NZ Scholarship Psychology study guide
NZ Scholarship Psychology · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
New Zealand Scholarship is an award that recognises top secondary school students. It is aimed at the most able candidates in each subject, and entry is arranged through a consented New Zealand secondary school; you do not have to be working towards NCEA to enter. Assessment is by a written or spoken examination, or by a portfolio or report of work produced during the year. The general standard expects deep subject understanding, high-level critical thinking, and application of understanding to complex situations. Topics on this exam: Psychological inquiry and research methods, Psychological theory applied to practice, and Ethical issues in psychology. The NZ Scholarship Psychology study guide has 3 sections and about 994 words.
01Psychological Inquiry and Research Methods
Psychological inquiry and research methods tests whether you can evaluate how psychological evidence is generated. Expect questions that ask you to choose or critique a design, identify threats to inference, and explain what a result does and does not license. The exam favours precise methodological reasoning over named-design recall. Begin with the research question and the claim it is meant to support.
344 words, about 2 min02Psychological Theory Applied to Practice
Psychological theory applied to practice asks you to use models to formulate real cases, justify interventions, and evaluate outcomes. The exam is not a memory test of theorists; it rewards showing the mechanism linking theory, assessment, intervention, and review. Formulation is not diagnosis. Build a biopsychosocial and cultural formulation: predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating, and protective factors.
310 words, about 2 min03Ethical Issues in Psychology
Ethical issues in psychology tests ethical reasoning in complex scenarios, not just recitation of principles. Expect questions on consent, confidentiality, competence, deception, power, cultural safety, and research ethics. Strong answers identify the competing obligations and justify a proportionate response. The New Zealand code of ethics is organised around respect for the dignity of persons and peoples, responsible caring, integrity in relationships, and responsibility to society.
340 words, about 2 min