A LevelPsychologyAQAExam QuestionsStress: Option Topic (Section C)Measuring Stress

Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2017

Last exams 2026

Measuring Stress (AQA A Level Psychology): Exam Questions

Exam code: 7182

35 mins7 questions
Easy
Medium
Hard
1
1 mark

Which of the following describes what happens when skin conductance is used to indicate that a person is stressed?

  • The level of moisture on the surface of a person’s skin decreases and skin conductivity decreases.

  • The level of moisture on the surface of a person’s skin decreases and skin conductivity increases.

  • The level of moisture on the surface of a person’s skin increases and skin conductivity decreases.

  • The level of moisture on the surface of a person’s skin increases and skin conductivity increases.

Choose your answer

2
2 marks

In a study of stress, researchers used a stress rating scale to compare two groups of participants.

Participants in Group A were a volunteer sample of people who attended a self-help group for people with stress.

Participants in Group B, the control group, were a volunteer sample of people who attended a community centre.

The researchers used an inferential statistical test to see if there was a significant difference in stress rating between the two groups.

Explain why a Mann-Whitney test is an appropriate choice of statistical test in this situation and a Spearman’s test is not.

How did you do?

3
2 marks

The Social Readjustment Rating Scale is widely used to measure stress.

Explain one limitation of the Social Readjustment Rating Scale.

How did you do?

4
2 marks

Explain one limitation of the Hassles and Uplifts Scale as a method of measuring stress.

How did you do?

1
4 marks

In a study of stress, researchers used a stress rating scale to compare two groups of participants.

Participants in Group A were a volunteer sample of people who attended a self-help group for people with stress.

Participants in Group B, the control group, were a volunteer sample of people who attended a community centre.

The researchers used an inferential statistical test to see if there was a significant difference in stress rating between the two groups.

Explain one reason why there might be a problem of bias and generalisation in this study. How could the researchers modify their study to deal with this problem?

How did you do?

1
16 marks

Outline one or more self-report measure(s) of stress. Compare self-report measure(s) of stress with physiological measures of stress.

How did you do?

2
8 marks

Outline and evaluate one or more self-report scales that have been used by psychologists to measure stress.

How did you do?