MASTER CLASS PROGRAM
UNIT 4 PSYCHOLOGY
WEEK 11 — WRITTEN EXAMINATION — SOLUTIONS
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SECTION A: MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1
D
26
B
2
D
27
D
3
C
28
A
4
C
29
D
5
C
30
D
6
A
31
C
7
B
32
B
8
C
33
B
9
B
34
B
10
C
35
A
11
C
36
B
12
A
37
C
13
C
38
D
14
D
39
A
15
A
40
B
16
B
41
B
17
D
42
A
18
A
43
D
19
A
44
B
20
B
45
A
21
B
22
C
23
A
24
A
25
D
 The School For Excellence 2015
Unit 4 Master Classes – Psychology – Week 11 Exam
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SECTION B: SHORT ANSWER SECTION ANSWERS
QUESTION 1
A fixed action pattern is a complex sequence of behaviour that occurs when appropriately
stimulated, that is identical amongst a species or gender-specific amongst a species
(1 mark)
e.g. male weaver birds tying a grass knot to hold next together to attract their mate (1 mark)
QUESTION 2
Unconditioned stimulus
Unconditioned response
Conditioned stimulus
Conditioned response
being stung by ants (ant sting)
nauseous vomiting due to ant sting
sight of an ant
nauseous response due to sight of ant
(4 marks: all 4 correct = 1 mark for each correct response)
QUESTION 3
Discriminative stimulus:
Shopping at Coles or Woolworths (1 mark)
Behaviour:
Spend over $30 on groceries (1 mark)
Consequence:
Receive a 4c discount voucher (1 mark)
QUESTION 4
ATTENTION: Jenny must ensure her daughter Josephine is paying attention to and
concentrating on her demonstrating the ironing (which Josephine is likely to do because she
looks up to her mother) (1 mark)
RETENTION: Josephine must store the demonstration from Jenny in her memory as a
mental representation of the behaviour so that she can access the information later. (1 mark)
Students must name the stage and apply it to the scenario of Jenny ironing.
QUESTION 5
(a)
Differentiate between synaptogenesis and synaptive pruning.
Synaptic pruning is the ridding/elimination of excessive or unused synapses (1 mark)
whereas synaptogenesis is the formation/creation of new synaptic connections
between neurons (1 mark)
(b)
Explain the processes of adaptive plasticity in development. 1 mark for any below.
•
•
•
Brain changes and develops as a result of new experiences or to compensate for
lost functioning
Enables older brains to change by experience or learning
Diminishes with age
 The School For Excellence 2015
Unit 4 Master Classes – Psychology – Week 11 Exam
Page 2
QUESTION 6
(a)
Both Punishment and Response Cost are acceptable answer for one mark.
(b)
Any two of the following or other appropriate but only one mark if both reasons imply
‘attention seeking’:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Not harsh/severe enough to weaken the response
No alternative (positive) behaviours provided
‘Attention’ from the punisher may positively reinforce/reward the bad behaviour
May lead to fear or dislike of the punisher
May lead to ‘avoidance of getting caught’ behaviour
Not administered soon enough after the response
May lead to more aggressive behaviour
QUESTION 7
Extinction is the gradual decrease in the rate of a conditioned response. This occurs when
the conditioned stimulus is presented alone without the unconditioned stimulus.
E.g. If the bell (CS) in Pavlov’s experiment is presented alone without food (UCS) for a
number of trials, after a while the bell will not cause the dog to salivate significantly (CR).
Spontaneous recovery occurs following extinction of a condition response and after a rest
period (24hrs) when the Conditioned Stimulus is again presented alone to elicit the
Conditioned Response (e.g. dogs in Pavlov’s study will show significant salivation (that had
been previously extinguished) to the bell when it is presented alone, following a rest period).
E.g.
1.
2.
3.
Extinction takes place (dog no longer salivates to bell or CS)
Rest period where bell (CS) is not presented
Bell (CS) again presented and dog again salivates (CR)
QUESTION 8 (3 marks)
(a)
Dimensional Advantages (1 of the following):
•
•
•
Takes into account the severity of symptoms
Takes into account individual uniqueness/differences in the diagnosis
Likely to result in less stigma than a categorical approach because a specific label
is not attached. (Note: ‘Less stigma’ not ‘no stigma’.)
Dimensional Disadvantages (1 of the following):
•
•
•
(b)
Is a more subjective approach than categorical
Lower inter-rater reliability as grading symptoms can be subjective
(Note: Lower inter-rater reliability than the categorical. The categorical is also
sometimes inconsistent)
DSM-IV-TR or DSM-V or ICD-10
(1 mark)
 The School For Excellence 2015
Unit 4 Master Classes – Psychology – Week 11 Exam
Page 3
QUESTION 9 (4 marks)
(a)
Any two of:
•
•
•
•
HPA axis
immune system
cardiovascular system
sympathetic nervous system
(2 marks)
(b)
The process of achieving stability through physiological or behavioural change which
enables the body to meet internal and external demands.
(1 mark)
(c)
Allostatic load refers to the cumulative cost to the body of allostasis. This can result in
decreased efficiency in the initiation and termination of the allostatic response
potentially influencing a variety of physical disorders including, e.g. cardiovascular
diseases and obesity, or mental disorders, e.g. depression.
QUESTION 10 (4 marks)
(a)
Any one of:
•
•
•
•
It considers cognitive approaches (unlike the fight-flight response which focuses on
the involuntary physiological responses).
It is a dynamic model (rather than a static model) which examines the individual’s
interaction with their environment in terms of their appraisal of a situation and
reappraisal, and thus considers their ability to adjust their responses.
It caters for individual differences to be focusing on variations in how stressors are
perceived and dealt with.
It identifies different methods for managing psychological responses to stressors.
1 mark for any one of the above points.
(1 mark)
(b)
Primary appraisal stage: Julia will recognise, evaluate and judge the situation. She
will most likely assess the situation as stressful.
(1 mark)
Secondary appraisal stage: Julia will consider the options and resources available to
deal with the stressor. Julia may ask her teacher to complete a re-sit test, study harder
for next test – get a tutor (any possible problem solving technique) or emotion –focused
– using her emotions such as denial to deal with the situation.
(1 mark)
(c)
Coping mechanisms are found in the secondary appraisal of the Transactional model
of Stress and Coping
(1 mark)
 The School For Excellence 2015
Unit 4 Master Classes – Psychology – Week 11 Exam
Page 4
QUESTION 11 (4 marks)
(a)
Any two of:
•
•
•
•
•
•
(b)
Exercise promotes psychological well-being via production of beta-endorphins.
It enhances psychological health.
It diverts attention away from stressors.
It uses up the stress hormones produced by the sympathetic nervous system and
HPA axis when stressed.
It reduces muscle tension.
Enhances social interaction
(2 marks)
Biofeedback is a technique used to receive information (feedback) about the state of a
bodily processes to help detect higher physiological responses relating to stress. (1)
E.g. a heart rate monitor could be used and alert a person when HR is high so that the
person can actively do something to reduce it like lie down and meditate. (1) or any
relevant example.
(2 marks)
SECTION C: EXTENDED ANSWER QUESTION
SECTION C: EXTENDED RESPONSE
This section was marked on the basis of a rubric type score with responses marked unique
between students due to the open-endedness of relevant responses. At VCAA we mark to a
rubric such as:
Criteria 1
Criteria 2
Criteria 3
Criteria 4
Criteria 5
NS: 0
VL: 1 – 2 (10 mark)
1 – 3 (15 mark)
L: 3 – 4 (10 mark)
4 – 6 (15 mark)
M: 5 – 6 (10 mark)
7 – 9 (15 mark)
H: 7 – 8 (10 mark)
10 – 12 (15 mark)
VH: 9 – 10 (10 mark)
13 – 15 (15 mark)
Identify and describe the key terms/theories/issues
Explain the relevant terms/theories/issues & make connections between
psychological concepts & data & research
Use appropriate examples and evidence to support the extended
response
Interpret and analyse the issues/data/information
Evaluate issues/data/information to draw appropriate conclusions and
generalisations
No attempt or incorrect information for Criteria 1
Criteria 1 addressed only
Criteria 1 + 2 addressed
Criteria 1 + 2 + 3 addressed
Criteria 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 addressed
All criteria addressed
 The School For Excellence 2015
Unit 4 Master Classes – Psychology – Week 11 Exam
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An example of a very high response could be:
Introduction: Background info looking at brain plasticity of young children (vs adolescents,
adults). Developmental plasticity discussion of synaptogenesis in early childhood vs synaptic
pruning in older age…etc.
Aim: To determine whether the optimum age of learning a second language is during early
childhood.
Research hypothesis: That young children will learn to speak Italian significantly faster
than adults.
Operationalised IV: Age of learning operationalised as young children below the age of 6 or
adults over the age of 25.
Operationalised DV: Language comprehension, operationalised as score on verbal
conversation test of common Italian words and phrases.
Participants: 20 children under 6 and 20 adults over the age of 25 were conveniently
sampled using advertisement in local paper and asking for volunteers. An independent
groups design will be applied, whereby the children will be taught verbal Italian words and
phrases for 2 months, and the adults will be taught in the same way. Probably cannot match
participants up due to differing ages and repeated measures would not work either.
Limitations: Sampling size and technique was biased. Could potentially use random
sampling (equal chance of selection from population of research interest) This means all
children under 6 and all adults over 25 from Melbourne metropolitan region should have
equal chance of selection. Bigger sample – to represent population of research interest.
Extraneous Variables: Anything relevant such as: learning ability, teaching methods,
teacher characteristics, time of day of learning and testing, past experience of different
languages (particularly in the adults), etc.
Improvements: More participants, better sampling technique, use of imaging techniques
and any improvements linked to student’s limitations or extraneous variables mentioned
would be good.
 The School For Excellence 2015
Unit 4 Master Classes – Psychology – Week 11 Exam
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