Field          Social Sciences

 

Review of Psychology unit standards

 

Subfield

Domain

ID

Social Science Studies

Psychology

11685, 11686, 11690, 11693, 19256-19262, 19265-19269, 19271-19275, 20646-20654

 

NZQA National Qualifications Services (NQS) has completed the review of the unit standards listed above.

 

Date new versions published                                                          June 2012

 

Planned review date                                                                           December 2016

 

Summary

 

In 2009, NQS began the review of psychology unit standards.  A review panel comprising representatives from secondary schools, universities, the New Zealand Psychological Society, and the Ministry of Education was convened to complete the review.  The review resulted in the development of fifteen new psychology standards with merit and excellence grades at Levels 1-3 to replace all existing psychology standards.  Assessment support material was also developed to test the standards and support their implementation.

 

The new psychology unit standards at Level 1 were registered in July 2011.  The change report that accompanied that registration is available here.  After the registration of the Level 1 standards, the draft Levels 2 and 3 standards and their assessment support material underwent further development to improve grading criteria.

 

The existing psychology unit standards at Level 4 had negligible usage and have been designated expiring without replacement.

 

Main changes

 

·      The development of ten new psychology unit standards with grading (achieved, merit, excellence) at NZQF Levels 2 and 3.  See table below.

·      The expiry of existing psychology unit standards at Levels 2, 3, and 4: 11685, 11686, 11689, 11693, 19256-19262, 19265-19269, 19271-19275, and 20646-20654.  Some of these standards were replaced by the new graded standards.  Others were not replaced as it was considered the matrix of graded Psychology unit standards would reflect developments in other social science disciplines and be sufficient to develop coherent programmes of learning.

 

Category C and D unit standards will expire at the end of December 2013

 

Impact of changes on the Exclusions list

 

For transition purposes, the following exclusions will apply for new unit standards.

 

New unit standard

Excluded against each of these standards

27688

19261

27690

19271, 19272, 19273, 19274, 19275

27693

11685

27694

20649, 20650

27695

11693

27697

20649, 20650

 

Detailed list of unit standards - classification, title, level, and credits

 

All changes are in bold.

 

Key to review category

A

Dates changed, but no other changes are made - the new version of the standard carries the same ID and a new version number

B

Changes made, but the overall outcome remains the same - the new version of the standard carries the same ID and a new version number

C

Major changes that necessitate the registration of a replacement standard with a new ID

D

Standard will expire and not be replaced

 

Social Sciences > Social Science Studies > Psychology

ID

Title

Level

Credit

Review Category

11685

Conduct a psychological experiment with direction

3

4

C

27693

Conduct a supervised psychological research activity and evaluate its methodology

3

6

 

11686

Conduct a psychological experiment with guidance

4

4

D

11690

Plan and present a written paper on a contemporary issue in psychology

4

4

D

11693

27695

Evaluate a psychological application

Evaluate how theories are applied within a field of psychological practice

3

3

4

6

C

19256

Apply key features in experimental design for psychological research

2

2

D

19257

Describe and apply key features of non-experimental design in psychological research

2

2

D

19258

Describe correlation and demonstrate its application for psychological research

2

1

D

19259

Demonstrate the significance and use of the normal curve in psychological research

2

2

D

19260

Examine assumptions underlying approaches to psychology

2

6

D

 

19261

Explore use of scientific method in psychological research

2

5

C

27688

Analyse key features in a published piece of experimental psychological research

2

4

 

19262

Describe ethical issues in psychological research

2

3

D

19265

Investigate the contribution of social psychology to psychological knowledge

2

3

D

19266

Investigate the contribution of developmental or lifespan psychology to psychological knowledge

2

3

D

19267

Investigate the contribution of the study of individual differences to psychological knowledge

2

3

D

19268

Investigate the contribution of clinical psychology to psychological knowledge

2

3

D

19269

Investigate the contribution of comparative psychology to psychological knowledge

2

3

D

19271

Use psychological knowledge to examine behaviour within a sporting context

2

3

C

19272

Use psychological knowledge to examine behaviour within a legal context

2

3

C

19273

Use psychological knowledge to examine behaviour within a health context

2

3

C

19274

Use psychological knowledge to examine behaviour within an educational context

2

3

C

19275

Use psychological knowledge to examine behaviour within a work context

2

3

C

27690

Analyse the application of theories in fields of psychological practice to scenarios

2

6

 

20646

Conduct a psychological survey with direction

3

4

D

20647

Conduct a psychological survey with guidance

4

4

D

20648

Conduct a psychological observation with guidance

4

4

D

20649

Formulate a viewpoint on an issue in psychology that centres on a debate between two opposing views

3

6

C

20650

Explain implications associated with debate between two opposing views on an issue in psychology

3

6

C

27694

Evaluate the use of different approaches in the context of a debate within psychology

3

6

 

27697

Evaluate issues in psychological studies

3

4

 

20651

Explore the history of psychology

3

4

D

20652

Evaluate psychological research as presented in one journal article

3

6

D

20653

Explain the neurological bases of behaviour

3

4

D

20654

Conduct a psychological observation with direction

3

4

D

27689

Analyse different approaches used in psychology for explaining behaviour

2

6

New

27691

Conduct, analyse, and report on a psychological research activity

2

6

New

27692

Analyse ethical standards in psychological practice

2

4

New

27696

Evaluate the significance of a key piece of research to the understanding of human behaviour

3

4

New