This document contains sample exam questions and lesson materials for a psychology unit focusing on stress and coping strategies. It provides two key things needed to do well on exams: 1) knowing the content thoroughly through coursework, questions, and assistance; and 2) regular exam practice, with one practice exam per week recommended. The materials cover topics like physiological and psychological responses to stress, Lazarus and Folkman's transactional model of stress and coping, environmental and social determinants of stress, allostatic load, and strategies for coping with stress through problem-focused and emotion-focused approaches. Sample exam questions assess understanding of these concepts from past exams.

1. Unit 4 Exam Questions
THERE ARE 2 THINGS YOU NEED TO SMASH YOUR EXAMS
1. KNOW YOUR CONTENT – DO YOUR WORK, ASK QUESTIONS, SEEK ASSISTANCE
2. EXAM TECHNIQUE – PRACTICE REGULARLY, AIM FOR 1 PRACTICE EXAM PER WEEK

2. Week 2, Lesson 2 Entry Question: Physiological & psychological
characteristics of responses to stress
 VCAA 2012

3. ANSWER
Week 2, Lesson 2 Entry Question: Physiological & psychological
characteristics of responses to stress

4. Week 2, Lesson 2 Exit Question: Lazarus & Folkman’s transactional
model of stress & coping
 VCAA 2012 Unit 4

5. ANSWER 4a
Week 2, Lesson 2 Exit Question: Lazarus & Folkman’s transactional
model of stress & coping

6. ANSWER 4b
Week 2, Lesson 2 Exit Question: Lazarus & Folkman’s transactional
model of stress & coping

7. Week 2, Lesson 3 Entry Question: Lazarus & Folkman’s transactional
model of stress & coping
 VCAA 2011 Unit 4

8. ANSWER
Week 2, Lesson 3 Entry Question: Lazarus & Folkman’s transactional
model of stress & coping

9. Week 2, Lesson 3 Exit Question: Social, Cultural & environmental
determinants of stress
Using an examples, explain how an environmental factor can exacerbate or alleviate stress
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3 marks

10. ANSWER
Week 2, Lesson 3 Exit Question: Social, Cultural & environmental
determinants of stress
 TC

11. Week 2, Lesson 4 Entry Question: Social, Cultural & environmental
determinants of stress
Outline two examples of social factors that could exacerbate stress
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2 marks

12. ANSWER
Week 2, Lesson 4 Entry Question: Social, Cultural & environmental
determinants of stress
 TC

13. Week 2, Lesson 4 Exit Question: Allostatis
 VCAA 2013

14. ANSWER
Week 2, Lesson 4 Exit Question: Allostatis

15. Week 3, Lesson 5 Entry Question: Allostatis
Christine is a single mother who is studying part time and working at a supermarket. She has been finding it
increasingly difficult to keep up with her studies and manage work as well as her home life. She recently had
her shifts at work cut and is struggling financially. She also finds
her coursework difficult, has no time to make friends and feels isolated as a young mother. As the demands
of university and her family increase, Christine is finding it harder and harder to cope.
In terms of allostasis, explain why Christine is at risk of developing a stress-related illness.
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? marks

16. ANSWER
Week 3, Lesson 5 Entry Question: Allostatis
 DV

17. Week 3, Lesson 5 Exit Question: Strategies for coping with stress
 VCAA 2011 Unit 4

18. Week 3, Lesson 5 Exit Question: Strategies for coping with stress
Describe two emotion focused coping strategies that can be used to reduce
stress.
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19. ANSWER
Week 3, Lesson 5 Exit Question: Strategies for coping with stress

20. ANSWER
Week 3, Lesson 5 Exit Question: Strategies for coping with stress
 DV

21. Week 4, Lesson 1 Entry Question: Strategies for coping with stress
 VCAA 2013

22. ANSWER
Week 4, Lesson 1 Entry Question: Strategies for coping with stress

23. Use an example to explain a reflex action

24. Behaviours not dependent on learning
– Stefan & his animals
 Identify Maturation / Fixed Action Pattern / Reflex
 Orb spiders spinning webs - fix action pattern
 Hatching of native grass parrots - maturation
 Parrots taking flight for the first time - maturation
 Land snail response to a stimuli reflex
 Why aren’t they learning?
 Not based on experience

25. Behaviours not dependent on learning

26. VCAA 2010 Multiple Choice Questions

27. VCAA 2012 - Behaviours not learned

28. VCAA 2012 - Classical conditioning

29. VCAA 2012 - Operant conditioning -
shaping

30. VCAA 2010 - Classical conditioning

31. VCAA 2010 - Classical conditioning
applications

32. VCAA 2010 - Classical conditioning
procedures
Note that Qn 7c from the VCAA exam is missing from the student exam booklet

33. VCAA 2010 - Classical conditioning
procedures

34. VCAA 2013 - Classical conditioning
applications

35. VCAA 2013 - Classical conditioning
applications

36. VCAA 2006 Trial and Error learning

37. VCAA 2012 - Operant conditioning

38. VCAA 2012 - Operant conditioning

39. VCAA 2014 Comparing classical and
operant conditioning

40. VCAA 2014 Comparing classical and
operant conditioning - continued ...

41. VCAA 2014 Comparing classical and
operant conditioning - continued ...

42. VCAA 2014 - Three phase model of
operant conditioning

43. VCAA 2014 - Three phase model of
operant conditioning