VCE Psychology Question Thread!

[KiNSKi01]

Yoo that would be great miniturtle

Also if I can contribute here:

Although this doesn't necessarily reflect the definition of perpetuating risk factors BUT I have found that generally in scenarios if risk factors are mentioned after the diagnosis of a mental health problem they are usually perpetuating risk factors. (similar to what miniturtle said about precipitating risk factors commonly showing up before MHD)

HOWEVER, this is more like a last resort if you have no idea what kind of risk factors are being presented

EDIT: Also this may offer some help: https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/vce/adviceforteachers/psychology/examples_of_models_for_analysing_mental_health.aspx#

[anon101]

I'll hunt down an examiners reports with CBT answers so you can have confidence in it
Edit: that was more difficult than I anticipated. Even looking back pre-2010 I wasn't able to find much. The most applicable ER I found was in 2017 about the 10 marker

Spoiler

For CBT, high-scoring responses noted that:  • Night shift workers should work with a psychologist to establish effective sleep hygiene routines and to develop other behavioural methods to protect against the negative psychological impacts of chronic partial sleep deprivation (e.g. reducing stressors, strategies for managing moods, etc.)

This suggests that the main components of a CBT response are:
- that the person works with a psychologist to develop effective behavioural strategies
- that these strategies protect against negative psychological impacts

I would add to your CBT response that the "protect against negative psychological impacts bit" and then you should be all good

So I have rewritten my response to the short-answer 3-4 mark CBT question like this:
Cognitive aspect: aims to correct maladaptive thoughts and behaviours
-Is this enough to replace saying "identify the causes, dysfunctional attitudes and triggers of insomnia"/"substitute unwanted thoughts that inhibit sleep with desirable ones" (and Checkpoints has another considerably different way to answer this question)
Behavioural aspect: aims to correct maladaptive behavioural patterns:
-So, for example, to prevent people from using phones before bed
Then there's a third mark here which I'm confused how to attain (some answers seem to reference the cognitive component in two parts, others seem to just give a brief generalized summation of the C and B in CBT) or is this where I say that protecting against negative physiological and psychological impacts bit?

I'm just worried about this because this question's appeared several times in Checkpoints and in every single practise exam I've done (haven't done 2017 exam yet though, so I'll find out whether it's there tomorrow!)

Thanks a load for your help!!!

[Bri MT]

So I have rewritten my response to the short-answer 3-4 mark CBT question like this:
Cognitive aspect: aims to correct maladaptive thoughts and behaviours
-Is this enough to replace saying "identify the causes, dysfunctional attitudes and triggers of insomnia"/"substitute unwanted thoughts that inhibit sleep with desirable ones" (and Checkpoints has another considerably different way to answer this question)
Behavioural aspect: aims to correct maladaptive behavioural patterns:
-So, for example, to prevent people from using phones before bed
Then there's a third mark here which I'm confused how to attain (some answers seem to reference the cognitive component in two parts, others seem to just give a brief generalized summation of the C and B in CBT) or is this where I say that protecting against negative physiological and psychological impacts bit?

I'm just worried about this because this question's appeared several times in Checkpoints and in every single practise exam I've done (haven't done 2017 exam yet though, so I'll find out whether it's there tomorrow!)

Thanks a load for your help!!!

- I wouldn't say *prevent*. Remember that CBT is about he psychologist and patient working together to help the patient adopt healthy thoughts & behaviours
- definitely adapt your response to the scenario, so if it's about insomnia then talk about sleep hygiene etc.

What you could consider doing if you're highly stressed about this is answering the question both ways eg. answer it one way, then if you have time at the end add onto your answer so it covers the other type of assessment report you've seen (especially if you're not struggling with time management).

My approach would be:
- In CBT the person would work with a psychologist to develop effective behavioural strategies (apply to scenario, eg "that target their [MHD]")
- by replacing maladaptive thoughts and behaviours (if easy to do with scenario can give an example) with adaptive ones (such as …)
- these strategies protect against negative psychological impacts (apply to scenario, eg "such as ____")

but that's just my best guess - no one can know for certain, really

[ebaade4]

Hey guys was wondering if someone could help with this question
(The person is in REM sleep)
The TTSM answer says A, which i understand because beta waves occur in REM sleep, but what is muscle cataplexy as opposed to muscle paralysis? I thought muscle paralysis occurs during REM sleep?
If someone could help would be great, thanks

[Bri MT]

Hey guys was wondering if someone could help with this question
(The person is in REM sleep)
The TTSM answer says A, which i understand because beta waves occur in REM sleep, but what is muscle cataplexy as opposed to muscle paralysis? I thought muscle paralysis occurs during REM sleep?
If someone could help would be great, thanks

In cataplexy the muscles are very weak

It's not part of the study design since VCAA removed narcolepsy and sleep apnoea halfway through last year so don't worry

[rinner]

can anyone explain exactly why death of neurons in substantia nigra cause muscle tremors in parkinson's disease?
thanks!

[Bri MT]

can anyone explain exactly why death of neurons in substantia nigra cause muscle tremors in parkinson's disease?
thanks!

As far as the study design is concerned everything about PK is because
these neurons produce dopamine, so after these neurons die there's less dopamine available.

Dopamine is an excitory neurotransmitter which is involved in motor co-ordination (among other things)

[Balfe]

can anyone explain exactly why death of neurons in substantia nigra cause muscle tremors in parkinson's disease?
thanks!

Just adding to the previous reply. Dopamine usually carries information regarding motor movements from the substantia nigra to the basal ganglia and motor cortex. Considering dopamine levels are diminished, these regions receive slower, fewer and more irregular messages so motor movements can no longer be initiated and executed in the same smooth and coordinated manner as previously.

[anon101]

Would anyone be able to give me a list of Psychological and Physiological effects of ASC's and sleep deprivation (also is sleep deprivation an ASC)? Because the only one I can think of is time distortions (psychological), impaired memory (psychological but not sure whether it just to ASC's or sleep deprivation), and slowed down movement (physiological).
Thanks a load for your help guys!!!

[studyingg]

Would anyone be able to give me a list of Psychological and Physiological effects of ASC's and sleep deprivation (also is sleep deprivation an ASC)? Because the only one I can think of is time distortions (psychological), impaired memory (psychological but not sure whether it just to ASC's or sleep deprivation), and slowed down movement (physiological).
Thanks a load for your help guys!!!

I'm pretty sure sleep deprivation is an ASC,
The psychological indicators of ASCs are:
-changes to levels of awareness
-changes to the ability to perform controlledand automatic processes
-changes to content limitations
-cognitive distortions
-perceptual distortions
-changes to emotional awareness
-changes to self control
-changes to the perception of time orrientation
the reason I say 'changes', is because you are required to contrast an ASC to NWC with reference to these psychological indicators. I'm not really sure if i'm interpreting your question correctly, but this is how you would apply these factors to sleep deprivation:

- Levels of awareness: Awareness is the extent to which a person is conscious of their internal and external enviornment, in comparison to NWC, Sleep deprivation is likely to result in lower levels of awareness, whereby people are less conscious of the internal and external enviornment in this state.

-controlled and automatic processes: During NWC, a person is capable of performing controlled processes which require selective attention and the ability to direct awareness towards one action and ignore other stimuli, additionally, in NWC a person is also capable of performing automatic processes which do not require high levels of mental effort, it is possible to therefore divide attention for these by simultaneously directing awareness to multiple stimuli. In a sleep deprived state, a person is less able to perform both types of processes, however, performance on autmatic processes declines to a greater extent to performance on controlled processes. Because sleep deprived individuals have lower levels of awareness they cannot moderate their attention by selecting or dividing their attention, this difference is indicative that this state is an ASC.

-content limitations: NWC is characterised by high content limitations, whereby thoughts are more controlled and restricted to reality. However, it sleep deprivation likely results in fewer content limitations, due to the low levels of awareness that characterize this state, sleep deprived individuals have less control over their thoughts, and it is likey that the content of their consciousness is unsequential or random in comparison to NWC

- cogntive distortions: NWC is characterised by logical, clear organised cognitive abilities, whereas studies indicate that sleep deprivation is likely to have a negative effect on cognitive ability whereby sleep deprived individuals experience a reduction in problem solving ability, sustained attention, language comprehension and working memory. These differences to NWC are indicative that this state is an ASC.

-perceptual distortions: NWC consciousness is characterised by acurate perceptions, however sleep deprivation is likely to result in perceptual distortions, whereby one's sensory threshold may increase or decrease and their perceptions of external stimuli may be inacurate to reality. For example they may perceive the prick of a needle as more or less painful than they would in NWC.

-emotional awarenss: NWC is characterised by appropriate regulation, display and perception of emotions.However sleep deprivation is likely to result in an increase in negative moods, irritability, mood swings, and amplified affective responses.

-self control: In NWC a person is in control of their volountary movements and decisions. This decreases in a sleep deprived state, where an individual may experience behavioral effects such as difficulty walking in a straight line, increase in microsleeps and clumsiness. Additionally they may engage in risk taking behaviour.

-time orrientation: Time may be perceived as moving faster or slower in a sleep deprived state, whereby perception of the passage of time is disorriented in comparison to a sleep deprived state.

I guess for physiological indicators the main one would be brain waves (and talking about changes to the amplitude and frequency of a wave relative to NWC)

[studyingg]

Guys I have two questions from the VCAA 2010 exam, if any one could help that would be awesome:
for question 37: the answer is D, which I chose because it seemed 'most correct', however, i'm a bit confused as to why it indicates re-entering into NREM stage 1 before REM, I thought that you only enter NREM1 at the start of a sleep episode... the reason i'm a bit worried, is if this were a short answer, would I lose marks if I didn't write NREM 1 before REM...

also
for question 5, d (section B), when it asks about the 'role' of the sympathetic nervous system in stage 3... I wasn't sure how to respond, I wrote that, during

stage 3, the body's internal resources, such as stress hormones required for adaptation are depleted, due to the prolonged activity of the sympathetic nervous system, this therefore results in decrease in Tasha's resistance to a stressor, as she will begin to experience the maladaptive effects of prolonged arousal caused by the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, as the prolonged high levels of stress  hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline will have a negative effect on her body.
as you can see... I did not really adress the question... but this was the response:

The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) releases stress hormones as long as the stress is present. The SNS attempts to
maintain high arousal throughout this stage.

-so is its role still the same throughout the stages of the GAS? Also, I thought stress hormone were depleted during this stage (a person will experience adrenal fatigue)

[rani_b]

Guys I have two questions from the VCAA 2010 exam, if any one could help that would be awesome:
for question 37: the answer is D, which I chose because it seemed 'most correct', however, i'm a bit confused as to why it indicates re-entering into NREM stage 1 before REM, I thought that you only enter NREM1 at the start of a sleep episode... the reason i'm a bit worried, is if this were a short answer, would I lose marks if I didn't write NREM 1 before REM...

 It's multiple choice so you're right, you just choose what's most correct. I think you're right as you don't tend to enter Stage 1 again before REM, but I guess for older people this could occur. Also, no other option has the correct sequence of going deeper into the NREM stages and then going back up so the answer has to be D. I'm sure if it was a short answer and you didn't write stage 1 you would still get the marks.

for question 5, d (section B), when it asks about the 'role' of the sympathetic nervous system in stage 3... I wasn't sure how to respond, I wrote that, during
stage 3, the body's internal resources, such as stress hormones required for adaptation are depleted, due to the prolonged activity of the sympathetic nervous system, this therefore results in decrease in Tasha's resistance to a stressor, as she will begin to experience the maladaptive effects of prolonged arousal caused by the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, as the prolonged high levels of stress  hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline will have a negative effect on her body.
as you can see... I did not really adress the question... but this was the response:

The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) releases stress hormones as long as the stress is present. The SNS attempts to maintain high arousal throughout this stage.

-so is its role still the same throughout the stages of the GAS? Also, I thought stress hormone were depleted during this stage (a person will experience adrenal fatigue)

 I guess they're not really asking what happens to the body during this stage - they're asking the role of the sympathetic nervous system. Even though resources are depleted, the stressor hasn't gone away so your sympathetic nervous system is trying to continue to help you. It's just really difficult since you're so exhausted and burnt out.

Hope that helped 

[ebaade4]

Hey guys
When we get questions regarding voluntary movement such as picking up a glass and putting it down, do we have to mention the specific brain areas (eg. motor cortex, somatosensory cortex) that initiated the movement / processed the sensory info?

[studyingg]

It's multiple choice so you're right, you just choose what's most correct. I think you're right as you don't tend to enter Stage 1 again before REM, but I guess for older people this could occur. Also, no other option has the correct sequence of going deeper into the NREM stages and then going back up so the answer has to be D. I'm sure if it was a short answer and you didn't write stage 1 you would still get the marks.

 I guess they're not really asking what happens to the body during this stage - they're asking the role of the sympathetic nervous system. Even though resources are depleted, the stressor hasn't gone away so your sympathetic nervous system is trying to continue to help you. It's just really difficult since you're so exhausted and burnt out.

Hope that helped 

thanks

[studyingg]

Hey guys
When we get questions regarding voluntary movement such as picking up a glass and putting it down, do we have to mention the specific brain areas (eg. motor cortex, somatosensory cortex) that initiated the movement / processed the sensory info?

nope, they're not in the study design