Question 1

What is NCEA AS 91875 about?

Accepted Answer

You need to pick one real-world area of psychology (like clinical work, education, sport, or forensic psychology) and explain how two or more theories are actually used in that field. You'll analyse how these theories work in practice and what impact they have, showing that you understand both the theory and how it gets applied to solve real problems.

Question 2

What do students need to do for AS 91875?

Accepted Answer

1. Select a specific field of psychological practice (e.g., clinical, educational, organisational, forensic, sports) and identify two or more psychological theories relevant to that field 2. Describe how each theory is actually applied within that real-world context, using specific examples and evidence 3. Analyse the relationship between the theories and how they work together (or against each other) in practice 4. Evaluate the impact or effectiveness of how these theories are used in that field 5. Support your analysis with references to psychological concepts, research studies, or published works

Question 3

What's the difference between Achieved, Merit, and Excellence for AS 91875?

Accepted Answer

Achieved: You analyse how two or more theories are applied in a chosen field of psychology, discussing specific examples of how they work in that real-world context. Merit: You provide an in-depth critique of how two or more theories have had an impact in a chosen field, including descriptions of psychological theory, concepts and studies that show the strengths and limitations of applying these theories. Excellence: You comprehensively analyse the effectiveness of how two or more theories are applied in a field, with detailed critique that also considers how the application of these theories has impacted wider society (e.g., social justice, health systems, education, or politics).

Question 4

What mistakes do students typically make in AS 91875?

Accepted Answer

1. Describing theories without actually linking them to how they're used in the real-world field chosen—just explaining theory in the abstract is not enough 2. Analysing only one theory instead of two or more, or treating theories in isolation rather than examining how they relate or interact within the same field 3. Not supporting claims with concrete examples, evidence, or references to published research—just stating that a theory is 'used' without showing how or backing it up

Psychological practice theories

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