QCE Psychology · Unit 2
QCE Psychology Unit 2: Individual Behaviour — Flashcards & Quiz
QCE Psychology Unit 2 Individual Behaviour explores how psychology explains differences in intelligence, how psychological disorders are diagnosed and treated, and how emotion and motivation direct behaviour. These 20 free flashcards and 20 true/false quiz questions cover the psychometric approach and IQ tests (Stanford–Binet, WAIS-IV, WISC-V), Sternberg, Gardner, Goleman and information processing, test validity, reliability and cultural bias, twin and adoption studies, approaches to normality, the DSM-5-TR and ICD-11, major categories of disorder, the biopsychosocial approach and risk factors, anxiety disorders, stigma, psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, ECT and psychosurgery, the placebo effect, the two-factor and appraisal theories of emotion, the limbic system, wellbeing, mindfulness, flow and theories of motivation. Aligned to the QCAA Psychology 2025 General senior syllabus.
Inside the Revizi QCE Psychology deck
Across the whole subject there are 1,838 flashcards spanning 22 topics, including 8 formula cards.
Describes how the cards in this deck are pitched — not a measure of how hard the subject is.
Key Terms
- Deviation IQ
- An IQ score that compares a person’s test performance with others of the same age, with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15.
- Maladaptive Behaviour
- Behaviour that interferes with a person’s ability to function effectively in daily life.
- Biopsychosocial Approach
- An approach that explains psychological disorder through interacting biological, psychological and social factors.
- Stigma
- Negative attitudes and stereotypes about people with psychological disorders, which can discourage help-seeking.
- Placebo Effect
- An improvement caused by a person’s expectation of treatment rather than by any active ingredient.
- Self-Efficacy
- A person’s belief in their ability to perform a behaviour successfully.
Sample Flashcards
Q1: What is the psychometric approach to intelligence, and how is IQ measured?
The psychometric approach measures intelligence with standardised tests and expresses it as an intelligence quotient (IQ). Early tests calculated a ratio IQ (mental age ÷ chronological age × 100); modern tests use a deviation IQ, comparing a person’s score with others of the same age, with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. The Stanford–Binet scale grew from Binet’s early test, and the Wechsler scales — WAIS-IV for adults and WISC-V for children — give a full-scale IQ plus index scores such as verbal comprehension, working memory and processing speed.
Q2: Compare Sternberg’s triarchic theory with Gardner’s multiple intelligences.
Robert Sternberg’s triarchic theory proposes three aspects of intelligence: analytical (problem-solving and evaluating), creative (dealing with new situations) and practical (adapting to everyday contexts). Howard Gardner’s theory proposes several relatively independent intelligences, including linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinaesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalist. Both theories argue that standard IQ tests capture only a narrow range of abilities, though both are criticised for being hard to measure.
Q3: How do the information processing approach and Goleman’s emotional intelligence differ from the psychometric approach?
The information processing approach looks at the mental processes behind intelligent behaviour — such as speed of processing, working memory and use of strategies — rather than a single score. Daniel Goleman’s emotional intelligence (EQ) describes the ability to recognise, understand and manage one’s own and others’ emotions, including self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. Both broaden intelligence beyond what traditional IQ tests measure, but EQ measures are often self-report and their validity is debated.
Q4: What makes an intelligence test valid and reliable, and how can tests be culturally biased?
A test is reliable if it gives consistent results, for example on retesting (test–retest reliability). It is valid if it measures what it claims to measure — intelligence rather than, say, language skill or schooling. Tests can be culturally biased when items assume knowledge, language or experiences common to one cultural group, disadvantaging others. Culture-fair tests try to reduce this with non-verbal items, but no test is entirely free of cultural influence.
Q5: What do twin, family and adoption studies suggest about the inheritance of intelligence?
If genes influence intelligence, people who share more genes should have more similar IQ scores. Identical (monozygotic) twins are more similar than non-identical twins, and adopted children’s IQs resemble their biological parents’ in some studies. The Minnesota study of twins reared apart (Bouchard et al. 1990) found identical twins raised separately had IQ correlations of about 0.70, suggesting a strong genetic influence. However, environment also matters — adoption into enriched homes can raise IQ — so intelligence reflects an interaction of nature and nurture.
Q6: Distinguish adaptive from maladaptive behaviour and describe the concept of psychological disorder.
Adaptive behaviour helps a person cope with and function in their environment. Maladaptive behaviour interferes with a person’s ability to function, achieve goals or meet the demands of daily life. A psychological disorder is a pattern of thoughts, feelings or behaviour that causes significant distress or impairment in functioning and is not simply an expected response to a common stressor. Diagnosis depends on meeting defined criteria, not just on behaviour being unusual.
Q7: Outline the six approaches to normality.
Sociocultural: behaviour is normal if it fits the norms of a culture. Functional: behaviour is normal if the person can function adequately in daily life. Historical: what counts as normal changes over time. Situational: behaviour is judged against what is expected in a particular context. Medical: abnormality is the presence of symptoms of a diagnosable disorder. Statistical: behaviour is normal if it falls within the typical range of a population, so rare behaviour counts as abnormal.
Q8: Compare the DSM-5-TR and the ICD-11.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition, text revision, 2022) is published by the American Psychiatric Association and covers mental disorders only, with detailed criteria; it is widely used by psychologists and psychiatrists in clinical work and research. The International Classification of Diseases (11th revision, in use from 2022) is published by the World Health Organization and covers all diseases and health conditions; it is used by medical practitioners and health systems worldwide for diagnosis, recording health statistics and international comparison.
Sample Quiz Questions
Q1: Modern IQ tests use a deviation IQ with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15.
Answer: TRUE
Deviation IQ compares a score with same-age peers, set to a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15.
Q2: The WISC-V is designed for adults and the WAIS-IV for children.
Answer: FALSE
It is the reverse: the WAIS-IV is the adult scale and the WISC-V is the children’s scale.
Q3: Sternberg’s triarchic theory includes analytical, creative and practical intelligence.
Answer: TRUE
These are the three aspects of intelligence in Sternberg’s theory.
Q4: A test that gives consistent results is therefore always a valid measure of intelligence.
Answer: FALSE
Consistency is reliability. A test can be reliable but still measure something other than intelligence, so it may not be valid.
Q5: The Minnesota study found that identical twins reared apart had very similar IQ scores.
Answer: TRUE
Bouchard et al. (1990) reported IQ correlations of about 0.70 for identical twins reared apart, suggesting a strong genetic influence.
Why It Matters
Unit 2 applies psychology to questions people face every day: what intelligence is and how fairly it can be measured, when behaviour becomes a disorder, and how disorders can be treated and supported. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders in Australia, so understanding risk factors, stigma and treatment options has real value for individuals, families and communities. The emotion and motivation topic shows how wellbeing, mindfulness, flow and goal setting can improve learning and performance. Units 1 and 2 are school-assessed rather than externally examined, but the skills you develop here — evaluating the validity and reliability of tests and diagnoses, and interpreting experimental data — carry into Units 3 and 4.
Key Concepts
Intelligence
The psychometric approach measures intelligence with IQ tests such as the Stanford–Binet, WAIS-IV and WISC-V. Compare it with the information processing approach, Sternberg’s triarchic theory, Gardner’s multiple intelligences and Goleman’s emotional intelligence, evaluate test validity, reliability and cultural bias, and use twin, family and adoption studies to weigh nature and nurture.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis starts with distinguishing adaptive from maladaptive behaviour and considering six approaches to normality. Clinicians use manuals such as the DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 to classify disorders into categories, including psychotic, mood, anxiety and personality disorders. The reliability and validity of diagnosis, and its benefits and harms, are central evaluation points.
Psychological Disorders and Treatments
The biopsychosocial approach classifies risk factors as biological, psychological or social. Anxiety disorders such as GAD and specific phobias illustrate prevalence, symptoms and causes. Stigma reduces help-seeking, and psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, ECT and psychosurgery differ in effectiveness, risks and appropriate use, with the placebo effect shaping how treatments are tested.
Emotion and Motivation
The two-factor and appraisal theories explain emotion through arousal and cognition, supported by autonomic arousal and limbic structures. Positive psychology concepts — subjective and psychological wellbeing, broaden-and-build, mindfulness and flow — explain flourishing, while achievement goal, cognitive evaluation and self-efficacy theories and goal setting explain motivation.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing reliability with validity — reliability is consistency, while validity is whether the test or diagnosis measures what it claims to.
- Mixing up the diagnostic manuals — the DSM-5-TR (American Psychiatric Association) covers mental disorders only, while the ICD-11 (World Health Organization) covers all health conditions.
- Placing risk factors in the wrong domain — for example, rumination and stress are psychological, while sleep and substance use are biological.
- Reversing the self-efficacy terms — efficacy expectations concern whether you can perform a behaviour, while outcome expectations concern whether the behaviour will produce a result.
Study Tips
- Build a comparison table of the psychometric approach, information processing, Sternberg, Gardner and Goleman, with columns for key idea, how it is measured, strengths and limitations.
- For each of the six approaches to normality, write one example behaviour and one limitation of that approach.
- Make flashcards pairing each disorder category with an example disorder and a key symptom, then test yourself in both directions.
- Create a treatment grid comparing psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, ECT and psychosurgery on how each works, side effects, invasiveness and when each is used.
- Write a short scenario for each motivation theory and label the paired terms (task/ego, intrinsic/extrinsic, outcome/efficacy expectations).
- Practise interpreting heart-rate data from an emotive-versus-informative stimulus experiment: identify the variables, describe the trend and suggest one limitation.
Related Topics
Exam Prep & Study Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
What does QCE Psychology Unit 2 cover about individual behaviour?
Unit 2 Individual behaviour has four topics: Topic 1 Intelligence (the psychometric approach, IQ tests, alternative theories, validity, reliability and heritability), Topic 2 Diagnosis (normality, diagnostic manuals and categories of disorder), Topic 3 Psychological disorders and treatments (the biopsychosocial approach, risk factors, anxiety disorders, stigma and treatments) and Topic 4 Emotion and motivation (theories and physiology of emotion, wellbeing, mindfulness, flow and motivation theories).
Are these flashcards aligned to the QCAA syllabus?
Yes — every flashcard and quiz question is drawn from the subject matter of Unit 2: Individual behaviour in the QCAA Psychology 2025 General senior syllabus, spread across all four topics. Sensation, perception and learning belong to Unit 3 and are not included here.
What study techniques work best for QCE Psychology Unit 2?
Use spaced retrieval for key terms and named theories, build comparison tables (for example, theories of intelligence or treatments for disorders), and practise applying concepts to short scenarios. Units 1 and 2 are school-assessed, with results reported to the QCAA as satisfactory or unsatisfactory; they are not part of the external examination.
Last updated: 9 October 2026 · 20 sample flashcards · 20 sample quiz questions · Content aligned to the QCAA Syllabus