CAIE A-Level Psychology 2.1 The physical environment Question Bank
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
Practise applying physical environment psychology to shops and restaurants, from layouts and sound to odour, ambience and spending.
Shoppers' liking of a store exterior and intention to shop at that store can be influenced by window displays.
For one piece of psychological knowledge on which your plan is based:
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.
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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.
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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).
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From the key study by North et al. (2003) on musical style and restaurant customers' spending:
Outline two variables within the restaurant that were controlled, other than the music CDs.
Outline two variables within restaurant that were controlled, other than the music CDs.
Syllabus: 2.1.2 Key study on musical style and restaurant customers' spending: North et al. (2003).
Marks: Award 1 mark for each outline.
Definitive answers:
- lighting (was kept at the same levels throughout the study)
- decoration (was not changed)
- temperature (was maintained at a constant temperature)
- menu (was not changed, such as an increase in prices, or items)
- the waitress, gathering data, was always the same
Note: any other aspect scores no marks (especially music).