VCE Psychology Question Thread!

[warya]

How would you set up section c for the exam? Do you need to write an introduction or just go straight into listing the IVs and DVs etc.?

They'll usually give you dot points of what to include. I reckon just use each as a heading and talk about them, they wont mark you on introductions and that, rather, what they actually prompted you to answer. My psych teacher is an examiner, she says don't bother with being englishy, just get straight to the point.
That being said, if they asked for an intro, include it, though I doubt they will.

[Rob16]

Should you be including anything beyond the dotpoints provided in the section C 10 mark question?

[warya]

How does the discriminative stimulus indicate the consequence?

[The Usual Student]

How does the discriminative stimulus indicate the consequence?

I don't think so, from class the idea was the D.S sets the conditions right for behavior and the consequence is a response to the behavior.
If this is an actual exam question, then I actually have no clue Maybe say something along the lines of " The D.S makes the conditions right for the Behaviour and the consequences follows as a repsonse to the behaviour". idk

[Unblemished]

I don't think so, from class the idea was the D.S sets the conditions right for behavior and the consequence is a response to the behavior.
If this is an actual exam question, then I actually have no clue Maybe say something along the lines of " The D.S makes the conditions right for the Behaviour and the consequences follows as a repsonse to the behaviour". idk

I think you're right. To me, the antecedent / DS is the condition required for the behaviour to occur. This in turn is reinforced by the consequences (eg getting lollies )

[Unblemished]

Should you be including anything beyond the dotpoints provided in the section C 10 mark question?

Depends really. What will you be talking about? I would always write about EVs and ways to minimise them if possible etc. If the question is a discussion of the results and conclusion, then obviously don't write the intro or method. If you link your information to the dot points, you are more likely to get marks.

[anat0my]

Can someone please help me with the strengths and limitations for the theories of forgetting? At least for Ebbinghaus forgetting curve? Thanks

Anyone? I can't find answers for it anywhere and it's part of the SD.

[StupidProdigy]

Anyone? I can't find answers for it anywhere and it's part of the SD.

For ebbinghaus, it's not really a theory of forgetting as such, it's just his results which kind of link in with decay theory (nonsense syllables faded if they weren't rehearsed).
Motivated forgetting: strength-this one is common sense, people who experience traumatic shiz recall it less than positive events
                                 limitation-people do not always forget traumatic shiz, as much as they might want to they just can't

retrieval failure: strength-tip of the tongue phenomenon, suggests retrieval is not all or nothing
                          limitation-we can't be certain we actually encoded information, like you might try to recall something and use cues to try recall it, but perhaps you never even encoded what you were looking for, we can't show this though.

decay theory: strength-it is about the physical action of neurons, therefore more measurable scientifically than the other theories
                       limitation-doesn't explain why an old person may not be able to recall a memory which occured recently-ish but can for some reason recall a specific childhood memory better

interference theory: strength-can be shown through experiments
                                limitation-doesn't account for shit the other theories do

semantic network theory: strength-research has shown people usually take longer on questions such as like 'does a crab has claws?' in comparison to taking longer for 'is a crab a verterbrate?' (because verterbrate is likely to be a distantly linked concept to crab, conversely claws are very closely linked)
                                         limitation-activation direction depends on the strength of the link, not necessarily the heirarchy

Dunno, pretty basic rundown, this stuff is rarely on exams (which is quite surprising considering it's labelled so explicitly on the study design).
edit: disregard semantic network theory, forgot you said forgetting theories  )

[jyce]

Anyone? I can't find answers for it anywhere and it's part of the SD.

Hi anta0my,

Off the top of my head:
- a weakness of motivated forgetting theory is that it would be unethical to experimentally test this, so evidence for this theory relies on case studies which are not the most reliable sources of information
- a weakness of decay theory is the fact that some unused memories are seemingly carried for life, which is contradictory to this theory
- a weakness of Ebbinghaus' forgetting curve is that he derived the curve from nonsense syllables, while forgetting over time for other, more realistic things might not follow this exact trend.

[anat0my]

For ebbinghaus, it's not really a theory of forgetting as such, it's just his results which kind of link in with decay theory (nonsense syllables faded if they weren't rehearsed).
Motivated forgetting: strength-this one is common sense, people who experience traumatic shiz recall it less than positive events
                                 limitation-people do not always forget traumatic shiz, as much as they might want to they just can't

retrieval failure: strength-tip of the tongue phenomenon, suggests retrieval is not all or nothing
                          limitation-we can't be certain we actually encoded information, like you might try to recall something and use cues to try recall it, but perhaps you never even encoded what you were looking for, we can't show this though.

decay theory: strength-it is about the physical action of neurons, therefore more measurable scientifically than the other theories
                       limitation-doesn't explain why an old person may not be able to recall a memory which occured recently-ish but can for some reason recall a specific childhood memory better

interference theory: strength-can be shown through experiments
                                limitation-doesn't account for shit the other theories do

semantic network theory: strength-research has shown people usually take longer on questions such as like 'does a crab has claws?' in comparison to taking longer for 'is a crab a verterbrate?' (because verterbrate is likely to be a distantly linked concept to crab, conversely claws are very closely linked)
                                         limitation-activation direction depends on the strength of the link, not necessarily the heirarchy

Dunno, pretty basic rundown, this stuff is rarely on exams (which is quite surprising considering it's labelled so explicitly on the study design).
edit: disregard semantic network theory, forgot you said forgetting theories  )

Thank youu Psych MVP!

Hi anta0my,

Off the top of my head:
- a weakness of motivated forgetting theory is that it would be unethical to experimentally test this, so evidence for this theory relies on case studies which are not the most reliable sources of information
- a weakness of decay theory is the fact that some unused memories are seemingly carried for life, which is contradictory to this theory
- a weakness of Ebbinghaus' forgetting curve is that he derived the curve from nonsense syllables, while forgetting over time for other, more realistic things might not follow this exact trend.

Thanks so much!!

[sheeep]

2012 Paper 1, multiple choice question 17's answer is D, does anyone know why?

[I am a unicorn]

Hi could someone explain why the answer to this question (VCAA 2014) is A?

Question 36
This year Dave married, started a new business and his first child was born. Dave’s allostatic load would have
A. changed, depending on how he appraised these situations.
B. stayed the same.
C. decreased.
D. increased.

I thought it was D since both eustress and distress involve increased physiological arousal... so shouldn't they both increase the level of stress hormones (and hence allostatic load?)

Thanks

[jyce]

Hi could someone explain why the answer to this question (VCAA 2014) is A?

Question 36
This year Dave married, started a new business and his first child was born. Dave’s allostatic load would have
A. changed, depending on how he appraised these situations.
B. stayed the same.
C. decreased.
D. increased.

I thought it was D since both eustress and distress involve increased physiological arousal... so shouldn't they both increase the level of stress hormones (and hence allostatic load?)

Thanks

I did Year 12 Psych two years ago, but I'll give it a shot:
I'd say it's A since we don't know whether Dave will experience more or less stress due to these life changes. That all depends on how he 'appraises', or interprets and evaluates, these changes. Although it would be easy to jump to the conclusion that Dave experiences more stress, whether it be distress or eustress, perhaps Dave views getting married as an extra source of support. Similarly, perhaps starting his own business gives Dave more freedom. So, Dave might appraise these two situations as giving him MORE resources to cope with life, and therefore he is less likely to experience stress. On the other hand, Dave could feel as though he lacks the abilities to effectively run a business on his own, which could lead him to experience more stress and thereby increase his allostatic load. We don't know; it depends on the individual's appraisal.

[anat0my]

2012 Paper 1, multiple choice question 17's answer is D, does anyone know why?

I worked this one out by elimination;
-It can't be A because the right hemisphere is NOT verbal.
-it can't be B because the left hemisphere is actually involved in controlling movement of the right side of the body, this is contrary to what this alternative says.
-it can't be C because is it in fact the right hemisphere that is specialised in object recognition and spatial reasoning.
-So therefore the answer is D, and we also know that it is the left hemisphere that is involved in logical thinking and problem solving so we can deduce that it has an executive function.

My approach to this question may be different but I hope it helped.

[cameotodd]

I worked this one out by elimination;
-It can't be A because the right hemisphere is NOT verbal.
-it can't be B because the left hemisphere is actually involved in controlling movement of the right side of the body, this is contrary to what this alternative says.
-it can't be C because is it in fact the right hemisphere that is specialised in object recognition and spatial reasoning.
-So therefore the answer is D, and we also know that it is the left hemisphere that is involved in logical thinking and problem solving so we can deduce that it has an executive function.

My approach to this question may be different but I hope it helped.

Yep, I agree with anat0my. When first looking at the question, I wouldn't automatically choose D but by the process of elimination, the other 3 options are just factually incorrect.