NZQA registered unit standard
27689 version 1
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Title
Analyse different approaches used in psychology for explaining
behaviour
Level
2
Credits
6
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to analyse
different approaches used in psychology for explaining
behaviour.
Classification
Social Science Studies > Psychology
Available grade
Achieved, Merit, and Excellence
Criteria for Merit
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.
Criteria for Excellence
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.
Explanatory notes
1
Definitions
Approaches refer to various principles underlying different perspectives used in
psychology to investigate mental processes and behaviour.
Behaviour may include the mental processes that produce the observed behaviour.
2
Behaviour being studied can come from given experiments, case studies, scenarios
or observations.
3
This unit standard can be awarded with an Achieved, Merit, or Excellence grade. For
the Achieved grade to be awarded, all outcomes must be achieved as specified in the
outcome statement(s). For Merit or Excellence grades to be awarded, the candidate
must meet the Merit or Excellence criteria specified above.
4
Teachers will provide a range of selected studies or scenarios relating to a
psychological setting and/or from academic research. The studies may include
summaries or extracts of psychological research and the scenarios may be real or
hypothetical.
NZQA National Qualifications Services
SSB Code 130301
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27689 version 1
Page 2 of 3
5
Outcome of the analysis may be conveyed using written, oral, or audio-visual
presentation in response to a given assignment.
6
Teaching and learning guidelines that inform psychology as it is taught in
Aotearoa/New Zealand schools can be found at
http://seniorsecondary.tki.org.nz/Social-sciences/Psychology. Assessment support
material for these standards can be found at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz.
7
Information on psychology as it is practiced in Aotearoa/New Zealand is available
from the New Zealand Psychological Society, http://www.psychology.org.nz.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Analyse different approaches used in psychology for explaining behaviour.
Range
approaches may include but are not limited to – behavioural, biological,
cognitive, evolutionary, humanistic, psychodynamic, socio-cultural;
evidence for a minimum of three approaches is required.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Approaches are identified, and behaviour is explained in terms of the selected
approaches. Points of similarity and difference between the explanations of
behaviour are identified and discussed.
Range
a minimum of two points related to each approach.
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
27 June 2012
N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0226
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
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.
NZQA National Qualifications Services
SSB Code 130301
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27689 version 1
Page 3 of 3
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 (CMR). 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