Study Research methods in health psychology in the Pearson Edexcel A Level Psychology specification, with the knowledge and exam application needed for accurate mark-scheme…
When studying coping strategies in health psychology, researchers sometimes use focus groups.
Explain one strength and one weakness of using focus groups in health psychology.
(4)
Strength
Weakness
AO1 (2 marks), AO3 (2 marks)
Credit up to two marks for identification of the strength/weakness (AO1)
Credit up to two marks for justification/exemplification of the
strength/weakness (AO3)
For example:
Strength
- Focus groups can investigate complex issues such as coping with stress
in greater detail than through a closed questionnaire (1) which can
enable the health psychologist to explore the reasons for using different
coping strategies more, giving a greater understanding of why people
use different strategies for the same stressor (1).
Weakness
- Focus groups in health psychology can be dominated by a single
individual or small selection of people so others conform with this
opinion (1) so the data obtained about anxiety disorders may lack
validity because the true opinion of all members of the focus group may
not be consistent with their actual opinion (1).
Look for other reasonable marking points.
(4)