why 'free trial' offers work – once owned, giving up a product feels like a loss.
Credit: reference point; gains vs losses; loss aversion; risk attitudes; framing with examples; application to consumers. Marks: 1 mark per accurate point, or 2 for a well-detailed point, up to 6; the answer should name the research and its findings in detail for full marks.
(b) Usefulness: explains and predicts real behaviour such as framing of discounts, free trials, money-back guarantees; marketers and policymakers use it (e.g. framing health messages). Strengths: supported by many experiments showing loss aversion and framing; more realistic than utility theory, which assumes rational choice. Weaknesses: much evidence comes from hypothetical choices in laboratory experiments with students, so low ecological validity; does not explain individual differences (experts, wealthy people may be less loss averse) – individual vs situational; cultural differences in risk attitude; describes rather than fully explains why losses loom larger; reductionist about emotion and social influences; ethics of using framing to manipulate consumers.
Must include usefulness (named issue). Level 4 (9–10): a range of well-developed evaluative points, including the named issue, with effective use of examples from research; clear structure. Level 3 (6–8): several evaluative points, mostly developed; the named issue covered. Level 2 (3–5): limited evaluation, mostly undeveloped; the named issue may be missing. Level 1 (1–2): brief, general points. 0: nothing creditworthy.
Q21Consumer decision-making · Challenge · Paper 4 style · 24 marks
(a)Plan a study to investigate whether the number of options displayed affects the likelihood of customers buying a product in a Pakistani supermarket. Your plan must include a field experiment and quantitative data.[10]
(b)Describe the psychological knowledge on which your plan is based.[8]
(c)Explain two reasons for choosing the features of your plan.[6]
Show answer
(a) A possible plan: field experiment in a large Lahore supermarket; IV – a promotional stand displaying either 5 or 20 varieties of a new brand of biscuits (all equally priced); conditions alternate in four-hour blocks over two weeks, balanced across days and times; DV – (i) the percentage of passing shoppers who stop at the stand (counted by two covert observers) and (ii) the percentage of stoppers who buy, measured by a numbered discount voucher redeemed at the till; independent measures; controls – same location, same staff member with a standard script, same price and discount, no other promotions; ethics – public place, no personal data, store manager's permission.
Mark points: IV with two operationalised levels; DV quantitative and operationalised; field setting; design and allocation; controls; data recording; sample; ethics. Level 4 (9–10): detailed, coherent plan covering all the required features with clear operationalisation. Level 3 (6–8): clear plan with most features. Level 2 (3–5): basic plan, several features missing. Level 1 (1–2): brief/muddled. 0: no creditworthy response.
(b) Choice overload: Iyengar and Lepper found more shoppers stopped at a 24-jam display but a higher proportion bought when only 6 jams were offered; too many options make comparison hard and increase fear of choosing wrongly, leading to decision avoidance. Satisficing (Simon) suggests consumers accept a 'good enough' option when options are limited; utility theory would predict more choice is always better, which the study tests. Bounded rationality – limited cognitive capacity for comparing many attributes.
Credit relevant theory and evidence linked to the plan. Level 4 (7–8): accurate, detailed psychology (named theory/studies) clearly linked to the plan. Level 3 (5–6): mostly accurate and linked. Level 2 (3–4): basic or partly relevant. Level 1 (1–2): brief or anecdotal.
(c) Field experiment: shoppers make real decisions with their own money, giving high ecological validity, and are unaware of being studied, reducing demand characteristics. Discount voucher: provides objective, quantitative evidence of purchase that can be linked to the condition, rather than relying on shoppers saying what they intend to buy.
3 marks for each of two choices: 1 identifies the choice, 1 explains why it is appropriate, 1 links to the plan or psychological evidence.
Q22Advertising · Core · Paper 3 style · 6 marks
(a)Describe the AIDA model of advertising.[4]
(b)Give one weakness of the AIDA model.[2]
Show answer
(a) AIDA describes the stages an advert should take a consumer through: Attention – the advert must first be noticed (e.g. bright colours, a celebrity); Interest – it must keep the consumer engaged with information about the product; Desire – it must make the consumer want the product by showing its benefits; Action – it must prompt the consumer to buy (e.g. 'order today').
1 mark for each stage correctly described; naming the four stages without description earns 1 mark at most.
(b) It assumes consumers move through the stages in a fixed order, but many purchases (e.g. cheap snacks) are made on impulse without passing through interest and desire.
A company in Pakistan has launched a television advert for a new washing powder.
(a)Suggest two ways the company could measure the effectiveness of its television advert.[4]
(b)Explain one weakness of using sales figures to measure the effectiveness of an advert.[2]
Show answer
(a) 1) A recall test: a day after the advert is broadcast, telephone a random sample of viewers and ask which washing powder adverts they remember (unaided recall), giving a percentage who recall the brand. 2) Compare weekly sales of the washing powder in shops in the region for four weeks before and four weeks after the campaign starts.
2 marks each: 1 for the method, 1 for an operationalised detail (who, when, how measured).
(b) Sales may change for other reasons, such as a price cut, a competitor's product being unavailable or seasonal changes, so an increase cannot definitely be attributed to the advert.
1 mark: confounding factors; 1 mark: example.
Q24Advertising · Standard · Paper 4 style · 6 marks
(a)Explain what is meant by a 'high self-monitor' and a 'low self-monitor' in Snyder and DeBono's research.[2]
(b)Describe the two types of advertisement used in Snyder and DeBono's research.[2]
(c)Outline the main findings of this research.[2]
Show answer
(a) High self-monitors pay close attention to social situations and change their behaviour to create the right image; low self-monitors act according to their own inner values and attitudes regardless of the situation.
1 mark each.
(b) Image-oriented adverts, which linked the product with a desirable image or lifestyle; and quality-oriented adverts, which made claims about the quality, taste or performance of the product itself.
1 mark each.
(c) High self-monitors responded more favourably to image-oriented adverts (and were willing to pay more for products advertised that way), whereas low self-monitors responded more favourably to quality-oriented adverts.
Q25Advertising · Standard · Paper 3 style · 4 marks
(a)Sara works for an agency planning an advertising campaign for a new running shoe aimed at young people in Karachi. Suggest how she could use psychology to make the campaign effective.[4]
Show answer
(a) She could use product placement in popular local web dramas or music videos watched by young people, because repeated exposure in an entertaining context builds familiarity and positive attitudes. She could use a well-liked young athlete or influencer, as an attractive, credible source increases persuasion and links the shoe with a desirable image (appealing to high self-monitors), while also stating quality features such as grip and comfort (appealing to low self-monitors, as Snyder and DeBono found).
1 mark per relevant, justified suggestion, up to 4; must apply to Sara's campaign and use psychology.
Q26Advertising · Challenge · Paper 3 style · 4 marks
(a)Outline the nomothetic versus idiographic debate.[2]
(b)Explain how Snyder and DeBono's research on advertising combines nomothetic and idiographic ideas.[2]
Show answer
(a) The nomothetic approach looks for general laws that apply to all or most people, usually using large samples and quantitative data; the idiographic approach focuses on the unique individual and their detailed experiences, often using qualitative methods.
1 mark each.
(b) It is nomothetic because it seeks general rules about how types of people respond to types of advert, using a standard self-monitoring scale; but it recognises that individuals differ in personality, so it moves away from a single rule for everyone towards matching adverts to individual differences.
1 mark: nomothetic elements (general rules, scale scores, groups); 1 mark: recognition of individual differences (closer to idiographic).
Q27Advertising · Challenge · Paper 3 style · 16 marks
(a)Describe research into product placement in films and television.[6]
(b)Evaluate research into product placement, including a discussion of the use of children in research.[10]
Show answer
(a) Product placement is when a brand appears in a film or programme as part of the content rather than as an advert. Auty and Lewis showed children a film clip in which a well-known cola brand appeared, while a control group saw a clip without it; children who had seen the brand were more likely to choose that cola when later offered a drink, suggesting placement influences choice even without explicit advertising. Explanations include mere exposure (familiarity increases liking) and priming – the brand is more accessible in memory at the point of choice. Placements that are central to the plot are remembered better than background ones.
Credit definition, named research with procedure and findings, explanations (mere exposure, priming). Marks: 1 mark per accurate point, or 2 for a well-detailed point, up to 6; the answer should name the research and its findings in detail for full marks.
(b) Children: they are an important target audience, so research with them has high usefulness for regulating advertising aimed at children; but they cannot give fully informed consent (parental consent needed), may be more easily influenced, and may give answers to please adults (demand characteristics). Other points: experimental control shows cause and effect; low ecological validity – short clips and immediate choice differ from watching a whole film at home; effects may be short-lived; cultural differences in brands; ethics of influencing children without awareness; application to policy (e.g. limiting placement in children's programmes).
Must include use of children (named issue). Level 4 (9–10): a range of well-developed evaluative points, including the named issue, with effective use of examples from research; clear structure. Level 3 (6–8): several evaluative points, mostly developed; the named issue covered. Level 2 (3–5): limited evaluation, mostly undeveloped; the named issue may be missing. Level 1 (1–2): brief, general points. 0: nothing creditworthy.
Q28The psychological environment · Core · Paper 3 style · 4 marks
(a)Customers at a bank in Lahore complain about long waits. Suggest how the bank could use psychology to make waiting feel shorter.[4]
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(a) Occupied time feels shorter than unoccupied time, so the bank could provide a television, reading material or forms to fill in while customers wait. Uncertain waits feel longer, so a token system with a display showing how many people are ahead and the expected waiting time would help. Unfair waits feel longer, so a single queue with numbered tokens (first come, first served) prevents people pushing in.
1 mark per relevant, justified suggestion, up to 4 (occupy time, reduce uncertainty, explain delays, ensure fairness, start the service process early).
Q29The psychological environment · Standard · Paper 4 style · 6 marks
(a)Research on menu design found that diners spent more when prices were shown as plain numbers (for example '12') than when they included a currency sign or were written in words. Suggest one explanation for this finding.[2]
(b)Describe how a restaurant in Islamabad could design its menu to increase spending, using psychological principles.[4]
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(a) The currency sign reminds diners that they are spending money, which may make them feel the 'pain of paying' and choose cheaper items; plain numbers make prices less noticeable.
1 mark: currency sign makes spending/cost salient; 1 mark: leads to more cautious choices (pain of paying).
(b) Place high-profit dishes where diners look first or at the top of a section (primacy), or box/highlight them to attract attention; use descriptive names (e.g. 'slow-cooked Peshawari lamb karahi') to make dishes seem more appealing; include a very expensive 'decoy' dish so the next most expensive item seems reasonable (anchoring); list prices without currency signs and without lining them up in a column, so diners do not compare on price alone.
1 mark per relevant suggestion with justification, up to 4.
Q30The psychological environment · Challenge · Paper 3 style · 6 marks
(a)Explain how personal space and crowding can affect customers' behaviour in a restaurant.[4]
(b)Explain one reason why it may be difficult to generalise research on personal space in restaurants to different cultures.[2]
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(a) When tables are placed close together, diners' personal space is invaded; they may feel uncomfortable, unable to have a private conversation and less satisfied, and may leave sooner or not return. Perceived crowding (a psychological feeling, not just density) increases stress and reduces enjoyment, especially when people feel they lack control; however, some lively, low-cost restaurants may benefit from a busy atmosphere, which signals popularity.
1 mark each, up to 4: invasion of personal space; discomfort/privacy concerns; behavioural effects (shorter stay, lower satisfaction, avoidance); perceived crowding vs density / perceived control; context-dependent effects.
(b) Norms about comfortable distances differ between cultures; for example, in some cultures people sit close together and see closeness as friendly, while in others greater distance is expected, so findings from one country may not apply in Pakistan or elsewhere.
1 mark: cultural differences in personal space norms; 1 mark: consequence for generalisation with example.
Similar questions
Questions that test the same subtopic in different years, grouped so you can work on one skill at a time.
References only: find each question in its paper (official link where available, otherwise through your school).
The physical environmentBanker15 questions · 8/9 sessions
