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2010 Internal Assessment Resource - Internal
Level 1 Psychology
27256, Demonstrate understanding of the application of theory to fields of
psychological practice
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 demonstrate knowledge of the application of theory to fields
of psychological practice.
As part of the teaching programme you will work through three fields to demonstrate
knowledge of psychological practice. A range of activities needs to be offered in class
which will help students understand the varied fields of psychological research and
practice. Fields that are most commonly understood by students at this level could
include sport, education, media, and human development.
You will also give students opportunities to study the human contexts in which
psychological practice are applied. Information on psychology as it is practiced in New
Zealand is available from the New Zealand Psychological Society,
http://www.psychology.org.nz, and The New Zealand Psychologists Board,
http://www.psychologistsboard.org.nz/.
Conditions:
Assessment for this standard will be a portfolio prepared by each student. The portfolio
will be based on a New Zealand scenario(s) that has been researched and discussed by
the whole class.
The portfolio can contain material that includes, but is not limited to: transcripts of
interviews, media clippings, extracts and summaries of academic research, marketing
material, and case studies. These will be presented in a methodical manner and be
supported by linking statements and a written introduction and conclusion.
Before assessment begins, teachers should guide students through the process of
exploring texts, reading for meaning, and locating relevant information.
It is expected that teachers will spend at least one week introducing students to the
concepts surrounding fields of psychological practice, the theories underpinning each,
and how they are applied in real life situations.
Fields refers to human contexts in which psychological practice are applied. These
include but are not limited to: sport, forensic, health, education, environment, industrial
and organisational, media, clinical and counselling, human development.
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011
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Theories are organising ideas or concepts that describe, explain or predict behaviour or
mental processes.
Scenarios will be based on real life and refer to situations that have occurred, or are
likely to occur, in every day existence. Examples include but are not limited to: sporting
situations where motivation theory can be applied, health situations such as smoking
where theories of personal behaviour can be applied, or education situations such as
teaching where learning theory can be applied.
It is expected that the real life situation will be based on a New Zealand context and
should be sensitive to safety, privacy, gender, cultural, and other individual needs.
Information on psychology as it is practiced in New Zealand is available from the New
Zealand Psychological Society, http://www.psychology.org.nz.
Students will be given two weeks of class time to gather relevant information for their
portfolio. Work can also be done out of class time. As students are able to undertake
research outside of class time, they will be required to complete a declaration of
authenticity.
References may be oral, visual and/ or written and may be selected from one or several
text types. Texts should be appropriate to Level 6 of the New Zealand Curriculum
(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 need to keep a record of all the source material they use. A suggested
reference record for source material has been provided. To encourage students into the
habit of using citation styles as used by psychologists across the world, teachers can
teach them how to cite references using the American Psychological Association (APA)
citation style. Guidance on APA citation style can be found through
http://www.apastyle.org/ or through the referencing functions provided by various
software programmes.
Where student work is to be presented for assessment, constructive feedback should not
compromise authenticity but can validly include suggestions about areas where further
developments are needed. Students should have the opportunity to receive feedback to
edit, revise and polish their work before assessment judgements are made.
Providing the scenario(s) for the real life situation(s):
Assessment for this standard requires students to apply theories from three fields from
within psychology to a given scenario(s). The scenario(s) must be broad enough to
allow students to explore the three fields chosen. The scenario(s) can be based on
academic research. The scenario(s) can relate to individuals or groups.
Examples of suitable scenarios could include:
 A consideration of a local sports club and its members. Sports psychology:
Motivation theory can be considered to examine how amateur players are motivated
to compete after a busy week’s work. Health psychology: local clubs, due to their
position at the heart of communities, can work with health initiatives like anti-drink
driving programmes and Push-Play. Organisational psychology can be used to
examine how clubs maintain voluntary participation and raise funds.
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
A study of a multinational company with branches in New Zealand. Industrial
psychology can be used to consider how staff are recruited, trained and paid.
Environmental psychology can be considered to examine where branches are
located in relation to socio-economic populations. Marketing psychology can be
used to consider how organisations create brands, manage customer expectations,
and create pricing strategies.
Scenarios need to be supported with a range of resources to enable students to
demonstrate understanding of fields of psychological practice. The supporting resources
may include:
 Guest speakers
 Academic research
 Field trip
 Business and marketing textbook examples
 Advertising e.g. adverts, packaging, company mission statements, use of
sponsorship
 Documentaries and news reports
 Websites
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/.
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011
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27256, Demonstrate understanding of the application of theory to fields of
psychological practice
Memories are made of this: The problem with eyewitness testimony
Credit: 6
Student Instructions Sheet
During your Psychology programme in class, your teacher will work through three fields
to demonstrate knowledge of psychological practice. You will do a range of activities in
class which will help you understand the concepts surrounding fields of psychological
practice, the theories underpinning each, and how they are applied in real life situations.
Your assessment task will be a portfolio you will prepare based on a New Zealand
scenario(s) that has been researched and discussed by the whole class.
You will be given two weeks of class time to gather relevant information for your
portfolio. Work can also be done out of class time. As you will be able to undertake
research outside of class time, you will be required to complete a declaration of
authenticity.
Your portfolio can contain material that includes, but is not limited to: transcripts of
interviews, media clippings, extracts and summaries of academic research, marketing
material, and case studies. You will present these in a methodical manner and support
them by linking statements and writing an introduction and conclusion.
Your portfolio should:
 focus on a theory(s) from each of the three fields
 accurately relate theory(s) to the scenario(s).
For merit or excellence your portfolio may also include:
 accurate descriptions of key links between the respective theory(s) and the
scenario(s)
 your own ideas and references
 a comprehensive understanding of the theories underlying the fields
 linking your understanding to other scenarios and/or fields.
Before assessment begins, your teacher will guide you through the process of exploring
texts, reading for meaning, and locating relevant information. As part of your Psychology
programme your teacher will work with you to source reference texts or other materials.
Keeping a record of reference or sourced material
As you create your portfolio you will need to keep a record of all the source material you
will use. Your source material can include books, websites, podcasts, journals,
newspapers, magazines, photographs. Draw up a record sheet so that you can record
your sources in an ongoing way over the course of work. To get you into the habit of
using citation styles as used by psychologists across the world, please cite your
references using the American Psychological Association (APA) citation style. Guidance
on APA citation style can be found through http://www.apastyle.org/ or through the
referencing functions provided by various software programmes.
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011
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Example of reference record
Source description
APA Reference
Book – Psychology in Aotearoa/New
Zealand
Weatherall, A., Wilson, M., Harper, D.,
McDowall, J., (2007) Psychology in
Aotearoa/New Zealand. Pearson:
Auckland.
Example of material relating to eyewitness
testimony
<Link to web footage relating to testimony
in criminal trials>
Assessment guide
For achieved
For merit
For excellence
The candidate must
demonstrate understanding
of the application of theory
to fields of psychological
practice.
The candidate must
demonstrate detailed
understanding of the
application of theory to
fields of psychological
practice.
The candidate must
demonstrate in-depth
understanding of the
application of theory to
fields of psychological
practice.
To complete the assessment for this standard there are three checkpoints you need to
complete before you can make your final presentation.
Portfolio guidelines
To complete this assessment your portfolio needs to contain the following:
 An introduction that demonstrates an understanding of fields of psychological
practice.
 For each field you will need to gather and organise evidence. This evidence will be
supported by linking statements.
 A conclusion that describes key links between the respective theory and the given
scenario(s).
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011
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Sample Exercise: Memories are made of this: The problem with eyewitness
testimony.
Select a short video clip to show to four or five of your peers. The clip should be one
they are not familiar with (it could be a news interview from an overseas news website)
and should be suitable for your peers to view! Prepare an answer sheet with up to five
questions about the clip e.g. what colour was the speaker’s baseball cap? What accent
did the speaker have? Show the video clip to your peers without any preliminary
briefing, and, once it is finished, give them your answer sheet to fill out.
Once they have completed these, show the clip again and get your peers to correct their
own answer sheets. Once you have done this, have a discussion about human memory
and the problems associated with it. Discuss the potential implications of differences
between what everybody first saw and what they subsequently thought they saw and
how this could impact on an event like a criminal trial. Use theories from fields of
psychological practice to write up your findings for your portfolio. Forensic or
Environmental Psychology might have plenty of material for this particular exercise.
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011
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Evidence Statements: Demonstrate understanding of the application of theory to fields of psychological practice
Field One
Achievement
Demonstrate understanding:
Identify and describe points
relevant to eyewitness
testimony (EWT)
Merit
Demonstrate detailed
understanding:
Describe key links between the
respective theory and the EWT
scenario
Excellence
Demonstrate in-depth understanding:
Generalise beyond the EWT scenario
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011
Memory
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Identification and description of
Descriptions are linked to
Links are supported by details of memory stages and
points relevant to the EWT
cognitive interviewing techniques processes with accurate use of terms, (or application is
scenario
for a co-operative witness in the
made to another scenario)
(a) Memory has three sequential EWT scenario
(a) A number of factors can affect the stages and processes
stores: sensory, short-term and (a) A first attempt at free recall
of memory such as attention, stress, cognitive scripts,
the long-term store, and
(the interviewee’s own
stereotypes and alcohol/drugs.
involves three processes:
uninterrupted account) may give a (b) Appropriate interviewing or using a questionnaire (for
encoding, storage and retrieval. broad outline but miss details.
large numbers) ASAP reduces trace decay and aids STM to
(b) Information may become
(b) Interview as soon as possible
LTM consolidation.
unavailable because it decays
before memory decays.
(c) Consolidating memories or cognitive schemas can easily
or is not processed into LTM.
(c) Interviewees are vulnerable to incorporate (misleading) information (Bartlett & Loftus)
(c) Memory encoding, storage
a range of leading
(d) Reduces chances of information being displaced
and retrieval are reconstructive
questions/comments that can
(‘bumped out’) of working (short-term) memory.
(not replicative)
affect their recall.
(e) Information or emotional states (declarative/ explicit or
(d) Focused concentration:
(d) Focussed retrieval –no
implicit memories) encoded or consolidated in the same
Distractions deteriorate the
distractions, interruptions, focus
time frame are more likely to be retrieved together. Cues
memory retrieval process.
on internal mental images, may
activate associated schema (priming cognitive networks).
(e) Context and state dependent close eyes, OK to say ‘Don’t
(f) Recognition is multiple priming.
memory: Recall is enhanced by know’ or ‘Don’t understand’, no
(g) Although LTM storage is believed to be unlimited,
cuing context (place and event) rush to retrieve information.
retrieval is a problem. Using different retrieval
and emotional states present
(e) Cued recall – interviewee is
modes/prompts increases chances of recall.
during encoding.
asked to think back to the original (h) Activation of implicitly (non-verbally) encoded stimuli that
(f) Recognition is a more
place, event, associated emotions were associated with the original event
powerful form of retrieval than
and focus on all senses, (reinstate http://www.police.govt.nz/resources/evaluation/investigativerecall.
context/state).
interviewing.
(g) Recall is increased by
(f) Can sketch drawings and use
increasing the number and
visual aids
variety retrieval attempts.
(g) Encourage repeated attempts
(h) Implicit (unconscious,
at recall, can use reverse order
emotional, non-verbal and
recall, recall from the perspective
procedural) memories are partly of another person or reencoded/and stored via the
enactment.
amygdale.
(h) Vulnerable interviewees could
be re-traumatised or stressed.
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011
Judgement
Statements
Note
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Relevant links between the scenario points and theory in the evidence statements above are alphabetically matched across the
columns using (a) to (a), (b) to (b) etc.
Achieved plus:
Merit plus:
Identify and describe main
(could be a numerical value)
Key links between the respective
Detailed, accurate linking statements are made for each
points relevant to the given
theory and the given scenario are field. Application of theory for each field demonstrates
scenario being addressed.
accurately described for each
accurate use of specialist memory terms.
Evidence presented for three
field. (Professional judgement
fields.
could be used to specify the
number of key links required).
Notes:
 Evidence statements are indicative and not exclusive
 Two other fields could be environmental or organisational psychology.
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011