IB Psychology SL

Yes, the mark scheme specifies that a response must include a relevant. Without the inclusion of a supporting research study, the response would not achieve higher than the lowest mark band. When including a research study in your response, you must outline the study’s aim, procedure, results and conclusions. It is also essential that you link the study back to the question, meaning that you need to explicitly show how the findings of the study support or relate to the question.

No. Questions related to research methods and/or ethics would be asked at the Topic level (e.g., ‘brain and behaviour”) but not at the specific content level, e.g., localisation. In Paper 1, research methods and/or ethics questions can be asked about each of the approaches. In particular, the Biological approach (including brain & behaviour, hormones & pheromones, and genetics & behaviour), the Cognitive approach (including cognitive processing, reliability of cognitive processes, and emotion & cognition), and the Sociocultural approach (including the individual & the group, cultural origins of behaviour & cognition, and cultural influences on individual behaviour).

No, the italicised terms from the guide (such as agonist/antagonist) can only be used to formulate short-answer question responses. The complete list of additional/italicised terms that can be used in the formulation of short answer questions includes neural network(s), neural pruning, neuron, synapse (inhibitory and excitatory), agonist, antagonist, twin and kinship studies, multi-store model of memory, working memory model, cognitive schema, rational thinking (controlled), intuitive thinking (automatic), social groups, cultural groups, norms, assimilation/assimilate

Paper 1 is 2 hours long and will examine content from the core (the biological, cognitive, and sociocultural approaches.) It consists of 3 compulsory short answer questions (SAQs), one from each approach (biological, cognitive, and sociocultural). There will also be three extended response questions (essays, ERQs or LAQs). One question will come from each approach (biological, cognitive, and sociocultural). You will only be required to answer one extended response question. Paper 2 is 1 hour long and will examine content from the options (abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, health psychology, and psychology of human relationships). It consists of 12 extended response questions (essays, ERQs or LAQs), and you must answer 1. There will be three questions from each option (abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, health psychology, and psychology of human relationships). Within each option, there will be one question from each of the content areas.