Introduction In one of his earlier research studies (1961), Bandura showed that children exposed to an aggressive model would later copy those same aggressive behaviours, even if the child was in a different setting. This supports the idea that behavior can be learned through observation, which is the major claim of Social Learning Theory (SLT). TV and films have become …
Ethical Considerations – The Belmont Report
One thing that makes writing about “ethical considerations” difficult in IB Psychology is when the question asks to write about “one” specifically. As we usually write about ethical guidelines (informed consent, debriefing, right to withdraw, etc.) it’s hard to identify just one as these are all interconnected. This is where using one of the three considerations that came out of …
The race to the front quiz – a lesson idea
I love the first 5-10 minutes of lessons as I think it’s a really important time to do a number of things that can have a real impact on the rest of the lesson. In our CHACER lesson model, this is the first C – Consolidation. This post will outline one of my favourite consolidation activities – the race to …
Exam tips for writing about research methods and ethics
In this blog post I’ve written about how to use the D.E.A.L framework to evaluate and write essays about theories and models in psychology. If you find this helpful, you can also apply the same acronym to writing about research methods and ethics. Let’s recap what D.E.A.L stands for when writing about theories and studies: D: Describe the theory/model/study E: …
Correlational studies on culture and behaviour
One common method used to study the effects of culture on behaviour is the correlational study. This method involves measuring the strength of a relationship between two or more co-variables. In correlational studies on the effects of culture on behaviour, one variable is related to culture (e.g. cultural dimensions) and the other is related to behaviour (e.g. conformity, mate preference …
Key Study: Animal research on neuroplasticity (Rosenzweig and Bennett, 1961)
Background Info For a long time it was widely believed that our brain’s growth happened at a fixed rate. Many people thought that by the time we were about 4 – 6 years old, our brains had stopped developing and we were either going to be smart, dumb or average and that this wouldn’t change in our lives. However, research …
Practice Paper 3 – Observation of Hospitals – EXAMPLE ANSWERS
The following are some sample answers to THIS PRACTICE PAPER THREE. Paper Three: Example Answers The following are example answers to the practice three paper found on pg. 1.(a) Identify the research method used and outline two characteristics of the method. Method = covert participant observation Observations in qualitative studies like this one tend to happen in naturalistic environments, like hospitals. …
Practice Paper 3 – Observation of Hospitals – MARK SCHEME
The following is a mark scheme to be used as a guide when marking answers to THIS PRACTICE PAPER THREE. 1.(a) Identify the research method used and outline two characteristics of the method. Method = covert participant observation (1 mark) participant observations involve the researcher becoming a member of the group they’re being observed (in this case they were a …
Practice Paper 3 – Observation of Hospitals
The following is a summary of a study that can be used for practice when preparing for the new Paper 3. You have one hour and need to answer all five questions. The stimulus material below is based on a research article. People living in poverty find it difficult to access health care resources (e.g. medical treatment, Doctor’s appointments, vaccinations, …
Socio-cultural Etiology of PTSD: Socioeconomic status
When you are writing an essay on etiologies, keep it simple to begin with. Find one basic etiology (brain abnormalities, appraisals or socioeconomic status) and explain how and why that’s linked with PTSD. Use simple studies to begin with, and then later in your essay explore the interactions of bio, cog and socio-cultural influences. Etiology – Socioeconomic status A common finding …