Skill Align WACE Psychology ATAR Year 12 - Free Online Pack 0
An independently authored WACE Psychology practice examination with detailed, criterion-level human marking guidance.
- Paper
- Question/Answer Booklet
- Reading
- 10 minutes
- Writing
- 3 hours
- Assessment
- 100 marks attempted (120 authored marks offered)
Standard examination items and up to three calculators that cannot create or store programs or text are permitted under SCSA conditions.
Section One - Short answer
Answer all 6 questions. Suggested working time: 120 minutes. Psychological knowledge and Science inquiry are integrated throughout.
Question 1
12 marksAt a coastal heritage centre, visitors hear a three-part audio direction while locating symbols on a large wall map. A soft chime signals the relevant map panel. One group receives the direction in a single uninterrupted message; another receives each part immediately before the matching map decision. Both groups see the same map for the same total time.
Question 2
12 marksTrainees at a native-plant nursery study twelve unfamiliar plant labels. One group decides whether each label is printed in capitals, a second decides whether it rhymes with a cue word, and a third decides whether the plant description belongs in a habitat category. The chart shows mean recognition scores one day later. Instructions, study time and label order are standardised, and trainees are randomly allocated.
Question 3
11 marksA rescue-training centre uses an alarm tone immediately before a harmless burst of compressed air in a simulator. After several pairings, the tone alone produces a startle response. For trainees whose startle disrupts performance, an instructor proposes a voluntary program that teaches relaxation and gradually presents recorded alarms from very low to normal volume without the air burst.
Question 4
11 marksA community garden lets volunteers select one of several equally necessary roles, gives private feedback showing growing competence and organises stable small teams. Some volunteers begin only to obtain service-hour credit, while others later say the garden's environmental purpose has become personally important. Wellbeing is assessed with life-satisfaction ratings, positive and negative affect ratings, and interviews about purpose and relationships.
Question 5
12 marksVolunteer coordinators complete a standardised storm-response simulation. Half receive a resource briefing that lists available personnel and decision steps; half receive neutral venue information. The chart shows mean heart rate at baseline, immediately after the simulation and 20 minutes later. Participants are randomly allocated and assessors use the same timing and instructions.
Question 6
12 marksA boarding-house study randomly allocates 60 consenting students to charge mobile phones in a secure common area from 9.30 pm or to keep their usual routine for three weeks. Researchers record self-reported sleep duration, a morning attention task and an anonymous mood scale. Common-area charging is logged, but usual-routine phone use is not independently verified.
Section Two - Extended answer, Part A
Answer the compulsory question. Suggested working time: 20 minutes.
Question 7
10 marksResponse - Question 7
10 marksWrite your compulsory Part A response in the space below.
Response - Question 7 (continued)
10 marksContinue your response in the space below.
Response - Question 7 (continued)
10 marksContinue your response in the space below.
Response - Question 7 (continued)
10 marksContinue your response in the space below.
Response - Question 7 (continued)
10 marksContinue your response in the space below.
Section Two - Extended answer, Part B
Answer either Question 8 or Question 9. Suggested working time: 40 minutes. Do not answer both questions.
Question 8
20 marksQuestion 9
20 marksResponse - Question 9
20 marksTick the question attempted, then write one Part B response only.
Response - Question 9 (continued)
20 marksContinue your response in the space below.
Response - Question 9 (continued)
20 marksContinue your response in the space below.
Response - Question 9 (continued)
20 marksContinue your response in the space below.
Response - Question 9 (continued)
20 marksContinue your response in the space below.
Response - Question 9 (continued)
20 marksContinue your response in the space below.
Response - Question 9 (continued)
20 marksContinue your response in the space below.
Response - Question 9 (continued)
20 marksContinue your response in the space below.
Worked Solutions And Marking Guide
General marking principles
- Award each criterion independently when the required evidence is present; do not require the indicative-response wording or sequence.
- Accept accurate equivalent psychological terminology and evidence-based reasoning.
- Do not infer causal, diagnostic, cultural or population-wide claims beyond the supplied evidence.
- Escalate ambiguous, contradictory, culturally sensitive, novel or low-confidence responses to the senior human marker.
Section One Question 1
(a) Reception and transduction of the sound and light are sensation; selecting, organising and interpreting the message and symbols are perception; encoding converts the perceived direction and map information into a form that can be stored in memory.
Each process has a different role between incoming energy and a stored representation.
(b) The phonological loop temporarily maintains the spoken direction, the visuospatial sketchpad maintains map locations, the central executive directs attention and coordinates the tasks, and the episodic buffer binds the spoken and spatial information into one episode.
All four prescribed components must be applied rather than listed.
(c) Presenting one part near its matching decision reduces simultaneous verbal load and the interval over which details must be maintained, leaving more capacity for coordination with the map.
The prediction must follow from working-memory demand, not from an unsupported claim about intelligence.
(d) The controlled centre task may not generalise to busy outdoor trails. Recording the number of correct map decisions or decision latency would provide a defined behavioural measure.
A limitation and an operationalised outcome are separate decisions.
Mark allocation
- Award each criterion independently when its evidence is present; do not require the model-answer wording or sequence.
- Accept accurate equivalent psychological terminology and logically equivalent use of supplied evidence.
- Do not double-penalise a consequential error when later reasoning is internally consistent, unless a later criterion independently tests the same fact.
- Escalate ambiguous, contradictory, culturally sensitive, novel or low-confidence responses to the senior human marker rather than inferring unsupported meaning.
Detailed marking criteria
Part a (1 mark)
Identifies sensation as reception or transduction of the auditory or visual energy.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part a (1 mark)
Identifies perception as organising and interpreting the message or map symbols.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part a (1 mark)
Explains encoding as converting perceived direction or map information into a form that can be stored in memory.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
Applies the phonological loop to temporary maintenance of the spoken direction.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
Applies the visuospatial sketchpad to temporary maintenance of map locations or symbols.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
Applies the central executive to directing attention or coordinating the concurrent demands.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
Applies the episodic buffer to integrating the auditory and spatial information.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part c (1 mark)
Predicts fewer errors, or an equivalent performance advantage, for the staged-message group.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part c (1 mark)
Explains that staging reduces the amount of verbal information maintained at one time or its maintenance interval.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part c (1 mark)
Links reduced verbal demand to greater capacity for coordinating the direction with the map.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part d (1 mark)
States a defensible external-validity or task-artificiality limit.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part d (1 mark)
Proposes a measurable outcome such as correct locations, errors or decision latency.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Section One Question 2
(a) Capital-letter decisions use shallow structural processing, rhyme decisions use shallow phonemic processing, and habitat-category decisions use deep semantic processing.
Classification follows what feature of each label is processed.
(b) Mean recognition increases from capital letters to rhyme to habitat meaning. The data support better recognition after deeper semantic processing in this task, not a claim that every learner or all material will show the same result.
The response needs a comparative pattern, a conclusion and a boundary.
(c) Both use orienting decisions that vary processing depth and assess later memory. Craik and Tulving's designated study contributed evidence that semantic processing produces stronger retention than shallower structural or phonemic processing.
The study connection must identify the manipulation, memory outcome and contribution.
(d) Random allocation reduces systematic participant differences between groups, and standardised time, instructions and order reduce procedural alternatives. A small occupational sample or artificial labels can still limit generalisability.
Each design decision must be linked to the inference it strengthens.
Mark allocation
- Award each criterion independently when its evidence is present; do not require the model-answer wording or sequence.
- Accept accurate equivalent psychological terminology and logically equivalent use of supplied evidence.
- Do not double-penalise a consequential error when later reasoning is internally consistent, unless a later criterion independently tests the same fact.
- Escalate ambiguous, contradictory, culturally sensitive, novel or low-confidence responses to the senior human marker rather than inferring unsupported meaning.
Detailed marking criteria
Part a (1 mark)
Classifies the capital-letter decision as shallow structural processing.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part a (1 mark)
Classifies the rhyme decision as shallow phonemic processing.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part a (1 mark)
Classifies the habitat-category decision as deep semantic processing.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
Describes the ordered increase from structural to phonemic to semantic processing.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
States that the semantic or habitat-meaning group has the highest mean recognition.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
Limits the conclusion to the sample, labels or study conditions rather than universalising it.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part c (1 mark)
Identifies orienting or encoding decisions of different processing depth as the shared method feature.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part c (1 mark)
Identifies later recognition or retention as the relevant outcome.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part c (1 mark)
States the study's contribution as evidence for stronger memory after deep semantic processing.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part d (1 mark)
Explains that random allocation reduces systematic participant differences or supports group equivalence.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part d (1 mark)
Explains that standardisation reduces procedural differences or strengthens internal validity.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part d (1 mark)
Identifies a remaining sample, task or generalisability limitation.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Section One Question 3
(a) The air burst automatically evokes startle, making it the UCS and that reflex the UCR. The initially neutral alarm becomes the CS through pairing and then elicits the learned startle CR.
The response must preserve the before-learning and after-learning roles.
(b) The trainee learns a relaxation response and encounters a graded alarm hierarchy while relaxed. Repeated safe exposure can weaken the conditioned startle and establish a response incompatible with high arousal.
The program needs relaxation, gradual exposure and a learning mechanism.
(c) Presenting the alarm without the air burst can produce extinction, but the startle may briefly return after time as spontaneous recovery. Participation must be voluntary with withdrawal and protection from excessive distress.
Learning principles and participant welfare must both be addressed.
Mark allocation
- Award each criterion independently when its evidence is present; do not require the model-answer wording or sequence.
- Accept accurate equivalent psychological terminology and logically equivalent use of supplied evidence.
- Do not double-penalise a consequential error when later reasoning is internally consistent, unless a later criterion independently tests the same fact.
- Escalate ambiguous, contradictory, culturally sensitive, novel or low-confidence responses to the senior human marker rather than inferring unsupported meaning.
Detailed marking criteria
Part a (1 mark)
Identifies the alarm tone before pairing as the neutral stimulus.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part a (1 mark)
Identifies the compressed-air burst as the unconditioned stimulus.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part a (1 mark)
Identifies startle to the air burst as the unconditioned response.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part a (1 mark)
Identifies the alarm tone after pairing as the conditioned stimulus.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part a (1 mark)
Identifies startle to the alarm tone as the conditioned response.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
Identifies relaxation training as the competing response.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
Explains gradual exposure through a hierarchy from low to normal alarm volume.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
Explains weakening of the conditioned response or learning a response incompatible with high arousal.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part c (1 mark)
Explains extinction as decline of the conditioned startle when the alarm occurs without the air burst.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part c (1 mark)
Explains spontaneous recovery as reappearance of the extinguished response after a delay.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part c (1 mark)
Applies voluntary participation, withdrawal or protection from psychological harm to the program.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Section One Question 4
(a) Meaningful role choice supports autonomy, mastery feedback supports competence, and stable teams support relatedness.
Each need must be applied to a different program feature.
(b) Service-hour credit is an externally controlled reason for volunteering. When a volunteer personally values the environmental purpose, participation can reflect identified regulation even if gardening is not inherently enjoyable.
The two regulatory styles differ in where the reason for action is located.
(c) Life satisfaction and the balance of positive and negative affect measure Diener's subjective wellbeing. Interview evidence about purpose and positive relations maps to Ryff's psychological wellbeing factors.
The response must distinguish subjective wellbeing components from psychological wellbeing factors.
(d) Volunteers self-select and may differ at baseline, and concurrent life events or expectations can affect reported wellbeing without being caused by the garden.
Two distinct alternative explanations are required.
Mark allocation
- Award each criterion independently when its evidence is present; do not require the model-answer wording or sequence.
- Accept accurate equivalent psychological terminology and logically equivalent use of supplied evidence.
- Do not double-penalise a consequential error when later reasoning is internally consistent, unless a later criterion independently tests the same fact.
- Escalate ambiguous, contradictory, culturally sensitive, novel or low-confidence responses to the senior human marker rather than inferring unsupported meaning.
Detailed marking criteria
Part a (1 mark)
Links meaningful role choice to autonomy.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part a (1 mark)
Links mastery feedback to competence.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part a (1 mark)
Links stable small teams to relatedness.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
Classifies action for service-hour credit as external regulation.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
Explains identified regulation as personally valuing the purpose of the activity.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
Distinguishes identified regulation from intrinsic enjoyment.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part c (1 mark)
Maps life satisfaction to the cognitive component of Diener's subjective wellbeing.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part c (1 mark)
Maps positive and negative affect to Diener's affective balance.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part c (1 mark)
Maps purpose or positive relations interview evidence to a relevant Ryff factor.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part d (1 mark)
Explains a self-selection or baseline-difference limitation.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part d (1 mark)
Explains a history, expectancy, measurement or other alternative explanation.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Section One Question 5
(a) The immediate post-simulation heart-rate rise is consistent with alarm and counter-shock mobilisation. Because the next measure was taken after the simulation ended, it shows recovery rather than continued exposure to the stressor and therefore does not establish resistance. The brief station also cannot demonstrate exhaustion because it provides no evidence of prolonged stress or depleted coping resources.
The measurement timing supports alarm but not the later GAS stages.
(b) Primary appraisal judges whether the simulation is threatening. The briefing may alter secondary appraisal by adding available personnel, support and decision-planning resources; using those resources to change the demand is problem-focused coping.
Both appraisals and a coping pathway are required.
(c) Both groups rise immediately, but the resource group has a smaller peak and returns closer to baseline after 20 minutes. Under these conditions, the briefing reduced the measured cardiovascular response on average.
The conclusion should address both time and condition without claiming all stress was removed.
(d) Heart rate is objective and sensitive to arousal, but it is not specific to psychological stress and can vary with fitness, caffeine or movement. A validated stress rating or semi-structured interview would add subjective appraisal evidence.
Evaluation requires a strength, a construct limitation and a distinct source of evidence.
Mark allocation
- Award each criterion independently when its evidence is present; do not require the model-answer wording or sequence.
- Accept accurate equivalent psychological terminology and logically equivalent use of supplied evidence.
- Do not double-penalise a consequential error when later reasoning is internally consistent, unless a later criterion independently tests the same fact.
- Escalate ambiguous, contradictory, culturally sensitive, novel or low-confidence responses to the senior human marker rather than inferring unsupported meaning.
Detailed marking criteria
Part a (1 mark)
Applies alarm or counter-shock mobilisation to the immediate heart-rate rise.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part a (1 mark)
Explains that a recovery measure taken after the simulation does not establish resistance during continued stress.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part a (1 mark)
Explains that the brief station does not establish exhaustion through prolonged stress or depleted resources.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
Explains primary appraisal as evaluating significance, challenge or threat.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
Explains secondary appraisal as evaluating available coping resources.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
Links the resource briefing to increased perceived resources or problem-focused coping.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part c (1 mark)
States that both conditions show an immediate heart-rate increase.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part c (1 mark)
States that the resource group has a smaller peak or greater recovery by 20 minutes.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part c (1 mark)
States a condition-limited conclusion about the measured cardiovascular response.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part d (1 mark)
Identifies objectivity or direct physiological recording as a strength.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part d (1 mark)
Explains non-specificity or a plausible influence unrelated to psychological stress.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part d (1 mark)
Proposes a valid subjective or qualitative measure and explains its complementary value.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Section One Question 6
(a) REM has rapid eye movements, very low skeletal muscle tension and faster mixed-frequency EEG activity; deep NREM has no rapid eye movements, greater muscle tone and high-amplitude slow-wave EEG activity.
Three accurate contrasts are required.
(b) Acute sleep loss can reduce attention and slow reflex speed or worsen mood. Persistent sleep deprivation is associated with longer-term risks such as anxiety, obesity, insomnia or heart disease, without permitting diagnosis from this study.
The response must distinguish short-term function from longer-term association.
(c) Both examine restricting bedtime mobile-phone use and outcomes involving sleep and daytime functioning. Differences in population, duration, compliance evidence or measures mean this is not automatically a direct replication.
The designated-study connection must remain at syllabus depth.
(d) Unverified usual-routine phone use can weaken internal validity. Standardised attention-task instructions and test-retest checks can support reliability. Informed consent, privacy of phone data and withdrawal without housing consequences protect participants.
The response must separate evidence quality from participant protection.
Mark allocation
- Award each criterion independently when its evidence is present; do not require the model-answer wording or sequence.
- Accept accurate equivalent psychological terminology and logically equivalent use of supplied evidence.
- Do not double-penalise a consequential error when later reasoning is internally consistent, unless a later criterion independently tests the same fact.
- Escalate ambiguous, contradictory, culturally sensitive, novel or low-confidence responses to the senior human marker rather than inferring unsupported meaning.
Detailed marking criteria
Part a (1 mark)
Accurately contrasts eye movement in REM and deep NREM sleep.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part a (1 mark)
Accurately contrasts skeletal muscle tension in REM and deep NREM sleep.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part a (1 mark)
Accurately contrasts characteristic EEG brainwave patterns in REM and deep NREM sleep.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
Explains one prescribed acute effect such as reduced attention, mood change, slower reflexes or impaired vision.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
Explains a second distinct prescribed acute effect.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part b (1 mark)
Identifies a prescribed chronic consequence and avoids diagnosing an individual.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part c (1 mark)
Identifies bedtime mobile-phone restriction as the shared study focus.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part c (1 mark)
Identifies sleep, arousal, mood or working memory as a relevant designated-study outcome.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part c (1 mark)
Explains a sample, duration, compliance or measurement limit on direct comparison.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part d (1 mark)
Explains how unverified usual-routine use creates uncertainty about the comparison or internal validity.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part d (1 mark)
Identifies a standardisation or test-retest procedure relevant to reliability.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Part d (1 mark)
Applies informed consent, privacy, withdrawal or protection from harm to the boarding-house context.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award a response that only repeats the stimulus or contradicts the required psychological decision.
Section Two Question 7
Indicative answer: A strong response limits the result to a between-class difference, identifies self-selection, teacher, baseline and measurement alternatives, and proposes comparable groups with random allocation where practicable, standardised materials and delayed recognition. It operationalises the worksheet and outcome, includes suitable sampling, evaluates validity and reliability, and applies voluntary consent, withdrawal, confidentiality, protection and debriefing.
Mark allocation
- Award each criterion independently when its evidence is present; do not require the model-answer wording or sequence.
- Accept accurate equivalent psychological terminology and logically equivalent use of supplied evidence.
- Do not double-penalise a consequential error when later reasoning is internally consistent, unless a later criterion independently tests the same fact.
- Escalate ambiguous, contradictory, culturally sensitive, novel or low-confidence responses to the senior human marker rather than inferring unsupported meaning.
- The criterion tally determines the final mark. Holistic bands are descriptive guidance only and do not override the criterion total.
Detailed marking criteria
Integrated response (1 mark)
States an evidence-limited conclusion rather than accepting that the worksheet caused the difference.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award unsupported causal or population-wide claims that exceed the proposed evidence.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Explains a volunteer-sample or class-selection limit on generalisability.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award unsupported causal or population-wide claims that exceed the proposed evidence.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Explains the different teachers or another class difference as a confounding variable.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award unsupported causal or population-wide claims that exceed the proposed evidence.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Operationalises the meaning-link worksheet condition and a comparison condition.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award unsupported causal or population-wide claims that exceed the proposed evidence.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Operationalises delayed recognition using a defined score and delay.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award unsupported causal or population-wide claims that exceed the proposed evidence.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Proposes random allocation or a justified procedure that improves group equivalence.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award unsupported causal or population-wide claims that exceed the proposed evidence.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Proposes standardised words, timing, instructions and scoring.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award unsupported causal or population-wide claims that exceed the proposed evidence.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Evaluates internal validity, reliability or external validity using the proposed evidence.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award unsupported causal or population-wide claims that exceed the proposed evidence.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Applies voluntary informed consent, withdrawal and confidentiality in the school context.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award unsupported causal or population-wide claims that exceed the proposed evidence.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Reaches a coherent conclusion whose certainty is proportionate to the proposed design.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Do not credit by itself: Do not award unsupported causal or population-wide claims that exceed the proposed evidence.
Holistic marking bands
| Marks | Descriptor |
|---|---|
| 9-10 | Comprehensive, precise and coherent evaluation with a strongly justified design and appropriately qualified conclusion. |
| 7-8 | Clear, well-applied evaluation integrating design, measurement, validity and ethical reasoning. |
| 5-6 | Generally accurate evaluation with a workable design and relevant safeguards, though justification lacks depth. |
| 3-4 | Some relevant limitations or design ideas, but links to validity and ethics are incomplete. |
| 0-2 | Minimal relevant knowledge; the claim is repeated or accepted with little research evaluation. |
Section Two Question 8
Indicative answer: A strong response manages auditory and spatial working-memory demands, uses meaning-based encoding and elaborative rehearsal, and applies attention, retention, reproduction and motivation to credible modelling. Craik and Tulving (1975) is evaluated for what it contributes and where its evidence stops. The proposed evaluation compares delayed route and radio performance, adds an unfamiliar transfer task, and justifies sampling, allocation, standardisation, ethics and a qualified recommendation.
Mark allocation
- Award each criterion independently when its evidence is present; do not require the model-answer wording or sequence.
- Accept accurate equivalent psychological terminology and logically equivalent use of supplied evidence.
- Do not double-penalise a consequential error when later reasoning is internally consistent, unless a later criterion independently tests the same fact.
- Escalate ambiguous, contradictory, culturally sensitive, novel or low-confidence responses to the senior human marker rather than inferring unsupported meaning.
- The criterion tally determines the final mark. Holistic bands are descriptive guidance only and do not override the criterion total.
- Mark Question 8 or Question 9 as one independent 20-mark response. Do not combine evidence across the two alternatives.
Detailed marking criteria
Integrated response (1 mark)
Accurately explains the working-memory model.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Applies the working-memory model to a specific feature of the ranger-induction program.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Accurately explains levels of processing and elaborative rehearsal.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Applies levels of processing and elaborative rehearsal to a different feature of the ranger-induction program.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Accurately explains observational learning.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Applies observational learning to a relevant implementation decision or predicted outcome.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Accurately describes a relevant feature or contribution of Craik and Tulving (1975).
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Uses the cited evidence to justify or qualify one proposal decision.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Explains one limitation of the cited evidence or its transfer to the proposed context.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Integrates at least two psychological mechanisms into one coherent explanation.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
States a precise evaluation aim or testable hypothesis.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Operationalises the proposal exposure or comparison condition.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Operationalises delayed route-rule and radio-procedure performance as the primary outcome.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Uses transfer to an unfamiliar field scenario as a distinct complementary source of evidence.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Proposes a prescribed experimental or non-experimental design matched to the claim.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Uses suitable sampling and, for an experiment, random allocation.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Uses standardisation, blinding or a placebo condition where it addresses a plausible alternative explanation.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Evaluates validity, reliability or generalisability using the proposed evidence.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Applies informed consent, withdrawal, privacy, protection from harm and a safety stop rule for unfamiliar field simulations as relevant.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Reaches a coherent conclusion whose certainty is proportionate to the proposed evidence.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Holistic marking bands
| Marks | Descriptor |
|---|---|
| 17-20 | Comprehensive and critical response with precise source acknowledgement, sophisticated application and a strongly justified ethical evaluation design. |
| 13-16 | Detailed, coherent and well-supported response integrating theory, designated research, application and Science inquiry. |
| 9-12 | Sound coverage of the selected option with generally correct application and a defensible evaluation approach. |
| 5-8 | Some accurate knowledge and a partial program or evaluation design, with limited integration. |
| 0-4 | Fragmented response with minimal accurate theory, study or inquiry evidence. |
Section Two Question 9
Indicative answer: A strong response applies autonomy, competence and relatedness to role design, distinguishes primary and secondary appraisal with suitable coping, and explains how protected rest and device management could support functioning. It uses He et al. (2020) at the prescribed depth, then proposes a suitable comparison design with valid wellbeing, sleep and performance measures, standardisation, allocation where experimental, ethical safeguards and a qualified recommendation.
Mark allocation
- Award each criterion independently when its evidence is present; do not require the model-answer wording or sequence.
- Accept accurate equivalent psychological terminology and logically equivalent use of supplied evidence.
- Do not double-penalise a consequential error when later reasoning is internally consistent, unless a later criterion independently tests the same fact.
- Escalate ambiguous, contradictory, culturally sensitive, novel or low-confidence responses to the senior human marker rather than inferring unsupported meaning.
- The criterion tally determines the final mark. Holistic bands are descriptive guidance only and do not override the criterion total.
- Mark Question 8 or Question 9 as one independent 20-mark response. Do not combine evidence across the two alternatives.
Detailed marking criteria
Integrated response (1 mark)
Accurately explains self-determination theory.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Applies self-determination theory to a specific feature of the festival-volunteer program.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Accurately explains transactional stress and coping.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Applies transactional stress and coping to a different feature of the festival-volunteer program.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Accurately explains sleep hygiene and sleep-deprivation evidence.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Applies sleep hygiene and sleep-deprivation evidence to a relevant implementation decision or predicted outcome.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Accurately describes a relevant feature or contribution of He et al. (2020).
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Uses the cited evidence to justify or qualify one proposal decision.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Explains one limitation of the cited evidence or its transfer to the proposed context.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Integrates at least two psychological mechanisms into one coherent explanation.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
States a precise evaluation aim or testable hypothesis.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Operationalises the proposal exposure or comparison condition.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Operationalises a defined subjective or psychological wellbeing measure as the primary outcome.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Uses sleep duration and safe task-performance evidence as a distinct complementary source of evidence.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Proposes a prescribed experimental or non-experimental design matched to the claim.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Uses suitable sampling and, for an experiment, random allocation.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Uses standardisation, blinding or a placebo condition where it addresses a plausible alternative explanation.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Evaluates validity, reliability or generalisability using the proposed evidence.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Applies informed consent, withdrawal, privacy, protection from harm and fatigue-related shift modification and referral as relevant.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Integrated response (1 mark)
Reaches a coherent conclusion whose certainty is proportionate to the proposed evidence.
Acceptable alternatives: Credit accurate equivalent terminology, evidence or reasoning that demonstrates the same psychological decision.
Holistic marking bands
| Marks | Descriptor |
|---|---|
| 17-20 | Comprehensive and critical response with precise source acknowledgement, sophisticated application and a strongly justified ethical evaluation design. |
| 13-16 | Detailed, coherent and well-supported response integrating theory, designated research, application and Science inquiry. |
| 9-12 | Sound coverage of the selected option with generally correct application and a defensible evaluation approach. |
| 5-8 | Some accurate knowledge and a partial program or evaluation design, with limited integration. |
| 0-4 | Fragmented response with minimal accurate theory, study or inquiry evidence. |
Diagnostic Checklist
| Topic | Questions | Marks | Marks Lost | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 3 - Memory and learning | Q1, Q2, Q3 | 35 | ___ | Review prescribed memory models, brain structures, forgetting, conditioning, observational learning, designated studies and linked Science inquiry. |
| Unit 4 - Psychology of motivation, wellbeing and health | Q4, Q5, Q6 | 35 | ___ | Review motivation and wellbeing models, stress, sleep, He et al. (2020) and linked Science inquiry. |
| Extended response and integrated Science inquiry | Q7-Q9 | 30 | ___ | Practise the compulsory Q7 scaffold and one complete Part B response from Q8 or Q9. |