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Assessment Resource - Internal
Level 2 Psychology
27689, Analyse different approaches used in psychology for explaining behaviour
Credits: 6
Teacher guidelines:
The following guidelines are supplied to enable teachers to carry out valid and consistent
assessment using this internal assessment resource.
Context/setting:
In this activity students will analyse psychological approaches to mental processes and
behaviour.
Texts should be appropriate to Level 7 of the NZC, or have characteristics that enable
students to meet the expected level of understanding.
Conditions:
The assessment task will be completed under teacher supervision. It should not be
taken home in either written or electronic form.
Teachers should not ‘teach to the assessment’ as they discuss psychological behaviour
in class. It is essential that, as part of the assessment, students make their own
explanations and understandings independently.
It is expected that teachers would pre-teach at least five of the approaches prior to the
assessment. Behaviour(s) being studied can come from case studies, scenarios or
observations that could be provided by the teacher.
Before assessment begins the students should understand the range of approaches and
their application to behaviour.
Approaches to psychology refer to various underlying principles for understanding
different perspectives used to investigate mental processes and behaviour. The range of
approaches may include but are not limited to, three of - behavioural, biological,
cognitive, evolutionary, humanistic, psychodynamic, and socio-cultural.
Resource requirements:
Teachers will provide resources and/or opportunities to analyse the range of approaches
so behaviour may be explained. Texts should be appropriate to Level 7 of the NZC, or
have characteristics that enable students to meet the expected level of understanding.
Assessment of this standard also provides opportunities for students to develop aspects
of the key competencies of the NZC.
Students should have the opportunity to receive feedback to prepare, select, revise their
work before assessment judgements are made. This should include practice
opportunities as part of the teaching.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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Additional information:
Teaching and learning guidelines that inform psychology as it is taught in New Zealand
can be found at http://www.tki.org.nz/ncea/.
Information on psychology as it is practiced in New Zealand is available from the New
Zealand Psychological Society, http://www.psychology.org.nz.
Information on Māori-focussed psychological research available through Māori and
Psychology Research Unit
http://www.waikato.ac.nz/wfass/subjects/psychology/mpru/
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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Level 2 Psychology
27689, Analyse different approaches used in psychology
Credit: 6
Student Instructions Sheet
During your Psychology programme in class, your teacher will work with you on a variety
of written, oral, visual and multi-media resources. You will do a wide range of activities
in class which will help you.
Your teacher will also give you opportunities to analyse distinctive features of
approaches in relation to the study of behaviour(s). This will include comparisons
between approaches from a range of studies. Opportunity will be given for students to
generate explanations of behaviour with supporting theories/evidence.
You will choose three psychological approaches and analyse the approaches in a written
assessment.
For achievement your responses should:
 Identify and explain behaviours from three approaches. This will involve you
identifying and explaining two or more points relevant to three or approaches and
identifying and discussing their similarities and differences.
For merit or excellence your responses may also:
 Provide relevant psychological theories/evidence to support your explanations of
behaviour.
 Give supporting theories/evidence that show a level of insight linking the
explanations you have given to the identified approach.
Choosing approaches
In the assessment you will decide which three approaches you will use to analyse the
given behaviour(s).
Exploring approaches and behaviours
As part of your Psychology programme your teacher will provide you with the opportunity
to explore at least five approaches and their explanation of behaviour(s).
Assessment Guide
For achieved
For merit
For excellence
Analyse different
approaches used in
psychology for
explaining
behaviour.
The analysis includes a comparison
of the three explanations of
behaviour from different identified
approaches, with key points of
similarity and difference between
the approaches identified and
discussed. Supporting
psychological theories and
evidence must be included in the
analysis.
The analysis includes a
comprehensive comparison
of explanations of
behaviour with supporting
psychological theories and
evidence presented that is
perceptive, relevant to
behaviour, and consistently
applied.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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Sample Assessment
Read the following scenario and complete the task that follows:
Current situation
Sarah is a 15 year old who started experiencing problems about 6 months ago. She
started showing behaviour swings at school, alternating between being very withdrawn
and quiet, to being very loud, displaying a shortness of temper and being verbally
abusive, especially to teachers and other staff. These swings have become more
frequent and extreme. Whilst previously a very tidy person, she is now producing untidy
work and her personal appearance has become scruffy. Sarah has stopped playing
sport. She has become attracted to a boy in Year 13 but is too shy to approach him. If
they pass in the corridor, Sarah hides her feelings by making loud comments to her
friends. She realises that while this may make him notice her, it will not be giving him the
impression she wants him to have.
Background
Sarah is the middle child of three, with an older sister and a younger brother, born to
middle income parents. Her father spends a lot of time with his business or out with his
friends. When home he is mostly grumpy, but he also has unpredictable periods of
being overfriendly.
Sarah’s mother also works. She is a quiet woman who is the peacekeeper in the family.
Sarah’s mother tries to keep her husband happy as much as possible. She would not
ask him to do anything and, as the children got older, stopped asking them to do
anything if it was likely to create conflict. Sarah’s mother keeps quiet about any trouble
the children are in, including Sarah’s recent behaviours at school. When the children are
a problem at home, she would threaten to tell their father, but rarely did so because she
could not tell how he would react. Her main fear was that if he was grumpy he would
lose his temper and hit the children. There have been problems earlier in the families’
life with CYPF (Children and Young Persons and their Families) making enquiries after
an expressed concern from the primary school. At other times, Sarah’s father would just
tell the children off, or sometimes say it wasn’t a problem and question why Sarah’s
mother is making a fuss.
Sarah’s father is not worried about her behaviour at school. He says his daughters from
his previous relationship were expelled from school for bullying and teacher abuse and
when he got involved with the school to try and sort things out it made no difference.
One of the daughters is now a “bouncer” and the other has been a court a number of
times for assault.
Sarah’s mother says she needs help and that should see a counsellor. Sarah refuses.
Sarah’s mother has talked to her doctor to see about a referral to a psychologist.
Sarah’s father says Sarah is totally tied up by her own feelings and will grow out of it so
other help is a waste of time. No-one, including Sarah, can do anything about her
behaviour for now.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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From the scenario complete the following tasks:
Behaviour(s) being studied:
Here is an exemplar with a partially completed table of a behaviour using information
from another case study. Complete the blank tables below this with four chosen
behaviours. Use three approaches in each table.
Summary of
the Behaviour
Approach
Fourteen year
old boy is
smoking daily at
school.
Cognitive
Explanation of
behaviour by the
chosen approach
He perceives smoking to
be ‘cool’ and believes by
engaging in this
behaviour he will be
seen to fit in with the
‘cool’ group.
Psychodynamic
Biological
Cigarettes contain the
drug nicotine, which is
an addictive substance.
The boy smokes
because he has
developed dependence
or because his
dopamine reward
Relevant supporting
theory/evidence within
the approach
According to Freud,
children go through the
Psychosexual Stages of
Development. As they
move through these
stages, pleasure is
sought in different areas
of the body. Where the
child has failed to
properly negotiate a
stage, fixation may
occur. This will lead to
stereotyped behaviours
being displayed in adult
personality. In the oral
stage, children must
negotiate weaning. If
they are weaned too
early or too late they
may become orally
receptive or orally
aggressive. Later in life,
they will seek pleasure
by placing things in their
mouths and engage in
behaviours such as
smoking.
Drugs affect the release
of neurotransmitters
across the synapse,
affecting nerve
transmission. This in
turn can have an effect
on behaviour. Drugs of
addiction may lead to
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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pathway has been
activated.
withdrawal effects when
the drug is not in the
system. This will lead an
individual to seek the
drug to remove the
negative effects of
withdrawal. Tolerance to
the drug may lead to
increased consumption
to achieve the same
effect. The nicotine in
cigarettes stimulates the
dopamine reward
pathway thus creating a
pleasurable experience.
Summary of
Chosen
Behaviour One:
Approach Explanation of
behaviour by the chosen
approach
Relevant supporting
theory/evidence within
the approach
Summary of
Chosen
Behaviour Two:
Approach Explanation of
behaviour by the chosen
approach
Relevant supporting
theory/evidence within
the approach
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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Summary of
Chosen
Behaviour
Three:
Approach Explanation of
behaviour by the chosen
approach
Relevant supporting
theory/evidence within
the approach
Summary of
Chosen
Behaviour Four:
Approach Explanation of
behaviour by the chosen
approach
Relevant supporting
theory/evidence within
the approach
For Achieved your answers should:

Identify and explain behaviours from three approaches. This will involve you
identifying and explaining two or more points relevant to three or approaches and
identifying and discussing their similarities and differences.
For merit and excellence your answers could also include

You providing relevant psychological theories/evidence to support your explanations
of behaviour. This will involve you making three explanations of one behaviour from
different approaches, with supporting evidence.

The supporting theories/evidence should show a level of perception linking the
explanations you have given to the identified approach.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
Assessment schedule
27689, Judgement Statements: Analyse different approaches used in psychology
Achieved
Achieved with Merit
Achieved with Excellence
 Two points for each of the three
approaches are explained correctly.
This can be spread across the four
tables.
 Supporting psychological
theories/evidence are not required
 As for achieved, but within any one
table three correct explanations are
required for a behaviour from different
approaches and these explanations
are compared.
 Supporting psychological
theories/evidence may not be fully
developed.
 As for merit, but supporting psychological
theories/evidence for each of those
explanations is perceptive, relevant and
consistently applied.
27689 Evidence Statements: Analyse different approaches used in psychology for explaining behaviour
Achieved
Achieved with Merit
Achieved with Excellence
Will involve the student identifying and
explaining two or more points relevant
to three or approaches, with points of
similarity and difference discussed.
Includes a comparison of the three
explanations of behaviour from different
identified approaches, with key points
of similarity and difference between the
approaches identified and discussed.
Supporting psychological theories and
evidence must be included in the
analysis.
Includes a comprehensive comparison of
explanations of behaviour with supporting
psychological theories and evidence presented
that is perceptive, relevant to behaviour, and
consistently applied.
Behaviours may include but are not
limited to: behaviour swings,
withdrawn/loud, aggression, verbally
abusive/swearing, untidiness, lack of
care in personal appearance, attraction,
shyness.
Three correct explanations from the
achieved criterion are provided for
relevant behaviours. These three
explanations are compared with key
points of similarity and / or difference
between the approaches identified and
Explanations of genetic inheritance and it’s
application within the biological approach. This
could include, but is not limited to: family trees,
twin and adoption studies
Eg
The biological approach places an emphasis on
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
Aggression
Biological: Sarah’s father and sisters
also display aggressive behaviour.
This could indicate a genetic
predisposition for this behaviour. Other
explanations could include but are not
limited to: biochemical imbalances eg
hormonal imbalances (testosterone),
brain structure/functional differences eg
amygdala
Aggression
Cognitive: Sarah does not perceive
her behaviour as being innappropriate
or aggressive. Her schema of normal
behaviour includes treating people
aggressively.
Aggression
Behavioural: Sarah has learnt to
behave aggressively through observing
her sisters and father being
reinforced/rewarded for behaving
aggressively.
discussed.
Supporting theories and evidence to be
provided to support the explanations
The elements for analysis would be the
same as those identified for excellence
but would not be a comprehensive
comparison.
the physical determinance on behaviour. Some
studies have found a higher correlation in
aggressive behaviour between monozygotic
twins than dizygotic twins. McGuffin and
Gottesmann (1985) found a concordance rate of
87% for aggressive and antisocial behaviour for
MZ twins, compared with 72% for DZ twins.
This demonstrates a genetic component in the
exhibition of aggressive behaviour.
Explanation of schema theory. May relate to
concepts of schema theory and Piaget’s
research.
Eg. Sarah has assimilated the pattern of her
father’s aggressive behaviour into her normal
behaviour schema. Schemata form the basis of
our cognitive framework and mental
understanding of the world around us. Our
perceptions thoughts and memories can be
distorted based on our schema. Sarah’s
perception and understanding of her own
behaviour will be distorted due to her abnormally
developed schema.
Explanation of social learning theory.
Eg. Behaviourist psychologists state that all
behaviour has been learnt through association,
reinforcement or vicarious learning. Sarah has
seen her father be rewarded by his mother for
his aggressive behaviour. Thus making her
more likely to imitate his behaviour. This is
supported by research such as Bandura’s
(1965) Influence of Models Reinforcement
Contingencies on Imitative Responses Study
(Bobo Doll follow up study).
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
Attraction
Evolutionary: Sarah is attracted to an
older male as a long-term ‘mate’ who
will provide the best opportunity for
provision of resources which will
increase the survival chances of her
and her future offspring.
Verbal Abuse
Psychodynamic: Sarah is orally
fixated which means she is displaying
orally aggressive behaviour such as
verbal abuse and swearing.
Explanation of evolutionary theory.
Eg. Evolutionary theory suggests that we have
adapted our behaviours over time (specifically
the Environment of Evolutionary AdaptationEEA) to fit our surroundings. Just like physical
adaptation acting within the theory of natural
selection. Sarah has become attracted to an
older male at school because she views him as
an ideal long-term ‘mate’. This means, in
evolutionary terms, an older male would be
better able to provide for both mother and child
through better provision of resources.
Eg.
According to Freud, children’s experiences form
the Psychosexual Stages of Development.
Where the child has failed to properly negotiate
a stage, fixation may occur. This may lead to
stereotyped behaviours being displayed in adult
personality. In the oral stage, children must
negotiate weaning. If they are weaned too early
or too late they may become orally receptive or
orally aggressive. An example of orally
aggressive behaviour is verbal abuse as
demonstrated by Sarah.
Notes:
 Evidence statements are indicative and not exclusive
 Distinctive points are exclusive to an approach and do not generally apply to a different approach
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016