home

=Welcome to peakpsych Unit 1!=

The purpose of this site is to empower teachers of Unit 1 VCE Psychology. All resources found on this site have been generously uploaded by your peers and you are welcome use whatever you need to enhance your own program. It would be terrific if you made contributions too! The usefulness and variety of material on this site is limited only by your imagination.

To travel to the other Peakpsych Wikis go the the URLs below:


 * Unit 1 VCE Psych: || Unit 2 VCE Psych: ||
 * http://peakpsychu1.wikispaces.com/ || http://peakpsychu2.wikispaces.com/ ||
 * Unit 3 VCE Psych: ||  Unit 4 VCE Psych:  ||
 * http://peakpsychu3.wikispaces.com/ || http://peakpsychu4.wikispaces.com/ ||



Unit 1: Introduction to psychology

 In this unit students are introduced to the development of psychology from its philosophical beginnings to a scientific study of the human mind and behaviour. Students explore the scope of psychology, its specialist disciplines such as neuropsychology, cognitive, social and human developmental psychology, and its fields of application. Students consider influences on perception and human behaviour from biological, behavioural, cognitive and socio-cultural perspectives. They examine the contribution classic and contemporary studies have made to the development of different psychological theories used to predict and explain the human mind, and behaviours associated with particular stages of development over a lifespan.

 Students analyse research methodologies associated with classic and contemporary theories, studies and models, consider ethical issues associated with the conduct of research and the use of findings, and apply appropriate research methods when undertaking their own investigations.  The research methodologies and ethical principles considered in this unit are: • experimental research: construction of hypotheses; identification of independent, dependent and extraneous variables • sampling procedures in selection of participants: random sampling; stratified sampling • techniques of qualitative and quantitative data collection: case studies; observational studies; surveys; questionnaires; interviews; rating scales; longitudinal, cross-sectional, twin and adoption studies • statistics: calculation of percentages; construction of tables, bar charts, histograms, pie charts, line graphs and frequency polygons; generalisation of findings to other populations (external validity) • ethical principles and professional conduct: the role of the experimenter; protection and security of participants’ rights; confidentiality; voluntary participation; withdrawal rights; informed consent procedures; use of deception in research; debriefing; use of animals in research; role of ethics committees.  Area of study 1

What is psychology? Who am I? What is the relationship between my mind and my brain? Why do I behave as I do? Why do I perceive things the way I do? These are some of the questions which have driven the development of psychology since its philosophical beginnings to its present status as a scientific field of study. Unit 1 In this area of study students analyse the contribution that classic and contemporary theories have made to the development of psychology. They are introduced to the scope of psychology – its specialised fields of study and its application in a variety of contexts and settings. Students investigate aspects of visual perception to consider how psychologists approach the study of the mind and human behaviour from biological, behavioural, cognitive and socio-cultural perspectives.

Outcome 1

On completion of this unit the student should be able to describe how research has informed different psychological perspectives used to explain human behaviour, and explain visual perception through these perspectives.

**Area of study 1 ** Who am I? What is the relationship between my mind and my brain? Why do I behave as I do? Why do I perceive things the way I do? These are some of the questions which have driven the development of psychology since its philosophical beginnings to its present status as a scientific field of study. **Unit 1 ** In this area of study students analyse the contribution that classic and contemporary theories have made to the development of psychology. They are introduced to the scope of psychology – its specialised fields of study and its application in a variety of contexts and settings. Students investigate aspects of visual perception to consider how psychologists approach the study of the mind and human behaviour from biological, behavioural, cognitive and socio-cultural perspectives. **Outcome 1 ** On completion of this unit the student should be able to describe how research has informed different psychological perspectives used to explain human behaviour, and explain visual perception through these perspectives. **//Key knowledge //**
 * What is psychology? **

This knowledge includes:

• scope of psychology including specialist career fields and fields of application and their contribution to understanding human behaviour

• classic and contemporary theories that have contributed to the development of psychology from philosophical beginnings to an empirical science, including the relationship between psychology and psychiatry

• differences between contemporary psychological research methods and non-scientific approaches to investigating and explaining human behaviour

• major perspectives (biological, behavioural, cognitive and socio-cultural) that govern how psychologists approach their research into human behaviour

• application of psychological perspectives to explain visual perception: – characteristics of the visual perceptual system and the visual processes involved in detecting and interpreting visual stimuli – the effect of psychological factors on perceptual set – distortions of visual perceptions by illusions

• research methods and ethics associated with the study of psychology.  **AREA OF STUDY 2 **


 * <span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeueLT-Bold','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Lifespan psychology **

<span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">What makes me the person I am? Was I born this way? Will I stay this way? What will change as I age? These questions are integral to the study of lifespan psychology – the psychological development of an individual from infancy to old age, which includes the complex interaction of heredity and environment. This area of study focuses on changes in the interaction between biological, cognitive and socio-cultural influences and learned behaviours that contribute to an individual’s psychological development and mental wellbeing at different stages.

Students consider how classic and contemporary studies contribute to our understanding of changes that take place across an individual’s lifespan. They draw upon one of these theories to research one lifespan stage. They use the major perspectives in contemporary psychology to explain cognition and behaviours associated with particular stages of development, taking into account heredity and environmental influences.

Students apply appropriate methods of psychological research to their investigations into aspects of lifespan psychology, and explain associated ethical principles in the conduct and use of psychological research.

**<span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeueLT-Bold','serif'; font-size: 10.5pt;">Outcome 2 **

<span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">On completion of this unit the student should be able to describe a range of psychological development theories and conduct an investigation into one stage in the lifespan of an individual.

**//<span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeueLT-Italic','sans-serif'; font-size: 10.5pt;">Key knowledge //**

This knowledge includes:

• stages of the lifespan: infancy, childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, middle age and old age • the interaction between heredity and environmental factors – ‘nature versus nurture’ – in influencing psychological development

<span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">• classic and contemporary theories that contribute to an explanation of psychological development including: – perceptual development: Eleanor Gibson’s work on infant perception – emotional development: John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth’s work on attachment theory with reference to Harry Harlow’s work on attachment in monkeys – cognitive development: Jean Piaget’s four-stage theory – psycho-social development: Erik Erikson’s eight-stage theory – moral development: Lawrence Kohlberg’s six-stage theory

• the nature and incidence of mental illness in the population across the lifespan • cognitive and psychosocial changes in the very old: successful ageing, as informed by Paul Baltes’ work • research methods and ethics associated with the study of lifespan psychology.

**<span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeueLT-Bold','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">ASSESSMENT **

<span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">The award of satisfactory completion for a unit is based on a decision that the student has demonstrated achievement of the set of outcomes specified for the unit. This decision will be based on the teacher’s assessment of the student’s overall performance on assessment tasks designated for the unit.

The key knowledge listed for each outcome and the key skills listed on page 13 should be used as a guide to course design and the development of learning activities. The key knowledge and key skills do not constitute a checklist and such an approach is not necessary or desirable for determining the achievement of outcomes. The elements of key knowledge and key skills should not be assessed separately.

Assessment tasks must be a part of the regular teaching and learning program and must not unduly add to the workload associated with that program. They must be completed mainly in class and within a limited timeframe. Teachers should select a variety of assessment tasks for their assessment program to reflect the key knowledge and key skills being assessed and to provide for different learning styles. For this unit students are required to demonstrate achievement of two outcomes. As a set these outcomes encompass both areas of study.

Demonstration of achievement of Outcomes 1 and 2 must be based on the student’s performance on a selection of assessment tasks. Where teachers allow students to choose between tasks they must ensure that the tasks they set are of comparable scope and demand.

Assessment tasks for this unit are selected from the following:

• research investigation • annotated folio of practical activities • media response • oral presentation using two or more data types, for example still or moving images, written text, sound • visual presentation, for example concept map, graphic organiser, poster • test • essay • debate • data analysis <span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">• evaluation of research.