IB Psychology SL

It is for Diploma Programme students in the Individuals and Societies subject group who want to study behaviour scientifically without taking the Higher Level course. It suits candidates who are comfortable reading research studies, learning terminology, and writing structured arguments backed by evidence rather than opinion.

The IB frames DP psychology around approaches to behaviour. At Standard Level the core approaches are the biological, cognitive, and sociocultural approaches. Each approach gives you a lens for explaining the same behaviour, so you should expect to compare explanations rather than treat the approaches as separate subjects.

External assessment tests your knowledge and understanding of the approaches to behaviour, your ability to describe and evaluate relevant research, and your skill in applying psychological knowledge to behaviour. The internal assessment adds a practical research report you design, carry out, and write up, which tests your understanding of research methodology.

Work through one approach at a time: learn the key concepts, then anchor each concept to two or three specific studies you can describe in detail. Finish each approach with evaluation practice. Only after all three approaches feel secure should you drill timed exam responses and full essays, because essays reward cross-approach comparison.

The usual problems are vague study descriptions, naming a researcher without explaining method and findings, ignoring the command term, and writing everything you know instead of answering the question. Another frequent weakness is evaluation that is generic, such as saying a study was unethical, without linking the criticism to the question asked.

Enough to state the aim, describe the procedure and participants, report the findings, and explain what the findings show about behaviour. You should also be able to evaluate the study's methodology and say how it supports or challenges the theory you are discussing. Depth on a few studies beats vague mentions of many.

No. This is independent study material and is not affiliated with the IB. Your teacher controls the taught syllabus, internal assessment deadlines, and school-specific requirements. For authoritative assessment information, use the current official IB psychology publications and your school's programme documentation.

Write full answers under timed conditions, then mark them against the command term and the expected structure. Check whether every claim is supported by a named study and whether evaluation is tied to the question. Rewriting weak answers after feedback improves exam performance faster than rereading notes.