ExpertMedium3 marksExtended Response
Language, thought and communicationAnimal CommunicationApplication
AQA GCSE · Question 08
Read the following article.
It's not just humans that let others know they have 'crossed a line'!
Research has been carried out using a computer that is programmed to recognise the sounds made by bats. They have discovered that more than 60% of bat communication is an argument. Bats argue about four things: who gets to eat what, who gets to sleep where, invasion of personal space and unwanted attempts to mate.
Outline one function of animal communication.
Refer to the article to support your answer.
Read the following article.
It's not just humans that let others know they have 'crossed a line'!
Research has been carried out using a computer that is programmed to recognise the sounds made by bats. They have discovered that more than 60% of bat communication is an argument. Bats argue about four things: who gets to eat what, who gets to sleep where, invasion of personal space and unwanted attempts to mate.
Outline one function of animal communication.
Refer to the article to support your answer.
How to approach this question
1. Recall the functions of animal communication (e.g., survival, reproduction, territory, food).
2. Choose one of these functions.
3. Read the article about bats and find a specific example that illustrates the function you have chosen.
4. Write your answer, first stating the function and then quoting or paraphrasing from the article to show how it supports your point.
Full Answer
Animal communication serves several key functions, as proposed by researchers like Von Frisch. These include:
- **Survival**: Warning others of predators or communicating about food sources.
- **Reproduction**: Attracting a mate through calls, displays, or scents.
- **Territory**: Marking and defending a territory from rivals.
- **Food**: Indicating the location and type of food.
The article provides clear examples of these functions. Arguing over 'who gets to eat what' relates to food and survival. Arguing over 'who gets to sleep where' relates to territory. 'Unwanted attempts to mate' relates to reproduction.
Common mistakes
A common mistake is to give an example from the text without explicitly naming the function of communication it relates to (e.g., survival, territory).
Practice the full AQA GCSE Psychology Paper 2
30 questions · hints · full answers · grading
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