VCE Psychology Question Thread!

[Ionic Doc]

When a year 12 Psychology teacher was taught her lessons in the first half of the year, she wrote nites on the board for her class to copy. She was disappointed in the results obtained by her class in the mid-year exam, and wanted to investigate whether presenting her notes in a different way would impact on her students results in the end of year exam. In the second half of the year, rather than writing her notes on the board, she presented her notes in Powerpoint format and added lots of visual cues.


so just wondering if you guys think this could be classified as an Operational Hypothesis
It is hypothesised that year 12 students studying psychology will obtain better results in the end of year exam than their mid year exams when there teacher  presents them with notes in the format of powerpoint and visuals during the 2nd semester  rather than with the notes she  displayed on a whiteboard during the 1st semester.

- Thanks Ionic Doc

[Bri MT]

@ionic doc

It's clear you understand the components which should be included and the if-when-then structure is a valid way of presenting a hypothesis.  I'd suggest that you operationalise "better results" and add some punctuation to make your sentence clearer since its so long

[Ionic Doc]

@ionic doc

It's clear you understand the components which should be included and the if-when-then structure is a valid way of presenting a hypothesis.  I'd suggest that you operationalise "better results" and add some punctuation to make your sentence clearer since its so long

@Bri MT thanks
if you wouldn't mind ( not urgent or anything) but could you please provide me with an example of what you mean . . .
thanks

[Bri MT]

@Bri MT thanks
if you wouldn't mind ( not urgent or anything) but could you please provide me with an example of what you mean . . .
thanks

Was it an example of operationalisation you wanted?

Eg.
"Participants will eat more chocolate"
->
"Participants will eat more squares of chocolate on average"

"Students will be less stressed"
->
"Students will report an average of lower stress on a likert scale"

Rather than "better", state the measurable change you're expecting to see

[Ionic Doc]

ok another one

A) Which type of learning requires the least amount of participation by the learner? Why?
    B) Which type of learning requires the most participation by the learner? Why?

Answer

The type of learning that requires the least amount of participation by the learner is classical conditioning. The reason for this is that during classical conditioning the learner unintentionally associates and conditions and unconditioned stimuli with a neutral stimulus to elicit an unconditioned response , this is involuntary and occurs after repeated association of two or more stimuli. Where as in operant conditioning the learner performs voluntary responses to receive a consequence (reinforcement) or avoid a consequence (punishment). Finally observational learning requires the most participation by the learner as they must actively pay attention, retain what they have observed, reproduce what they have retained and finally have some form of motivation to produce the behaviour in the first place, receiving reinforcement or observing someone receive reinforcement (vicarious reinforcement)  also aims to help motivate and reproduce  that behaviour  being observed or performed.


Marks - 3 marks for A  and 3 marks for B

Not really sure if I explained it in depth, also have no idea how the marks are broken down if someone could explain.
I also underlined observational learning as I'm skeptical that it's not  the right answer.

Thanks 

[NomotivationF]

ok another one

A) Which type of learning requires the least amount of participation by the learner? Why?
    B) Which type of learning requires the most participation by the learner? Why?

Answer

The type of learning that requires the least amount of participation by the learner is classical conditioning. The reason for this is that during classical conditioning the learner unintentionally associates and conditions and unconditioned stimuli with a neutral stimulus to elicit an unconditioned response , this is involuntary and occurs after repeated association of two or more stimuli. Where as in operant conditioning the learner performs voluntary responses to receive a consequence (reinforcement) or avoid a consequence (punishment). Finally observational learning requires the most participation by the learner as they must actively pay attention, retain what they have observed, reproduce what they have retained and finally have some form of motivation to produce the behaviour in the first place, receiving reinforcement or observing someone receive reinforcement (vicarious reinforcement)  also aims to help motivate and reproduce  that behaviour  being observed or performed.


Marks - 3 marks for A  and 3 marks for B

Not really sure if I explained it in depth, also have no idea how the marks are broken down if someone could explain.
I also underlined observational learning as I'm skeptical that it's not  the right answer.

Thanks 

Hey man , take this with a grain of salt since i'm obviously not an expert, but I have completed my sac on this topic already. Your answers seem to be correct but i'd include more information just to be safe. I'd also make sure to mention the atleast 4 out of the 5 stages of observational learning, Attention, retention, reproduction, motivation and reinforcement. I use the acronym ARRMR (say it as armour) to help me remember this. Here's how I would add/modify your answer;

A) Which type of learning requires the least amount of participation by the learner? Why?
The type of learning that requires the least amount of participation by the learner is classical conditioning. The reason for this is that during classical conditioning is a type of involuntary/unconscious learning. Before conditioning, the neutral stimulus would elicit no response, however the unconditioned stimulus would elicit the unconditioned response. During conditioning, the neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired immediately before the unconditioned stimulus in order to elicit the unconditioned response. After conditioning as occurred, the conditioned stimulus (previously the neutral stimulus) now elicits a conditioned response (previously the unconditioned response). This entire process of conditioning is involuntary and occurs without any input/choice from the learner. Where as in operant conditioning the learner performs voluntary responses to receive a consequence (reinforcement) or avoid a consequence (punishment) I don't think you need to include this as it's not asking for a comparison with other types of learning, it's only asking you to justify why you think CC is the type of learning that requires the least participation.

B) Which type of learning requires the most participation by the learner? Why?
Observational learning requires the most participation by the learner as they must follow the stages of observational learning; Attention (actively watch the model's behaviour and the consequences to the behaviour.) Retention - Create and store a mental representation of the model's behaviour. Reproduction - Have the mental and physical capability to reproduce the model's behaviour, and finally, Motivation - The learner must have a want/feel the desire to reproduce the behaviour. Receiving reinforcement for successfully performing the behaviour will also make the learner more likely to reproduce the behaviour in the future.
Underlined bit probably not needed

[NomotivationF]

Was it an example of operationalisation you wanted?

Eg.
"Participants will eat more chocolate"
->
"Participants will eat more squares of chocolate on average"

"Students will be less stressed"
->
"Students will report an average of lower stress on a likert scale"

Rather than "better", state the measurable change you're expecting to see

I'm don't think you're supposed to operationalise the DV or IV in the hypothesis (for VCE psychology).

Edit - NVM i'm wrong sorry. I looked through last year's exam and you can do either. In class we were taught to not operationalise in the hypothesis

[Ionic Doc]

Hey man , take this with a grain of salt since i'm obviously not an expert, but I have completed my sac on this topic already. Your answers seem to be correct but i'd include more information just to be safe. I'd also make sure to mention the atleast 4 out of the 5 stages of observational learning, Attention, retention, reproduction, motivation and reinforcement. I use the acronym ARRMR (say it as armour) to help me remember this. Here's how I would add/modify your answer;

A) Which type of learning requires the least amount of participation by the learner? Why?
The type of learning that requires the least amount of participation by the learner is classical conditioning. The reason for this is that during classical conditioning is a type of involuntary/unconscious learning. Before conditioning, the neutral stimulus would elicit no response, however the unconditioned stimulus would elicit the unconditioned response. During conditioning, the neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired immediately before the unconditioned stimulus in order to elicit the unconditioned response. After conditioning as occurred, the conditioned stimulus (previously the neutral stimulus) now elicits a conditioned response (previously the unconditioned response). This entire process of conditioning is involuntary and occurs without any input/choice from the learner. Where as in operant conditioning the learner performs voluntary responses to receive a consequence (reinforcement) or avoid a consequence (punishment) I don't think you need to include this as it's not asking for a comparison with other types of learning, it's only asking you to justify why you think CC is the type of learning that requires the least participation.

B) Which type of learning requires the most participation by the learner? Why?
Observational learning requires the most participation by the learner as they must follow the stages of observational learning; Attention (actively watch the model's behaviour and the consequences to the behaviour.) Retention - Create and store a mental representation of the model's behaviour. Reproduction - Have the mental and physical capability to reproduce the model's behaviour, and finally, Motivation - The learner must have a want/feel the desire to reproduce the behaviour. Receiving reinforcement for successfully performing the behaviour will also make the learner more likely to reproduce the behaviour in the future.
Underlined bit probably not needed

hey thanks for reviewing this . . . .

and cutting out all the nonsense info

appreciated 

[Bri MT]

I'm don't think you're supposed to operationalise the DV or IV in the hypothesis (for VCE psychology).

Edit - NVM i'm wrong sorry. I looked through last year's exam and you can do either. In class we were taught to not operationalise in the hypothesis

I only suggested operationalising because of the type of hypothesis it was - I don't recommend operationalising in general as it can be a time-waster

If your teachers preference is that you never operationalise stick with that as they're the one marking your work, and as you've seen they don't mind in the exam

[Ionic Doc]

yep it's me again 

Research studies have found that adolescents are more likely to begin smoking cigarettes, if their parents, siblings and friends smoke. Explain this finding in terms of the observational learning method.

1. Attention - The individual must pay close attention to parents/friends/siblings who smoke cigarettes
2. Retention -  The individual must store a mental representation of the behaviour they have observed in their memory from seeing friends and family smoke cigarettes.
3. Reproduction - The individual must have the physical and mental capabilities to reproduce the mental representation of what they have retained, in this scenario, the individual must be of legal age to smoke and have hands.
4. Motivation - The individual must have some form of motivation to learn this behaviour in the first place, whether this be intrinsic or extrinsic.
5. Reinforcement - After successfully reproducing the observed behaviour the individual is more likely to repeat the behaviour if he receives some form of reinforcement, whether this be a sense of accomplishment ( self -reinforcement ), receiving praise from friends ( external reinforcement) or vicarious reinforcement.


not 100% what vicarious  reinforcement actually is 
Is my wording correct or have I completely answered the question wrong?
Thanks 

[eeshazkhan]

Hey everyone

I just did my 3/4 Psych sac on learning and there was this one question on it that tripped me over a bit. The question described a classical conditioning prac that we did in a classroom (salivation to a ring tone) and it asked the best process that describes a students salivation AFTER school when their phone rang.

Would that be spontaneous recovery of the CR (salivation) because extinction had already taken place at the end of the classroom activity? Because when we did this prac in class, the teacher extinguished our CR's at the end of the activity. OR would it be stimulus generalisation because the students ring tone might have been a different one to the NS/CS in the conditioning activity?

[Bri MT]

@ionic doc. You could probably be more succinct but you've got the right general idea. I would say that you haven't explained the findings enough.  Eg for reproduction they could smoke (even illegally under 18) if they have access to cigarettes and a lighter - which they're more likely to have if family members smoke.

Vicarious reinforcement is when someone else being reinforced influences your behaviour.  Eg. If they see their siblings being positively reinforced by smoking they're more likely to smoke.

Welcome to atarnotes!

If there were no hints that the ring tones were different the answer would be spontaneous recovery.

If there were hints that the ringtones were different it would be stimulus generalisation.

[NomotivationF]

yep it's me again 

Research studies have found that adolescents are more likely to begin smoking cigarettes, if their parents, siblings and friends smoke. Explain this finding in terms of the observational learning method.

1. Attention - The individual must pay close attention to parents/friends/siblings who smoke cigarettes
2. Retention -  The individual must store a mental representation of the behaviour they have observed in their memory from seeing friends and family smoke cigarettes.
3. Reproduction - The individual must have the physical and mental capabilities to reproduce the mental representation of what they have retained, in this scenario, the individual must be of legal age to smoke and have hands.
4. Motivation - The individual must have some form of motivation to learn this behaviour in the first place, whether this be intrinsic or extrinsic.
5. Reinforcement - After successfully reproducing the observed behaviour the individual is more likely to repeat the behaviour if he receives some form of reinforcement, whether this be a sense of accomplishment ( self -reinforcement ), receiving praise from friends ( external reinforcement) or vicarious reinforcement.


not 100% what vicarious  reinforcement actually is 
Is my wording correct or have I completely answered the question wrong?
Thanks 

Hey Doc, just building on what Bri said I've underlined some ways I would improve your answer. Make sure to apply the question into your answer and avoid using what you are describing in your answer for the explanation of the description.

1. Attention - The individual must actively watch pay close attention their  parents/friends/siblings smoking cigarettes
2. Retention -  The individual must successfully store a mental representation of their parents/sibling/friends smoking cigarettesthe behaviour they have observed in their memory from seeing friends and family smoke cigarettes.
3. Reproduction - The individual must have the physical and mental capabilities to reproduce the mental representation of what they have retained, in this scenario, the individual must be of legal age to smoke (being of legal age isn't a mental of physical capability. A better example would be --->) the adolescent must have the motor skills to put the cigarette to his mouth and have hands.
4. Motivation - The individual must have the desire/want have some form of motivation to learn this behaviour (the motivation is to recreate the behaviour not learn it) smoke cigarettes in the first place, whether this be intrinsic or extrinsic.
5. Reinforcement - After successfully reproducing the observed behaviour smoking a cigarette, the individual adolescent is more likely to repeat the behaviour if he receives some form of reinforcement, whether this be a sense of accomplishment ( self -reinforcement ) an example of which may be receiving praise from friends ( external reinforcement) or observing his friends/parents/siblings feel a sense of relief after smoking a cigarette (vicarious reinforcement).

[cfalzon]

Hey guys!

Does anyone have a good example for explaining elaborative rehearsal?

I know that elaborative rehearsal involves linking new information in some meaningful way to information already stored in long-term memory, but I can't think of an example to use in questions that require it.

Is 'linking newly learnt names of people to names of people you already know' an alright example?

Thanks!
-Chloe

[Rom_Dog]

Hey guys!

Does anyone have a good example for explaining elaborative rehearsal?

I know that elaborative rehearsal involves linking new information in some meaningful way to information already stored in long-term memory, but I can't think of an example to use in questions that require it.

Is 'linking newly learnt names of people to names of people you already know' an alright example?

Thanks!
-Chloe

Hello! You're right in saying that through elaborative rehearsal newly-learnt information is linked to information already kept in long term memory. Your example works fine but as psychology is fairly subjective in nature, a range of well explained thought processes could get you full marks on a question regarding this topic. You could even link the names of new people to objects in your home by thinking of something that starts with the first letter of their name!

I hope this helps