IB Psychology SL
The DP Psychology Standard Level (SL) course focuses on the core approaches (biological, cognitive and sociocultural) that affect behaviour. Students will also look at how research methods are used as well as ethical considerations in different key studies on these approaches. SL students will apply their understanding of these approaches to one of these options: abnormal psychology, psychology of human relationships, health psychology, and developmental psychology.
Course Structure and Content
Students at the Standard Level will start with an introduction to Psychology by examining various approaches to researching behaviour and the role of ethics in conducting psychological studies. This is followed by a thorough discussion of biological approaches on behaviour - which examines the physiological bases of behaviour, sociocultural approaches - which provides explanations to how culture and social interactions affect mental processes, and cognitive approaches - which looks at how one's thinking patterns influence behaviour.
This is followed by a single optional topic, as Standard Level students extend their learning. Through the study of this option, students can apply their knowledge of the core topics to an applied area in psychology (e.g explaining how thoughts, neurochemical factors, and culture and social interactions may influence the development of abnormal behaviour, or looking at how different factors such as poverty and socioeconomic status influence child development).
Students will also be assessed internally through a replication of a published experiment.
Tips for Success
- Be knowledgeable of different vocabulary and key studies used in the core topics and options.
- Take your knowledge further by analysing studies and topics through research methodologies & ethics.
- Critically analyse content and studies. Psychology invites the student to tolerate ambiguity and look at behaviour through a multidimensional lens.
RV Psychology is designed to maximise your academic results through multiple-choice questions related to key terminology and research, practise critical analysis and understanding of content through short-answer and essay questions on all topic and content areas available through our Questionbank and other tools available to meet your learning needs.
More IB Psychology Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
If a SAQ does not explicitly mention a study, is it still necessary to include one?
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.
Can I be asked about research methods or ethics in relation to a topic such as ‘localisation’?
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).
Can the italicised terms from the guide be asked as part of an essay question in an exam?
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
How many exams will there be for SL Psychology?
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.