The aims of the psychology course at SL and at HL are to:

1. develop an understanding of the biological, cognitive and sociocultural factors affecting mental processes and behaviour

2. apply an understanding of the biological, cognitive and sociocultural factors affecting mental processes and behaviour to at least one applied area of study

3. understand diverse methods of inquiry

4. understand the importance of ethical practice in psychological research in general and observe ethical practice in their own inquiries

5. ensure that ethical practices are upheld in all psychological inquiry and discussion

6. develop an awareness of how psychological research can be applied to address real-world problems and promote positive change.

By the end of the psychology course, students will be expected to demonstrate the following.

1.  Knowledge and comprehension of specified content

   • Demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of key terms and concepts in psychology.

   • Demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of a range of psychological theories and research studies.

   • Demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of the biological, cognitive and sociocultural approaches to mental processes and behaviour.

   • Demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of research methods used in psychology.

2.  Application and analysis

   • Demonstrate an ability to use examples of psychological research and psychological concepts to formulate an argument in response to a specific question.

   • Demonstrate application and analysis of a range of psychological theories and research studies.

   • Demonstrate application and analysis of the knowledge relevant to areas of applied psychology.

   • At HL only, analyse qualitative and quantitative research in psychology.

3.  Synthesis and evaluation

   • Evaluate the contribution of psychological theories to understanding human psychology.

   • Evaluate the contribution of research to understanding human psychology.

   • Evaluate the contribution of the theories and research in areas of applied psychology.

   • At HL only, evaluate research scenarios from a methodological and ethical perspective.

4.  Selection and use of skills appropriate to psychology

   • Demonstrate the acquisition of skills required for experimental design, data collection and presentation, data analysis and the evaluation of a simple experiment while demonstrating ethical practice.

   • Work in a group to design a method for a simple experimental investigation, organize the investigation and record the required data for a simple experiment.

   • Write a report of a simple experiment.

The approaches to understanding behaviour are compulsory for SL and HL students (except for the HL extension, which is for HL students only). The core is assessed in paper 1 of the external assessment, but it also forms the foundation for teaching and learning in the options.

The approaches to researching behaviour are for both SL and HL students, with a focus on research methods used to study behaviour. They are organized to reflect the considerations made when reading or preparing a piece of research. Only HL students are formally assessed on the approaches to researching behaviour in paper 3.

Short-answer questions in paper 1 section A only use the command terms: “describe”, “outline” (AO1) and “explain” (AO2) and are formulated using topic headings, content headings (shown in bold) and/or specific content under the content headings (shown in italics). Extended response questions in paper 1 section B are assessed using command terms at AO3 level and are formulated using topic and/or content headings (shown in bold). Specific content under the content headings (shown in italics) is not used to formulate AO3 questions. Questions on ethical considerations and research methods are formulated using the topic headings and questions can be set using command terms at AO1, AO2, and AO3 level. Any material connected by the word “and” may be connected on examination questions by “and/or".

A. Biological approach to understanding behaviour

The biological approach to understanding behaviour is largely an investigation into correlations. Do areas of the brain correlate with behaviour? When changes take place in the brain do changes take place in behaviour or is the reverse the case? Could an individual’s behaviour be predicted from their genes? Is human behaviour subject to natural selection?

The relationship between biology and behaviour is a complex one of mutual causality. The technology available to investigate this relationship is becoming ever more sophisticated, while the ethics of this line of inquiry are increasingly an area for public debate.

The biological approach to behaviour looks at:

• the relationship between the brain and behaviour (SL and HL)

• hormones and pheromones and their effects on behaviour (SL and HL)

• the relationship between genetics and behaviour (SL and HL)

• the role of animal research in understanding human behavior (HL only).

Relevant to all the topics are:

• the contribution of research methods used in the biological approach to understanding human behaviour

• ethical considerations in the investigation of the biological approach to understanding human behaviour.

B. Cognitive approach to understanding behaviour

The cognitive approach to understanding behaviour looks at:

• cognitive processing (SL and HL)

• reliability of cognitive processes (SL and HL)

• emotion and cognition (SL and HL)

• cognitive processing in a technological (digital/modern) world (HL only).

Relevant to all the topics are:

• the contribution of research methods used in the cognitive approach to understanding human behaviour

• ethical considerations in the investigation of the cognitive approach to understanding human behaviour.

The cognitive approach to behaviour views human beings as processors of information much in the same way as a computer processes information. The cognitive approach to behaviour focuses on areas of research such as schema processing, memory processing, and thinking, and how cognition may influence behaviour. Researchers are also interested in the extent to which cognitive processes are reliable, for example, in relation to thinking and memory. How cognitive processes may be affected in the modern digitalized world is an emerging field within the cognitive approach to behaviour.

Cognitive processes are often influenced in complex ways by emotions. The influence of emotions on cognitive processes is studied not only by cognitive psychologists, but is developing as an area of interest for cognitive neuroscientists as well as social psychologists.

Research methods in the cognitive approach to understanding of behaviour rely on experiments and brain imaging technologies as well as qualitative approaches to understanding everyday memory and thinking, making the cognitive approach an example of the holistic approach to understanding human behaviour.

C. Sociocultural approach to understanding behaviour

The sociocultural approach to behaviour looks at:

• the individual and the group (SL and HL)

• cultural origins of behaviour and cognition (SL and HL)

• cultural influences on individual behaviour (SL and HL)

• the influence of globalization on individual behaviour (HL only).

Relevant to all the topics are:

• the contribution of research methods used in the sociocultural approach to understanding human behaviour

• ethical considerations in the investigation of the sociocultural approach to understanding human behaviour.

The sociocultural approach to behaviour investigates the role of social and cultural influences in shaping thinking and human behaviour. An increasing body of culturally informed research has made cross-cultural psychology as well as cultural psychology a contemporary topic of debate among psychologists working in the field. Theories, concepts and research studies provide the background for a more nuanced understanding of the variety and complexity of human behaviour. This is important in the modern globalized world where issues related to migration and integration are on the rise.

Key figures in the field of modern social psychology have often favoured experimental methods to understand how social context influences behaviours, identities, attitudes and cognitions, however, by studying acculturation in terms of intergroup relations, we can start to understand that the same processes may be seen in the interaction between cultural groups. Social and cultural psychologists are now also using qualitative research methods in order to get a better understanding of intergroup relations as well as the process of acculturation.

D. Approaches to researching behaviour

The study of psychology is evidence based and has evolved through a variety of different research approaches, both qualitative and quantitative. As students are exposed to research it is important that they understand the advantages and limitations of different approaches in order to critically evaluate the contribution of research studies to the understanding of human behaviour. Asking questions, challenging assumptions and critically assessing the methods used by researchers are integral skills in the study of psychology. These skills are assessed by criterion D (critical thinking) for essay responses in paper 1 section B and paper 2, and they apply to both SL and HL students.

An understanding of approaches to research is also important for the internal assessment task in order to design, conduct, analyse, draw conclusions and evaluate an experiment. This applies to both SL and HL students.

Only HL students will be directly assessed on their understanding of approaches to research in paper 3.

Research methods

Essentially there are two broad categories of research—experimental and non-experimental—that use qualitative and quantitative approaches. There is no hierarchy to the approaches. The method chosen will depend on the aims and objectives of an investigation. No method is perfect in itself and all methods have their individual strengths and limitations. A researcher will choose the method or methods that are most suitable for a specific research study.

Approaches to research in psychology may be reductionist or holistic. As behaviour is often the result of complex social, cultural, cognitive as well as biological interactions, a combination of approaches to researching behaviour is not only inevitable, but desirable.

There are four options covering areas of applied psychology:

• abnormal psychology

• developmental psychology

• health psychology

• psychology of human relationships.

SL students study one option, while HL students study two.

Whereas the core provides a general overview, the options allow students to study a specialized area of psychology to apply their learning. What is learned in the core forms the foundation for the learning in the options. The options provide the opportunity to integrate learning in an applied context. In addition, the options provide the opportunity to explore the different approaches taken in research and highlight the ethical considerations and sensitivities pertinent to a specific line of inquiry.

The options are assessed in paper 2, which contains three essay questions per option. SL students choose one essay from one option, while HL students choose two essays from two different options. Examination questions for paper 2 use AO3-level command terms and are formulated using the topic heading and/or content headings (shown in bold). Questions linked to research, ethical considerations, or the approaches to understanding behaviour will be linked to the topic heading. Any material connected by the word “and” may be connected on examination questions by “and/or".

Paper 1 section A and paper 3 question 3 are assessed using markbands.

Paper 1 section B and paper 2 are assessed using assessment criteria.

The markbands and assessment criteria are published in this guide.

In addition, questions 1 and 2 in paper 3 are assessed by an analytical markscheme in line with the demands of the question. The markschemes are specific to each examination.

Please note that any material in the syllabus content connected by the word “and” may be connected on examination questions by “and/or". For example, “thinking and decision-making” may appear in a question as “thinking and/or decision-making”.

External assessment criteria—HL

Paper 1

Section A

Paper 1 section A consists of three short-answer questions using AO1 and AO2 command terms “describe” (AO1), “outline” (AO1) and “explain” (AO2). Questions may be formulated from topic and content headings (shown in bold), or from specific content under the content headings (shown in italics). All three questions are compulsory. Each question is marked out of 9 marks using the rubric below, for a total of 27 marks.

Section B

Paper 1 section B consists of one essay from a choice of three. The essay is marked out of 22 marks. AO3 command terms are used in the essay questions. Extended response questions are formulated using topic and/or content headings (shown in bold). Specific content under the content headings (shown in italics) is not used to formulate AO3 questions. Ethical considerations and research questions are only formulated using the topic headings (shown in bold). Any syllabus content connected by the word “and” may be connected on examination questions by “and/or".

All questions in this section will use AO3-level command terms.

The essays are assessed using the rubric below.

Essay marking rubric (total 22 marks)

Paper 2

Paper 2 consists of three essays per option. Students answer one question from each of the two options studied. All essay questions use an AO3 command term. Each essay is marked out of 22 marks. Paper 2 questions may be linked to research, ethical considerations, or the approaches, and they are formulated at the topic heading level (shown in bold). Any syllabus content connected by the word “and” may be connected on examination questions by “and/or".

All questions in this paper will use at AO3-level command terms.

The essays are assessed using the rubric shown below.

Essay marking rubric (total 22 marks) - similar to Paper 1 secB

Paper 3

Paper 3 is for HL students only. It is a one-hour examination and focuses on the approaches to research. Students are given stimulus material to read, which may use qualitative or quantitative research methods, or a mixture of both. Drawing from the stimulus material, students are required to answer three questions for a total of 24 marks. Question 1 is worth a total of 9 marks, with three static questions each worth 3 marks. Question 2 is worth 6 marks and question 3 is worth 9 marks.

Question 1

Question 1 will consist of all of the following questions, for a total of 9 marks. The questions will be assessed using an analytical markscheme.

Question 2

Question 2 will consist of one of the following questions, for a total of 6 marks. The question will be assessed using an analytical markscheme.

Question 3

Question 3 will consist of one of the following questions, for a total of 9 marks. The question will be assessed using the rubric below.

Purpose of internal assessment

Internal assessment is an integral part of the course and is compulsory for both SL and HL students. It enables students to demonstrate the application of their skills and knowledge, and to pursue their personal interests without the time limitations and other constraints that are associated with written examinations. The internal assessment should, as far as possible, be woven into normal classroom teaching and not be a separate activity conducted after the course has been taught.

The internal assessment requirements at SL and at HL are the same. Students will investigate a published study, theory or model relevant to their learning in psychology by conducting an experimental investigation and reporting the findings.

Requirements and recommendations

Approaches to research in the core covers some of the main methods students are likely to encounter during their studies in psychology, however, for the purposes of the internal assessment, students are required to work exclusively using the experimental method.

Choice of topic

The experiment is an opportunity for students to investigate an area of interest to them, to enrich their studies and stimulate their curiosity. The following points will serve as a guide to the choice of topic.

• The topic can be from any area of psychology.

• The theory or model on which the investigation is based must appear in a peer-reviewed publication.

• The link between the study or model used and the students’ aims and objectives for their experiment must be made clear.

• The relevance of the experiment, that is the reason for carrying out the experiment, must be made clear.

Approaches to experimentation

The experimental method looks for a relationship between two variables to support a hypothesis of cause and effect. The two variables are:

• the Independent Variable which is the variable manipulated by the experimenters

• the Dependent Variable which is the variable measured.

All other factors which could affect the Dependent Variable should be controlled as far as possible. The study used may guide the students towards appropriate controls, but it may be adapted to suit the context in which the students are working.

Analysis

The data collected should be appropriately displayed. Raw data should be available in an appendix. The data should be analysed in terms of:

• descriptive statistics to highlight the variability and spread of the data

• inferential statistics to draw conclusions about the significance of the data generated in terms of supporting a hypothesis. Cause and effect should be treated with caution and conclusions should be tentative.

The evaluation

The evaluation of the experiment should focus on:

• the limitations of the method—those factors which are likely to have had an influence on the outcome of the experiment but could not have been avoided (human error or accidents and omissions that could easily have been avoided with a little foresight and planning are not acceptable as limitations)

• suggestions for improving the method to generate more data or more effective data in order to arrive at a firmer conclusion. These may be based on the limitations identified or proposed on the basis of a fresh consideration of the experimental design.

Presentation

The following details should be stated in the title page of the report.

• Title of the investigation

• IB candidate code (alphanumeric, for example XYZ123)

• IB candidate code for all group members

• Date, month and year of submission

• Number of words

The report should be between 1,800 and 2,200 words in length and consist of the following components:

• Introduction

• Exploration

• Analysis

• Evaluation

• References (not included in word count)

  • The references are not assessed but must be included to meet the requirements of honest academic practice. Not attributing ideas of others included in your work amounts to academic misconduct. If academic misconduct is discovered in any work you submit for IB assessment, you will not be awarded a grade for the subject.

The appendices do not count towards the word count but should be kept to a minimum. Appendices should include:

• raw data tables

• print-outs of calculations and/or results from statistics software or calculations made for analytical purposes

• consent form pro forma (unfilled)

• copy of standardized instructions and debriefing notes

• supplementary materials.

Ethical guidelines should be adhered to throughout the planning, conducting and reporting of the experimental work for internal assessment.

The assessment of the internal assessment task is the same for both SL and HL students and uses the following rubric.

I. Introduction (6 marks)

II. Exploration (4 marks)

III. Analysis (6 marks)

IV. Evaluation (6 marks)

The experiment for the internal assessment must adhere to the ethical guidelines outlined below.

• Any experimental study that creates anxiety, stress, pain or discomfort for participants is not permitted. Experiments involving deception, conformity, obedience, or any other form of harm are not permitted. The experiment must be appropriate to the sensitivities of the particular school, community and country.

• Any experimental study that involves unjustified deception, involuntary participation or invasion of privacy, including the inappropriate use of information and communication technology (ICT), email and the internet, must be avoided. There may be rare occasions when such infringements cannot be avoided, in which case the approval of other experienced psychologists should be sought before proceeding.

  • Partial deception may be allowed for some experiments where full knowledge of the experiment would fundamentally affect the outcome—such experiments are permissible provided they do no harm and participants are fully debriefed at the end. Participants retain their right to withdraw their data at this point. The only exception is a conformity or obedience study; these are not permitted under any circumstances. The teacher should be ready and willing to explain why conformity and obedience experiments are not appropriate for students at this level of study.

• Consent must be explicitly gained from participants through the use of a consent form. Implied consent is not acceptable.

• All participants must be informed of the aims and objectives of the experiment.

• All participants must be informed before commencing the experimental study that they have the right to withdraw at any time. Pressure must not be placed on any individual participant to continue with the investigation.

• Young children (under 12 years) must not be used as participants as they cannot give informed consent. Experimental studies involving older children (from 12 years up to 16 years) need the written consent of parent(s) or guardian(s). Students must ensure that parents are fully informed about the implications for children who take part in such research. Where an experimental study is conducted with children in a school, the written consent of the teachers concerned must also be obtained.

• Participants must be debriefed and given the right to withdraw their own personal data and responses. Anonymity for each participant must be guaranteed even after the experiment has finished.

• Participants must be shown the results of the research and if reasonable deception was involved, the participants must have the deception explained and justified to them.

• Teachers and students must exercise the greatest sensitivity to local and international cultures.

• Students must not conduct research with any participant who is not in a fit state of mind and cannot respond freely and independently.

• If any participant shows stress or pain at any stage of an experimental study, the investigation must finish immediately, and the participant must be allowed to withdraw.

• Non-human animals must not be used for the experimental study.

• All data collected must be kept in a confidential and responsible manner and not disclosed to any other person.

• Data must not be used for purposes other than that agreed to by the participants.

• Students must regard it as their duty to monitor the ways in which their peers conduct research, and to encourage public re-evaluation of any research practices that breach these guidelines.

• Experimental studies that are conducted online are subject to the same guidelines. Any data collected online must be deleted once the research is complete. Such data must not be used for any purpose other than the conduct of the experimental study.

• Teachers who feel the need for more guidance on whether an experiment is ethical should consult other teachers—via the programme communities—who may offer additional expertise and critical distance.

For the experiment to be considered ethical, it must do no harm to anyone. This includes participants, researchers, bystanders, teachers/supervisors, moderators, and eventual readers. Teachers should be prepared to discuss and explain what “harm” means. It can mean a number of things: hurt, injure, torment, tease, torture, traumatize, impair, wound, mistreat, punish, maltreat, misuse, abuse, molest, damage, or adversely affect. Harm manifests in many ways, not only in a physical sense. High standards of ethical practice are central to the IB philosophy and should therefore be promoted and supported by the entire IB community.

The video below explains how ethical guidelines are put into practice when evaluating an experimental study in psychology:

Overview

An extended essay in psychology provides students with an opportunity to investigate an area within the field of psychology that is based upon personal interest, and which may well go beyond the Diploma Programme psychology course. Students are able to pursue actively a research question that will develop their analytical and communication skills, and their understanding of behaviour. At the same time, the extended essay aims to introduce students to the excitement of academic discovery.

The current Psychology guide defines the nature of the subject as “the systematic study of behaviour and experience”. Students should have a well-developed understanding of what falls within the scope of psychology when they are developing their topic. Psychology involves studying the behaviour of human as well as non- human animals. It has its own specialist terms, methods and literature. It is essential for students undertaking an extended essay in psychology to have a reasonable understanding of the subject and its methodologies.

Psychology is not a “residual” category for essays that do not fit into any other extended essay subject. Students must choose topics that lend themselves to psychological investigation and analysis, and must carefully consider their choice of topic in terms of the assessment criteria.

Choice of topic

An extended essay in psychology allows students to investigate a topic of personal interest in a systematic manner. The essay should be based on a well-focused research question that the student attempts to answer throughout the course of the essay. The essay should be considered more of an investigative, analytical argument than a research hypothesis to be uncovered by use of research methods in a formal psychological study. Data collection and research methods, such as experiments, surveys, observations and case studies, are not appropriate for a psychology extended essay, and should not form part of the student's project.

Psychology is a broad field that has many subsets and specialties, providing a wide range of possible topics. Past experience strongly suggests that personal interest plays an important role in the success of an essay and it is recommended that students consider their own personal interests, such as sport or child development, as a starting point in the process. After selecting a field of interest, students can then consider areas of investigation within that field in order to narrow the scope of their essay and research question. For example, a student might be highly interested in commercial aviation. Many large commercial airlines employ psychologists to investigate pilot performance and factors such as stress or emergency management. A research question that may follow from this could be “To what extent has research on stress with airline pilots improved airline safety standards?”. 

The topic selected need not be from the current Psychology guide. In fact, some of the most interesting, engaging and successful extended essays are not necessarily based solely on material learned as part of the psychology course. Essays confined to the guide often produce descriptive, dispassionate accounts of classic psychological research. 

Topics that generally fall within the area labelled as “pop psychology” or “self-help” are usually not appropriate for the extended essay. As noted in the definition, psychology is a systematic study. Psychologists conduct research studies and develop theories in their attempt to understand behaviour and experience. Psychology extended essays must be supported with careful and appropriate citation of relevant theories and/or studies within psychology. This implies that the best resources are academic and psychological research journals and texts. Anecdotal support or references from popular publications do not form an appropriate base from which to develop an extended essay in psychology. Additionally, popular topics such as eating disorders, dysfunctional behaviour (such as schizophrenia and depression) and forensic psychology pose a challenge to students unless they have a tightly focused research question. These are very ambitious topics that need far more time and experience than students have at their disposal.

The choice of topic is best described as a logical process that starts with a field of psychology that is of personal interest to the student. This choice may be further refined to a topic of study within the broader field. From this decision, a research question is developed that may best be constructed in the form of a question, followed by a statement of intent that indicates the approach that is going to be used in answering the question. In this way, the approach to the topic chosen may be even further clarified.

The choice of topic is crucial for achieving a high mark for the extended essay. Choosing the topic needs a period of thoughtful reflection where consideration is given, even at this early stage, to the potential argument, analysis and evaluation that may develop over the course of writing the essay. Topics that do not lend themselves well to analysis, evaluation or debate are unlikely to be the best choices for a student.

Treatment of the topic

Students submitting extended essays in psychology must be fully aware that the discipline has its own unique terms, methods, ethical standards and evaluative commentary. Students should not attempt to prepare an extended essay in psychology if they have not studied the subject formally. The type of knowledge and

analytical skills required for a psychology extended essay are best developed through direct learning experiences derived from the Diploma Programme psychology course. Schools where psychology is not taught must be aware that students who submit extended essays in psychology with no formal exposure to the subject risk earning very low marks.

Specific reference to relevant psychology concepts, theories and studies must be integrated throughout each extended essay; these form the basis for the development of an argument in response to the research question. Essays that take a common sense or anecdotal approach will not earn high marks. Students should incorporate relevant psychological research, and demonstrate critical awareness and understanding of the material. Analysis should go beyond description or recitation of published material and include original analysis by the student.

An important skill that is developed throughout the psychology course is that of evaluative commentary and argument. One of the aims of all group 3 subjects is that students develop an understanding of the contestable nature of the content, as well as a toleration of uncertainty, that often comes from studying the behaviour of individuals and societies. Extended essays submitted in psychology should also demonstrate such understanding. Research and claims should be carefully evaluated to develop a well-rounded understanding of the topic being investigated. When students make assertions in their extended essays, these should always be supported by evidence that is drawn from psychological theories or studies. The current Psychology guide includes a framework for evaluation that trains students to address cultural, ethical, gender or methodological considerations that may affect the interpretation of behaviour resulting from a particular study or theory. Comparative analysis might also be an evaluative strategy relevant for inclusion in an extended essay. Students should keep these considerations in mind when selecting a topic, defining a research question and developing an argument.

The IB has published a set of ethical guidelines for the internal assessment component of the psychology course. While the requirements of a psychology extended essay are very different from those of the internal assessment, the ethical guidelines also apply to this project. Students and supervisors share the responsibility of ensuring that the extended essay does not breach established ethical guidelines. Many topics within psychology are sensitive and personal in nature, and careful consideration should be given to all possible ethical issues before students embark on the process of developing their essay.