NZQA registered unit standard
27255 version 1
Page 1 of 3
Title
Describe approaches to psychology
Level
1
Credits
6
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to describe
approaches to psychology.
Classification
Social Science Studies > Psychology
Available grade
Achieved, Merit, and Excellence
Criteria for Merit
The candidate must describe in detail approaches used in
psychology.
Criteria for Excellence
The candidate must describe in depth approaches used in
psychology.
Explanatory notes
1
Definitions
Approaches to psychology refer to various underlying principles for understanding
different perspectives used to investigate mental processes and behaviour.
Key figures refer to people who have made a significant contribution to approaches in
the study of psychology. Key figures may include but are not limited to: John
Watson, Hans Seyle, Jean Piaget, Abraham Maslow, Sigmund Freud, Stanley
Milgram.
2
Describe will involve the student accurately describing three distinctive and relevant
features for three different approaches used in psychology; and, for each of the three
approaches chosen, describing a key figure’s contribution to the development of
psychology. The description must include a summary of relevant biographical data for
each individual and a description of their contribution to the development of
psychology.
3
Describe in detail will involve the student making coherent, relevant and distinctive
features for each approach. Each of the points must be structured with linked ideas
or examples accurately described for each of the three approaches.
4
Describe in depth will involve the student developing and integrating features
logically towards an integrated accurate description for each of the three approaches.
NZQA National Qualifications Services
SSB Code 130301
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27255 version 1
Page 2 of 3
5
Teachers will provide a range of selected studies relating to a psychological setting
and/or from academic research. These may include summaries or extracts of
psychological research.
6
Description can be conveyed using written, oral, or audio-visual presentation in
response to a given assignment.
7
Teaching and learning guidelines that inform psychology as it is taught in New
Zealand can be found at http://seniorsecondary.tki.org.nz/Socialsciences/Psychology. Assessment support material for these standards can be
found at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz.
8
Information on psychology as it is practiced in New Zealand is available from the
New Zealand Psychological Society, http://www.psychology.org.nz.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Describe approaches to psychology.
Range
approaches include, but are not limited to: behavioural, biological, cognitive,
humanistic, psychodynamic, sociocultural;
three approaches and one key figure from each approach.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Description identifies distinctive features of the approaches to the study of
behaviour.
1.2
Description includes summaries of key figures’ contributions to the development
of psychology.
Replacement information
This unit standard replaced unit standard 19249, unit
standard 19250, unit standard 19251, unit standard 19252,
and unit standard 19253.
Planned review date
31 December 2016
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
21 July 2011
N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0226
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
NZQA National Qualifications Services
SSB Code 130301
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27255 version 1
Page 3 of 3
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA,
before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses
of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies
to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMRs). The
CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing
to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors
and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact NZQA National Qualifications Services nqs@nzqa.govt.nz if you wish to
suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
NZQA National Qualifications Services
SSB Code 130301
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016