VCE Psychology Question Thread!

[Bri MT]

hey all,

I was wondering how the role of a stress response is a biological preciptating risk factor for phobia?

Thanks 

A good example of this is specific phobia. In that, the stress is directly responsible for triggering the mental health disorder. However, as a risk factor it is also worth noting that stress can be healthy and doesn't always lead to that outcome.
Given that stress in general is both physiological/biological and psychological, it makes sense that stress is a biological risk factor

hope this helps

[fruitbowl34]

How does systematic desensitization apply classical conditioning??

[study.]

A good example of this is specific phobia. In that, the stress is directly responsible for triggering the mental health disorder. However, as a risk factor it is also worth noting that stress can be healthy and doesn't always lead to that outcome.
Given that stress in general is both physiological/biological and psychological, it makes sense that stress is a biological risk factor

hope this helps

Thank you so much!! 

[Bri MT]

How does systematic desensitization apply classical conditioning??

At the start you have:
phobic stimulus -> phobic response
Each time they encounter the stimulus this response could be reinforced due to the panic they are feeling and sense of loss of control and danger

Then you teach relaxation tecchniques and start with the less overming stimulus so that the phobic stimulus is associated with relaxation
and eventually you don't get the phobic response anymore

[andreag]

Does anyone know how to go about studying for sacs? At the moment I can only think of practise questions the teacher assigns to the class but i dont know how useful that is.

[lm21074]

Does anyone know how to go about studying for sacs? At the moment I can only think of practise questions the teacher assigns to the class but i dont know how useful that is.

There are many techniques you could use to study for SACs, including practice questions which can be invaluable when you can learn from them. This article with ways to study is a great starting point. You could try using flashcards (great for definitions), acronyms, writing notes about a topic without your notes to see how much you remember, recording yourself reading your notes and listening to it a bunch of times... find out what works for you! Also, structuring your revision according to the key knowledge dot points found on the psychology study design can help you get a grasp on what you should be revising.
It's crucial to make sure that you understand the content before attempting practice questions. Your teacher, asking and answering psych questions on ATAR Notes or just from classmates in general and YouTube videos can help with understanding and/or consolidating material. There are plenty of guides on here that you may find useful!

I'd recommend using specific to-do lists with not too many things so that you know exactly what you have to do when you hit the books.


Hope this helps you out a bit!

[rani_b]

Does anyone know how to go about studying for sacs? At the moment I can only think of practise questions the teacher assigns to the class but i dont know how useful that is.

First step: understand the content. Do this through notes, mindmaps, flowcharts - whatever method works for you. A good understanding is key.
Then, when it comes to studying, that's when you start doing practice questions. I personally used Checkpoints + Atarnotes Topic tests before each sac!
One more thing: your teacher's questions (that they've written for a practice sac) are actually really important because most likely they will mimic the style of how they write questions and how they want the answers laid out.

 

[andreag]

There are many techniques you could use to study for SACs, including practice questions which can be invaluable when you can learn from them. This article with ways to study is a great starting point. You could try using flashcards (great for definitions), acronyms, writing notes about a topic without your notes to see how much you remember, recording yourself reading your notes and listening to it a bunch of times... find out what works for you! Also, structuring your revision according to the key knowledge dot points found on the psychology study design can help you get a grasp on what you should be revising.
It's crucial to make sure that you understand the content before attempting practice questions. Your teacher, asking and answering psych questions on ATAR Notes or just from classmates in general and YouTube videos can help with understanding and/or consolidating material. There are plenty of guides on here that you may find useful!

I'd recommend using specific to-do lists with not too many things so that you know exactly what you have to do when you hit the books.


Hope this helps you out a bit!

Thank you!! This is very helpful! 

[andreag]

First step: understand the content. Do this through notes, mindmaps, flowcharts - whatever method works for you. A good understanding is key.
Then, when it comes to studying, that's when you start doing practice questions. I personally used Checkpoints + Atarnotes Topic tests before each sac!
One more thing: your teacher's questions (that they've written for a practice sac) are actually really important because most likely they will mimic the style of how they write questions and how they want the answers laid out.

 

Thank you soo much!  Also just wondering which one is better: Checkpoints or the Atarnotes Topic Test

[rani_b]

Thank you soo much!  Also just wondering which one is better: Checkpoints or the Atarnotes Topic Test

Personally I really liked the topic tests for practice before sacs. The checkpoints were good because they use a mixture of VCAA questions and their own, which gets you in the habit of answering VCAA style questions early on. If I had to choose one, though, I’d probably pick the topic tests since you can always access VCAA exams online. 

[cfalzon]

Hey guys!
I have a question about Key Knowledge Dot Point 1:
"The roles of different divisions of the nervous system (central and peripheral nervous systems and their associated sub-divisions) in responding to, and integrating and coordinating with, sensory stimuli received by the body".

So, the 'responding to' part is about how the different divisions of the NS respond to sensory stimuli, right? eg. The CNS receives info from the body's internal and external environments, processes this information and activates appropriate responses. So that's how the CNS responds to sensory stimuli, and I need to know how each of the different divisions does this. Is that right?

Also, even though I think I understand the responding part, I don't get what it means by 'integrating and coordinating with sensory stimuli'. How do the different divisions integrate and coordinate with sensory stimuli?

Help would be much appreciated!! Thank you! 
-Chloe

[Bri MT]

Hey guys!
I have a question about Key Knowledge Dot Point 1:
"The roles of different divisions of the nervous system (central and peripheral nervous systems and their associated sub-divisions) in responding to, and integrating and coordinating with, sensory stimuli received by the body".

So, the 'responding to' part is about how the different divisions of the NS respond to sensory stimuli, right? eg. The CNS receives info from the body's internal and external environments, processes this information and activates appropriate responses. So that's how the CNS responds to sensory stimuli, and I need to know how each of the different divisions does this. Is that right?

Also, even though I think I understand the responding part, I don't get what it means by 'integrating and coordinating with sensory stimuli'. How do the different divisions integrate and coordinate with sensory stimuli?

Help would be much appreciated!! Thank you! 
-Chloe

In terms of integrating information, this is something the CNS does. Eg, the brain may receive a bunch of visual, tactile, and auditory information that tells you there's a purring cat next to you. The brain will then be responsible for co-ordinating a response - maybe the cat's a threat so the sympathetic nervous system should be made dominant, and at the same time the somatic NS should get you to walk away.


Hope this helps

[cfalzon]

In terms of integrating information, this is something the CNS does. Eg, the brain may receive a bunch of visual, tactile, and auditory information that tells you there's a purring cat next to you. The brain will then be responsible for co-ordinating a response - maybe the cat's a threat so the sympathetic nervous system should be made dominant, and at the same time the somatic NS should get you to walk away.


Hope this helps

Ok I get it! So integrating means making sense of the information? So the CNS integrates lots of different sensory information (which it receives from the PNS) in order to make sense of what the information means. Then, the brain co-ordinates a response to that information, and that neural message is sent to motor neurons to initiate a response. Is that right?

[peter.g15]

Ok I get it! So integrating means making sense of the information? So the CNS integrates lots of different sensory information (which it receives from the PNS) in order to make sense of what the information means. Then, the brain co-ordinates a response to that information, and that neural message is sent to motor neurons to initiate a response. Is that right?

Correct!

So you can take the example of picking up a cup. Your eyes will send information about where the cup is and where your hand is to your brain. Your sensory neurons will also send information from your hand (to know when you're touching it). The brain (CNS) then combines all this information together to send messages through your motor neurons so that you can properly grip and lift the cup. Hope that helps

[cfalzon]

Correct!

So you can take the example of picking up a cup. Your eyes will send information about where the cup is and where your hand is to your brain. Your sensory neurons will also send information from your hand (to know when you're touching it). The brain (CNS) then combines all this information together to send messages through your motor neurons so that you can properly grip and lift the cup. Hope that helps

Got it! So, to sum up:
The PNS carries afferent information to the CNS, where it is processed. This afferent information may include a variety of visual, tactile, auditory, etc., information, so the CNS has to integrate, or make sense of, the information. For example, the brain may receive an abundance of visual, tactile, and auditory information that tells you there's an angry, barking dog near you. The brain will then be responsible for co-ordinating a response to the stimulus, such as activating the sympathetic nervous system if the dog is perceived as a threat.

Is this all good?

Thank you for the help!