Learning Area Leader: Ms Harrowfield
Career Paths / Future Directions
Advertising, Counselling, Education, Human Resources, Marketing, Nursing, Organisational Behaviour, Psychology, Social Work, Teaching
Unit 1 – How are Behaviour and Mental Processes Shaped? (Code: PSYC11)
Description
In this unit students examine the complex nature of psychological development, including situations where psychological development may not occur as expected. Students examine the contribution that classical and contemporary knowledge from Western and non-Western societies, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, has made to an understanding of psychological development and to the development of psychological models and theories used to predict and explain the development of thoughts, emotions and behaviours. They investigate the structure and functioning of the human brain and the role it plays in mental processes and behaviour and explore brain plasticity and the influence that brain damage may have on a person’s psychological functioning.
Outcomes
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
· Discuss complexity of psychological development over the lifespan and evaluate ways of understanding and representing psychological development.
· Analyse the role of the brain in mental processes and behaviour and evaluate how brain plasticity and brain injury can change biopsychosocial functioning
· Identify, analyse and evaluate the evidence available to answer a research question relating to contemporary psychology.
Unit 2 – How Do Internal and External Factors Influence Behaviour and Mental Processes? (Code: PSYC22)
Description
In this unit students evaluate the role social cognition plays in a person’s attitudes, perception of themselves and relationships with others. Students explore a variety of factors and contexts that can influence the behaviour of individuals and groups, recognising that different cultural groups have different experiences and values. Students are encouraged to consider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s experiences within Australian society and how these experiences may affect psychological functioning. Students examine the contribution that classical and contemporary research has made to the understandings of human perception and why individuals and groups behave in specific ways. Students investigate how perception of stimuli enables a person to interact with the world around them and how their perception of stimuli can be distorted.
A student-adapted or student-designed scientific investigation is undertaken in Area of Study 3. The investigation involves the generation of primary data and is related to internal and external factors that influence behaviour and mental processes. The investigation draws on key knowledge and key science skills from Area of Study 1 and/or Area of Study 2.
Outcomes
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
· Analyse how social cognition influences individuals to behave in specific ways and evaluate ways in which others can influence individuals to behave differently
· Explain and compare taste and visual perception and analyse factors that may lead to perceptual distortions.
· Adapt or design and then conduct a scientific investigation related to internal and external influences on perception and/or behaviour and draw an evidence-based conclusion from generated primary data.
Assessment
For each outcome students complete at least one task selected from:
· Analysis and evaluation of an experiment or case study
· A data analysis of generated primary and/or collated secondary data
· Reflective annotations of a logbook of practical activities
· Media analysis of one or more contemporary media texts
· A literature review
· Response to a psychological issue or ethical dilemma
· A modelling or simulation activity
· Problem-solving involving psychological concepts, skills and/or issues
· A report of a scientific investigation, including the generation, analysis and evaluation of primary data.
· Semester Examination
Unit 3 – How Does Experience Affect Behaviour and Mental Processes? (Code: PSYC33)
Description
In this unit students investigate the contribution that classical and contemporary research has made to the understanding of the functioning of the nervous system and to the understanding of biological, psychological and social factors that influence learning and memory.
Students investigate how the human nervous system enables a person to interact with the world around them. They explore how stress may affect a person’s psychological functioning and consider stress as a psychobiological process, including emerging research into the relationship between the gut and the brain in psychological functioning. Students investigate how mechanisms of learning and memory lead to the acquisition of knowledge and the development of new and changed behaviours. They consider models to explain learning and memory as well as the interconnectedness of brain regions involved in memory. The use of mnemonics to improve memory is explored, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ use of place as a repository of memory.
Outcomes
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
· Analyse how the functioning of the human nervous system enables a person to interact with the external world and evaluate the different ways in which stress can affect psychobiological functioning.
· Apply different approaches to explain learning to familiar and novel contexts and discuss memory as a psychobiological process.
Unit 4 – How is Mental Wellbeing Supported and Maintained? (Code: PSYC44)
Description
In this unit students explore the demand for sleep and the influences of sleep on mental wellbeing. They consider the biological mechanisms that regulate sleep and the relationship between rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep across the life span. They also study the impact that changes to a person’s sleep-wake cycle and sleep hygiene have on a person’s psychological functioning and consider the contribution that classical and contemporary research has made to the understanding of sleep.
Students consider ways in which mental wellbeing may be defined and conceptualised, including social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) as a multidimensional and holistic framework to wellbeing. They explore the concept of mental wellbeing as a continuum and apply a biopsychosocial approach, as a scientific model, to understand specific phobia. They explore how mental wellbeing can be supported by considering the importance of biopsychosocial protective factors and cultural determinants as integral to the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Outcomes
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
· Analyse the demand for sleep and evaluate the effects of sleep
· disruption on a person’s psychological functioning.
· Discuss the concept of mental wellbeing, apply a biopsychosocial approach to explain the development and management of specific phobia, and discuss protective factors that contribute to the maintenance of mental wellbeing.
· Design and conduct a scientific investigation related to mental processes and psychological functioning, and present an aim, methodology and method, results, discussion and conclusion in a scientific poster.
Unit 3 & 4 Assessment
Unit 3 coursework = 20%
Unit 4 coursework = 30%
Written Examination = 50%