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Psychology

Year 11 - 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. It uses a biopsychosocial model that includes the study of brain functions that underpin behaviour and its social context. Students will also learn how to learn and to critically evaluate research.

Curriculum focus

Unit 1 - How are behaviour and metal processes shaped?

Students examine the complex nature of psychological development, including situations where psychological development may not occur as expected. 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.

Area of Study includes:

  • What influences psychological development?

  • How are mental processes and behaviour influenced by the brain?

  • How does contemporary psychology conduct and validate psychological research?

Unit 2 - How do external factors influence behaviour and mental processes?

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 including: stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, obedience, conformity and the impact of media on behaviour. 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.

Area of Study includes:

  • How are people influenced to behave in particular ways?

  • What influences a persons perception of the world?

  • How do scientific investigations develop understanding of influences on perception and behaviour?

Assessment

Student assessment will be based on internally set and corrected school-assessed coursework. Assessment tasks may include:

  • research investigations

  • maintaining a logbook of practical activities

  • practical reports

  • tests

  • media analyses

  • analyses of data

  • problem solving tasks

  • end of semester examination

Links

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

Key Resource

  • Students will order the textbook and workbook from the booklist

  • Edrolo Units 1 & 2 Psychology Resource will be purchased and distributed to students by the school (this will be charged on your College account)