This post is designed to help you make sure that you’re following the basic IA requirements before submitting your final draft. The following guidelines come from the e-coursework handbook from the IB. This information is relevant as of March, 2018. Please always refer to official IB documentation and ask your DP Co-ordinator for the latest updates. Formatting Guidance The following …
Lesson Idea: Generalizability (External Validity)
The Task Read the following fictional summaries of how people have applied results from psychological studies. Identify one or more reasons why the application is misguided and might not work. #1 Social Media and Anxiety: One study in the USA showed a correlation between social media and anxiety so a school in Japan has banned the use of social media. #2 Music Class …
Lesson Idea: Understanding Sampling Methods
Task: Read the following summaries of studies and how they got their samples. Identify the type of sampling method used. Was it: (a) Random (b) Self-selected/volunteer (c) Opportunity Mental Health and War: A psychologist studying the effects of war on mental health got a list of all enlisted soldiers in the countries army using public census records. They assigned a number to …
Lesson Idea: Understanding Self-selected Sampling
This activity and lots of others are included in the student workbook in the Teacher Support Pack for Chapter 6: Quantitative Methods. Read the aims of the following proposed experiments. Some researchers want to carry out these studies but their problem is they don’t have any participants yet. Working with a partner, come up with some ideas on how they …
Lesson Idea: Understanding correlational studies
The purpose of this activity is to help you learn about correlational studies and correlation coefficients. Key Questions: What are three characteristics of a correlational study? How do correlational studies differ from experiments? How and why are correlational studies used in one or more approaches to understanding behaviour? Resources Textbook 6.1f, pg 320-321 (IB Psychology: A Student’s Guide) (Link) Correlation …
Lesson Idea: Experimental Designs
The purpose of this activity is to help you learn about design choices experimenters have and to think about the benefits and limitations of using each design. You will also learn about terminology for extraneous variables and other controls. It is designed to be studied during the Quantitative Methods unit (Chapter 6, 6.1b). It should take about 15-20 minutes. Key …
What is an “emic concept?”
This post is for the “old” syllabus (May and Nov 2018 exams) and is not needed for the new one. The LO for the old syllabus is: “Using one or more examples, explain “emic” and “etic” concepts.” An emic concept refers to an approach to research that involves studying behaviour in a single culture. This is different to an etic …
Tips for writing “Discuss research related to…” essays
In the new IB Psychology syllabus it’s fair to anticipate numerous questions that will require students to discuss research related to particular topics. This will be especially true in the options. Here are some possible questions: Discuss research related to neuroplasticity. Discuss research related to attachment. Discuss research related to bystanderism. You can find an example essay here: Sample Essay from …
Stereotype Threat
One way that stereotypes can have an effect on behaviour is by something called “stereotype threat.” This is defined as “being at risk of confirming, as a self-characteristic, a negative stereotype about one’s social group” (Steele & Aronson, 1995). In other words, you feel that you might behave in a way that confirms a stereotype about a group that you …
Teaching Tip: How to access the IB Psychology discussion forum
Now that the OCC forum has closed down, the discussion forum moderated by Peter Giddens and read by the IB Psychology curriculum people has been moved to a new location. This post will help you find it. Step 1: Login Go to the login page for MyIB here. You will get to a page that looks like this one below. …