Disclaimer: These questions are not IB “official” questions and are written with our best guess as to what the probable exam questions may look like. Therefore, not every possible question is covered.
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Cognitive Approach
The following table is taken from “IB Psychology: A Revision Guide” (Link).
Exam Questions
TOPIC | Content | SAQs | Essay Questions |
Cognitive Processing | Models of memory |
|
|
Multi-store model |
| SAQ term only | |
Working memory model |
| SAQ term only | |
Schema theory |
|
| |
Cognitive schema |
| SAQ term only | |
Thinking and decision making |
|
| |
Rational (controlled) |
| SAQ term only | |
Intuitive thinking (automatic) |
| SAQ term only | |
Reliability of cognitive processing. |
|
| |
Reconstructive memory |
|
| |
Bias in thinking and decision making |
|
| |
Emotion and cognition | The influence of emotion on cognitive processes |
|
|
Research Methods & Ethical Considerations
Questions about research methods and ethics will be based on the three “topics” for the cognitive approach (cognitive processes, the reliability of cognitive processes and emotion and cognition).
Research Methods
Short Answer Questions
- Outline one research method used to study cognitive processes.
- Describe the use of one research method used to study cognitive processes.
- Explain how and why one research method is used to study the reliability of one cognitive process.
- Explain the use of one research method used in the cognitive approach to understanding human behaviour.
Essay Questions
- Discuss one research method used to study cognitive processes.
- Evaluate one or more research methods used to study cognitive processes.
- Evaluate the use of one research method used to study the reliability of cognitive processes.
- Evaluate how and why one research method is used to study the effects of emotion on cognition.
- Discuss the use of one or more research methods used in the cognitive approach to understanding human behaviour.
Ethical Considerations
Short Answer Questions
- Outline one ethical consideration related to studies on cognitive processes.
- Explain one ethical consideration relevant to studies on the effects of emotion on cognition.
- Explain one ethical consideration relevant to one study on the reliability of cognitive processes.
- Outline one ethical consideration related to studies in the cognitive approach to understanding human behaviour.
Essay Questions
- Discuss one ethical consideration relevant to studies on cognitive processes.
- Discuss one ethical consideration relevant to one study on the reliability of cognitive processes.
- Discuss ethical considerations relevant to research on the effects of emotion on cognition.
- Discuss one or more ethical considerations relevant to research on cognitive processes.
- Discuss one or more ethical considerations related to research in the cognitive approach to understanding human behaviour.
Notes
Paper One has two sections – A and B. In Section A you have three compulsory short answer questions, one from each approach (biological, cognitive and sociocultural). In Section B, you have three exam questions, also one from each approach and you answer only one. This means you should prep all core approach topics for SAQs and you can choose one approach for essays.
- For short answer questions, because you can use the command terms interchangeably (outline, describe, explain) their selection for the above questions has been random.
- The italicized terms above (e.g. cognitive schema) are the SAQ additional terms. It’s often difficult to predict how these will be phrased in IB exam questions.
Disclaimer: These questions are not IB “official” questions and are written with our best guess as to what the probable exam questions may look like. Therefore, not every possible question is covered.
Travis Dixon is an IB Psychology teacher, author, workshop leader, examiner and IA moderator.