2016 Lisachem

VCE PSYCHOLOGY 2016
YEAR 12 TRIAL EXAM

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Units 3/4
Reading time: 15 minutes
Writing time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Section Number of questions Number of questions Number of marks
to be answered
A 65 65 65
B 22 22 60
C 4 4 15
Total 140
An Answer Sheet is provided for Section A.

Answer all questions in Section B in the space provided.
Answer all questions in Section C in the space provided.
Learning Materials by Lisachem
PO Box 2018, Hampton East, Victoria, 3188
Ph: (03) 9598 4564 Fax: (03) 8677 1725
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
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 Biology  Physics  Chemistry  Psychology

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VCE Psychology 2016 Year 12 Trial Exam Units 3/4

Student Answer Sheet
There are 65 Multiple Choice questions to be answered by circling the correct letter in the
table below. Use only a 2B pencil. If you make a mistake, erase it and enter the correct
answer. Marks will not be deducted for incorrect answers.
Question 1 A B C D Question 2 A B C D
Learning Materials by Lisachem VCE Psychology 2016 Year 12 Trial Exam Units 3/4
Question 65 A B C D
Learning Materials by Lisachem VCE Psychology 2016 Year 12 Trial Exam Units 3/4
SECTION A – Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1
Michael has severe epilepsy. To treat his condition, surgeons have recommended that he
undergoes a commisurotomy. This procedure involves the severing of the
A. cerebral cortex.
B. cerebellum.
C. corpus callosum.
D. medulla.
Question 2
Which of the following statements is true regarding the cerebral cortex?
A. The cerebral cortex is a thick bundle of nerve fibres connecting the two hemispheres
of the brain.
B. The cerebral cortex protects the brain from injury.
C. The cerebral cortex allows the transfer of information between the two hemispheres.
D. The cerebral cortex enables a person to perceive touch, temperature and pressure.
Question 3
Alicia is watching television. After a while, she stops paying attention to the show she is
watching and instead thinks about school, in particular, the school work she must do and the
preparation required for her end of year exams. Which of the following best describes Alicia’s
state of consciousness?
A. Alicia is experiencing NWC while paying attention to the television show, however an
ASC while thinking about school.
B. Alicia is experiencing NWC while watching television and also when thinking about
school.
C. Alicia is experiencing an ASC while paying attention to the television show, however
NWC while thinking about school.
D. Alicia is experiencing NWC while paying attention to the television show, however
she is experiencing a daydream while thinking about school.
Question 4
The Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) is a physiological response that can be used to determine
whether someone is experiencing an altered state of consciousness. However, recordings can
sometimes be misleading. This is because
A. people can sweat for a number of reasons not associated with an altered state of
consciousness.
B. an increased amount of sweat on the palm of the hand will only show low levels of
arousal.
C. GSR recordings are only accurate for adults and not children or adolescents.
D. the amount of sweat produced on the palm of the hand is largely determined by the
size of the individual’s hand and not necessarily the state of consciousness they are in.
Learning Materials by Lisachem VCE Psychology 2016 Year 12 Trial Exam Units 3/4 1
Questions 5-8 refer to the following information.
Alex has had difficulty sleeping for the past few months. He decides to visit a sleep laboratory
to determine the quality, quantity and type of sleep he is experiencing. During his visit, sleep
specialists connect him to a device known as an EMG.
Question 5
Where on Alex’s body would the sleep specialists place the electrodes for the EMG?
A. On his scalp.
B. Behind his ears.
C. Under his chin.
D. One electrode would be placed on his forehead, while the other two would be placed
beside each eye.
Question 6
What would the EMG detect?
A. Muscle tension.
B. Eye movement.
C. Brain activity.
D. A combination of eye movement and muscle tension.
Question 7
How could the sleep specialists use the EMG recording to determine the stage of sleep Alex
was experiencing?
A. Low electrical activity would indicate beta-like brainwaves and therefore the sleep
specialist would infer that Alex is experiencing REM sleep.
B. High electrical activity would indicate rapid eye movement and therefore the sleep
specialist would infer that Alex is experiencing REM sleep.
C. Little to no electrical activity would indicate little to no muscle tension and therefore
the sleep specialist would infer that Alex is experiencing REM sleep.
D. High electrical activity would indicate little to no muscle tension and therefore the
sleep specialist would infer that Alex is experiencing NREM sleep.
Question 8
When Alex leaves the sleep centre, the sleep specialists suggest that he completes a self-report
over the course of the next week. Which of the following statements is correct regarding
self-reports?
A. Self-reports generate objective data.
B. Self-reports can generate both qualitative and quantitative data.
C. Self-reports are incredibly accurate because participants usually tell the truth.
D. Self-reports are accurate in determining physiological measures such as brainwave
patterns, muscle tension and movement of the eyes.
2 Learning Materials by Lisachem VCE Psychology 2016 Year 12 Trial Exam Units 3/4
Questions 9 and 10 refer to the following information.
Lexi has just turned 18 and recently got her license. Unfortunately for Lexi, she is also
addicted to Facebook and checks it during most waking moments. One week after getting her
license, Lexi is involved in a serious car accident because she was checking Facebook while
driving. As a result of the accident, Lexi sustained brain damage causing her speech to be
slow and deliberate.
Question 9
The most likely reason that Lexi was unable to speak on her phone and drive at the same time
is because
A. driving for Lexi is an automatic processes and therefore requires high levels of
attention.
B. driving for Lexi is a controlled processes and therefore requires little attention.
C. using Facebook is a controlled processes and therefore requires little attention.
D. driving for Lexi is a controlled processes and therefore requires selective attention.
Question 10
The area of her brain most likely to be damaged is the left _________________ lobe resulting
in ________________ aphasia.
A. temporal; Wernicke’s
B. frontal; Wernicke’s
C. frontal; Broca’s
D. temporal; Broca’s
Question 11
Joel is a split brain patient who is blindfolded. A screwdriver is placed into his left hand. Joel
is asked to name the object in his left hand. Which of the following statements is correct
regarding Joel’s possible response?
A. Joel will be able to verbally say the word “screwdriver”.
B. Joel will be unable to say the word screwdriver, however will be able to identify it
with his right hand amongst a group of objects.
C. Joel will be unable to say the word screwdriver, however will be able to identify it
with his left hand amongst a group of objects.
D. Joel will be able to verbally say the word “screwdriver” and identify it with his left
hand amongst a group of objects.
Claire usually sleeps for 8 hours each night. The night before her Psychology exam, Claire
decides to stay up all night and study. As a result, she experiences no sleep and is suffering
from sleep deprivation.
Question 12
Which of the following physiological effects of sleep deprivation is likely to impact on
Claire’s ability to perform well in her exam?
A. Claire will be irritable during the exam and therefore more likely to give up on
questions easily.
B. Claire’s hands may shake during the exam and therefore she is unable to write at her
normal speed and legibility.
C. Claire will lose motivation during the exam and not attempt questions that she usually
would.
D. Claire will be unable to concentrate on the questions and is therefore more likely to
misread them.
Question 13
Claire goes to bed early that night following her Psychology examination. Which of the
following statements is correct regarding Claire’s sleep patterns?
A. Claire is likely to experience less REM sleep than usual.
B. Claire is likely to make up for the amount of sleep that she lost by sleeping a total of
16 hours.
C. Claire is likely to find it difficult to fall asleep as she is constantly thinking about the
psychology exam she did that day.
D. Claire is likely to sleep for longer than usual, however, will not need to make up for
the entire amount of sleep that was lost.
Question 14
Rachel decides to get a tattoo. She is very nervous beforehand and decides to consume 3
alcoholic drinks to relax herself and make her feel less anxious. The consumption of the
alcoholic drinks places Rachel into an altered state of consciousness. When getting the tattoo
done, Rachel is likely to experience
A. more pain due to an increased pain threshold.
B. less pain due to an increased pain threshold.
C. more pain due to a decreased pain threshold.
D. less pain due to a decreased pain threshold.
Question 15
Daydreaming is considered to be an altered state of consciousness because
A. content is more limited.
B. controlled processes are more easily performed.
C. automatic processes are more easily performed.
D. changes in emotional awareness may occur.
Question 16
Mr Johnson, a lecturer at a Melbourne University, conducted an experiment on some first year
Psychology students. At the conclusion of the experiment, he published the results on the door
of his office for his students to see. The results included the names of the students and the
result that each student obtained. Which ethical principal did Mr Johnson breach?
A. Voluntary participation.
B. Withdrawal rights.
C. Confidentiality.
D. Beneficence.

Ayla is celebrating her 10th birthday and decides to have a party. She invites 3 friends (Sally,
Emma and Claire) for a sleep over. Just before bed, the four girls sit down to watch a movie.
Half way through the movie, Ayla is still wide awake, Sally is feeling very relaxed and is
nearly asleep, Emma has just fallen asleep, and Claire has been asleep for approximately 40
minutes.
Question 17
Which of the girls is most likely experiencing a mixture of theta and alpha brainwaves?
A. Ayla.
B. Sally.
C. Emma.
D. Claire.
Question 18
The brainwave patterns being experienced by Claire are likely to be
A. beta-like.
B. sleep spindle and K complexes.
C. theta and Beta-like.
D. high amplitude and low frequency.
Question 19
As a person ages, a few changes occur in relation to the type of sleep they experience and the
timing of when certain hormones are released. Which of the following is not one of these
changes?
A. There is a delayed release of melatonin in adults compared with adolescents.
B. As a percentage of total sleep, adults spend less time in REM sleep and more time in
NREM sleep.
C. Adolescents sleep less than new born babies.
D. There is a delayed release of cortisol in adolescents compared to adults.
Question 20
Jamal is at a night club with friends and begins chatting to a woman. The woman tells Jamal
her mobile phone number. Jamal has no way of writing it down and therefore constantly
repeats the number over and over in his head until one of his friends is able to give him a pen.
This constant repetition is an example of
A. elaborative rehearsal.
B. chunking.
C. a mnemonic device.
D. maintenance rehearsal.
Question 21
Chloe is sitting in her Year Twelve Psychology class. She is listening intently to what her
teacher is saying so that she can commit the information to memory. Chloe is aware that she
has a Psychology test next Thursday and will need to spend a lot of time studying in
preparation for this. Which of the following statements is incorrect regarding the process of
memory in terms of this scenario?
A. When Chloe transforms information that her Psychology teacher is saying into a form
that can then be held in her memory, this is called “encoding”.
B. When Chloe is sitting her Psychology test and obtains the information from memory
to answer questions, she is using “retrieval”.
C. When Chloe holds the information in memory from the time her teacher says it until it
is needed, this is called “storage”.
D. When Chloe writes on the test paper the answers to the questions, she is using
“procedural processing”.
Question 22
Which of the following statements is true regarding iconic and echoic memory?
A. Iconic memory refers to our visual sensory memory and has an unlimited capacity
whereas echoic memory refers to our auditory sensory memory and also has an
unlimited capacity.
B. Iconic memory refers to our auditory sensory memory and has an unlimited capacity
whereas echoic memory refers to our visual sensory memory and also has an unlimited
capacity.
C. Iconic memory refers to our auditory sensory memory and has a limited capacity
whereas echoic memory refers to our visual sensory memory and also has a limited
capacity.
D. Iconic memory refers to our visual sensory memory and has a limited capacity
whereas echoic memory refers to our auditory sensory memory and has an unlimited
capacity.
Question 23
Courtney is trying to remember Tia’s mobile phone number which is 4 0 5 3 9 8 1 7 4 6. To
do so, she decides to use chunking. Which of the following statements is incorrect regarding
chunking in reference to this scenario?
A. Chunking is the breaking down of large pieces of information into smaller units or
chunks. In this scenario, Courtney would break down Tia’s 10-digit mobile phone
number into 3 separate numbers of 4053 981 746.
B. Courtney would combine smaller items together into larger units or chunks. In this
scenario, Tia’s mobile phone number consists of 10 individual numbers. These
numbers would be combined to create only 3 numbers being 4053 981 746.
C. Chunking works best when the units or chunks are meaningful. In this scenario,
Courtney would benefit by creating chunks that were meaningful to her. For example,
4053 is her highest score on Tetris, 981 is her house number and 746 are the last three
digits of her home phone number.
D. Chunking increases the capacity of short term memory, but not the duration.
Therefore, in this scenario, Tia should be able to commit more information to short
term memory in addition to Tia’s mobile phone number if chunking was used.
Question 24
Kysha has just started at a new school. She is introduced to many new people on her first day
and therefore tries her best to remember as many names as possible. To do this, Kysha
decides to use elaborative rehearsal. This would involve
A. Kysha writing down the names of all the people she met and later that night, reading
over this list many times.
B. Kysha sub-vocally repeating these names over and over in her head.
C. Kysha linking characteristics of each new person and their name to something already
stored in her long term memory.
D. Kysha meeting each person on numerous occasions to strengthen her synaptic
connections and therefore, also her memory.
Question 25
Natalie has been asked to recall all 18 AFL teams. In doing so, she is given the option of
either using free recall, serial recall or cued recall. For Natalie to correctly recall the most
amount of AFL teams, which method should she choose?
A. Free Recall.
B. Serial Recall.
C. Cued Recall.
D. This would depend on how well she knows the names of the AFL teams.
Question 26
Michael is at home when the phone rings. The call is from his mother who wants Michael to
go to the shops to buy a number of grocery items. Michael does not have a pen handy and
when he puts down the phone he quickly searches the house for a pen to write down the items
his mother wanted him to buy. The process of finding a pen takes approximately one minute.
When he finishes writing the list, he realises that some items are missing. Michael is most
likely to have forgotten which items?
A. Items at the beginning of the list.
B. Items at the end of the list.
C. Items at the beginning and middle of the list.
D. There will be an equal spread of items located at the beginning, middle and end of the
list.
Question 27
Which of the following statements is true regarding the Atkinson and Shiffrin multi-store
model of memory?
A. Information can only enter short term memory from sensory memory.
B. Information can only enter short term memory from long term memory.
C. Information that is elaborately rehearsed will most likely enter long term memory.
D. Information that is forgotten in long term memory will enter short term memory.
Jackson is catching a bus to a local football game. When he boards the bus, he has a brief
conversation with the driver and then decides to take a seat in the back row. As he walks to
the back of the bus, he notices that there are also exit doors approximately half way along the
bus.
Question 28
According to Baddeley and Hitch’s model of working memory, which of the following
statements is true?
A. Jackson used his phonological loop during his brief conversation with the bus driver,
he used his visuospatial sketchpad when he decided to take a seat in the back row and
his episodic buffer when remembering that there are two exit doors to the bus.
B. Jackson used his phonological loop during his brief conversation with the bus driver,
he used his central executive when he decided to take a seat in the back row and his
visuospatial sketchpad when remembering that there are two exit doors to the bus.
C. Jackson used his central executive during his brief conversation with the bus driver, he
used his episodic buffer when he decided to take a seat in the back row and his
phonological loop when remembering that there are two exit doors to the bus.
D. Jackson used his episodic buffer during his brief conversation with the bus driver, he
used his central executive when he decided to take a seat in the back row and his
phonological loop when remembering that there are two exit doors to the bus.
Question 29
Jackson thoroughly enjoyed the football match. Three weeks later, Jackson was able to
remember his day at the local football game because a/n _________________________ was
formed.
A. procedural memory
B. declarative memory
C. semantic memory
D. episodic memory
Question 30
Marcus was given a dog for his 10th birthday. He was very excited about receiving the dog as
it is something that he has always wanted. When forming the memory of this experience, a
number of different areas of the brain were involved. The memory of the fact that he received
a dog would have been formed by his ___________________________ whereas the memory
of the emotion he experienced when he received the dog would have been formed by his
_____________________.
A. hippocampus; amygdala
B. amygdala; hippocampus
C. hypothalamus; amygdala
D. cerebellum; basal ganglia
Question 31
Jane has recently commenced University after completing Year 12 last year. Each time she is
asked to write down her University ID number, she accidentally confuses it with her Year 12
VCAA number. In terms of interference theory, Jane is experiencing
A. retrograde interference.
B. proactive interference.
C. retroactive interference.
D. retrieval failure interference.

It is the night before his Psychology examination and Sebastian has spent 3 hours studying. It
is now 10:30pm.
Question 32
Sebastian should
A. read a book to relax.
B. study Business Management as this examination is scheduled a few days after
Psychology.
C. go straight to sleep.
D. continue studying all night as the more study he does, the better he will perform.
Question 33
When sitting his exam, Sebastian is required to state two functions of Broca’s area. He is
aware that his teacher has been over this many times before and he is sure that he knows this
information but is unable to access it during the exam. Sebastian is experiencing
A. decay.
B. interference.
C. motivated forgetting.
D. tip of the tongue phenomenon.
Question 34
At the conclusion of the examination, Sebastian is still unable to remember two functions of
Broca’s area. He leaves the exam frustrated and meets his teacher in their Psychology
classroom where all of their classes have been conducted this year. As soon as Sebastian
enters the room, he suddenly remembers the functions of Broca’s area. Which of the
following is true relating to this scenario?
A. The classroom is a state dependent cue.
B. The classroom is a context dependent cue.
C. The teacher is a state dependent cue.
D. The teacher is a context dependent cue.
Question 35
When Madeleine was a child, she witnessed a bank robbery. She found this to be a traumatic
experience. In the years that followed, every time someone asked her about the robbery she
refused to answer and would quickly change the subject of conversation. Whenever news
items relating to robberies were on the television, Madeleine was quick to change the channel.
Madeleine is now 38 years old and has difficulty trying to recall the details of the robbery.
This is due to
A. repression.
B. decay.
C. retrieval failure.
D. suppression.
Question 36
The correct order from least to most sensitive in terms of retention is
A. recall, recognition, relearning.
B. relearning, recognition, recall.
C. recall, relearning, recognition.
D. recognition, relearning, recall.

Joseph is trying to learn the following 5 words – hotel, swimming, hot, sand and wave. He
decides to think of a short story in an attempt to remember these words.
Question 37
In this scenario, Joseph is using
A. an acronym.
B. an acrostic.
C. narrative chaining.
D. a mnemonic device.
Question 38
In this scenario, the story acts as a
A. context dependent cue.
B. retrieval cue.
C. state dependent cue.
D. state and context dependent cue.
Question 39
When Marcus fell off his bike, he hit his head and was rushed to hospital. When he was lying
in the hospital bed, the doctor entered the room and introduced himself as Dr Rady. Later that
evening, Dr Rady entered the room once again and Marcus could not remember the doctor’s
name or the fact that the two of them had met earlier. This suggests that Marcus may be
suffering from
A. proactive interference.
B. retroactive interference.
C. anterograde amnesia.
D. retrograde amnesia.
Question 40
Research into studies on learning suggest that the _________________ plays a role in
declarative learning, whereas the amygdala plays a role in ________________ learning.
A. hippocampus; emotional
B. hypothalamus; emotional
C. cerebellum; procedural
D. hippocampus; procedural
Question 41
A number of changes take place at the synapse when learning something new. Which of the
following is not one of these changes?
A. Dendrites become “bushier”.
B. The postsynaptic neuron releases an increased amount of glutamate.
C. Existing synapses are moulded.
D. New synapses are formed.
Question 42
Which of the following statements is correct regarding adaptive and/or developmental
plasticity?
A. Both adaptive and/or developmental plasticity occur throughout life.
B. Developmental plasticity consists of five stages. These are proliferation, migration,
circuit formation, circuit pruning and myelination.
C. Developmental plasticity is more evident in the elderly than in the young.
D. Only developmental plasticity enables rerouting and reorganisation to occur.
Question 43
Katrina has recently given birth to Ayla and is now a mother for the first time. She notices
that each time she blows air into Ayla’s eyes, Ayla blinks. The behaviour demonstrated by
Ayla is an example of
A. a fixed action pattern.
B. maturation.
C. learning.
D. a reflex action.
Question 44
Which of the following examples are not dependent on learning?
A. A spider spinning a web.
B. Birds flying south for the winter.
C. Puberty.
D. All of the above are correct.
Questions 45 – 48 refer to the following information.
Carol was looking after her next door neighbour’s dog when they went on holidays for
6 weeks. So that she could take the dog for a walk, her neighbours also left Carol the dog’s
lead which she hung on the back of the laundry door. Carol noticed that after a few days,
every time she walked past the laundry door, the dog became very excited as he knew this
meant they were going for a walk.
Question 45
In this scenario, the neutral stimulus is ________________ while the unconditioned stimulus
is _______________________.
A. the laundry door; going for a walk
B. getting excited; the dog lead
C. the dog; the laundry door
D. going for a walk; getting excited
Question 46
In this scenario, the conditioned stimulus is ________________ while the conditioned
response is _______________________.
A. Carol; going for a walk
B. getting excited; the laundry door
C. the dog; the laundry door
D. the laundry door; getting excited
Question 47
After 6 weeks, the neighbours return from their trip and the dog returns home. The neighbour
realises that every time she walks past the laundry door the dog gets excited. This is an
example of
A. stimulus discrimination.
B. a fixed action pattern.
C. stimulus generalisation.
D. learning.
Question 48
A few days pass and the dog finally realises that when their owner passes the laundry door,
this no longer means that a walk will follow. This process is known as
______________________ whereby the __________________ no longer elicits the
__________________.
A. extinction; unconditioned stimulus; conditioned response
B. extinction; conditioned stimulus; conditioned response
C. spontaneous recovery; conditioned stimulus; unconditioned response
D. spontaneous recovery; unconditioned stimulus; conditioned response
Question 49
Aversion therapy would not work in which of the following situations?
A. To prevent a person from biting their nails.
B. To treat a person who had a phobia for spiders.
C. To treat a person who was an alcoholic.
D. To prevent a person from gambling at the casino.
Question 50
Matthew has forgotten the passcode to access his mobile phone. He tries a variety of numbers
including the year he was born, his birthdate, and the first four digits of his mobile number
until finally he figures out that it is his house number. Matthew has worked out his
passcode by
A. luck.
B. graduated exposure.
C. persistence.
D. trial and error.

Jordan is at home on a cold and wet winter’s day. She decides to light the fire and as a result
starts to feel warm.
Question 51
According to the DBC model of operant conditioning,
A. lighting the fire is the discriminative stimulus.
B. being cold is the behaviour.
C. starting to feel warm is the consequence.
D. all of the above are correct.
Question 52
In future, Jordan is
A. less likely to light the fire on a cold day.
B. more likely to feel warm after a fire is lit.
C. more/less likely to move to a warmer climate.
D. more likely to light the fire on a cold day.
Peter works at K-Mart and is paid $15 per hour for every hour that he works. Josephine works
at a strawberry farm and is paid $10 for every bucket of strawberries that she picks. They are
both trying to earn as much money as possible to save up for their first car.
Question 53
According to schedules of reinforcement, which of the following is correct?
A. Peter is paid using continuous reinforcement whereas Josephine is being paid using
partial reinforcement.
B. Peter is paid using a fixed ratio schedule whereas Josephine is being paid using a fixed
interval schedule.
C. Peter is paid using a fixed interval schedule whereas Josephine is being paid using a
variable ratio schedule.
D. Peter is paid using a fixed interval schedule whereas Josephine is being paid using a
fixed ratio schedule.
Question 54
Who is likely to work at a faster pace?
A. Peter.
B. Josephine.
C. They are both likely to work at the same pace.
D. It is too difficult to determine this as it depends upon how much they enjoy their job.
Question 55
When Peter was first employed at K-Mart, he underwent a training program so that he could
learn to use the registers. This was demonstrated to him by an experienced employee. When
the demonstration was happening, Peter watched very closely and remembered the steps
involved in how to conduct a transaction with a customer. In terms of observational learning,
Peter has played an active role in learning and has met which two key processes?
A. Attention and motivation.
B. Retention and reproduction.
C. Motivation and reinforcement.
D. Attention and retention.
Question 56
Mary watches the news each morning and is surprised at the number of news items relating to
people suffering from mental health issues. She decides to research the prevalence of mental
illness in Australia and finds that
A. <10% of people in Australia will experience a mental illness at some stage in their
lives.
B. 10-20% of people in Australia will experience a mental illness at some stage in their
lives.
C. 30-40% of people in Australia will experience a mental illness at some stage in their
lives.
D. 40-50% of people in Australia will experience a mental illness at some stage in their
lives.
Stephanie broke up with her boyfriend a number of months ago. Since this time, she has
rarely left the house and instead prefers to communicate with her friends via social media. She
lives alone and feels uncomfortable going to the shops. Everything she buys is delivered to
her door. She has spoken to her boss about her mental state and he has agreed that Stephanie
can now work from home rather than at the office.
Question 57
Which approach to normality best describes Stephanie’s situation?
A. Medical.
B. Situational.
C. Functional.
D. Statistical.
Question 58
Eventually Stephanie seeks assistance from a psychologist who is happy to meet Stephanie in
her home. The psychologist asks questions about the break up with her boyfriend, her
relationships with her colleagues at work and the friends that she has on social media.
According to the biopsychosocial model, the psychologist is focusing on which aspect?
A. Psychological.
B. Biological.
C. Social.
D. Situational.
Question 59
Which of the following statements is true regarding the ICD and DSM?
A. ICD stands for “International Classification of Disorders” whereas the DSM stands for
the “Diagnostic and Situational Manual of Medical Disorders”.
B. Both the ICD and DSM use the dimensional approach.
C. The DSM is mainly categorical while the ICD is mainly dimensional.
D. Both the ICD and DSM use the categorical approach.
Question 60
The biopsychosocial model uses a/an _____________________ approach in the assessment
and management of mental and physical health.
A. medical
B. holistic
C. global
D. dimensional
Aaron was planning to study for his Mathematics test. Although maths is very important to
him, he has not started revising until the night before the test. He sits down at his desk in his
bedroom and as he is about to begin revising, the dog next door starts barking very loudly.
Despite his best efforts, Aaron is unable to concentrate and the barking continues into the
early hours of the morning. The following day, Aaron arrives at his maths class feeling very
stressed as he has been unable to study.
Question 61
Aaron’s primary appraisal of this situation would be
A. challenge.
B. threat.
C. harm/loss.
D. neutral.
Question 62
When Aaron returns home later that day, he is feeling very upset and regretful that he hadn’t
commenced studying in the days leading up to his examination. He decides to implement both
problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies. Which of the following are correct
examples of problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies respectively?
A. Seeking help from his teacher; dropping mathematics.
B. Changing subjects to an easier mathematics class; getting a maths tutor.
C. Creating a study timetable to better manage his time; physical exercise.
D. Denial; seeking assistance from his older brother who is an excellent mathematician.
Question 63
In the weeks leading up to Aaron’s next Mathematics test, he decides to study every night, see
his teacher for extra assistance and complete all exercises that have been set for homework.
He is looking forward to his next test as he his sure he will perform well. Aaron now
appraises the next test as
A. challenge.
B. threat.
C. harm/loss.
D. neutral.
Question 64
Biofeedback can be used to provide feedback to people relating to a number of physiological
measurements. On which of the following physiological measurements does biofeedback
generally not provide information?
A. Respiration.
B. Heart rate.
C. Skin temperature.
D. Muscle strength.
Question 65
Allostasis can be best defined as
A. maintaining our automatic bodily functions at a state of equilibrium by the
parasympathetic nervous system.
B. maintaining stability through change.
C. the inability to cope with stressful situations over a long period of time.
D. a number of stressful events that occur over time which a person can deal with under
normal circumstances.
End of Section A
SECTION B – Short Answer Questions
Question 1
Explain the location of Broca’s area in terms of its proximity to the primary motor cortex. In
your answer, explain the organisation of the primary motor cortex and the role Broca’s area
plays in speech. 4 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 2
Lizzy has been involved in a serious car accident and has sustained brain damage to the
posterior region of her right parietal lobe. Name and explain the condition that Lizzy is likely
suffering from. In your answer, provide an example of how this condition would affect her
everyday life. 3 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 3
Paul is asleep. While asleep, his content limitations and perception of time are different to
when he is awake. Explain how these two characteristics differ during normal waking
consciousness and sleep. 2 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 4
A person with an intact brain is asked to stare at a black dot located in the centre of a screen.
An image is projected to either the left or right visual field. As soon as the image is seen, the
person must respond by pressing a button with their right hand. Will the person respond
quicker when the image is projected to the left or right visual field? Provide an explanation
for your answer. 3 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 5
Explain the difference between sensory memory and short term memory in terms of capacity
and duration. 2 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 6
Joseph suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. As a result, he has increased levels of both amyloid
plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Explain how both amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary
tangles contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. 2 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 7
With reference to Craik and Lockhart’s “Levels of processing theory”, name and explain the
difference between the three types of processing. 3 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 8
Sarah is 43 years old and has decided to move with her 7-year old son Jacob to Paris. Neither
Sarah nor Jacob can speak French. In terms of adaptive and developmental plasticity, explain
whether Sarah or Jacob will find learning the new language easier. 3 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 9
With the use of examples, explain the difference between state dependent and context
dependent cues. 4 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 10
Explain the decay theory of forgetting. In your answer, describe the main limitation of this
theory. 2 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 11
Sonia has completed many practise examinations in preparation for her end of year
Psychology exam. On each exam, Sonia notices that she performs better in the multiple
choice section rather than the short answer section. Explain why. 2 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 12
Johnson is walking to a friend’s house. He knows that he needs to travel down 5 streets in the
order they appear. The names of these streets are Moreton, Oscar, Underwood, Smith and
Evergreen. He knows that he can use either an acrostic or an acronym to help remember these
street names. Explain the difference between an acrostic and an acronym and provide an
example as to how Johnson can use each of these to remember the 5 streets in order. 4 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 13
There are three different types of recall. List all three, with an explanation of each. 3 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 14
Explain one difference and one similarity between rerouting and reorganisation. 2 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 15
Define the term “learning”. 1 mark
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 16
Explain with the use of Pavlov’s experiment, the difference between extinction and
spontaneous recovery. 4 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 17
With the use of an example for each, explain the difference between punishment and response
cost. 4 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 18
Classical and operant conditioning both involve an acquisition phase. Explain, with the use of
an example, how a behaviour can be acquired in both classical and operant conditioning.
Correct terminology must be used. 4 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 19
Quintin has recently been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Since his diagnosis, he has noticed
that colleagues at his work treat him differently. In relation to Quintin, explain the difference
between labelling and stigma. 2 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 20
Winning the lotto is generally considered to be a pleasant experience and one which many
people throughout the world would like to experience at some stage in their lives. However,
some people become rather stressed after winning the lotto and later wish that it had not
happened to them. In terms of eustress and distress, explain how this is possible. 2 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 21
Janine has just finished dinner and is sitting on the couch watching a scary movie. She likes to
watch scary movies in darkness so she switches off the lights. Half way through the movie,
there is loud banging at her front door. This startles Janine and quickly her fight-flight
response is activated. When she opens the front door, she is met by her neighbour who has
come to borrow some eggs. Explain the role of both the parasympathetic and sympathetic
nervous systems in terms of their effect on digestion when Janine was relaxed and startled. 2 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 22
What is the difference between allostatic load and allostatic overload? 2 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
End of Section B
SECTION C – Extended Response Questions

Professor Finlay is a lecturer at Winston University. She would like to investigate the effect
smoking has on people’s perception of taste. She decides to use all 60 of her first year
Psychology students in her investigation. All students are non-smokers as they had not
smoked any cigarettes in the past 12 months. Thirty of the students who had their tutorial
class on a Monday were placed into Group A and the other thirty students who had their
tutorial class on a Tuesday were placed in group B. There was an even distribution of male
and female students in both groups.
All participants wanted to participate in the study as Professor Finlay promised to give each
student extra credit for the subject. Informed consent procedures were fully met.
Sixty large water jugs (1 per participant) containing 5 litres of water were placed in the
quadrangle at the university. Each student was required to dip a cup into the jug and take a
small sip of water. One teaspoon of sugar was then dissolved into the water and students were
asked to take another sip. All 30 students in Group A and 28 students in Group B were able to
taste the difference and detect that sugar had been added.
Students in Group B were then given one cigarette and instructed to smoke. Once the
cigarettes had been smoked, students in Groups A and B were asked once again to take a sip
of water and determine whether or not they could taste the sugar. The results of this second
condition are as follows:
% of students who could detect sugar in 5 litres of

water
Group A 100%
Group B 70%
Question 1
Was random allocation used? Explain. 2 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 2
Write an aim for this investigation. 1 mark
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 3
Name the experimental design used in Professor Finlay’s investigation and state the main
limitation of using this design. 2 marks
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Question 4
Write a partial research report from Professor Finlay’s investigation. In your report, include
the following: 10 marks
 Hypothesis.
 Operationalisation of both the Independent and Dependent variables.
 Identification of an alternative design and explain how this design would be better than
the design used by Professor Finlay.
 An explanation as to whether the ethical principle of voluntary participation was adhered
to and what steps Professor Finlay must have undertaken to ensure informed consent was
followed.
 An explanation of one extraneous variable and how this could be overcome in future.
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
End of Section C
End of Trial Exam
Suggested Answers
SECTION A – Multiple Choice Answers

1. C 2. D 3. B 4. A 5. C 6. A 7. C 8. B 9. D 10. C 11. C
12. B 13. D 14. B 15. D 16. C 17. C 18. D 19. A 20. D 21. D 22. A
23. A 24. C 25. C 26. B 27. C 28. B 29. D 30. A 31. B 32. C 33. D
34. B 35. D 36. A 37. C 38. B 39. C 40. A 41. B 42. B 43. D 44. D
45. A 46. D 47. C 48. B 49. B 50. D 51. C 52. D 53. D 54. B 55. D
56. B 57. C 58. C 59. D 60. B 61. B 62. C 63. A 64. D 65. B
SECTION B – Short Answer (Answers)
Question 1
Broca’s area is located in the left frontal lobe (1 mark) in close proximity to the primary
motor cortex. The primary motor cortex is organised in such a way that body parts which are
located lower on the body are represented higher on the primary motor cortex and vice versa
(1 mark). Therefore, the mouth which is high on the body is located low on the primary
motor cortex near Broca’s area (1 mark). Broca’s area works with the primary motor cortex
in moving the muscles of the mouth, lips and tongue in the production of articulate speech
(1 mark).
Question 2
Lizzy is likely to be suffering from spatial neglect (or neglect syndrome) (1 mark). This is an
attentional disorder whereby the sufferer fails to pay attention to the left side of their world
(1 mark). Lizzy may only eat food on the right hand side of her plate (1 mark for a similar
example).
Question 3
When asleep, Paul will have fewer content limitations meaning that he has less control over
the thoughts that enter his mind compared to when he is in normal waking consciousness
(1 mark). When asleep, Paul will experience a distorted perception of time. Therefore, when
he wakes from his sleep he will not be able to accurately determine how much time has
passed compared to when he is in normal waking consciousness (1 mark).
Question 4
The person will respond quicker when the image is projected to the right visual field
(1 mark). This is because the image will be processed in the left hemisphere (primary motor
cortex) which is responsible for movement of the right hand (1 mark). When the image is
projected to the left visual field it is processed in the right hemisphere and will need to cross
over the corpus callosum to the left hemisphere to move the right hand which takes more time
(1 mark).
Learning Materials Suggested Answers VCE Psychology 2016 Year 12 Trial Exam Units 3/4 1
Question 5
Sensory memory has an unlimited capacity whereas short term memory has a capacity of 7+2
bits of information (1 mark). Sensory memory has a duration of 3-4 seconds (echoic) whereas
short term memory has a duration of 30 seconds (1 mark).
Question 6
Amyloid plaques are proteins that form along the axon terminals which interfere with
communication between neurons (1 mark). Neurofibrillary tangles are a build-up of protein
within the neuron which leads to the death of brain cells (1 mark).
Question 7
According to Craik and Lockhart, information can be processed in three different ways.
i. Structurally, whereby information is processed in terms of how it looks (1 mark).
ii. Phonemically, whereby information is processed in terms of how it sounds (1 mark).
iii. Semantically, whereby information is processed in terms of its meaning (1 mark).
Question 8
Jacob will find it easier to learn French than Sarah (1 mark). Jacob is experiencing both
adaptive and developmental plasticity (1 mark) whereas Sarah is experiencing only adaptive
plasticity (1 mark).
Question 9
State dependent cues occur when the person’s internal environment
(physiological/psychological state) when learning the information is the same as when they
are trying to retrieve the information. The internal environment acts as a retrieval cue
(1 mark). For example, Teresa is happy during every one of her psychology classes this year.
She is more likely to retrieve the information during an exam if she is also happy (1 mark for
a similar example).
Context dependent cues occur when the person’s external environment (the context) when
learning the information is the same as when they are trying to retrieve the information. The
external environment acts as a retrieval cue (1 mark). For example, Teresa’s psychology class
has been conducted in the same classroom all year. Therefore, she is more likely to be able to
recall information relating to psychology when inside this classroom (1 mark for a similar
example).
Question 10
The decay theory states that memory traces are likely to fade due to disuse over time
(1 mark). The main limitation of this theory is that it does not explain why older memories
can sometimes be recalled more easily than more recent memories (1 mark).
Question 11
The multiple choice section uses recognition whereas the short answer section uses recall
(1 mark). Recognition is a more sensitive measure of retention than recall which enables
Sonia to score better on the multiple choice section (1 mark).
2 Learning Materials Suggested Answers VCE Psychology 2016 Year 12 Trial Exam Units 3/4
Question 12
An acrostic is when the first letter of each word needed to be remembered is used to create
another word which forms a phrase, rhyme or poem (1 mark). For example, Johnson could
use the first letter of each street name to create the following acrostic – “Many occupants use
solar energy” (1 mark for a similar example).
An acronym is when the first letter of each word is used in order to create a new
pronounceable word (1 mark). For example, Johnson could create the acronym – MOUSE
(1 mark).
Question 13
Free Recall – This type of recall requires the person to retrieve information in any order
without any retrieval cues – for example, remembering the 18 AFL teams in any order and
without cues (1 mark).
Serial recall – This type of recall requires the person to retrieve information in the order in
which it is presented – for example, the 18 AFL teams in ladder order (1 mark).
Cued Recall - This type of recall requires the person to retrieve information with the use of
retrieval cues – for example, the first letter of each word is given when trying to remember the
18 AFL teams (1 mark).
Question 14
Similarity. Either of the following for (1 mark).
 Both occur as a result of adaptive plasticity
 Both can occur as a result of brain injury
Difference.
 Rerouting occurs when the neural transmission “detours” around the damaged area of the
brain whereas reorganisation occurs when a different part of the brain takes over the
function of the damaged area (1 mark).
Question 15
Learning is a relatively permanent change in behaviour due to experience (1 mark).
Question 16
Extinction occurs when the conditioned stimulus no longer elicits the conditioned response
(1 mark). For example, in Pavlov’s experiment, extinction occurred when the bell
(conditioned stimulus) no longer caused the dog to salivate (conditioned response) (1 mark),
whereas spontaneous recovery occurs when, after a period of extinction, the conditioned
stimulus once again elicits the conditioned response (1 mark). In Pavlov’s experiment, the
dog salivated to the sound of the bell after extinction had occurred (1 mark).
Question 17
Punishment occurs when a behaviour is followed by a negative consequence. Usually, the
negative consequence is “given” to the person who has performed an undesirable behaviour
(1 mark). For example, a smack is “given” to a child who has been misbehaving (1 mark for
a similar example).
Response cost is a form of punishment whereby something positive is “taken away” from a
person who has performed an undesirable behaviour (1 mark). For example, a child has his
mobile phone taken away for not completing his homework (1 mark for a similar example).
Question 18
Classical Conditioning – During the acquisition phase, there is a repeated association between
the Neutral Stimulus (NS) and the Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) (1 mark). For example, in
Pavlov’s experiment, the acquisition phase occurred when there was continual pairing of the
bell (NS) and the meat power (UCS) (1 mark).
Operant Conditioning – During the acquisition phase, desirable behaviour (B) is reinforced
with a pleasant consequence (C) (1 mark). For example, a student completes their homework
(B) and is reinforced with praise (C) (1 mark).
Please note, Operant Conditioning can also be used to decrease the likelihood of an
undesirable behaviour occurring again. In this case, students may explain that the acquisition
phase involves a student not completing their homework (B) and therefore they are punished
with a detention (C).
Question 19
When a person is diagnosed as having a mental illness this “labels” them as having this
condition. In this case, Quintin has been labelled as having schizophrenia (1 mark). As a
result of being labelled, people may develop a stigma and therefore treat the person
differently. In this case, Quintin’s colleagues are treating him differently as he has
schizophrenia (1 mark).
Question 20
Stress is considered to be subjective, meaning that a given situation (stressor) can have
different consequences for different people (1 mark). Therefore, when some people win the
lotto they experience eustress and have a positive psychological response whereas others
experience distress and have a negative psychological response (1 mark).
Question 21
When Janine was originally relaxed (and when she realised it was only her neighbour
knocking on the front door), the parasympathetic nervous system would have dominated and
therefore digestion would have been stimulated and she would be digesting her dinner
(1 mark). When there was banging at the door, Janine’s sympathetic nervous system would
have been activated and her digestion would have been inhibited or slowed (1 mark).
Question 22
Allostatic load refers to the summative effect of stressful events that occur to a person over a
period of time (1 mark). When the demands of these stressors exceed a person’s resources
and ability to cope then a person is said to have entered allostatic overload (1 mark).
SECTION C – Extended Response Answers
Question 1
Random allocation was not used (1 mark). This is because not all members of the sample had
an equal chance of being chosen for either the control or experimental group. Instead, these
groups were determined by the day of the week when their tutorial class was conducted
(1 mark).
Question 2
To determine the effect of smoking on the perception of taste (1 mark).
Question 3
Professor Finlay used an Independent Groups Design (1 mark). The main limitation of using
this design is that it does not eliminate participant related variables (1 mark).
Question 4
Hypothesis – It is predicted that people who smoke will have a reduced perception of taste
compared to those people who do not smoke (2 marks).
Independent variable – smoking; operationalised as one cigarette (1 mark).
Dependent variable – taste perception; operationalised as the ability to detect 1 teaspoon of
sugar in 5 litres of water (1 mark).
Either of the following for (2 marks) each:
 A matched participant design could have been used by Professor Finlay. Students would
have been matched based on characteristics relevant to the study, for example, taste
perception. This would eliminate many of the participant related variables caused by the
independent groups design.
 A repeated measures design could be used where all participants were required to
experience both the control condition and the experimental condition. Therefore, all
participants would be required to smoke a cigarette. This would eliminate all participant
related variables. Please note, counterbalancing should also be used with this study design
to eliminate the order effect.
The ethical principle of voluntary participation was not adhered to. Students felt
compelled to participate in the investigation as they would receive extra credit from
Professor Finlay (1 mark). To ensure that informed consent was adhered to, Professor
Finlay would need to give all participants (and their parents if under the age of 18) all
information relating to the investigation including the nature, purpose and possible harm
that may be caused. Students would need to sign the consent form and so too would
parents of students under the age of 18 (1 mark).
Answer continued overleaf.
Questions 4 (Continued)
There are a number of extraneous variables that are evident in this investigation.
Students could choose any of the following (and others that are similar) with an
explanation as to how it can be improved in future for (2 marks).
Random allocation did not occur. In future, students’ names should be placed in a hat
and picked “at random” to be in either the control or experimental condition.
Differences in taste buds were not taken into account. In future, either a matched
participant or repeated measures design should be used.
Smoking can affect people’s taste buds differently. In future, either a matched
participant or repeated measures design should be used.
Food that students ate for breakfast can also have an effect on taste buds. In future, all
students should consume the same breakfast (or none at all) prior to the investigation.
End of Suggested Answers

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VCE PSYCHOLOGY 2016

YEAR 12 TRIAL EXAM

An Answer Sheet is provided for Section A.

 Biology  Physics  Chemistry  Psychology

VCE Psychology 2016 Year 12 Trial Exam Units 3/4

SECTION A – Multiple Choice Questions

Questions 17 and 18 refer to the following information.

Questions 32-34 refer to the following information.

Questions 37 and 38 refer to the following information.

Questions 51 and 52 refer to the following information.

SECTION B – Short Answer Questions

SECTION C – Extended Response Questions

% of students who could detect sugar in 5 litres of

End of Trial Exam

VCE Psychology 2016 Year 12 Trial Exam Units 3/4

SECTION A – Multiple Choice Answers

SECTION B – Short Answer (Answers)

Answer continued overleaf.

End of Suggested Answers

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