To celebrate the first birthday of PsYonline, the team ran two online competitions for students to take part in, through the message forums.

From Monday 5th May – Thursday 12th May 2005, A2 students from the PsYonline Partner Schools posted their answers to the task “Like the Mod 5 exam vignettes, come up with your own scenario which could be applied to an approaches question.”

The answers were judged by the PsYonline team, and the best 5 are given below.

Well done to everyone who took part and a special well done to the winners – who each receive a £10 CD voucher.

Tony had a very happy childhood. His father was a doctor and his mother a teacher. They lived in a nice house and always went abroad at least once a year. When Tony was 4 the family went to Tenerife and accidentally stumbled upon a nudist beach. His mother was appalled, covered Tony's eyes and rushed him along. Tony has very little recollection of this incident. Tony has recently been arrested for streaking at a football match.

Explain Tony's behaviour using two approaches.

Submitted by Sophie Young from Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
Abigail has a childhood ambition of being a dancer in music videos. She ensures she has at least two hours practice of her ministry of sound DVD each night. After entering "Dance Idol" for the third consecutive year, this year she is very hopeful despite not making it through round one. She is hoping to win this years title based on her ballet inspired new version of "YMCA". Despite becoming extremely depressed after each rejection from competitions, she is still adamant that she is going to keep trying and make it.

Can you explain this behaviour?

Submitted by Katie Hatch from Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
Katy is in her final day of exams and is trying to revise a lot in order to get good grades for a place in medicine at university. She is trying to avoid going out with her friends so that she can devote most of her time to revision. Her friends are also in their final days of exams, however, they are deciding to go out on Friday night for a break from revision. Katy does not want to go out, but after finding that nearly all her friends are going decides to go.

How can this sudden change in Katy's behaviour be explained with reference to psychological theories?

Submitted by Naseem from Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
James is a serial dater. He goes out every weekend in the hope of meeting the right girl. Although he doesn’t struggle to find single, attractive girls they are never good enough. Despite there being nothing wrong with these girls, all of his relationships last about a week, or until he gets bored. His only serious relationship, which lasted for 2 years, was with Katie, who left him for his Brother. This was 3 years ago. He still refuses to talk about this relationship with his friends, saying that it meant nothing to him either. However he has not talked to his Brother or Katie since.

Submitted by Lewis from Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
Anna is scared of clocks - she has been since she was little. She can't remember the day it all started but her mother tells her often. She went to the dentist aged 4 and a half and sat in the chair good as gold. But just as the dentist started to prod around her little mouth, a big grandfather clock began to chime 10 o'clock. The dentist jumped and happened to cut Anna's gum in the process. It bled and bled and wouldn't stop until she went to the hospital and had 2 have 3 stitches in it. You can still see the scar now. Ever since she has hated clocks and refuses to go into her Grandsmother's hallway alone as she is petrified of the Grandfather clock. Anna is now 27 years old and only has digital clocks in her house. She shudders when Big Ben chimes 10 o'clock for the news.

Submitted by Heather Johnson from Clitheroe Royal Grammar School