Understanding how and why twin studies are used is an important topic in biological psychology because they can give us important insights into the extent to which our behaviour is nature (genetics) or nurture. Context Is our behaviour a product of nature or nurture? In other words, are we born the way we are, or have we become this way …
Lesson Idea: Sampling Methods – Practice for Paper 3
For IB Psychology Paper 3, students need to know the following five sampling methods: Opportunity/convenience Random Self-selected/volunteer Snowball Purposive The stimulus material (summary of a study) that you are given in the exam may or may not state the sampling method used. Therefore, you need to be prepared to identify the method used based on the summary of how the …
Lesson Idea: Understanding thematic analysis
The aim of the activities in this lesson is to help students understand the process and purpose of conducting a thematic analysis in qualitative research. It is not necessary to study how qualitative data is analyzed in the new IB Psychology curriculum, but it could be useful to help deepen your understanding of qualitative methods (and it could be used in …
Lesson Idea: Understanding generalizability and population validity
If you want to write excellent evaluations of psychological studies then generalizability is a really important term to know. It’s also called external validity and it refers to the extent to which we could expect the same results in a different context (i.e. do the results apply beyond the study, external to the study?). In this post we’ll focus on population validity (read more …
Lesson Idea: Ethics of applying findings
In the new IB Psychology Paper 3, you may be asked to explain the ethical considerations involved in applying findings of the study. See this lesson idea to help with reporting the findings of a study. What does it mean to “apply findings?” To apply the findings (results) of a study means that the results are being used to inform …
Lesson Idea: Ethics of reporting findings
In the new IB Psychology Paper 3, you may be asked to explain the ethical considerations involved in reporting findings of the study. The most obvious consideration (or guideline) relevant to this question is anonymity – not revealing participants names in the final report. Other relevant considerations or guidelines may include: Informed consent (avoiding deception) Debriefing Confidentiality (not telling people you’re involved …
fMRI: An important technological technique used to study the brain
The invention of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has rapidly advanced our knowledge and understanding of the human brain. In the IB Psychology course, fMRIs are a good example of a “technique used to study the brain in relation to behaviour.” Background Information fMRIs are a modification of a regular MRI machine. Whereas MRIs simply show the structure of the …
Key Study: London Taxi Drivers vs. Bus Drivers (Maguire, 2006)
Understanding how the brain can grow and change as a result of our environment and experiences is an exciting and important new field in psychology. Maguire’s study on this topic is already a classic. Context One of the most fascinating (relatively) recent discoveries is the idea of neuroplasticity: the brain’s amazing ability to grow and change as a result of different experiences. …
Key Study: Clinical bias and the effects of labelling on diagnosis (Temerlin, 1968)
Clinical bias can affect the validity and reliability of diagnosis and one thing that can cause clinical bias is when a patient is labelled with having a particular disorder. Labelling theory usually refers to how a label can affect the individual being labelled, but it is also used to explain how others can treat someone based on their label. Effects …
Key Study: Confirmation bias: why psychiatrists stick to wrong preliminary diagnoses (Mendel et al. 2011)
Clinical bias can affect the validity and reliability of diagnosis. One example of a clinical bias that could have an effect is confirmation bias. While the use of classification systems could reduce the influence of clinical bias, it might also lead to it. Clinical bias is a general term that refers to any cognitive bias that can affect the diagnosis …
Key Study: HM’s case study (Milner and Scoville, 1957)
HM’s case study is one of the most famous and important case studies in psychology, especially in cognitive psychology. It was the source of groundbreaking new knowledge on the role of the hippocampus in memory. Background Info “Localization of function in the brain” means that different parts of the brain have different functions. Researchers have discovered this from over 100 …
The sociocultural approach and diagnosis in Abnormal Psychology
Making an accurate diagnosis of a psychological disorder like depression or PTSD is very important. However, it’s not always easy and culture is one factor that can influence the validity and reliability of diagnosis. Culture and Reporting Symptoms One factor that may affect diagnosis is culture. In particular, people from different cultures may report their symptoms differently. For example, a …
Key Studies: Effects of acculturation on behaviour (Torres et al. 2012 and Nap et al. 2014)
Acculturation may refer to assimilation, but it can also refer to Berry’s model of acculturation which outlines four way in which someone may adapt to a new culture. The type of acculturation a person experiences can affect their behaviour. More specifically, it may moderate the effects of prejudice and discrimination. Acculturation is the process of adapting and changing as a …
Computer games and the brain: A summary with two key studies
In this post we look at the positive effects of playing computer games by looking at how it might affect the brain, both in young and old people. We know from many MRI studies that our brain changes as a result of experience – this is called neuroplasticity. Therefore, it’s not unrealistic to think that hours spent playing video games …
The negative effects of digital technology on cognition #2 (with key studies): TV, attention and working memory
Technology’s Negative Effects on Memory Numerous studies have investigated the effects of watching television on working memory and executive functions because kids in developed countries tend to watch a lot of television. Watching TV for long periods of time might be harmful for cognition because it doesn’t require us to use our working memory, unlike other activities like reading, doing …
Lesson Ideas: Understanding Semi-structured Interviews
Conducting your own qualitative research is an engaging and effective way to learn about qualitative methodology. Activity Outline You’re about to conduct your own semi-structured interviews on other students in your class. This will help you understand what a semi-structured interview is, as well as its strengths and limitations. (This activity is designed to go with Lesson 9.1(c) Semi-Structured Interviews …
Technology and Memory: The negative effects of digital technology on memory #1 (and key studies)
The following has been adapted from our exam revision book: IB Psychology: A Revision Guide (available here). This is relevant for the working memory model and also for the HL extension: the (negative) effects of technology on cognitive processes and the reliability of cognitive processes. In this post we look at the negative effects of computer games and other technology …
Key Study: The effects of emotion (stress) on memory (Luethi et al, 2009)
The following has been adapted from our exam revision book: IB Psychology: A Revision Guide (available here). This is relevant for the effects of emotion on cognition and the HL extension: the (positive) effects of technology on emotion and cognitive processes and the reliability of cognitive processes. When we feel stressed our body releases a hormone called cortisol. The effects …
Can computer games improve working memory? A look at the positive effects of digital technology on cognition (and key studies)
The following has been adapted from our exam revision book: IB Psychology: A Revision Guide (available here). This is relevant for the working memory model and also for the HL extension: the (positive) effects of technology on cognitive processes and the reliability of cognitive processes. In this blog we look at the positive effects of computer games and other technology …
Essay Writing Advice: Do we need a counter-argument in every essay?
Do we need a counter-argument in every essay? This is a common question that has different answers depending on who you ask, so I want to make my position on this question very clear. In my advice to students I say that yes, they should have a counter-argument in every essay. In fact, they should aim for three counter-arguments to show …
Exam Review Tip: How to create hard copy flash cards using quizlet
Did you know you can use quizlet to create print flashcards? I just learned this now. Here’s how to do it… Create your study list on quizlet Open the study set and hit the “Print” button Choose your lay-out (I recommend large and double-sided printing) and it “Open PDF” You’re now ready to print, paste and cut. Here’s a …
Key Study: Bandura’s Bobo Doll (1963)
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: …