 IB1-
You will learn the foundations of
psychology. The content you will learn in
year IB1, you will apply to the topics we
study in year IB2.
 It
is vital that if you miss a lesson, you get
the work off someone else and come and see
me if you do not understand it.
 Biological
level of analysis: The brain and
nervous system. How do our bodily functions
in terms of neurotransmitters, chemicals and
brain transmissions affect our behaviour.
 This
is very scientific- if you struggle with
science, don’t worry. PLEASE come and see
me after a lesson if you feel you have just
sat through the lesson and not understood a
word of it!
 We
look at hormones and behaviourMelatonin and how it contributes to jet lag
and seasonal affective disorder. We look at
the role of neurotransmitters such as
dopamine and serotonin and their affects on
people in terms of OCD and depression.
 We
also look at the effects genes have on our
behaviour. Are we born with the gene to
become anorexic/alcoholic/drug addict or is
it linked more to the environment?
 This
perspective is all linked to our thoughts
and mind processes. Do not confuse aspects
of it to the biological perspective. This
perspective is about how we feel and think,
not the chemical processes that are
occuring.
 We
look at how we remember things, models
of memory. We look at how memory can be
unreliable through eye witness testimonies.
We look at different types of memories.
 This
is the unit that looks at human
interactions within society. We look at why
people conform, obey and comply. The
effects of people blindly obeying without
thinking for themselves. We look at some of
the most influential psychological studies
ever conducted.
 We
look at behaviour within different
cultures and reasons as to why different
cultures behave so differently to the same
stimuli.
 This
is an independent study unit. You will be
given a set amount of time to complete a
section of your work booklet. We will then
have one lesson every two weeks going over
what you have completed in your booklet.
 We
will also touch on some aspects of this
unit in lessons. Whenever we look at a study,
we will go through what TYPE of study it was
and why it was best to use that type of study.
 NOT
the most interesting aspect but it is a
necessity at higher level.
 It
is absolutely essential you keep to deadline
on this otherwise you will have key research
methods and statistics missing which could
come up in the exam!
 In
IB2, you apply all your knowledge from
year IB1 to two topic areas if you are higher
level and one topic area if you are standard
level.
 SL students will be able (as a group) to
choose one option, and the HL students will
choose a second one from the following:
Abnormal Pysch., Developmental Psych.,
Sports Psych., Relationships Psych., and
Health Psych.
 Begins
after Easter in IB1.
 You decide the area you want to study,
however you must stick to the IB ethical
guidelines which will be explained to you
nearer the time.
 H.l- 2000 words, you also have to run a
statistical test on your results, as well as
include extra bits of information in each
section.
 SL- 1500 words, no stats test, very basic
replication of a study already carried out.
 Psychology
is the most content heavy course
at IB. There is a lot to learn, including
theory, research methods and several
psychological research studies that you must
know and be able to apply to the relevant
psychological perspective.
 You cannot afford to miss work, as every
lesson is an aspect of the course that you
could be questioned on in the exam.
 Paper
1:
Section A- three 8 mark questions, one for
each perspective. Answer all three questions.
Section B- three 22 mark essay questions,
one on each perspective. Choose ONE only!
Obviously choose the one you feel you can
answer best.
 There
are several topic areas, only answer
the questions in the sections we have
studied.
 SL- there are 3, 22 mark questions in the
stress/addiction section. Again, choose ONE.
The one you feel you can answer best.
 HL- You answer one question as above on the
first option, plus you choose one of the three
questions in the psychology of the second
option
 Qualitative
research methods. You will be
given a scenario/case and you will be asked
questions regarding what research methods
you would use and why and what the
advantages and disadvantages of this
research method are.
8
mark questions are usually describe,
explain, examine....... They look at your
knowledge and understanding of something.
 22 mark questions are the questions students
struggle most on. They are essay based
questions. They require you to demonstrate
knowledge and understanding, but crucially
they look at your ability to analyse and
evaluate.
9
marks for knowledge and understanding,
explaining/describing something.
 9 marks for evaluation and analysis
 4 marks for presentation, does your answer
flow from one theme to another. Does it
make sense, have you used the correct
research studies to support your answer.
You must pee throughout your answers to exam
questions (mainly 22 markers).
 We will do loads of exam questions for practise.
 P- Make a point. E.g, memory can be
unreliable.................
 E- Evidence. What evidence is there that
memory can be unreliable? Research studies:
Loftus and Palmer eye witness testimonies,
weapon focus etc.
 E- Evaluate. Criticise positively and negatively
the theory you have talked about and the
research studies linked to it.

 In
a 22 mark question, you should aim to
write about three studies linked to the
question being asked.
 Hint- DO NOT confuse a research study and a
research method.
 Research study- the experiment conducted
by the psychologist. E.g. Loftus and palmer
(1976) study on eye witness testimony.
 Research method- How they conducted the
study. Was it a laboratory experiment, a case
study and observation etc etc.
We can evaluate on a number of levels.
 Methodology- what was the methodology used in
studies to support a theory. What are the
advantages and disadvantages of using this
methodology.
 Ethics- Is the theory/study unethical in any way.
Were animals used? Did the study cause
psychological upset. Did they gain consent or
were participants deceived?
 Culture and gender- was the study conducted in
other cultures or has it just been conducted in
USA and applied to other countries, what are the
problems with this? Were participants all
male/all female? What are the problems with
this?

 Think
for yourselves too-if you think a study
is flawed in some way, put your ideas down
and justify them. E.g. In eye witness
testimony research, the studies are
unrealistic, they don’t stir up the same
feelings in someone as if they were involved
in a real crime.
 Please
take your own notes during lessons as
extra information. You are responsible for
your own notes.
 Do not expect everything to be given to you
on a plate. At IB, you are expected to carry
out your own research. Look on google, wiki,
and also check out the Psychology books in
the library. Anything you find yourself that is
relevant to the course, you can use in exams.
Don’t think the information I give you is it.
Conducting your own research will help you
get the level 6/7.
I
am always here if you need any help,
advice, information or you just want
someone to moan too. My job is to make
Psychology interesting but most importantly
to get you all passed with a good grade.
 Please
talk to me if you are having any
problems.
I asked an ex student to write some tips for you
all concerning IB psychology, here they are:
 DO NOT expect to be taught to analyze people
directly, the psychology course is focused
learning different psychological theories and the
studies that back them up or disprove them, it
could be that its not what you expect.


DO expect lots of work, there is a lot of
memorization involved in Psychology, and lots of
essay writing as well. If you feel overloaded,
take standard, its one exam less to study for and
a whole perspective less, which you will
eventually learn is a massive difference.

DO NOT go over the word limit on your coursework.

DO the essays given to you as homework with as much
effort as possible, as its one of the best ways of
remembering whole topics, you get better exam
technique, and it helps you organize theories, studies and
exam questions in your head so you understand how they
all fit together.

DO NOT leave studying until the last minute.

DO keep organized notes, for at the end of year 13 you will
be so stressed and tired of studying that finding yourself
without psychology notes a week before the exams will
make you want to kill yourself. Keeping good notes
actually helps you memorize everything better.

In the IB you tend to learn everything you were meant to
have learnt (the whole syllabus of all your subjects) in the
3 months before the actual exams, so it would make things
a lot easier to start revising early in IB2 and put the effort
in to learn and have a solid understanding of all you do in
year IB1. This is important

if you want to have a bearable last year, think of it as
running 200 metres everyday instead of running back to
back marathons the month before exams.

One of the best ways to study is writing 8 and 22 mark
essays on topics and theories that you have to learn.
Throughout the essay you must link back to the essay
question with every point you make or paragraph you
write, and organize your ideas clearly in different
paragraphs. This makes the essay clearer and more
focused, something that examiners look for.