Year 11 PSYCHOLOGY 

Our Year 11 VCE Psychology students recently completed their Gustatory Perception Practical Investigations, giving them the opportunity to step into the shoes of real researchers. Rather than following a set experiment, students were challenged to design and conduct their own investigations exploring factors that may influence how we perceive taste.

Working in small groups, students developed their own research questions, identified variables, planned procedures and considered ethical requirements before collecting data from a range of participants. In order to obtain a range of results, students recruited volunteers from Year 7, Year 10, other Year 11 classes and even teachers to take part in their experiments.

These investigations sparked plenty of curiosity and discussion as students explored questions such as whether branding influences taste preferences, how visual cues affect flavour perception and whether people can distinguish between different products when labels are removed. Participants sampled a variety of flavoured drinks, compared well-known brands with home-brand alternatives and even examined how food colouring can change our expectations of flavour.

The practical investigations were a fantastic example of student-led learning. Students demonstrated creativity, teamwork, critical thinking and problem-solving while applying key psychological concepts. 

A huge thank you to all the students and staff who volunteered their time to participate in investigations. The enthusiasm shown by our participants helped make the experience both engaging and memorable for our psychology students!