WACE Psychology study guide
WACE Psychology · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
This page supports students preparing for the Psychology course within the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), a senior secondary qualification for students in Years 11 and 12 in Western Australia. The course is delivered under the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA), the statutory body responsible for curriculum, assessment and certification in the state. The WACE Psychology study guide has 6 sections and about 1,778 words.
01Biological Psychology: Nervous System, Brain and Behaviour
Biological psychology explains behaviour through physiology. You must know the neuron (dendrites receive, axon transmits, myelin speeds conduction, terminal buttons release neurotransmitters across the synapse) and the distinction between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters.
320 words, about 2 min02Cognitive Psychology: Memory, Attention and Thinking
Cognitive psychology studies internal mental processes inferred from behaviour. For memory, know the multi-store model (sensory register, short-term memory with limited capacity and duration, long-term memory with unlimited capacity), and the working memory model (central executive, phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad, episodic buffer).
297 words, about 1 min03Developmental Psychology: Change Across the Lifespan
Developmental psychology examines physical, cognitive and social change across the lifespan. Know Piaget's stages (sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, formal operational) with key achievements: object permanence, conservation, egocentrism, abstract reasoning.
272 words, about 1 min04Social Psychology: Influence, Groups and Attribution
Social psychology studies how others shape thoughts and behaviour. Know conformity research (Asch's line judgements; normative versus informational influence; factors: group size, unanimity, task difficulty).
273 words, about 1 min05Research Methods and Scientific Inquiry
You must understand the research process: formulating a hypothesis, operationalising variables, choosing a design, sampling, controlling extraneous variables, analysing data and drawing conclusions. Know experimental designs (independent groups, repeated measures, matched pairs) with strengths and weaknesses, and non-experimental methods (correlational, observational, case study, survey, quasi-experiment).
304 words, about 2 min06Individual Differences and Abnormal Psychology
This domain examines how and why people differ, and how abnormality is defined and treated. Know definitions of abnormality: statistical infrequency, deviation from social norms, failure to function adequately, and deviation from ideal mental health.
312 words, about 2 min