WACE Psychology study plan

Map the structure and function of the central and peripheral nervous systems, including the somatic and autonomic branches, and label a blank diagram from memory

Explain how neurons transmit signals across synapses, naming the roles of neurotransmitters, reuptake, and receptor sites

Identify the major endocrine glands and describe how hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol influence behaviour

Distinguish independent, dependent, and controlled variables and write one operational definition for each in a self-generated experiment

Compare the biological and research-methods domains to list which content areas need the most revision time

Describe the role of specific brain regions (frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital lobes, cerebellum, amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus) in behaviour and link each to a real-world consequence of damage

Outline split-brain and lesion evidence and evaluate what such studies can and cannot show

Explain the fight-or-flight response as an interaction between the nervous and endocrine systems

Design a simple correlational study on a biological topic and justify why causation cannot be inferred

Evaluate one strength and one limitation of biological explanations of behaviour using precise terminology

Trace the flow of information through sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory, and state the capacity and duration of each store

Explain encoding, storage, and retrieval, and apply each concept to a personal memory failure

Summarise the working memory model and contrast it with the multi-store model

Describe at least three research designs (experiment, quasi-experiment, case study) and match each to a cognitive research question

Identify demand characteristics, order effects, and confounding variables in a described study and propose a control for each

Explain forgetting through interference, decay, and retrieval failure, and distinguish proactive from retroactive interference with examples

Describe the reliability and validity concerns of eyewitness testimony, including leading questions and post-event information

Outline one cognitive bias or heuristic and explain its adaptive and maladaptive effects

Apply ethical principles (informed consent, deception, debriefing, confidentiality, protection from harm) to a cognitive experiment you design

Calculate and interpret a mean, median, mode, and range from a small data set

Outline physical, cognitive, and social changes across the lifespan from infancy to late adulthood

Compare Piaget's stages of cognitive development and evaluate one criticism of his methods

Explain attachment theory and distinguish secure, insecure-avoidant, and insecure-resistant patterns

Describe the nature-nurture interaction in one developmental outcome and avoid treating it as a simple dichotomy

Define conformity, obedience, and social loafing, and identify the conditions that strengthen or weaken each

Explain social identity, ingroup favouritism, and stereotyping, and describe how prejudice can be reduced

Outline the role of situational and dispositional factors in bystander behaviour

Distinguish abnormal behaviour criteria (statistical infrequency, violation of norms, personal distress, maladaptiveness) and apply them to a case

Compare biological, psychological, and social explanations of one mental disorder

Evaluate one classification or diagnostic system, noting reliability and validity issues

Describe the features and proposed mechanisms of two specific disorders and compare their treatments

Explain the diathesis-stress model and apply it to a disorder of your choice

Distinguish reliability from validity and internal from external validity, giving an example of each

Interpret a correlation coefficient and a simple graph, stating what the data do and do not support

Plan a full investigation from aim to conclusion, including sampling, procedure, and data analysis

Synthesise all six domains by writing timed extended responses under exam conditions

Self-mark against marking-guide criteria and record the two weakest domains

Re-teach the weakest domains using flashcards and spaced recall until each is recalled without notes

Practise command words (describe, explain, evaluate, compare) and match response structure to each

Review the full glossary of terms and correct any remaining misconceptions