CAIE A-Level Psychology A2 2.1 The Physical Environment Questions
Practise applying physical environment psychology to shops and restaurants, from layouts and sound to odour, ambience and spending.
- Syllabus
- 2028–2030
- Course
- Psychology 9990
- Level
- A2
Exam points
- suggest changes to grid, freeform or racetrack layouts using a given retail scenario
- explain how restaurant noise or music may affect taste perception or spending
- apply the PAD model to predict shopper responses to odour or ambience
Covered syllabus points
Question 1
[Maximum number: 8]
Question (a)
(a)
Outline one type of store interior design.
Outline one type of store interior design.
Syllabus: 2.1.1 types of store interior design including grid, freeform and racetrack layouts;
Award 2 marks for a detailed outline.
Award 1 mark for a partial outline.
Definitive answer:
- Grid: a rectangular arrangement of displays with long aisles that run parallel to one another (1). This makes efficient use of selling space with increased product display space. Shopping is simplified with clear, distinct traffic aisles. However, the customer is forced to follow a certain path in the store (2).
- Free form: arranges displays and aisles in a free-flowing and asymmetric pattern (1) using different sizes, shapes, and styles of displays. It is used by large department stores to increase the time spent in the store (2).
- Racetrack/boutique: arrangement is in individual, semi-separate areas, each built around a theme to create an unusual, interesting and entertaining shopping experience (1). The design leads customers through specific paths to visit as many sections as possible. It encourages impulse purchasing (2).
Question (b)
(b)
Suggest how store interior design can be investigated, other than by using virtual store layouts.
Syllabus: 2.1.1 use of virtual store layouts, including a study, e.g. Vrechopoulos et al. (2004).
Award 2 marks for an appropriate suggestion stated and applied to study with detail / elaboration / example.
Award 1 mark for an appropriate suggestion identified but not applied.
Answers may include:
- Conduct a field experiment: participants can be exposed to different layouts (IV) and complete various tasks (DV) or are then asked about their experiences and/or feelings/satisfaction.
- Give a questionnaire or interview to determine shopping experiences based on what people think about different layout options.
- Conduct an observation in various layout options and record time taken to find an item/negotiate the store (this would be most difficult of the three) but no data on experiences/satisfaction.
Other appropriate responses to be credited.
Question (c)
(c)
Explain two weaknesses of using virtual store layouts to study store interior design.
Explain two weaknesses of using virtual store layouts to study store interior design.
Up to 2 marks for each weakness ×2.
Award 2 marks for an appropriate weakness stated and applied as required by the question with detail / elaboration / example.
Award 1 mark for an appropriate weakness stated but not applied.
Answers may include:
- VR may have side effects such as simulator sickness - dizziness, nausea, headache and eyestrain (1) which does not happen in a real store (2).
- VR isn't real. To what extent can studies using VR be generalised? (1) A real store provides real feedback regarding shape, size - can walk around in 'real space' (2).
- VR excludes idiothetic input and other variables such as smell (1) which are all present in a real store, whatever the layout (2).
Other appropriate responses to be credited.
Question 2
[Maximum number: 16]
Question (a)
(a)
Describe the study by North et al. (2003) on musical style and restaurant customers' spending.
Use Table A: AO1 Knowledge and understanding to mark candidate responses to this question.
The response must describe the key study.
Details may include:
Aim: To investigate the effect different types of music might have on restaurant customer spending.
Sample: Opportunity sampling - 393 people, approximately equal numbers of male and female. 142 were exposed to the pop music condition, 120 to the classical and 131 to no music.
Method - Field experiment in upmarket/expensive British restaurant with independent measures design.
Procedure - Classical, pop and no music were played over 3 weeks/18 evenings (closed on Sundays). Each conditioned counter-balanced by the day of the week. Each type of music played on six different days over the 3 weeks. Mean spend per table was calculated and compared as well as the total time spent in the restaurant. Time spent in restaurant was taken into account/controlled for when calculating the results for the three conditions as the longer the customer is in the restaurant, it is likely their spend will increase.
6
For full marks has to include:
- Sample or detail of the restaurant
- 3 Conditions
- Result about customer spending with reference to type of music.
8(a)
Results: total spend: classical music £ 32.51;
pop music £ 29.46;
no music £ 29.73. Therefore, playing background classical music leads to increased spending on food and drink.
Additionally: (i) There was very little difference in the amount spent on main course or dessert. (ii) The no music condition resulted in greatest spending on wine alone (not what was expected) but if 'bar' (all drinks) and 'wine' are put together, then spending is the greatest for classical music. (iii) The greatest difference was spending on coffee: classical £ 1.06, pop £ 0.80 and no music £ 0.53. (iv) Also, significant difference in spending on starters: classical £ 4.92, pop £ 4.04 and no music £3.93.
Conclusion: the playing of background music influences customer spending in a restaurant with classical music resulting in the greatest amount spent per person.
Example:
- Opportunity sample (393)
- 3 conditions (pop, classical, no music)
- 3 weeks at upmarket British restaurant
- Measured amount spent and time in restaurant
- Classical music had higher spend than pop music/no music
- Greatest spend in classical for all drinks
- Greatest spend in classical for coffee
Other appropriate responses should also be credited.
Question (b)
(b)
Evaluate this study by North et al., including a discussion about ecological validity.
Evaluation in your answer can include strengths, weaknesses and a discussion of issues and debates.
Use Table B: AO3 Analysis and evaluation to mark candidate responses to this question.
A range of issues could be used for evaluation.
These include:
- Named issue - ecological validity
The North et al. study has good ecological validity as it is conducted in the natural environment as a field experiment in a restaurant so the purchasing behaviour by the customers would be natural and it is typical to have music being played when you are eating dinner. In addition, classical/pop music/no music are played in restaurants, so this is an everyday life experience. However, this does mean it has less control of extraneous variables (e.g. whether the restaurant is busy on one day and relatively quiet on another). If the restaurant is very busy, service may be slower and therefore diners might not order dessert. Also they did not appear to get consent or debrief the participants. However, this is not a harmful study as the participants are just being monitored on how much they have spent, and confidentiality is maintained.
- Individual and situational explanations
The findings would suggest the specific situation the person is in (classical music resulting in more spending than pop music or no music) rather than something that is 'individual'. However, each individual diner will choose the food based on their preferences, budget for the meal, whether it is a special occasion, etc. Therefore, the study does show the situational factor (music) that is influencing the participant, but it is not suggesting that individual factors are irrelevant.
10
8(b)
- Reductionism versus holism
The study/conclusions reached can be considered to be holistic as North et al. outlines three explanations for the behaviour of the diners (synergy, classical music preferred, classical music promoting upmarket atmosphere - this third conclusion is considered to be the most likely based on previous research). It could also be considered somewhat reductionist as very little qualitative data which could have shed some light on the conclusions reached by North et al. (e.g. if classical music was preferred).
- Determinism versus free-will
The findings of the study suggest that increased spending behaviour determined by the music playing in the background in the environment (environmental determinism). The findings of this study suggest that it is. However, clearly the diners have free-will as they choose their food based on preferences, budget, etc. It is likely that music influenced consumer spending but was not at the exclusion of free-will (i.e. soft, not hard determinism).
- Generalisations from findings
A large number of participants with a mix of genders means the results can be generalised. However, as it was an expensive restaurant it is likely the diners have a high disposable income. It was one restaurant in one city in the UK which limits generalisability of the findings.
- Validity
Good validity as the participants were unaware they were in a study, so their spending was natural. The data collected was mainly quantitative (amount spent) which is objective and improves validity. However, very little qualitative data was collected which lowers validity due to the lack of depth in the results to find out other reasons for the participants spending.
8(b)
Additional issues candidates may include:
- Reliability
- Ethics
- Quantitative and qualitative data
- Controls
- Objective data
Note - only credit these evaluation points if not discussed elsewhere in the response.
Other appropriate responses should also be credited.
Question 3
[Maximum number: 8]
Shoppers' liking of a store exterior and intention to shop at that store can be influenced by window displays.
Question (a)
(a)
For one piece of psychological knowledge on which your plan is based:
Question (i)
(i)
Describe this psychological knowledge.
Describe this psychological knowledge.
Syllabus: 2.1.1 types of store exterior design including storefront, window displays and landscaping, including a study, e.g. Mower et al. (2012).
Description:
1. Store exteriors are what customers first encounter and can create a first impression of a store and attract customers into a store.
2. Window displays congruent with the consumers' self-image were found to be more successful in attracting customers;
window displays were less successful when they only contained promotional or style information. Larger window displays were more successful in attracting consumers' attention compared to smaller windows. Sales increased when stores used window displays compared to no window display. Successful window displays were found to be aesthetically pleasing, contained a theme, used warm colours, drew customers into the scene with the use of perspective, used lighting to highlight key areas of the display, and incorporated accessories associated with the products.
Marks & Description
3-4 &
The knowledge is appropriate. Relevant points are correctly
described in good detail.
1-2
Basic points are identified with some elaboration and
understanding. The answer lacks detail (a sentence or two).
0
No creditable response.
\end{tabular}
\end{tabular}
Question (ii)
(ii)
Explain how you used two features of this psychological knowledge to plan your study.
Explain how you used two features of this psychological knowledge to plan your study.
Candidates should explain how the psychological knowledge described in (b)(i) has informed their plan in part (a).
For each feature:
Marks & Description
2 &
Suitable answer that relates a feature and explains how the
feature was used, expanded or modified to make it appropriate to
the plan. The knowledge has clearly been applied to the plan.
1
Basic answer that identifies a feature.
0
No creditable response.
\end{tabular}
Example: interview tech such as face-to-face;
format such as semi-structured. Ask sample closed questions about 'x' window display and 'y' window display. Could be outside stores or showing photographs. Open questions asking to explain reason for liking or not (so semi-structured).
\end{tabular}
All question bank results loaded