VCE Vault

VCE Psychology (Year 11)

VCE Psychology (Year 11) on VCE Vault: 19 lessons written for Year 11 (VCE, Victorian Certificate of Education), each with worked examples, practice questions and Aari, an AI tutor. The first 4 lessons are free; the whole subject is a one-off A$12.99.

VCE Psychology (Year 11) study notes: 79 pages covering 19 topics (PDF, A$9.99).

Lessons

Unit 1 — The Brain, Behaviour and Mental Processes

  • Nervous System — Structure (free) — Describe the structure and divisions of the nervous system.
  • The Brain — Structure and Function (free) — Describe key brain areas and their roles.
  • How Our Understanding of the Brain Has Changed — From Brain vs Heart to Neuroimaging — Describe how approaches to understanding the role of the brain in behaviour have changed over time, and evaluate the contribution and limitations of each approach.

Unit 1 — Psychological Development and Wellbeing

  • Nature, Nurture, and Psychological Development (free) — Describe influences on development and typical vs atypical patterns.
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing — Describe models of mental wellbeing and factors affecting it.
  • Typical and Atypical Behaviour — Normality, Neurotypicality and Neurodiversity — Explain the different ways psychologists judge whether behaviour is typical or atypical, and describe normality, neurotypicality, neurodiversity and the difference between mental wellbeing and mental disorder.

Unit 2 — Perception

  • Sensation, Perception and Attention (free) — Describe sensation, perception and selective attention.
  • Distortions of Perception — Visual Illusions, Taste and Synaesthesia — Explain how visual and gustatory perception can be distorted, using visual illusions, the effect of colour, expectation and packaging on taste, and synaesthesia.

Units 3–4 preview (not Unit 1–2 key knowledge)

  • Learning — Classical and Operant Conditioning — Describe classical and operant conditioning and their applications.
  • Memory — Multi-Store and Working Memory — Describe memory structures and processes.
  • Biological Bases of Memory — Describe the brain regions and processes underlying memory.
  • Stress and Coping — Explain physiological and psychological responses to stress.
  • Sleep and Consciousness — Describe sleep stages, functions, and states of consciousness.

Unit 2 — Social Influences on Behaviour

  • Social Cognition and Influence — Describe how people think about and influence each other.
  • Attitudes, Stereotypes, Prejudice — Describe components of attitudes and evaluate prejudice reduction.

Research Methods

  • Psychological Research Methods — Design and evaluate psychological research.
  • Ethics in Psychology — Describe ethical principles in psychological research.

Unit 1 — Contemporary Research: Brain Injury and Disease

  • Acquired Brain Injury and Neurological Disorders — Contemporary Research — Describe acquired brain injury (ABI) and neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), explain their effects using the biopsychosocial approach, and evaluate sources of contemporary research.

Exam Preparation

  • Exam Technique — Psychology Units 1-2 — Apply study and exam strategies for Psychology SACs and exams.