Description
Students undertake a course that provides an opportunity to develop an understanding of important concepts in Psychology. The course focuses on how people think, feel and behave, and explores factors that influence human development and mental processes. Students will learn about the structure and function of the brain and nervous system, memory, learning, mental health, and social influences on behaviour. Students will be expected to learn the theory behind these areas in order that they have a high level of scientific literacy and are adequately prepared for future VCE studies. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in numerous practical activities and investigations. These activities are designed to underpin students’ understanding of psychological research methods and provide experience in collecting, analysing and interpreting data.
Unit Topics
Possible topics include:
- Introduction to Psychology
- The brain and nervous system
- Learning and memory
- Human development
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Social cognition and behaviour
- Research methods and ethics
Skill Development
- Problem solving
- Analyse and evaluate data, methods and scientific models
- Plan and undertake investigations
- Ethical capabilities
- Communicate and explain psychological concepts
- Conduct investigations to collect and record data
- Interpret research findings and evidence
Possible Assessment Tasks
- Research reports
- Case studies
- Presentations
- Practical investigations
- Scientific posters
- Data analysis tasks
Activities/Camps/Excursions
- Practical investigations
- Memory and perception experiments
- Guest speakers
- Excursions to universities or psychology-related facilities
Career Options
Psychology leads to a wide range of careers including (but not limited to) psychology, counselling, social work, education, nursing, medicine, occupational therapy, speech pathology, human resources, marketing, criminology, forensic science, sport and exercise science, community services, research, and mental health support services.
Year 10