Evaluate one or more studies investigating origins of conflict and/or conflict resolution.

Refer to the paper 2 assessment criteria when awarding marks. These can be found under the “Your tests” tab > supplemental materials.

The command term “evaluate” requires candidates to make an appraisal of one or more studies investigating origins of conflict and/or conflict resolution by weighing up the strengths and limitations. The focus of the evaluation should be upon the study/studies and not on the origin of conflict and/or conflict resolution. Although a discussion of both strengths and limitations is required, it does not have to be evenly balanced to gain high marks.

Topics investigating origins of conflict and/or conflict resolution may include, but are not limited to:

• Realistic group conflict theory
• Social identity theory
• Group polarization
• Intergroup contact theory
• Social cognitive theory and Sabido method
• Jigsaw classroom example of cooperative learning.

Relevant studies may include, but are not limited to:

• Sherif et al.’s (1961) field experiment on competition and conflict resolution between groups
• Chambers and De Dreu’s (2014) study on conflict and negotiation
• Sternberg and Dobson’s (1987) study on resolution of interpersonal conflicts
• Sternberg and Soriano’s (1984) study on styles of conflict resolution.

Evaluation of the selected studies may include, but is not limited to:

• methodological and ethical considerations
• cultural and gender considerations
• supporting and/or contradictory findings
• the applications of the empirical findings
• how the findings of research have been interpreted
• implications of the findings.

If the candidate addresses only strengths or only limitations, the response should be awarded up to a maximum of [3] for criterion D: critical thinking. All remaining criteria should be awarded marks according to the best fit approach.

In questions that ask for evaluation of studies, marks awarded for criterion B should refer to definitions of terms and concepts. Overall this could include some knowledge of topic but more specifically knowledge and understanding related to research methods and ethics of chosen studies.

Marks awarded for criterion C assess the quality of the description of as study/studies and assess how well the student linked the findings of the study to the question – this does not need to be very sophisticated or long for these questions but still the aim or the conclusion should be linked to the topic of the specific question.

Criterion D assesses how well the student is explaining strengths and limitations of the study/studies.

This was the least popular question within the option but was usually well addressed. Candidates usually chose to discuss realistic group conflict theory and/or social identity theory as appropriate explanations. In the majority of cases candidates focused on one or two studies investigating origins of conflict — a very popular choice was Sherif et al.'s (1961) field experiment. In some cases, candidates went into long and overly detailed descriptions of this study and consequently ran out of time therefore providing only an outline of the evaluation.