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Psychology

Year 12 - Elective

Length of Course: Full Year
Department: Science and IT
Head of Department: Mrs Carina Jansen
Year Available: 2025

VCE Psychology is for students who are interested in exploring how people think, feel and behave. Students will also learn how to learn and to critically evaluate research.

Curriculum focus

Units 3 and 4 are designed to be taken as a sequence. There are no prerequisites for entry into Unit 3; however students who have not completed Units 1 and 2 may need to undertake preparatory work based on these two Units, as specified by the teacher.

Unit 3 – How does experience affect behaviour and mental processes?

Students investigate how the human nervous system enables a person to interact with the world around them and how stress may affect a person’s 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.

Areas of Study include:

  • How does the nervous system enable psychological functioning?

  • How do people learn and remember?

Unit 4 – How is mental wellbeing supported and maintained?

Students explore the demand for sleep and the influences of sleep on mental wellbeing. They explore the concept of mental wellbeing as a continuum and apply a biopsychosocial approach 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.

Areas of Study include:

  • How do levels of consciousness affect mental processes and behaviour?

  • What influences mental wellbeing?

  • How is scientific enquiry used to investigate mental processes and psychological functioning?

Assessment

School-assessed Coursework for Unit 3 contributes 20 per cent to the study score.

School-assessed Coursework for Unit 4 will contribute 30 per cent to the study score.

The level of achievement for Units 3 and 4 is also assessed by an end-of-year examination, which will contribute 50 per cent to the study score.

Links

For more detailed information, please click on the link/s below:

Key Resource

  • Students will order the textbook and workbook through the book list

  • Edrolo Units 3 & 4 Psychology Resource will be purchased and distributed to students by the school (this will be charged on your College account)