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Virtual Think-Ins
The IA in DP Psychology
Virtual Think-In, 10 May 2024
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Subscriber comments
- I see now, that makes sense. Thank you John!
- Dear John. For studies on anchoring bias: Can the students use mean as measure of central tendency if they check for outliers, although this is considered ordinal data?
- Dear MargaThey are both correct. Even though I disagree with the IB that transferability is only relevant to qualitative research.
- Dear SilviaHere is a sample:Crane, J. P. (2019). Schema Theory. Inthinking: IB Psychology. Retrieved October 16, 2020, from
- Dear AnaYou can see them here. https://thinkib.net/psychology/page/24558/assessment-markbands
- Dear RebeccaYou can see above that this one would take two 80-minute periods.
- Hi John, do you know where I can find the grade boundaries for the IA? Thanks
- Hi John In various stimulus pieces it is differentiated the following: - Generalisability = generalisability to the population from which the sample is drawn/sampled. - Transferability = generalisability to another populationHowever, on page...
- Thanks a lot John! I have another question: if the students are citing your InThinking Website as an in-text citation, which year should they include? (according to APA 7th ed guidelines, it's meant to be the year it has last been updated/published,...
- Hi John, sorry if I missed it but when you share a lesson plan roughly how long should we give to the delivery of that?
- Dear Silviayes, that is fine. They are not assessed on their choice or number of references.
- Understood. Thank you, John.
- Dear John,a question about references: is it acceptable (and will not penalize them) if the students cite only your online book (InThinking) as sources in their introduction? Many thanks!Silvia
- Dear ArnavThe "clarification" is that they will have a choice. But this is not written anywhere clearly. This always makes me a bit wary as the bottom line is that the guide is what determines if a question is "legal" or not. So,...
- Hi John,Your reply to Karima's comment here suggests that we aren't certain if students will have a choice on writing about excitatory and inhibitory neurons (since it isn't written anywhere). Your sample SAQs also seem to indicate that the...
- Not yet. But it is on my shelf!
- Sure, thanks! Have you read Buss' book "Evolutionary psychology - the new science of the mind?" It is on my reading list.
- Dear CharlotteYes, you are correct. It is ordinal because they used a scale from 1 - 10. This requires the median and the IQR. Students are marked down for using the mean and standard deviation in this case.
- Dear DenisYes, you are correct. It is to supportive of an evolutionary argument - however, we cannot know that they are "genetic" from this study alone. The point is that the results cannot show causality, but they do give...
- Thanks!
- Dear John You write: "The results do not tell us why these preferences exist. It is not known whether the preferences are a result of genetic differences or socialization." Isn't the uniformity of the answers provided across a wide...
- Thank you for clarifying John!
- Hi John, Has the median and IQR been chosen in this example as the data is considered ordinal? I have students who have replicated Kruger's research on the 'effort heuristic' with the DV being ratings on a scale. I'm assuming this means...
- Dear TomThat is correct. The repeated measures does not need random allocation to conditions because all participants take part in all conditions. Therefore, it is a true experiment.
- Dear JoannaOnly the questions listed on the site (with potential slight variation of wording) could be asked on the exam. Ethics may not be asked for those two extensions.
- Dear OliviaIf the student has identified a cognitive bias and explained (or described, depending on the command term) it well, the student could earn up to 5 marks. However, if the question is "Describe one study of one cognitive bias,"...
- Dear John, A student asks the following question: Do repeated measures designs where there is an IV and DV count as true experiment or quasi experiment? I feel that the repeated measures design (where there is an IV and DV -- aren't this...
- Hi John, Could they ask an exam question that combines ethics with the HL content from the cognitive or sociocultural approaches?
- If a student provides a detailed description of a study but its not relevant to the question, what is the highest they could receive? For example, for an SAQ on cognitive biases in thinking and decision making and a student answers with Brewer...
- One of my great students got this :) Have a great weekend John!
- Dear GregAbsolutely.
- Dear SamA good question. It sounds like a counterbalanced repeated measures design to me. Remember, students are not required to replicate a study. They may use this study to get an idea for what they would like to do. Then...
- Good catch, Greg. Thank you. Fixed. Enjoy the weekend.
- Dear Martinyes, that is fine. Students are only required to know one example of a cognitive bias for the exam.
- Dear NehaYes, it could be used for brain localization.
- Hi JohnThis question sounds obvious, but can we use Draganski to "Explain the formation of neural networks"? Greg
- Thank you so much for clarifying that! I've been (unsuccessfully!) looking for Berry and Katz's study on Conformity and finally decided to ask you : )Have a great day!
- Hi JohnOne of the groups has chosen the Hilton (2001) study . However, we are having some difficulty in understanding how they have explained the procedure. Under procedure it says the following"A between subjects experiment was conducted,...
- Hi JohnThere is a mistake in sample 1. It should be "proton spin" instead of protein spin I reckon :) Greg
- Hello John,For ERQs on Topic 2 Content 2 in the cognitive approach, is it ok if we just focus on ONE anchor bias (the anchoring bias) and use Tversky and Kahneman and Englich and Mussweiler? We don´t need another bias or more studies for that...
- Thanks a lot, John!
- Hi JohnCan Draganski (2004) be used for giving evidence for brain localisation?If not could you explain the reasoning?
- Dear Tulika1. Yes, that is correct.2. I have no idea why the IB markscheme lists Berry and Katz. I cannot find such a study. As for citation, it doesn't matter. The identification of the researchers is not assessed.
- Hi John!Checking if i have understood the following correctly:1) The study by Berry(1967) can be used for questions on: cultural dimensions, enculturation and for the influence of culture on cognitive and/or behavior.2) When you said "However,...
- Thank you, Maggie. It is fixed now.
- Dear OneliaI would never use this for a research methods question. In addition, students do not need to always identify the method. This is a very poorly done study. It is definitely not experimental. And the latest...
- Dear YutingAre you on Facebook? If so, there is a file there with all of the annotations. You can find it by searching "annotations" on the site.https://www.facebook.com/groups/183857671747582Otherwise, I cannot post a file here. However,...
- Hello John， “the following Google doc.” this file could not be found.
- Would you consider this a field experiment?
- Hi John,I am reading students past annotated sample, and I saw some moderator comment such as "VL", "DES", "VG", I am not sure about what do these annotations mean. It would be really helpful if you can provide me with a link or something...
- This is very helpful, thank you.
- Dear EmmanouelaI cannot really see it being considered a case study. Even Caspi calls it an "experiment." I wouldn't recommend students calling it that.
- Dear ZyenepBe careful, the research is not well worded. Preventive therapy is not the same as treatment. The question does not really make sense.As for evaluation, the student should do both.
- Dear SamThat is up to you as there is no markband relevant to this. When I do just SAQs, I tend to calculate a 7 as 21 (3* 7); then I use this method for each markband - 18 is a 6; 15 is a 5, etc. If they knew the three questions...
- Dear JohnI have read your points about the research method in Caspi's study. I wondered, though, if it can also be considered a case study, being longitudinal and follwoing triangulation.ThanksEmmanouela
- Dear EmilyIf time is the DV, it would be interval. Time is considered an interval variable because differences between all time points are equal but there is no “true zero” value for time.The second study is "ratio" because they could have...
- Hi john, My EE student's subject is; ' What extent is EMDR effective prevention therapy for treating PTSD? 'While doing critical thinking, he worries about whether he should talk about the limitations or strengths of the study he uses, or whether...
- Hi JohnMy internal exam only had 3 SAQs in it for a mark out of 27. Any advice on how to come out with a suitable level?
- Thank you for your (as always) quick reply!
- Hi John, Just wondering if you or someone else can help with the following:- I have one group of students who have conducted the stroop test as part of their IA, but they have tweaked it slightly, what level of measurement would this be...
- Yes, the study is appropriate. I also have not read the original study. However, it is definitely accepted on exams.
- Many thanks, John.
- Dear JohnFor the SAQ "Explain one study of the influence of emotion on one cognitive process" a student used Buchanan & Lovallo's study of cortisol and memory. I am not that familiar with the study but at first glance it looked relevant,...
- Dear TomThe key difference is that cognitive appraisal is how people interpret a situation. Catastrophisizing is how one interprets the potential outcome of a future event.
- Dear DanyaI agree that focusing on one behaviour makes more sense; however, this question does not require that students do that.
- Dear ShraddhaIt doesn't matter. It is only important that parental consent is obtained for any participants under age 16.
- Dear AnaIt could explain decision-making.
- Dear John,A student asks: 'What is the difference between cognitive appraisal and catastrophic thinking (catastrophising)? I found that they are really similar and a negative cognitive appraisal refers to when the survivors of the war are thinking...
- Dear John,For such a question "Discuss the use of one or more research methods in the study of the influence of culture on behavior and/or cognition"... should the student focus on methods used to study one behaviour and/or cognition (e.g....
- Dear John,this might sound very silly, but just for clarification...while conducting the experiment students in one group must have a set of participants...right? In one of the groups, 1 student wants to take participants below 16 years and...
- I see. I will discuss this with them further. Thank you John!
- Thank you so much for your suggestions! I will encourage them to do a pilot study and see how it goes. and your response also address my second concern. Thanks!
- Hi John, Could students use Chen et al for culture and cognition? Would that explain perception?
- Dear EmmaIt may definitely be used to explain social identity theory. That is the whole basis of the study.As for the effects, it could be used, as long as the students are able to explain the effects in order to earn conceptual understanding....
- Dear SarahNo, those studies are not relevant to the topics in this unit. They would earn no marks for focus (A) or research (C). If they have a good explanation of ethical considerations in general and use appropriate terminology,...
- Dear MattAbsolutely. According to the subject guide, the IB requires students to study one of the five mandatory disorders: anxiety, depression, trauma-related disorders, eating disorders, or OCD. Anything else would score no marks.
- Dear AnthonyWe have been told that students would have a choice. That being said, it is not 100% explicit in the guide. I have students prepare both, just in case.
- Dear EugeneThey could use either of those theories.
- Thanks for letting me know. I cannot see how it can be sociocultural, but the IB would have to also accept it as cognitive if that is in the OUP book. The problem is that social psychologists study "social cognition." I guess...
- Hi John,I am interested in your views on the following questions about Hilliard & Liben:Do you think students could use Hilliard & Liben as the relevant study in a SAQ asking to "describe one effect of stereotypes on behaviour..."...
- Hi John-I just gave my students a mock exam and had the question "Discuss ethical considerations int he study of group dynamics." Two of my students used the Berry study and one used Hofstede's research on cultural dimensions. They discussed...
- Hello John, I have a question that really calls for your sage advice, but I am not sure where to post it. It's a question about etiology, in the context of an Abnormal ERQ/Paper2, but it really about your insight into the grading...
- Dear John,For the question "Explain the role of inhibitory or excitatory synapses in one behavior", would it be phrased just that way? Or might the IB ask a question about either inhibitory or excitatory synapses alone?Thanks.
- Hi John,I have students who are partially replicating Cox and Griggs for their IA. What would be the background theory that they need to link their study to? Is it the Memory Cueing hypothesis or the Dual Process Model? Thanks.
- John, just for information, Familiarity, is under cognitive and interpersonal relationships in my textbook: Psychology, 2nd Edition, Oxford IB Diploma - hence my confusion.
- This makes sense. Thank you!
- Dear AlinaNot really. It is a study of effects of globalization. It did not earn marks on a past exam. The HL students are required to learn more research for the HL extensions that takes them beyond the expectations for SL.
- Yes, that would be enough. Students should only look at effects on one behaviour in order to have a well-focused essay.
- Hi John,I have a question about using Meany et al., for all three topics. If we taught this and then linked it back to human studies for each topic would that work? For example......The value of animal models in the study of the brain and behavior.Animal...
- Hi John, Would this study be suitable for discussing Acculturation ? Perhaps through the perspective of marginalisation?Just trying to see how I can limit the amount of studies here because we do the HL extension too
- John,just wanted to know will attention span and concentration as a variable will be enough to be tested here?
- Thank you.
- Dear AshleyThe IB allows students to either have a true control group with no treatment, or they could have two different levels of the IV - as seen in the example you give. This is fine for them. They may use a two-tailed hypothesis...
- Dear IanThat is not a problem. There needs to be a number for a "partner" on the cover page, but otherwise, who that person is and whether it is the same person that started out the experiment is not controlled by the IB.
- Dear DawnYes, they could. They would have to use a study of the "individual and the group" and not a study of culture.
- Thanks, and agreed re: complications with using it for this question (said something similar to the student yesterday). Much appreciated.
- Dear TammyThey should include an English translation to make sure that the requirements are actually met - e.g. parental consent for under 16.
- Fantastic! You might want to post it on the Facebook page. A lot more teachers would see it there as they review with students for exams!
- Dear Thomas, Thank you for that! I have fixed the link.
- Dear AndreaAll natural experiments are also quasi-experiments. They are a subset of quasi-experiments. Caspi's study is a natural experiment because the IVs (both gene variation and stressful life events) are naturally occurring. If...
- Dear TrevorI definitely would not use this for a question on research methods. The question would be asked about "the individual and the group" - so there are a lot of better examples of an experiment. This study is complicated...
- Dear DenisYes, that is correct. And it is an example of sexual selection, which is a subset of natural selection. Either argument is accepted on exams
- Dear PreetiWhat concerns do you have about this question?
- Dear LeeTheoretically, yes. But students struggle to explain why the SPE is an experiment. It is not the best example. However, it is accepted.
- It is not a very good design. They would have to come up with a composite score, which for this study would be tricky. Maybe encourage them to do a counterbalanced repeated measures design, using one problem with a low anchor (e.g....
- Dear Yuting,I would share your concern. They would have to decide what they will accept as "correct" before they run the experiment. They may want to do a pilot study with their peers to see what types of answers they would get...
- Hi John, This year I have 2 groups of 2 students each. They seem to be preparing properly for they proposals (I intend to confirm the final groups/studies by the end of the week) but I am concerned. If next year one of them is not here, would...
- Dear John, Under the individual and the group in italics is 'Social Groups' so am I right in thinking that students could get a question for example, Explain one study of Social Groups? Thank you.
- Hi John, If students created materials, such as the consent form or instructions, in language other than English to ensure participants understand it well. My impression is that they do not need to include a translated copy of it but the...
- Dear John,I have a group of students who proposed to replicate Hilton, E.S. (2001). I had previously advised them that selecting the study may require them to simplify both IV and DV to ensure their replication is appropriate for the IA. Their...
- Hope this is okay - I used the above presentation and created a True/False Kahoot if anyone wants to use it: https://create.kahoot.it/details/eb10f55d-4bbd-4733-b065-ee7b9def1b17
- Hello, the CAS activity which contains the WHO link appears as "Error 404 page not found". In lieu of that article, I provided students with this one https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-and-forced-displacement
- Hi John, My students and I are confused - earlier in the guide these are the definitions:A quasi-experiment: Like the "experiment" by Derren Brown - no IV is manipulated and participants are not randomly allocated to conditions. Instead, it...
- Thank you very much for this clarification. Great! I was confused.
- Hi John, would the IB accept this study as a true experiment as well as an example of a quasi experiment? It seems as though it has aspects of both true and quasi. Obviously the true is the splitting into the diagnostic or non-diagnostic condition,...
- Dear JohnJust making sure I get the study right: it suggests mate selection preferences are adaptive, since they can increase the chance of having off-spring with superior immune systems, which increases survival and reproduction probabilities?...
- Dear John,Pl Advise on the EE RQ : · To what extent does chronic sleep deprivation have an effect on the attention span and concentration amongst high school students?
- Dear John,I have another group of students who want to replicate T&K's study on anchoring bias. However, instead of presenting one math problem to ascending group and descending group, they want each group to estimate three math problem....
- Hello,Can Zimbardo be used in a SAQ such as 'Explain one research method used in one study in the sociocultural approach'.Cheers
- Yes, yes, sort of! (I really appreciate their thinking and creativity!) Right now, they propose the use of Runes, you can see a sample here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armanen_runes . and they plan to take out any symbols that look...
- Perfect. Thank you, John, as always.
- Dear IanThank you. I am always happy to be able to help.And yes, this study would be totally fine for positive effects.
- Dear ThomasYes, peer status would be a sociocultural factor, so the study would be appropriate.
- Dear YutingI don't really understand what would be in the trigram - a triangle, a circle, a square? Is that the type of trigram that they are going to design?If that is what you mean, then it may actually work. It sounds like your...
- Dear NaomiEating habits is too broad - and habits fit under cognitive or biological, not really sociocultural, which would focus on cultural norms. I think that this would not attractive many marks.
- Hi John, A student wants to use this study: Glass, Maddox, Love - https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0070350Could you confirm it is acceptable for positive effects?Sorry if I have not said it after my many...
- Hi John, Would it be appropriate for a student to use this study to answer the following ERQ: "To what extent is development as a learner influenced by sociocultural factors?" Her ERQ is focused on development in terms of peer relationships...
- Thank you once again John. Ivo
- Hi John,May I have your thoughts about the following revision my student want to apply: so they want to adjust Peterson and Peterson by changing the trigrams and how they are presented. Instead of english alphabets that can be verbally rehearsed...
- Thanks for this John. So if she did not refer to enculturation and just discussed eating habits, then this would not be a relevant study to use for sociocultural?
- Dear JillStress is the health problem as identified in the guide. So, yes, this is a valid study for the question of "prevalence of stress."
- Dear Ivo,Yes, that is correct.
- Dear Brian,I don't understand your question. What is "this?"
- Dear John, Thank you for your response. That means that if there is only one section according to the IB standards, in this case Introduction, it will be evaluated accordingly. However, as there are the remaining sections missing,...
- Hi John,If a student uses Curran and Hill for a question on prevalence of health problems is it fine to talk about poor mental health? Since Curran and Hill doesn't really look at physiological measures of stress my student is worried that...
- Can this be connected to the DPM as well?
- Dear RenataSorry, my mistake! I have just added the question.
- Dear John,I have noticed that in the Cognitive SAQ you don't have questions about rational thinking (controlled) and about intuitive thinking (automatic), but both these terms are written in talics in the syllabus. Is this an omission, or has...
- Exactly what I needed to hear. I truly appreciate your prompt feedback. Thank you, John.
- Yes, that is correct.
- No. Only the questions listed in the guide can be asked.
- Hi John,please let me know if I understand this correctly. So it is ok to have a insignificant results, but students need to explain the reason that can be linked to the theory? for example, high school students nowadays might be able to quickly...
- Dear JohnCould this topic be combined with ethical considerations?
- That's what I thought. Thanks so much!
- Dear AbhilashUp until now, the question has been asked about "one or more disorders." I would assume that they will continue with this way of setting the question.
- Dear AdelaNo. It is not about culture, but about group identity.
- Thank you, John!
- Hi John,Do IB ask "Prevalence of one disorder or Prevalence of disorders?" How likely an ERQ be asked about prevalence of one disorder where the student should be using both the studies supporting the prevalence of the same psychological...
- Hi John, could students use this study to answer "influence of culture on cognition"? Thank you!
- Dear IvoUnder no circumstances should they submit an abstract. This will be added to the word count and could potentially mean that makes are deducted if the IA is seen to be over the word count. \Otherwise, mark the essay section by...
- Dear AndreaAll of the studies listed above are in the personalized learning section of the site. The studies with links have full write-ups as "key studies." The other studies do not, and therefore do not have a link.
- Dear KasiaThe new curriculum will be published in January or February of 2025, making it available to all teachers. Training will begin in March 2025. First teaching will begin in the fall of 2025 with first exams in May 2027.
- Dear YutingThere is no simple answer here. Students do not need to include every detail of a study. Some studies (e.g. Bashing Bobo) require a lot of detail to have a basic description compared to many other studies. There is no standard length...
- Yes, that is fine.
- Dear AmyI am afraid I don't understand your question. Students always need to be able to do justify removing outliers. There are two ways to do this. First, it is obvious that there is a problem. A participant did not...
- Dear AmyYes, the students are required to explain the standard deviation (or the IQR, depending on which one they use). There is no scale. Students should assess the standard deviation based on the range of the data. For example,...
- Dear AlejandraIt is a natural experiment. The participants cannot be randomly assigned to conditions and the IV was not manipulated by the researcher but was naturally occurring.
- Dear John, I would like to ask about the structire of IA. If a student does not comply with the defined structure, i.e. Introduction, Exploration, Analysis and Evaluation, and uses her own structure with Abstract, Discussion, Method etc.,...
- Hi John,Are there links for the studies listed above? Many students want to use the ones listed here but only Becker and Holland have links.Thanks,
- Hi John, I am not quite sure where to ask my question, thus this section. When do we start teaching the new curriculum? I am a bit confused as I have been getting mixed information from some fellow teachers who are saying that we would start...
- Dear John,I noticed that the Criteria C in the ERQ- discuss ethics sample are all very brief. However, if a student provides a very detailed description of study regarding to APFC, would this be considered as too much description instead of...
- Hi john,if student uses Antonova to discuss deception and they write something like" although participants were informed there will be placebo involved, they would not know which group they will be assigned to, so there still exists a certain...
- I see!! this has bothered me for long and it won't be anymore! your clarification is super helpful : )
- Thank you John!
- Thank you very much for the heads-up, John! Respectfully, Sara
- Dear John, If the students are using the Rank test and the U test, and there are outliners in only one condition, and if students remove the outliners which means the number of participants is different in both conditions, would there be any...
- Dear John,Are students required to justify whether the SD is high or low? Or there is actually a scale for them as a quick tool for students to classify when SD is high and when is low?thanks!
- Dear ZeynepHM had nothing to do with the reliability of memory, so the study would not earn any marks. If the student as explained the ethical consideration in good detail (what is informed consent and why is it important), then it could...
- Dear John, Just to double check, what would be the research method for the Schaefer et al study?Kind regards, Alejandra
- Dear Hendyes, that is correct. The question for an ERQ would be: Discuss the formation and/or one or more effects of stereotyping.
- hi John,I asked this question to my student in the mock exam: Explain one ethical consideration relevant to one study of the reliability of cognitive processes. In response, he talked about the necessity of obtaining informed consent and gave...
- Hello John, the effect of stereotypes could only come in the form of an SAQ? TIA
- Okay! :)
- John, I agree and my trawling through past papers has shown that last part (positive and negative effects) has been the most frequently asked.Thanks for (as ever) your prompt reply
- Dear Zeynep,I am sorry but I do not understand your question. If the student has two explanations, it does not matter what they are. But they need to contrast them - showing the key differences between the explanations.
- Please see here: https://thinkib.net/psychology/page/25421/erq-sample-cognitive-methods#comm-108046
- Dear NathalieIn this textbook, you will see that it is only under the sociocultural approach. Zajonc was a social psychologist. I cannot see how it would be classified under cognitive psychology.
- You can look at the subscribers comments on the home page, or you can search your name.
- Dear DenisHe uses the term "self-esteem."
- Dear ZeynepYes, those two explanations are fine for this essay question.
- Another student of mine made two cognitive explanations about depression in the same question (does the cognitive etiology really the first reason of the depression or does it only the reflection of symptoms? and human genome project the allele...
- Hello John, I asked the following question in the mock exam: Contrast two explanations of one disorder.One of my students explained depression from both a cognitive and biological perspective. He supported the cognitive part with 2 studies....
- Thank you so much!
- Ohh yes, It's there. Thanks John for always responding in no time. Thanks a ton!Regards
- Hi John,I have one concern with the Zajonc study. In textbooks it seems to be used for either the social approach or cognitive - is this the case? and if so how do we distinguish between them eg. mere exposure does not mean people are...
- I m sorry again me, I can't find in which section I wrote the other question I asked. how can ı find it?
- Dear John Do you know if Price meant self-esteem or self-confidence/self-efficacy? Best, Denis
- Hi John, I asked this question to my mock exam students: Contrast two explanations of one disorder.One of my students explained depression in biological terms in his response and gave 2 different explanations for it. In one of them, he used...
- Dear NaomiIt is not a great choice for sociocultural, but if she is arguing the effects of enculturation, then this would earn credit.
- Dear EmmaIt was not actually the goal of the study. The study chose the Native American story so that the participants would not be familiar with it. And there was no comparison of Native Americans and British. So, it is not...
- Dear TomThe reason it is not included is that the wording does not really make sense. If that question were actually asked (which I firmly doubt), students would simply write about how technology affects (positively and/or negatively)...
- Dear Aarushi,Please go to this page https://thinkib.net/psychology/page/18858/student-access-creating-groupsRead Step 4.
- Dear JohnThat is because teachers want to restrict students to the topics that they teach. They have access to the core studies which are available to everyone, but not to the options. Sorry that I missed this posting. It did...
- Dear DivyaYou can find it in the textbook: https://thinkib.net/psychology/page/22862/prejudice-
- Dear AmyYes, that would be fine.
- Dear BhupinderHe would have used the DSM IV.
- Dear SarahNo. Stereotyping is not part of the study. The study does look at the role of discrimination in acculturative stress, so if you are doing human relationships, it could be applied.
- Perfect, thanks for your response.
- Hi John,I've had a student use the Wansick (contextual clues) study in an ERQ on sociocultural explanations of obesity. She argued about eating habits learnt culturally, comparing the participants from Chicago and Paris. However, it is still...
- Thank you, John
- Hi John,Can we use this to investigate cultural origins of behavior and/or cultural origins of cognition since it mentions both cultural influence and cognition? Thanks!Emma
- Dear John,'A student asks: I was a bit confused as to whether “the influence of technology on THE RELIABILITY of cognitive processes” is part of the cognitive HL extension. Inthinking does not include this subunit but other textbooks do.I...
- Hello, how can you give access to key studies to my students, do i need to individually select them as tasks?
- Ok thank you very much, John!!
- Hi JohnFrom the ERQs above, 'Discuss a cognitive approach to group dynamics', I'm not able to locate about the theory mentioned by you ,'Theory of Threatened egotism'...Where can I fetch it from? Please help! RegardsDivya
- Thank you very much, John!
- This study is good for Localization of Function, too, no?
- Hi John, I'm aware that Bolton's study used the DSM, however, it does not specify which version of the DSM was used. So, if we were to use this study for a contrast classification systems ERQ, how would we contrast this with the DSM II...
- Hi John-I have students who want to use the Lueck and Wilson study for the stereotype and effects on behavior due to the xenophobia and discrimination. Would that work?
- Dear GretchenYou can always find the references in the relevant section of the textbook. Here is the citation:Brown, K. T., Brown, T. N., Jackson, J. S., Sellers, R. M., & Manuel, W. J. (2003). Teammates On and Off the Field? Contact...
- Dear MelinaIf it is an old paper, you should have access to the markscheme. I believe for that paper they only accepted experiment. They also accepted true or lab experiment, but not field experiment.
- Dear Mark,Nothing in the appendices is read/assessed. They should have it in the body of the report.
- Dear RenataThose types of responses have not been accepted on exams. They need to have a specific link to a cognitive process.
- Dear ZeynepAll samples would earn in the top markband. This is what would earn between 7 to 9 marks. In the first box above, you can see what the examiner will be looking for in order to award top marks.As for the cognitive process,...
- Dear MariaFerreri is an experiment. And yes, they accept meta-analysis as a research method on exams.
- Sorry, I must have put the wrong value in for Paper 1. You are correct that it is 29,59.I have never understood why we give separate marks for each paper if it is only the total marks that determine the final grade. The reason you give...
- Dear DanyaOne theory is fine.They would not ask them to contrast two theories from the same approach. There is nothing in the guide that quantifies how many theories they would need to know on Paper 2.
- Yes, that is correct.
- Yes, that is fine.
- Dear SarahThe way that this stereotype was formed was by drawing the conclusion that the waiter was rude because he is Swedish. The fact that everyone can be rude sometimes is not a grain of truth. Usually, the grain of truth is based on some...
- Dear ShawnMost of the questions will be focused on human behavior. A typical question will be "Discuss two or more ethical considerations in the study of the hormones/pheromones in human behavior and cognition. They would have to be ready...
- It was an old Paper (13 May 2019)
- Thank you for this, Brian. I have fixed the language above.
- Dear XiaoAccording to the APA: Passage through them is facilitated by a balance of two processes: assimilation, in which new information is incorporated into an already existing cognitive structure (schema or scheme); and accommodation, in...
- Dear John,In the above exemplar of the analysis you have the Standard deviation/mean table, box plot, description, Bar chart then further descriptive stats. Would you lose marks if the box plot were in the appendices?
- Dear John, my students were writing an ERQ on the topic of "Discuss one or more positive effects of technology on one or more cognitive processes". One student used research by Morina et al (2015) () which is about the use of VR in Exposure...
- Hi John, How many points does the example above get? In response to this question, my student talked about Flashbulb memory and tried to support it with a study on the events of September 11. He concluded as follows: Thus, researchers...
- Hi John, I am looking for the Brown et al study and am having difficulty finding it. Do you have a link to the original by any chance?Thanks, Gretchen
- Gotcha. Thanks, John!
- Dear John, In the question Discuss one or more research methods used in the study of the treatment of disorders, would the IB accept meta-analysis as a research method? Also would Ferreri et. al. (2001) , a double-blind study assessing...
- Dear John,Apologize for coming back to this question again. "the scores would be converted into weighted scores (30,2, 19,31, 19,31)" I get the calculation for 19.31 is 17/22*100*25%, correct? But I don't know how you get 30.2. Could...
- Dear John,When asked "Discuss (or Evaluate) an 'X' approach to 'human relationship topic'", would it be acceptable for the student to use/ revise one theory and two studies related to the theory... or would you advise your student to revise...
- Thank you very much for your feedback, your response is super helpful in my overall understanding of IB marking! So now my understanding is that it is absolutely acceptable to use one specific experiment from a series to explain a certain concept....
- Hi John,For an ERQ on ethical considerations in the individual and the group, is it acceptable to use Asch (focussing on deception) for one of the studies?Many thanks,
- In #2 of the Check for Understanding could the answer also be grain of truth? If not can you expalin why?
- Is it possible to discuss a study involving animals for any question that discusses ethics?Students have asked about a few studies and waned to know if they could use it for any question on ethics or is it solely something they should write...
- Hi John,On this page, you note "The fact that the concordance rate for MZ twins is far below 100 percent indicates that depression may be the result of a genetic predisposition - also called genetic vulnerability."However, on the Biological...
- Hi John, for the 3rd self-check question, I think this is an example of both assimilation and accommodation. Since the second half of the story shows that you need to modify the exsited shower schema to adapt to the new experience.
- Dear NaiemaTheoretically, yes. The problem is that it is best to compare "lab" and "field" or "true" and "quasi." Many students think that a study that is done in the lab is a lab experiment, and this is not correct. For example,...
- Dear AndreaNo. It is a model of memory. It would not earn any credit.
- Dear IanOnly the questions listed may be asked. They may not ask ethics questions for cognitive or sociocultural HL extensions.
- Yes, they could.
- Dear Ian1. Yes, Fagot is acceptable, as long as students focus on the effect of culture on the parents, not on the children since the effect of parents' behaviour on the children is never measured in the study.2. This is part of the weirdness...
- Dear IanYes, it is possible to use the same study to answer two SAQs with the same study. That was a poorly written exam for sure.
- Dear IanThey cannot use participants under the age of 12. That is in the guide. They could try to do this with older students, simplifying the study by showing images of gender congruent and incongruent to see which are remembered better,...
- Dear SaraYes, all of those studies are fine. However, remember that they only have to know the effect of emotions on one cognitive process. If they are doing memory, they do not need to know thinking and decision-making.
- Dear AndreaIt is not a model of thinking and decision-making. I have also just spent about 10 minutes searching for models and this never comes up. I cannot see it earning any credit.
- Serotonin was measured, so theoretically students could use it, but I would be careful. The aim is about the gene, so an examiner might not award credit if the link to the brain is not well explained.
- Thank you so much John!That is exactly what I thought at the start of teaching this Unit but I was freaking out because I thought I had misunderstood and therefore not prepared my students properly. So confusing!I appreciate your speedy reply...
- Dear John, Hope all is well with you. I wanted to know if students used the term 'lab experiments' if that would be an issue as opposed to 'experiment'. Also, if 'lab experiment' and 'quasi-experiment' would be considered two different...
- Hi John,Does IB accept MSM model as a model of thinking? I have a student who had used Murdock for the SAQ Explain one model of thinking or decision making with reference to one study.
- Hi John, There is a possible Ethical Considerations ("3Rs") for Animal Research. Could "CARDUD" questions be asked for either one of the other extensions?
- Dear John, Can we use lab observation as an alternative research method for this stimulus?
- Dear John, 1. Above on this page you list and clarify that Fagot is good to illustrate the effect of enculturation on one behaviour. I understand that Fagot should be explained as during a change in the parents' behaviour, due to the influence...
- Good morning. One of my students has commented that in November 2023 the SAQs included: Bio, one hormone; Cogn, effect of emotion. He asks if he would have been able to answer both with the same study, McGaugh & Cahill. I'd have said yes,...
- Also, I am not sure how the 1st and 2nd steps of the procedure could be simplified to still make methodological sense.
- Hi John, A group of students are really interested in this study for their IA. I explained the material (slides) and the age of participants would make it very complicated... but they would get consent from parents. Is this possible? Is...
- Dear John,I have a request regarding the studies that I want to cover for my junior students. I would sincerely appreciate your help in confirming my choices. For intuitive thinking: Tversky 1986 + Stroop effect.For the framing effect: Tversky...
- Hi John,I think I know the answer, but I wanted to get your opinion as I haven’t come across this before: a student has used this study to answer the SAQ Explain one model of thinking or decision making with reference to one study. The student...
- Hi John - could you use this study for a brain and behavior question since it does talk about serotonin and norepinephrine or could you only use it for genes and behavior?
- Hi John. Thanks a lot for your clarification.
- In theory, yes, it could be "and" , but the SAQs may be divided. So, they would need to have one study for each anyway.
- Or would the question be both formation and effect and they would have one study each? Sorry for the confusion.
- Dear SarahYes, that is why I said a minimum of one per question - They could choose to do both the formation and effect in the essay, so they would need one each. If they wanted to focus on only one aspect of the question, then...
- Dear JessicaThat question cannot be asked. It was on the Specimen paper, but this question is not allowed. For some reason, they have never retracted the paper. The question would be "To what extent do sociocultural factors...
- Dear SamThe student would have to explain schema theory in some detail. They do not necessarily have to use those words, but they have to link the findings back to theory, explaining how the study shows the theory.
- Hi. I am sorry, I am confused. Don't they have to have at least two studies for the ERQ? So if they were asked formation for the ERQ they would have to have 2 studies for this or if they were asked effect they would have to...
- Dear John,I was looking at some specimen papers on myib and saw an HL Paper 2 that included the question, "To what extent do sociocultural factors explain why relationships change or end?" There doesn't seem to be much information in the student...
- Hi JohnWhen marking an SAQ on schema theory and Bartlett is used as the study, would the student need to use the terminology of 'levelling' and 'sharpening' to get top marks or would just explaining what occurred be sufficient?
- Dear EmmaThat is correct. But they may use survey and questionnaire as alternative methods to answer question 1c.
- Dear MelinaWhere did you find the study? Is it on this site? If the groups are randomly allocated, it most likely is an experiment. It would not be a survey.
- Dear MagdaThe study by Shaefer is not longitudinal. It is a quasi-experiment. People cannot be randomly allocated to groups.Hirst is a correlational study. The description of the procedure is in the textbook: https://thinkib.net/psychology/page/37079/technology-emotion-and-cognitionWith...
- Dear Aydin,No. There is no reference to emotion having an effect on memory in this study. It would not be accepted.
- Dear GregIf the command term is "to what extent," yes, this is an appropriate strategy.
- Dear AlexI agree that this study would be rather problematic with the immediate vs. delayed situation being what led to differences. It seems to me that this is a 2 x 2 design (type of priming and delay vs. immediate) so it has two IVs,...
- Yes, all of those suggestions are totally fine.
- Dear Mikeif you go to the link in the references https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Eating-behaviours-and-attitudes-following-prolonged-Becker-Burwell/38bf8476588a87d037bec896ec38be6b980545a4?p2df You will see that the researcher also...
- Dear Yuting,That would show an even greater understanding of the model, so it could receive higher marks.
- Dear Magdayes, that is correct.
- Dear John,I am confused regarding the method survey and if that could come as a a stimulus material for paper 3. You write above "For Paper 3, surveys and questionnaires are not included in either the qualitative or quantitative methods that...
- HI John! I am practicing a Paper 3 with my students where the material is based on a study on the influence of multitasking on student learning. They don’t specifically say in the text what research method it is - they just talk about it...
- Good morning Johnquick question on methods of these studies:- Schaefer et al (2011) is it a Case study = unique natural event + longitudinal + self reporting 28h and 6m. (is it also experiment being the IV immediate + delayed viewing of television...
- Dear JohnI am so sorry this thank you is late! Thank you for your confirmation.Jo
- Hi John, can this study be used for the "Explain one study of how emotion may affect one cognitive process"?
- Dear JohnIn the first sample, Zajonc was mentioned, even though it's a question about biology. Is this all right to mention socio-cultural factors too?Thank you,
- Hello John,My students are starting their IA and have found a study by Higgins, Rholes and Smith (1977). They want to use schema theory and priming for the reason people choose certain categories when primed a certain way eg negative emotions....
- Dear John, Could you please let me know if we can use Studies for Q 11 and 12 Acculturation and Enculturation such as Louck and Wilson Or Fagot ? Q 11 Explain the use of one...
- John,Many thanks,Tom
- Hi John. I'd like to ask about the research method used in this study. I notice that it is classified as a natural experiment, but should natural experiment be a type of quantatitive research? This study used semi-structured interview to confirm...
- yes, thank you
- I see. this then link to my another question, that is, if student write not only the study I mentioned, but also the 7th experiment in the same series, that is Baddeley&Hitch used articulatory suppression to show that visual and auditory...
- Good to know : ) Thanks!
- Hi John, if using two studies to answer the ethics question, both studies should be animal studies, correct? Unlike the other HL extension questions where one animal and one human study may be used? Thank you
- Thank you, John. Then, I prefer to be safe and use 2 of the ones you recommend in the Study guide.All the best. msf
- Dear OliviaThey cannot ask that question. They can ask students to contrast two approaches to developing an identity, and then students could use two theories of gender identity but they could also contrast two theories of the development...
- Dear MarielaI do not think that "young adults" is too broad. I would make sure that they define this term in the introduction and then they will need to be careful that all of the research uses that specific sample.
- Dear MargaI see that I wrote that. You can also see that I did not include it in the effect of technology on "emotion AND cognition." The problem with Chou and Edge is that even if you say that it includes emotion, it has to affect...
- Dear SamThere is no really clear distinction between the two. Social norms are often more specific to groups (e.g. a workplace, a school) and cultural norms are usually much broader. But in common language use today, there is no...
- Dear Ivo,Yes, that is correct. If the student has explained neuroplasticity in good detail, they may earn up to 5 marks. However, no marks are awarded for the study.
- Dear RadhikaIt really does not matter. Students may use either approach and obtain full marks.
- Dear Yuting,That study is absolutely fine.
- Yes, that would imply that the study is quasi-experimental.
- Dear TomThe teacher needs to make the pages available. Go here: https://thinkib.net/psychology/page/18858/student-access-creating-groupsPlease read step 4.
- Hi John,Do you know if the question "Contrast theories of gender identity" or some iteration of this could be possible?Many thanksOlivia
- Hi John, I'm seeking your thoughts on a research question proposed by one of my students: To what extent does playing violent video games impact the emotional regulation of young adults?The student has agreed to use an operational definition...
- Thank you John However, I'm a bit confused now. In the comments of https://thinkib.net/psychology/page/25858/lp-8-cognition-in-a-digital-world-hl-only it says that "Chou & Edge - which links to both emotion and decision making - would be...
- Thanks for the clarification.
- Thanks for the clarification.
- Dear Yuting,That is not necessary in order to earn top marks, but it does help to make the link between the method and the study.
- Dear MartinThat would only be appropriate if the question is "to what extent." It would not be appropriate for discuss. It would be seen as losing focus and having content that is irrelevant to the question. They should only look...
- Dear IanNo, they cannot specify.
- Dear Yara,No, they are different things. A neurotransmitter is either excitatory or inhibitory based on which receptor sites it uses. An antagonist is not a neurotransmitter; it is a drug that occupies the receptor site and prevents...
- Dear AnaYes, please look under the writing samples in each of the approaches. They are located there.
- Dear MichaelI agree with you. The study was not done to investigate evolutionary theories, and that is what the IB will look at when awarding marks.
- Great, thanks. It clears it up for me :) I can see that the study is questionable because of the meta-analysis. Good article btw on science. Thanks.
- Dear John Okay - thanks :)
- Dear ArnavRemember, this would not be asked as an SAQ, as it is on paper 2. They would most likely ask "one or more."
- Dear SarahNo. The SAQ may be asked as only one of the two; we have been told that the ERQ would give students a choice. So, a minimum of one per question.
- Dear MargaYou can find all references for each chapter in the textbook: https://thinkib.net/psychology/page/23586/references-cognitive-approachI cannot provide original studies over Inthinking; I can only provide links.As for the use of the...
- Dear JeffNo, this is not a study of culture. It is a study of social groups.
- Dear JeffNo, they wouldn't. The study looks at the effects of stereotypes on memory - not on culture. The IB has not accepted it in the past.
- Dear SaraYes, that is correct.
- Thank you, Karlina! The rain has stopped and there is some sun today. Perfect for the upcoming celebration!
- Dear Bhupinder,Yes, it would be considered a case study.
- Dear RaghidaI just checked and it works just fine. It will ask you to make a copy of the Google Spreadsheet.
- Dear DenisIt seems to me that you are mixing two things above. The comment about twin studies is not about 5HTT genes. Genetic expression is not always automatic, so it would depend on which genes are being studied. The problem...
- Yes, it could be considered a natural experiment (which is quasi-experimental)
- Dear IanThey will only use "research methods" now, not "research approach." Originally, that was in the guide. It has now been updated, so there is only the research methods question. I have fixed that above.As for a "correlational...
- Dear JohnThank you for catching that. Fixed.
- Dear DenisIt depends on which text you read- including what Caspi has written. I have deleted this unnecessary quantification and replaced it with the more commonly found description of the findings of the study.
- Hi, John--The word "sociocultural" in the first sentence I believe should be _biological_
- Hi JohnIs there somewhere that I can find a clear explanation on the difference between social and cultural norms? They seem inextricably linked to me.Thank you
- Dear John, one of my students used Merzenich et al (1984) and did really well. However, there is no link to the human behaviour. Will the output be the same as with Sarah MM´s student? The only conclusion my student makes is that it is...
- thanks a lot!
- Dear John, With respect to the question- "Discuss the value of animal models in the study of the brain and "behavior. Is it better for students to write 2 animal studies or 1 animal and 1 human study?
- Hi John,I know that Baddeley&Hitch conducted a lot of experiment regarding to the WMM. if student pick the one that asked participants to recall short words and long words, and compare the recall results, which aims to test the effect of...
- Hi John,With the two distinct groups in Warneken's study (chimps and human children), could this be considered quasi-experimental if the main goal is to compare the two groups, even though they manipulated conditions within each group? The...
- Dear John,Is there a way I can make this Personalised Learning tab available to my students? They do not seem to be able to access this. Or is this a limited subscription for the home-schooled student only?Thanks,Tom Rosevear
- Hi John,For the same answer, if the student did not explicitly state what is the IV and DV in the study, will they be lose mark? (I mean they write everything just like the sample above except this sentence "The IV was the intensity of the...
- Hello,The predicted grade calculator did not open. It says "the address is not correct"
- Dear John, For a potential ERQ on ´Discuss the biological approach to human relationships.´ can students talk about a BIO approach in the first half of their ERQ, let´s say evolution theory and Wedekind but then compare it with a sociocultural...
- I understand this would be for SAQs? For ERQs, Can "Discuss how genetic similarities help psychologists in the study of genes and behavior" specify? In other words, do students need 2 twin studies?
- Dear John, Would writing an SAQ about excitatory neurotransmitters and agnostics have the same content? Same thing for inhibitory and antagonists?
- Hi John, Is there an example ERQ and SAQ for the question on ethics and research methods?Thank you
- Thank you.
- Good day, I have a student who used Kearins as an example of evolutionary behaviour for biological approach. I can see how this could be used for cognitive evolutionary approach, or sociocultural, as Amanda Wood pointed out above, but for biological...
- Nevermind, John. I figured that the two are the ask for ERQs and SAQs respectively. Grateful nonetheless to be able to ask.
- Dear John,Could "Discuss/Evaluate one or more theories of brain development." be asked as "Discuss/Evaluate one theory of brain development."? Seems unlikely to me, but I wanted to corroborate.
- Hi. So they should know two studies for formaition and two studies for effect correct?
- Hello JohnOnly to confirm: Chou & Edge (“many of my friends are happier than me”) can be used in:- Discuss the influence of digital technology on one or more cognitive processes = negative cognitive bias - thinking (self-esteem)- Discuss...
- Hi John,Do you think IB would accept H&L for the ERQ prompt, "Discuss the influence of culture on behaviour and cognition."?Thanks again,Jeff
- Hi John,Do you think that IB would accept M&H for the ERQ prompt "Discuss the influence of culture on behaviour and/or cognition."Thanks,Jeff
- Dear John,In your presentation above, one example asks to contrast two techniques . . . but that cannot be asked on the exam correct? The guide states students only need to know one technique. I just want to confirm. THANK YOU!
- Thanks for your answer, John.Wishing the best to your dad (80th birthday is a blessing!). Enjoy this family time despite the cold weather!Karlina
- Hi John, Is Youlian et al's (2016) study considered as a case study?Thank you!
- What I am getting at is a difference between epigenetics and simpler gene/environment interaction. Not sure if I am correct.
- Dear John, Thank you for making everything easier and saving our sanity! Your efforts are deeply appreciated. Students' IAs, along with the PDFs for comments, have been successfully uploaded. :) Regards, Sara
- Dear John Perfect, thanks for the answer. I have one more question. It relates to the following: "it is important to know that environmental factors such as stress, exercise, or diet, may result in genetic expression, or the lack of genetic...
- P.S. - Could Marmot also be a Quasi-experiment (participants have a precondition that was not manipulated)
- Hi John, 1. If this study is used for a "research method" ERQ, it could be a case study? (longitudinal and triangulation). A student has used it (along with Sorensen) to evaluate "correlational studies".2. I am concern with "research method"...
- Dear DenisIt would allow for one or more genes to be discussed. A specific gene is not required, so both of those examples would be just fine.
- Dear KarlinaThank you - I am currently in the US to celebrate my father's 80th birthday. And a bit shocked that it is about 20 degrees colder here than in Prague!As for that question, yes, they could use any approach to answer that question....
- Dear SaraNot a stupid question. You do not need to put anything in that small box. After you upload the students' work, you will also be able to upload your PDF with comments to justify your marking.
- Dear Ian1. Yes, that is correct.2. The IB distinguishes between kinship studies and twin studies. They cannot be used interchangeably on assessments.
- Dear AparjtihaI have never heard it called that. Did you see that term used by the IB somewhere? The curriculum guide states that it is "A report on an experimental study undertaken by the student". So, yes, you could call it that.
- Dear John "The effect was strongest for those with three or more stressful life events." It seems that it is four or more stressful events, from the article.
- They would not be downgraded - however, it is worth mentioning that one of the characteristics of an opportunity sample is that it is often purposive. I dislike purposive as an answer and I tell students not to choose it unless the IB...
- Dear BenThere is no such limitation. The issue is that the aim must be the same for stimulus and the alternative method study. The problem is that in many cases, a quasi-experiment would not be able to maintain the same aim as the original...
- Hey John To what extent may genetic inheritance influence behavior? Would Kendler and Caspi suffice for such a question, or would it be better to have two studies that identify a gene? And could this be two different studies on the same gene?
- Dear JohnI hope everything is ok with you.Looking at past papers (Nov 2019) I found this question: Evaluate one or more explanations of one or more health problems. Could students evaluate any biological, cognitive and/or sociocultural explanations?...
- Dear John, I have a stupid technical question since it's my first time uploading IAs on IBIS, and I'd sincerely appreciate your help. I have compiled a PDF file containing each student's first name and detailed marking comments for each criterion...
- Hi John,1. "Adoptee as proband: When an adoptee develops a disorder or behavior. Proband simply means - the person in the study who has the trait which is being studied." - In this study, it only means the IBM is measured in adoptees, not that...
- Dear John,Is the Psychology IA called the experimental study report? Regards,Aparajita.
- Thanks, John!
- Thank you!!
- Got it! Thanks!!
- Hi John, following Ellie's question, if they mention it is opportunity sampling without mentioning that it is purposive, would it then get downgraded? Or is it only if they mention purposive only?
- Hi John, You have a quasi experiment listed as the alternative method. I was under the impression (based on examiners reports from previous exams) that IB won't accept alternative forms of experiments as an alternative when the stimulus...
- Dear DougAll of them are visible on my screen, so it is most likely on your end. Can you try the original links?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv8VZVP5csAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWu44AqF0iIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EronVtKYr0chttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sPj8HhbwHs
- Dear MartinPlease see the three hypotheses at the beginning of the study. They are all based on evolutionary theory of sexual selection. That is the link.
- Hello John,I'm not sure if others are having this issue, but the videos on this page and others aren't been accessible for me. It could be on my end, but any section that contains a video is blank on my screen. Sorry to bring up a technology-related...
- Hello John, I am trying to get my head around this study. How would argue that this study is a biological explanation of the formation of relationships?
- LOL - well, I read this after I answered your other question.THe problem is that natural experiments are also a subset of quasi-experiments. Quasi experiments are quite broad in definition - in a sense, an experimental design that is...
- Dear SamSharot is a good example. She manipulated the IV (September or Summer) but the participants could not be randomly allocated to conditions.
- Yes, that is fine.
- Dear MartinYes, it is a good cognitive argument.
- Dear Yuting,They actually told them that they were studying something different than the true aim, so it was deception by commission.
- Dear Yuting,Yes, that is correct. There are two IVs in the follow-up study.
- Yes, that is correct.
- Hi JohnSorry - I tried to delete my above question but it would not let me. I have gone back to the Research Methods page and see my initial understanding is correct - just with a different understanding with what is meant by manipulation of...
- Hi JohnI know that you have outlined above, but I am really struggling with the difference between Quasi and natural experiments and different sources seem to explain differently. I was under the impression that a quasi experiment meant that...
- Dear John, Would it be approprite to use Levine and Buss for the questions ´Discuss a sociocultural approach to personal relationships´?In this case levine would argue for culture, whereas Buss would probably be arguing that culture...
- Dear John, Would the Halo effect and this study be appropriate for formations of relationships?
- Hi John,I am not sure if the deception in this study can be considered as deception by omission or commission?
- All right. Thank you so much.
- Hi John,I have a question about the IV. so in the original study, the IV is the type of story, correct? but in the follow-up study, there is a mundane story group and "traumatic story" group, but participants in the traumatic story group...
- Thank you John,I assume this study is correlational. As it uses self-reporting can I also use it as a self-reporting study for research methods questions?
- Yes, that would be fine. It is definitely taken from a sample of opportunity. The IB would be more specific in their description, I hope, to avoid this ambiguity.
- Dear Tripti,Parker's study is about Concepts of normality and abnormality, Sociocultural factors in diagnosis, and Prevalence of disorders. It is not relevant to the origins of (etiologies) disorders.
- Dear Crane, Some of the students are explaining convenience, Is it correct?Thank you so much.
- Dear John,Some of my students used Parker et al (2001) for Sociocultural Etiologies of depression during their mock exams. Are they allowed to do so?Thank you so much.
- Dear TammyYes, they would lose a mark in focus. If they are going to write about only formation (or only effect), then their conceptual paragraph should only focus on the relevant theory or effect. Other information is not relevant...
- Dear JasminYes, that is totally appropriate.
- Dear Michael,You are correct. There is no deception as it was done in a public space. I will update the guidance to clarify that.
- Hi John hope you are doing well?Is it possible to use M & H to explain reconstructive memory?Regards, Jasmin
- Thanks for the clarification John.Regarding the SAQ in which formation and/or effect are both included, I found my students having difficulty structuring the introduction to stay focus. they may begin defining stereotype and then get into discussion...
- Good day John, As the observation was completed covertly, does this count as deception? Seems questionable as they were observed in a public space where one can be expected to be observed. Thanks.
- Querida Esther Ninguna de estas cosas cuenta en el recuento de palabras.
- Estimado John. Estoy teniendo algunas dudas con el recuento de palabras de la Evaluación Interna.¿Los títulos de los gráficos se cuentan?¿El contenido de las tablas de datos que se presentan en el texto cuentan?Los títulos: Introducción,...
- Dear SamNot sure why it would matter. It could be argued either way. It is a type of CBT - but it could also be seen as distinctly different.
- Dear ChristinaYes, I think that would work.
- Dear MartinYes, the study looks at a large range of culture. It found that culture did not seem to be a factors in 2 of the three hypotheses - only in the third.
- Dear AdelaYes, they could.
- Dear EmmaYou are correct; they did not use the DSM for this study. However, any study that uses the DSM could be used for a classification systems question.
- That is correct. It would be and/or if asked as an ERQ.
- Yes, there is a lot of overlap between those two questions. As for sociocultural, they need to know sociocultural factors with regard to personal relationships; this could be focused on attraction, rather than on these two content points.
- Did you see Dion's study under key studies? https://thinkib.net/psychology/page/28855/dion-et-al-1972It is another study of halo effect.
- Dear Martin, Yes, that would be appropriate.
- Dear CostandinaNo, it has nothing to do with formation, only with effect. It would earn no marks.
- Hi JohnWould MBCT be considered a branch of CBT or a completely different approach? Could students discuss it in conjunction with CBT or could MBCT be stand alone?
- Also, can I use Attribution theory and Bradburry and Fincham as responses to the questions Discuss a cognitive approach to personal relationships?
- Dear John, My students are asking whether Chugani (or Giedd) could be used as support for Piaget’s theory – in combination with for example Li et al. They would then try to use Chugani as biological support for Piaget’s stage theory...
- Hello John, From looking at this, can student basically use the 4 HORSEMEN (with a study by gotteman) and the Attribution theory (with a study by brandburry and fincham) for both communication and how relationships end? Just wondering...
- Hello John, Could this study be used as a cultural explanation for the formations of relationships? If yes, how can you do that? What part of the conclusions of the study can you use as a link to a cultural explanation of the formation...
- Hi John, are there any other studies that could be used for "Discuss a cognitive approach to personal relationships", we covered Nisbett and Wilson's half effect but none of the others on this list.Thank you!
- Dear John, hope you're well. I was wondering if students can use Oden and Rochat to answer "explain one example of the potential influence of culture on one behavior or cognition"? Thank you, Adela
- Dear John,For this study, since it doesn't explicitly displays the use of DSM in diagnosis, it shouldn't be a choice to discuss "classification system", right?Can ss use any study that includes the use of DSM to discuss "classification system"?...
- OK, I can see that Answer 2 is the one. Serves me right for making last-minute additions to my lesson!
- Thank you!
- Dear John, The class was better at number 1 than I was! I thought it was a reasonable answer, given what the books say about S1 and S2 thinking. I agree with the comments about Wason, but thought the description was OK. What else would you...
- Hi John, Can Steele & Aronson (1995) be used for the formation of stereotypes? Thanks
- Hello John, Is the formation of stereotypes only an SAQ question or could it also be asked as an ERQ? My understanding was that when an ERQ for Stereotypes is on an examine, it will be an and/or for either formation or effects. Thank...
- Thank you so so much for the clarification!
- Dear YutingYou can see the markbands from May 2023 here: https://thinkib.net/psychology/page/24558/assessment-markbandsThe final overall grade, however, is out of 100 marks. The different scores are weighted. So, Paper 1 is worth...
- Yes, that would be appropriate.
- Dear MagdaIt would not make sense to use a human study in this case. They should have two animal studies. Human research would not be accepted.
- Thank you, David. I found an alternative video.
- Hi John,Is it necessary for student to get a score above or equal to 17 in IA to get a 7? or it only depends on the final overall score out of 100?
- Thank you so much! I appreciate your help.
- Hi John, For question 11, would Berry be considered appropriate research even though the focus in on cultural dimensions which is part of cultural influences not origins?Thanks, Michelle
- Thank you.
- Hi John,It seems the video on checking for a normal distribution is no longer available. Kind regards,
- Hi John, for the HL extension question on ethics is the expectation that students would use two animals studies to answer the question, or could they use one animal study and then a corresponding human study- the suggestion here being that...
- Great, thanks!
- Thanks John! Good to know.Scott
- THANK YOU!
- Yes, that is correct.
- Dear Denis That is correct, and that is why we usually don't talk about internal validity with correlational studies, because it is always low. You can see here an example of a text that discusses internal validity with regard to...
- Hello JohnIs it enough for a student to discuss twin and pedigree studies in an ERQ? I've seen the examplar ERQ for this question, and it also includes an adoption study. I want to avoid information overload for my students, and only teach...
- Thank you so much, John, this makes perfect sense and is most helpful. Hannah
- Hey John Wouldn't all correlation studies then have low internal validity, since there is no manipulation of IV and random assignment? I am bit confused now, since I assumed the concept of internal validity was only reserved for true experiments.
- Dear EmmaThere is no difference. The problem is that many of the studies for the options are not experiments,t hey are correlational studies. There is not as much to write about as the experiments that tend to dominate on Paper...
- Dear EmmaYes, that would be possible.
- Dear AbenaYes, that is correct.
- Dear EmmaThey are not assessed on the name. If the examiner doesn't know the study that they are describing, then it is good to have the name. This is most important on Paper 2 where there is a wider range of research. If...
- Students may use FBM as a memory model, to show the role of emotion on memory, or to discuss the reliability of memory. They cannot use it for schema theory as there is no link. It is actually an opposing theory.
- Muchas gracias siempre Juan.Buen día
- Dear John, May I check with you: For ERQ ss need 2 appropriate studies with aim/procedure/result, and the writing samples for cores are always following this logic. But I find the samples for abnormal are not strictly following this structure,...
- Dear John,Since the pseudo patients are "following" the description of schizophrenia based on DSMII, can ss use this as a study for "discussing classification systems"? Thanks!Emma
- Dear John,It seems self-evident but I'm just making 100% sure - the 5 modules for Abnormal Psych are all focused on etiologies, right?Thanks for clarifying.
- Thanks John! So what matters is the aim/procedure/result of the study, instead of the name of researcher, right? Then can students omit the name of researcher in SAQ/ERQ?
- Thanks John! May I further ask about the differences between "memory model" and "reconstructive memory" when ss use FBM?eg: The study of Mcgaugh could be used to illustrate emotion's influence on memory..?Thanks!
- Dear AlexThis is exactly how it is presented in the original document. The colour coding indicates that this is hours of social media use, therefore, it acts as the label for the y-axis. The title then helps to inform the x axis....
- Dear EmmaThey do not lose any marks.
- Dear SonyaThey may have only one dependent variable, so they may not do both primary and recency effect. If they have used the distractor task, it makes sense that they only look at recency effect. They should make a graph that compares...
- Dear AndreaYes, that would be acceptable.
- Dear NaomiYou have to go the psychology page on My IB. https://resources.ibo.org/dp/subject-group/Psychology/?Under Teaching Material, it is the first link in the second column: Teacher Support Material Then click "Additional guidance"....
- Dear JaimeYes, that is correct.
- Dear KarinaNo, it is not a study of culture. It is a study of group behaviour, so it could be used to answer a question on the individual and the group only.
- Dear HannahFor techniques, students must write about brain imaging techniques. They would not earn marks for animal research or case studies. The question will read "Evaluate one or more techniques used in the studying of the brain...
- Dear EmmaFBM may be used to explain one memory model, but it is not the same thing as reconstructive memory. Schema theory is the same as reconstructive memory in that schema theory explains the reconstructive nature of memory; however,...
- Dear EmmaYes, and it was accepted the one time that neural pruning was asked on an exam.
- Dear BhupinderYes, that is totally fine. There are many studies for hormones on this site that may not be listed above - there are more and more as the site grows to cover all of the potential content options. Any hormone study...
- Hi John, For worksheet 1 the mosaic graph, were there supposed to be label of the x-axis and y-axis?Thank you!
- Dear John,If ss used an appropriate study but writes the wrong researcher name, how many scores should be deducted? Thanks!Emma
- Hi, John:My students replicated Glanzer and Cunitz looking at primacy and recency effect. I saw that you recommended that the students focus on either primacy or recency and not both. They used a repeated measures research design. Can you give...
- For question 1b) if a student identifies purposive sampling first (to find participants with a specific set of characteristics) and then states opportunity sampling was used to take advantage of the pre-existing group in the PTSD program, would...
- Thanks, John, but I am still confused... On InThinking, the ChiSquare example for statistics is for Loftus and Palmer study. And, I can't find TSM's on My IB. Can you please be more specific to help me for the T&K "Frames of Mind" IA. Thanks...
- Hello John,Prior to submission of the IA, should all group members candidate numbers be listed on each individuals cover page? Thank you for you help.
- Dear John,Is it appropriated to use Festinger to answer the following SAQ question: describe one research method used in one study related to cultural origins of behavior and/or cultural origins of cognition?
- Dear John, I very much appreciate your amazing guidance on here, thank you, you have saved me many times! Quick question - in terms of meeting the "techniques to study the brain and behaviour", so that I can be clear on the techniques...
- Hi John,Just to double check on two things: You've mentioned that for "memory model", FBM and schema are also acceptable, so (1)if ss use FBM to answer "explain one memory model", it equals to "explain one reconstructive memory process",...
- Hi John,I fully understand Maguire would be a fit for "neuroplasticity", but since it mentions" the anterior hippocampi were significantly smaller", can students use it to explain neural pruning, with the explanation of "since the anterior...
- Hi, John! Is it possible to use Friedman's study on leptin for the value of animal models in relation to hormones/pheromones? I was wondering as it isn't listed under research. Thank you
- Dear IanAbsolutely. They should include either their written calculations or the screen shot. Otherwise, the maximum score for criterion C is 4 marks.
- Dear EugeneYes, that is the case. Theoretically, students could answer the ethics question with only one animal study (and no human study), but they would have to be able to write a well developed essay on ethics and give enough detail...
- Yes, one strength and one limitation is enough.
- Buenos días, Cristina!En el texto hay información sobre explicaciones biológicas del prejuicio. También puedes ver sugerencias en el siguiente enlace.https://thinkib.net/psychology/page/28469/study-guide-group-dynamics
- Dear JoannaSorry, this never came through my feed!The first question is to discuss the concept - what is it, why is it important to investigate, what are the problems of investigating the concept?The second question is asking students to discuss...
- It was a sample of opportunity. They would have also had to consent to participate in the study.
- Thank you for your confirmation!
- Thanks! I see. I asked this because there is this sentence in the above sample --> 【 Leptin appears to play a role in stopping our eating. When we eat, our leptin levels rise in line with glucose levels. When leptin reaches...
- assuming the strength and limitation is fully explained in depth
- Good evening, IA marking doubt:For the first time, a student has reported the significance of the test correctly in the Analysis (t value + p value) but they have only calculated the t value in the appendix as they used and included manual...
- Hi John, In that case, will the strategy '1 animal + 1 human' study suffice? I mean if the students only know 1 animal study on brain and behavior (because they plan to use a human study on the same aspect of brain functioning as their...
- Hi John,A little close to the deadline, but asking for the future. Is one strength and one limitation enough for each of the design, sample, and procedure, or should the students write more, especially if there is potential?
- Buenos días JuanRevisando posibles preguntas en el apartado de “dinámica de grupos”, veo la siguiente “ Discuta un enfoque biológico de la dinámica de grupo”. Me gustaría me dieras alguna idea de estudios a usar en la respuesta.Muchas...
- Dear John,For Ogihara and Uchida's (2014) study, that investigated the extent to which Japanese women working for a western company with individualistic values correlated with lower subjective well-being, was the sampling method self-selected...
- Yes, they may use any study to explain ethics.
- Dear YutingThey don't need to discuss ethics - only the value of animal models, that is, why animal models are useful in the study of hormones. They do not need to write about the role of the hormones, although this should be apparent...
- Dear John,Can student use this as an example of deception by omission for ethics question in Cog?
- Dear John,I have a question regarding the Criteria B for ERQ - Animal Extension. What does Criteria B in this case need to include? For example, Discuss the value of animal model/ethics in animal research for hormones and behavior, does...
- No. Only if the characteristics are relevant to the study that is in the stimulus
- Dear IvoNo, there is not guidance for word count. You will see that on the sample SAQs and ERQs there are word counts to give you a rough idea of what students can do on an exam.
- The answer would work as long as it has the same aim - to see how students cope with stress. I am not sure how you would do that with a field experiment, so the student would have to make a link to the aim in order to earn credit.
- That is correct. They may also use case studies.
- Dear DivyaNo, that is a design, not a research method. It would not earn credit.
- Hi John,Will marks be awarded for the characteristics of an incorrectly identified research method (or sampling method)? Many thanks!Astor
- Dear John, is there any amount of words (like in the EE or IA) the students have to follow both for paper 1 (SAQs and ERQs) and paper 2?Thank you.Ivo
- Also, Are 'longitudinal studies' research methods accepted by IB?
- So, for the above question, the acceptable research methods are experiments (laboratory expts as well as natural), interviews, surveys, and correlational methods...Am I correct, John?Warm Regards
- Dear John I did this paper 3 practice with me my students . one of the students suggested field experiment as an additional method ? what are your thoughts on that
- Not really. The IB has differentiated in one of the subject reports that acculturation is moving to or having direct contact with another culture. This is more about the effects of globalization. I wouldn't recommend it.
- Hi John, can this study be used for acculturation study?
- Thank you John
- Dear TammyYes, those studies are fine. No need to add Abrams if they are able to link those two studies to SIT.
- Dear SaraYes, all of those are options, although Tversky and Kahnemann's study on calculation of a math problem may be more intuitive than rational. I think that Cox and Griggs, based on the Wason test, is the best for rational thinking,...
- LOL. Yes, I agree. It is a reminder that they are still high school students and that they are only at the beginning of their academic journey. But it does make us raise our eyebrows sometimes!
- Hi John,If student responds to ERQ on SIT with Tajfel 's minimal group paradigm and Cialdini et al (1976) basking in reflected glory would it be sufficient? Can the Cialdini et al be linked to deindividuation and loss of personal identity since...
- Dear John, I'd appreciate your confirmation on this. Do we use the Stroop effect for intuitive thinking and use Englich and Musswelier, Tversky and Kahneman (1974 +1986) for rational thinking? And what about the Wason Selection Task? I think...
- Thank goodness! On a personal note; as I'm marking I'm glad I can say that I've been impressed by some who've done a great job, but as usual there are some that leave you sitting there thinking, 'How did you manage to write that?' or...
- Dear IanCitation is not assessed, and the guidance we have received is that if there is evidence that they attempted to cite correctly, then there is no problem. This will not be flagged by examiners, so all is ok. You can wrap...
- Good evening, I'm marking IAs and I've just noticed a couple of students have correctly used citations in the Introdution and correctly provided a full set of references in the Bibliography, but for some reason (hopefully not bad teaching!)...
- Dear SarahThe subheadings must be added to the word count. I don't recommend using them, but they are not penalized for doing so, unless it puts them over the word count.
- Dear NaomiActually, it is pretty easy. They just have to remember that their variables whether the positive or negative frame of the information increases or decreases risk. it is a relatively easy IA to do. On the My IB pages...
- Thanks for your response
- Hello John, may students have subheading in their reports? This has not happened to me before, but this year two students used subheadings in exploration or evaluation. Could they get penalized for it? Should I ask them to re-submit without...
- GM from DC, John. For the first time, two of my students want to choose the "frames of Mind" T&K study listed above, but when I'm looking at the original study it seems very complicated (Ex: Consider a prospect that yields outcome x with...
- Thanks for the quick reply, John!
- Sorry, reading that it seems a bit far-fetched - as well as identifying the wrong group. Fixed.And yes, the measurement of attractiveness suffers from several types of validity issues. We don't usually decide someone's attraction...
- Dear JohnDo you in the "potential limitations of the study" mean to say that it was the freshmen students who took a test and may be sleep deprived, and not the seniors, or I am reading it wrong? Also, why is the way the researcher measures...
- Thank you so much John
- Dear DivyaAn adoption study is not a method. They would have to identify a natural experiment and explain why this study is one. Otherwise, it would earn a maximum of three marks.Kendler et al's study is not a meta analysis. It is a correlational...
- Dear AarushiIt would be used the same for all stress reduction strategies. If you look at mindfulness, students should be able to discuss the perceived susceptibility to the problem (i.e. they need to realize that they have a highly stressful...
- Dear HarshitaYes, it is commonly done by students.
- Dear HelenaSpring is in full bloom here in Prague. LIfe is good. I hope it is the same where you are.Case studies are listed as a research method in the guide. It is recommended that they not use it on Paper 3 for question...
- Dear PadmashiniThis is not a suitable question. This sounds like a business management essay. students may not apply theory on their own; they have to find research that directly investigates their question.
- Dear SamIt would be difficult to find a study that shows that schema theory explains stereotype formation. They are what we call a social schema - so it would be a rather circular argument. I would not recommend it.
- Dear AnaThe studies in the Core (Bio, Cognitive, Sociocultural) are automatically available to students. For Abnormal, you have to choose to make them visible to students. As students do not do all of the options and most teachers do a single...
- Dear SamYes.
- Dear SamYes, that is totally fine. The only danger with this is that sometimes all that students describe is the covert aspect of the method and not the actual defining traits of an observation. But choosing a specific type of observation...
- Dear JohnFor the question, 'Explain the use of one research method in one study of genetics and behaviour.': And the student has written about Adoption Study Scarr and Wein berg...will that be okay? Also, Is 'Meta-Analysis' a research...
- Hi John,My students are interested in replicating this study for their IA.I wanted to know if this would be a good study to replicate for IA?
- Hi, how to use HBM to explain stress as a problem? Especially if we are targeting promotional strategy for stress what all to include?
- Hi John, I hope this message finds you well. I had the idea that students should avoid study cases to answer both SAQ and ERQ. Would the response you shared get a high mark? Which other studies could students use as evidence?Thanks!
- Is the following question suitable for an extended essay on Psychology? To what extent does the concept of anchoring in Louis Vuitton’s marketing campaigns influence the buying decisions of potential customer?
- Hi JohnAs stereotyping is a form of schema, could schema theory be used to explain stereotype formation?
- Dear John, Is there a reason why studnets have no access to studies in Abnormal? My class seem to have access to all key studies in core approaches, but not in Abnormal. I just tried changing this, but am not sure how.Thank you for...
- Muchas gracias Juan siempre por tus respuestas.
- Hi JohnCould this be used in the Dev Psych Option when looking at the formation of gender identity?
- Hi JohnFor the SAQ above, Explain the use of one research method used in the sociocultural approach, is it ok to narrow down the research method from observations and focus particularly on covert observations for example? or is a more general...
- Dear DhanashreeThis was a change in the guide. No, they cannot be asked for more than one technique.
- Dear Tom,No. Brain scanning is used as part of an experiment (or quasi experiment) or a correlational study. They would not earn marks for identifying brain scanning as the actual research method.
- Dear Nehayes, this is fine. However, with consent, his mother gave consent, so it is not "unethical." It is, however, a consideration for how we gain consent from people who have physical or psychological issues that may make it...
- Dear MeganI don't think that there is any actual penalty for this. You might want to ask your IB coordinator to contact the IB and ask what you should do (if anything). Usually, examiners check to make sure that there are numbers...
- Dear John, The guide suggests that students need to prepare one technique for imaging for A01/AO2. Hence, is it necessary to go over two techniques? Is it for potential ERQs using a Contrast command term?
- Si no hay apéndices (sin datos brutos, estadísticas inferenciales), entonces un máximo de 2 puntos para el análisis. También significa que es posible que no obtengan crédito por el trabajo porque no se han cumplido las consideraciones...
- With regard to hormones? Yes.
- Dear John,Can a student uee scanning techniques (or at least one technique) as a research method in the biological approach?Many thanks, Tom
- Hi JohnA lot of sites raise a question about Milner not being able to take informed consent from patient HM due to anterograde amnesia. Do you think that students can use this study to respond to a SAQ or an ERQ on ethical considerations...
- I thought so, but wanted to be sure.
- Hi John.Long story involving a lot of lying and other issues, but I have student that did not have a partner present when he ran his experiment. What are the consequences for this on the IA? Does it invalidate his report? There are a lot of...
- Hello, can these studies be used to write a ERQ in biological approach?
- Thank you John!
- Buenas tardes estimado Juan¿Qué debo hacer en la evaluación del IA si su alumno no añade los anexos? ¿se pasa de palabras o no llega al mínimo?. En mi caso al leer el trabajo cumple los criterios, pero falta lo que aquí pregunto. ¿Qué...
- Dear GinnyPersonally, I just upload the comment document in IBIS. It is now optional, but I find this easier than marking up a copy. I agree that marking up makes the work messy. However, it is up to you what you do. There...
- Dear BrianYes, that is correct.For the section question, they cannot ask AND, it would be and/or. They only need to have one example according to the guide, so they cannot demand two examples.
- Sí, deben contarlas como palabras. Recomiendo encarecidamente que los eliminen. La orientación del IB es que solo deben utilizar los cuatro títulos + bibliografía.
- Dear MariaThis cannot be used as it is not a cultural norm to be aggressive. This is a behaviour they learn through observation (like Bandura's Bashing Bobo), but it is not a study of learning one's own culture.
- Agreed!
- Estimado John. Este curso tengo alumnos muy ordenados y en su evaluación interna han incluido subtítulos en cada apartado. Es decir, dentro de Introducción han puesto títulos como : Teoría, Objetivo, Variables... O dentro de la exploración...
- Hi John,I see that an ERQ prompt could read: Discuss one example of a potential influence of culture on one behavior or cognition. In this case, the student would have to write about the same behavior or cognition in the paper, correct?...
- Hi John, Your advice would be really valuable regarding whether one uploads one's sample work with markups or inserted suggestions or whether to upload a clean copy. I have made brief comments in the space where the criteria marks are entered...
- Thanks for the answers. That approach makes sense.
- John, I have students come to me and ask if Charlton can be used for enculturation. I guess one can argue that enculturation can happen through SCT, is this fine?
- Dear VictoriaCould you let me know what your concerns are about these questions? I am really not allowed to "approve" questions. But I can answer questions about them. I would, however, recommend that students not usethe word "influence"...
- Dear LocThey would most likely earn a maximum of 6 or 7 marks. The use of psychological terminology is part of the ability to show psychological knowledge.
- Dear MariaYour first student has done it correctly. The second student has only looked at the data from one condition, so this is not correct. They would earn only 2 marks for application of the statistics out of 6. I am not...
- Dear DenisI think that sometimes it does influence internal validity, but I agree that in this case, it does not. My students are pretty comfortable by the end of the course discussing these two concepts - although usually we simply discuss...
- Dear DenisIt was a repeated measures design. You can see that more clearly in the more in-depth version: https://thinkib.net/psychology/page/28865/zhou-2014
- Dear ScottTheoretically, yes. However, please note the last bullet point of the last box. The original study took place over a long period of time. The Hawthorne effect is not meant to be a short term influence on behaviour.
- Thanks, Laura. Fixed.
- Hi John, Please could you let me know if the following EE questions are suitable.1. To what extent has technology affected the ability for humans to form and retain memories? OR To what extent has internet usage affected the ability for...
- Hi John, what if it's a SAQ and students do not use psychological terms but explain them?
- Hi John,Some of my students have adapted the Williams and Bargh (2008) study (1st experiment) by having two conditions - one where participants were given warm cups to hold while watching a video of a person talking and the other where participants...
- Hi John,Do you think the Hawthorne effect would be an acceptable topic for an IA? I appreciate any feedback you might have.Thanks!Scott
- And one more thing, John.How much do you emphasize the difference between internal and construct validity in your teaching? In the Zhou study, the internal validity seems to be high, but construct validity low, or at least dubious. It seems...
- Dear John Is Zhou et al an independent or repeated measures design?
- Just a typo in the answer to 1B and 3B - 'Aaron Beck' , not Aron :-)
- Dear IlianaYes, 10 for each condition is enough. 20 pieces of data total.
- Dear John,I have a group of students who have decided to investigate the anchoring effect (Tversky & Kahneman, 1974). For the anchoring effect I understand it is okay to use any sort of problem, e. g. a maths problem as long as the same...
- Dear Alex,As long as acculturation is clearly linked to the study, yes, it is accepted.
- Dear BenjaminIf the stimulus actually identifies the sampling type like that, then they need to use what is in the text. However, purposive is problematic as it is the type used for all qualitative research. It is definitely a poorly...
- Hi John, Thank you in advanced. Can students use Norasakkunkit and Uchida to answer acculturation question? Thank you!
- Ya got it. I thought so but was looking for more clarity. Because 'case study' is the primary research method here as the case study was done via using focus groups and observations. Thanks a lot.
- Hi John,I'm slightly confused on the guidance in regard to purposive sampling. The May 2023 exam explicitly referred to the sample as purposive and the markscheme stated that students needed to refer to it as such and identify relevant characteristics....
- Ah, okay, then "more genes" means unspecified, as in the study by Weissman. Thanks.
- Querido JuanPienso como tú, pero te agradezco mucho la respuesta.
- Dear DenisThe question is often "one or more genes." In that case, this study is fine. If the question literally asked for only one gene,then it would not be appropriate.
- Dear JoThe IB has no problem with EEs on cannabis use. We read several of them every year.
- Dear IrisIt is not a study of a neurotransmitter, but of a gene. The role of serotonin is assumed, but not measured in any way. It is not accepted on Paper 1 for a study of serotonin.
- Dear DivyaIt appears that the IB will be identifying the method in most cases, so whatever is stated would be what students would have to use. In this case, since focus groups, observations, and questionnaires/surveys are all mentioned, I don't...
- Dear UshaYes, that theory is fine for the Stroop effect.
- Dear YutingYes, this is the approach a student would have to use - an example of domino causality.Usually, the question will ask for one or more behaviours. So, it should be fine.
- Dear JohnHope you are doing well. I see that Weissman is listed above for question 1. But can it be used, even though the study doesn't look at a particular gene?
- Dear John,I wanted to ask about a student doing an EE investigating long term cannabis use, for example, she has come up with the following:To what extent does long term cannabis use affect the ability to build and maintain interpersonal relationships?To...
- Hi, John! Can the Caspi et al study be used to in a neurotransmitter question? Thanks!
- Thanks a lot, John for your response.
- Greetings dear JohnFor the above stimulus piece, what if a student writes 'focus- group' as a research method for Q1a as a lot many times through the piece, focus- groups are a mention. Though I understand that through these focus groups,...
- Dear John,Can students use "Speed of processing theory" as a background model for Stroop effect? or dual processing model is more relevant.
- Hi John,If students want to use Sapolsky for Hormones, they need to mention, how social hierarchies lead to different levels of cortisol, as well as how cortisol lead to health problems, right? my second question is, if they use Sapolsky as...
- Thanks a ton, John!Regards
- Dear VickiI am sorry but I don't know these studies. If it is a study of poverty and hippocampal size, I don't see how this could be used as a sociocultural argument for PTSD. All studies should directly study the disorder.
- Hi John, When discussing ACEs and poverty and the link to PTSD can you also use Gilbertson et al. (2002) and Karl et al (2006)? Even though they are biological research the link between ACEs, poverty and size of the hippocampus and amygdala...
- Thank you John.
- Dear BrianAs far as I know, there are no CAT 3 seminars. CAT2 is for experienced teachers. CAT 3 is usually focused on a single aspect of the course - e.g. just IAs.
- Dear DivyaThe studies and the theory should be evaluated. The evaluation of the research is actually part of the evaluation of the theory.
- Dear LocIf the question is just to describe a study, they do not need to give an explanation of those points. However, they should use appropriate terminology when describing the study. You are correct that, in general, if the question...
- Dear MadhviStudents do not need to focus on a single health problem for the prevalence questions. This study could be linked to prevalence, but it is not really linked to smoking directly.
- Dear ShraddhaYes, those studies are fine.
- Querida CristinaLos estereotipos y los prejuicios no son lo mismo. No recomendaría el uso de amenazas estereotipadas, ya que no es el resultado de un prejuicio. Sin embargo, no sé qué podría decidir un examinador si un estudiante lo utilizara.
- Hello John,Would you be able to provide a better (or different) overview of the CAT2 and CAT3 seminars? I have read what IB has published and I am still at a loss on which seminar would best suit my needs.Thanks!
- Dear John, thank you for this!
- Dear JohnFor the ERQ: Discuss one or more theories of stereotyping: After writing about Theories like 'illusory correlation, social categorization, a grain of truth hypothesis' via 2-3 research studies, the THEORIES are supposed to be discussed...
- Thank you John!
- If the question is "Describe one twin or kinship study" (SAQ), will students need to Describe MZ, DZ, concordance rate to gain a top mark?In general, if the question is "Describe one study related to...", will students need to explain the key...
- Dear John, Could the students also use this study for prevalance of a health problem, where the problem is smoking?
- DearJohn,if in the Question of reliability of one cognitive process- for ERQ students write about memory and uses Loftus and Palmer (1974) and Loftus and Pickrell (1995) studies, these are relevant studies...right?
- Buenos días John¿En este apartado de prejuicio y discriminación podría utilizarse estudios como el de Spencer sobre el estereotipo de las mujeres las matemáticas?Gracias
- A general rule of thimb is that if the method is identified in the stimulus, students must use it to earn credit
- Dear JohnIf a student identifies surveys as the answer to 1a., would this really be wrong? Or should they only write questionnaire as it is mentioned in the stimulus?
- Thanks John. Appreciate it.
- Dear Yinanthat is not a term in the guide. I would stick to naturalistic observatio.n.Theoretically both could be. But both studies carried out written interviews (survey) and collected mostly only qualitativw data.
- Agreed. It may also betray some researcher bias in the choice of design, both reseachers being anglophone.
- In this study, yes. Cortisol is a type of glucocorticoid
- Dear John, 1. Can I consider this study as a structured observation? I noticed the researcher use an observation checklist as well as multiple observers to assess inter-rater reliability. 2. Why is Kulkofsky considered as quasi-experiment,...
- Hey guys,Just to pile on... To the degree that the paper makes contact with the judicial system, they *should* have added a quasi-experimental factor. As I was reading the paper, I just kept thinking "what about the English-speaking participants?"...
- Hi John,Quick question, is the word glucocorticoids and cortisol interchangeably in this study (by definition, they differ with each other a little bit?) Thanks!
- Dear JamesNo need to do that. The only time that students need to justify their statistics is if they are using a t-test, since this requires that they can show that their sample either is large enough (30) or that they have met the requirements...
- Hi John,Can you translate this IB feedback for me? I just saw this from last year."Students should not use a t-test unless their data has met parametric assumptions. If so, they need to mention and justify this. If a t-test is used without...
- The IB accepts questionnaires for this. If the questionnaire is given within the context of a research method, then it is a data collection method. For example, in the study by Loftus and Palmer. If it is used like an "interview",...
- Yes, that is correct.
- Dear HarshitaIt is unlikely that this question will be asked. The question does not really make sense. As far as I know about positive and negative effects, students will always have and/or as the question.
- Dear John,Can I say the research method of this study is "questionnaires"? How can I differentiate "questionnaire as a data collection method" and "questionnaire as a research method?"Thank you for your clarification. Yinan
- Would this be considered a true experiment? There is direct manipulation of the IV. Since it is repeated measures, it mitigates the need for random allocation.
- Dear John What research studies from the above mentioned list can be used for a question like- "Discuss the influence of digital technology on reliability of cognitive processes"? Also, I was wondering if separate questions can be...
- Dear AbenaIt seems like for the ERQ it will be one or more, but for the SAQ they may ask for a study of one gene. To focus on one gene, students could use Caspi looks at the 5HTT gene, Shmelkov looked at teh SLIRK5 gene in rats for OCD,there...
- Dear AbenaNot your imagination. Here it is: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/51962/single-study-essays
- Dear RebeccaA counterargument is actually not part of the assessment rubric. It is, however, a good way to show critical thinking. I would have her look at whether age makes a difference - or gender - or the type of anxiety/level...
- Dear HimaniFor both SL and HL, the word count is 1800 - 2200 for the IA.
- Dear John,A student is asking if it's possible to have a question that dictates just one gene and behaviour and, if so, what studies would they use? I think it will be 'one or more' but I get so confused with all the updates.Thanks for clarifying.
- Dear John,Is it my imagination or did you add (in the last few months) a page on how to answer an ERQ with just one study?Thank you for clarifying if I am losing my mind (even more!)
- Thanks very much.
- Hi John, Sorry to bother you, first time supervising a Psychology EE. I have a student who has suggested a RQ of: 'To what extent is exposure therapy effective in treating anxiety symptoms in children'. She has found a few articles...
- Dear John,I have a quick question regarding the word count expectations for the assessment. Could you please clarify the recommended or required word count for the IA for both HL and SL students? I want to ensure that students meet the...
- Dear ConradI am not sure what you mean by a paragraph pattern. If you mean is there a suggested style, there is not one. You can see my suggestion above:Take a position in the introduction.Provide empirical evidence to support your...
- They have been asked to discuss two ethical considerations on past exams. They could be asked to contrast two research methods, but it would be unlikely that they would ask for more than one research method.
- Dear IlianaYes, I would highly recommend that they have one perspective and a control group.
- Hi John, we often teach our students to follow a paragraph pattern for their ERQ's. How might you go about this for a "to what extent" question? Thanks, Conrad
- Hi Joh, Could the question about RMs and Ethics ask to discuss “two“ specifically or would it always be ”one or more”?
- Dear John,I wanted to ask whether students who are replicating Anderson and Pichert's study need to simplify the study to only use one perspective and a control group, or would they be allowed to replicate the whole experiment (with the two...
- Most students worldwide include them. If the question is "Describe one study," then all such details are important. If the question is to explain (or described) one cultural dimension with reference to one study, then that detail is not...
- Thank you John, that's what we couldn't work out! Do you think it is essential to mention them in an explanation of the study? Or can we stick to just describing the two experimental groups?
- Dear BhupinderYes, as you can see above, it is listed under antagonists and under agonists it says any study of a neurotransmitter will work. All neurotransmitters are agonists.
- Dear Yucheng I don't think so. It is a different topic from "factors influencing bystanderism." It is about promoting prosocial behaviour.
- Thank you very much
- Hi John, Just to clarify, Antonova(2011) can be used for both agonist and antagonist SAQs? Thank you.
- Hello John, Can this study be used to discuss factors influencing bystandarism?
- Dear JohnGot it, thanks a lot for your help!
- Dear JudithThe SSS (Subject Specific Seminars) will be in February/March. Some regions (e.g. the US) has already posted the dates and venues. The first CAT2 focused on the new curriculum for Inthinking will be the first weekend of June,...
- Yes, social cognitive theory would be the rationale.
- Dear AukeBecause everyone teaches different disorders, they do not have automatic access to all key studies. Teachers can select which studies they want them to use by going to the page and then choosing the student access tools...
- Dear SarahIt is a rather bizarre control group. It would not be possible to find people with no aspect of collectivism and individualism, so they chose a group that was somewhere in between the two extremes of the Temnes and Inuits.
- Dear LeifNot a problem at all. Always good to check to make sure that your students can do their best!
- Morning John, do you know when the first training will be available for the new course? I can only find training for the current course. Many thanks.
- Thank you. And I apologize for asking this - I am sure you have answered it several times already (as you did above) and you are probably getting tired of it.Once again - thanks.Kind regards Leif Bergholtz
- Hi John,When ss use this study to explain the formation of stereotyping, should they mention "modeling/SCT" as the rationale behind the stereotyping?Thanks!Emma
- I got it. By touching the areas of uncertainty, TWE goes beyond the simple strengths and limits(evaluation). Thanks John!
- Thank you!
- Hi John, my students (DP1) don't have access to any of the abnormal key studies links. Is there a specific reason for this?
- Hi John, please could you explain the use of the control group here and what they were controlling for? Many thanks and Happy Easter :)
- Dear TammyIf the student described social categorization, that is the first example and that is what is assessed. And that would mean that the study would not earn any marks. A maximum of 3 is correct.
- Dear TammyThey could use SIT but Tajfel's study would not be appropriate to stereotyping. Social categorization is simply recognizing in-group vs out-group, it is not stereotyping. Hilliard and Liben's study, for example, shows...
- Yes, that is actually what they should do - focus on only one of the independent variables in the study.
- Dear HarshitaYou can see here how I do it: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/35985/setting-up-your-courseI would recommend that HL students have at least three topics to prepare for the exam so that they have choice on exam day. For...
- Sorry. I have added it above: Sørensen TI, Holst C, Stunkard AJ. Childhood body mass index--genetic and familial environmental influences assessed in a longitudinal adoption study. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1992 Sep;16(9):705-14....
- If a student listed more than one origins of stereotype and the first listed is social categorization illusory correlation being the 2nd, the study is Hamilton and Gifford linking correctly to illusory correlation. Can I give a mark band of...
- Hi John, Along the line of discussion here. if a student use Tajefl to demonstrate social categorization and SIT as the formation of stereotype. It would be inappropriate for origin of stereotype?
- Hi John, do you have the citation for Sorensen's study? Thanks!
- Dear John, is ok if students not focus on annotation(highlight and make comments) and just focus on how Reading text digitally )and Reading text in the paper ) affects on participants' comprehension of text/ by answering questions.
- Thank you for clarifying.
- Dear JohnThis is my first year teaching IB Psychology and I have a query regarding teaching paper 2.All my students are HL students and I am not very sure if I should teach them one or two topics per option. I know both have their pros and...
- Dear EmmaYou are correct that it is easier to argue that memory is reliable or it is not by using examples of both. But for the extent to which cognitive explanations explain depression, for example, it is not so easy to say "it doesn't."...
- Dear AmberIt should be working now. Thanks for letting me know.
- Dear MarcThey are free to learn about other disorders in your class, but they may not write about schizophrenia on the exam. They would not be awarded any marks as it is not one of the prescribed disorders.
- Thanks John.
- Thanks John,So for "TWE is one cognitive etiology effective", they may present studies that use cognitive approach but to point out its "areas of uncertainty" or "biological/sociocultural factors also play a key role", right? I still feel like...
- Makes sense - thanks, John!
- this link For the narcissist in all of us: Rogers, Kuiper & Kirker’s (1977)A study of self-referential encoding. When information is personally relevant, we are more likely to recall it.Theories: Levels of processing theory. is not...
- Hello, I understand that the prescribed list of disorders students can study for paper 2 includes anxiety, depressive, obsessive-compulsive, trauma and related, and eating disorders. I have a small group of students who are very interested...
- Dear EmmaThey do not need to have counter-evidence They can simply discuss limitations of the argument, what is sometimes called "areas of uncertainty." It does feel a lot like an evaluation question, but the goal is to show why...
- Yes, it is a true experiment.
- Dear RieanahNo. The only questions that may be asked are the ones that are listed above.
- Dear NargesYes, I think that this would be an interesting IA to do!
- Dear LeifAcetylcholine is an endogenous agonist for the acetylcholine receptor sites. https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_1354 The IB accepts it on exams as it is actually correct according...
- Dear RevaThe relevance is why the study is worth carrying out. What is its relevance to the population being studied or to a more general population?The link is how the study that the student will do is linked to the theory that they...
- Dear Yuliia,I cannot approve EE questions. Is there something you are concerned about with regard to the questions? I think that the first one seems fine; the second one is not appropriate. The essay needs to be a review of...
- Dear LocThey would lose marks under criterion B which includes use of psychological terminology. If there is no appropriate terminology, then a maximum score of 4 for that criterion.
- Hi John, How should I mark if students miss psychological terms (do not explicitly state the terms in the essay) but explain in their own words E.g (MZ, DZ, concordance rate in the above sample)?
- Ah! Yeah, just want to be safe in case... Thank you so much!!
- Dear John,For TWE command term, if ss are asked "TWE is one cognitive etiology effective", do they have to provide two studies(one supports Beck, and the other disprove Beck)? But such studies(disprove Beck) seem unavailable. The research accessible...
- Hi John, Fisher study is true experiment right?
- Hi John,Can students be asked to discuss research methods for animal research?
- Dear John, One group of my students is interested in replicating the following study/ Condition *(Reading text digitally )and Condition 2 *( Reading text in the paper )*(IV) and DV/ comprehension of text/ by answering...
- Dear John!I had a biology teacher coming to psychology class to help out and explain antagonist/agonist and he is hesitant to use Antonova as a study for agonist. So I just want to make 100% clear taht IB would accept study. I agree with...
- Dear JohnI am a bit confused about the difference between ' relevance of the aim' and the 'link to to the student's IA' in the assessment criteria. Could you explain this using an example?
- Dear John, Can you please advice me if these topics are good for EE1.To what extent does uninvolved parenting style influence on relationship patterns in adulthood?2.How effective is PHQ-9m(Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Modified) in the...
- Dear EmmaYes, that is correct.
- Hi John,May I check: for "to what extent", ss have to use one study to support the theory, and the other to contradict the theory. Yet for "discuss, evaluate", ss may use two studies that both support the theory, or they may use one positive...
- Dear ConradThat is correct. If looking at experiments, they could do a field and lab experiment; or a true and quasi experiment.
- Dear YutingI would hope that they wouldn't ask that question since it would be difficult for the exam creators to write a markscheme for that question. Personally, I teach them about Sapolsky's study of baboons when studying stress (linking...
- Not just for High School students!
- Hi John, a quick question. I know that students always need to put two studies into their ERQ's, but if the question asks for one or more research methods are they able to focus on one research method with two study examples of the same method? Thanks,...
- Hi John!We taught Mcgaugh&Cahill, Newcomer, and Baumgartner to prepare for Hormones; Wedekind and Zhou for Pheromones , but looks like they are all TRUE experiment. I am a bit worried because with all these studies, student still cannot...
- John,Excellent...That makes much more sense! I should be citing the information I collect ;-)Thanks so much. As always, you save me.~Katrina
- Dear Nateif the question is simply “evaluate research ,” then ethics are fine. If it is a disciss the role of hormones, then ethical discussions of the research would not be highly relevant.
- Dear KatrinaI am not sure where that came from. Here is a model citationCrane, J. P. (2018). Schema Theory. Inthinking: IB Psychology. Retrieved October 16, 2020, from https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/22792/schema-theory
- They could, but they could also discuss cognitive factors.
- Dear NargesStudents may discuss the nature of the sample - so that is inferential. Perhaps not using the word would be appropriate. I do not understand the latest subject reports that say that inferential generalization is not relevant...
- Dear Andrea It is best that the etiologies are for a single disorder. Yes, they may ask students to contrast a biological and a cognitive explanation of one disorder - even though it is unlikely.
- Dear AlejandraYes, ethics may be combined with each of the topics as you have listed.
- Hi John, if a student answers an "Evaluate research..." prompt with some ethical considerations (in addition to research-methodological), is the ethical evaluation part creditable? Of course, there are "ethical considerations" prompts, but...
- John, Citation question. Somewhere along the way, I have you saying to cite this online text in the works cited as:Topic. (n.d.) Retrieved from https://student.thinkib.net/psychology/page/####/topicYour name is NOT included?How do...
- Dear John, For questions like to what extent genes influence behaviour. can students argue with environmental factors affecting the behaviour? Isn't it like nature vs nurture debate?
- Dear John, question 3 for the one with the Natural Experiment (smoking bans) asked about generalizing. Because natural experiments are quantitative, I thought we had to say "internal validity, external validity in terms of ecological/population...
- Yes. Thank you! I think we were trying to play Rubric Sudoku! I am glad to hear you couldn't make another link either! We will accept that and I think add the 'Sally-Anne' task'! Quite a favorite of mine and not too mind bending....
- Hi John,Can I get your feedback on this student question?"I'm already using Caspi and Kendler (about depression) in my bio prep for paper 1, and Lee & Lee and Becker (about eating disorders) for soc. I was wondering what you thought about...
- Hi John, Could the ethical considerations questions be focused on the topic? As in Discuss ethical considerations in animal research in the brain and behaviour/hormones and pheromones/genetics?
- Dear FlorenciaI am not sure which study you are talking about.
- Dear StephenIt wouldn't work as they are not studies of developmental psychology.
- Dear John, In this replication, could they use the original recording?Regards,Florencia
- I see. Yeah, thank you so much for always answering our questions with so much patience!
- Hi John. My student answers brain development with Draganski as 1 study and Maquire as the other. It seems to work but these are adults. She does link it to Neuroplasiticy, but I wondered if these fit. It was my first time...
- If the question is "Describe one ethical consideration/research in the study of genetics" - this study is ok. These questions are asked at the "topic level," so the IB allows both genetic and evolution studies for this question. It...
- Estimada ChristinaEstudiantes no deben utilizar notas a pie de página. Deberán escribir entre paréntesis "ver apéndice".Y sí, esa es una buena manera de estructurar la evaluación.
- Dear SaraNo, they may have one theory and discuss it. They don't need a counterargument unless the question is "to what extent."
- Dear RussellNeither of those studies would work. I really don't see how any studies could be used as a twofer for this topic. Theory of mind and empathy are rather unique in the curriculum.
- hi, would it be correct if students wrote "interviews" and then said that interviews can be in the form of a group discussion ?
- Dear BhupinderYes, it is totally fine. The only guidance that the IB has given is not to use research from the 19th century.
- Dear AmyThat is strange. The link seems to be broken and I cannot fix it. For now, here is the answer: The study uses method triangulation, which makes its findings more credible. A strength is that by using these tests, a large...
- Thank you for the clarification John
- Dear John,I assume for the similar reason, this might not be a good study for students to use if the question is "Describe one ethics/ Research Method in genetics? "
- Dear John, Why there is no answer for Q5? Would it be possible to also have the answer? Thanks!
- Estimado JuanDos preguntas. ¿Queda bien poner notas a pie de página?, por ejemplo "Ver en anexo".Por otra parte, yo les animo a que la evaluación la estructuren: diseño, fortalezas, limitaciones y modificaciones; muestra, fortalezas,...
- Dear John, Do students always have to present different arguments when responding to a discussion (ERQ)? For instance, if a student only wrote about the mere exposure effect, citing the Moreland & Zajonc studies, would that be sufficient,...
- Hi John, For the question: Discuss the development of empathy and/or theory of mind. My students have learned the Repacholi & Gopnik study but we are looking for a second study that could a 'two-for' to any of the core approaches or within...
- Thank you, John, for taking the time to answer all of my questions once again. My students and I sincerely appreciate it!! They are eagerly looking forward to their long break after the exams, but they are also feeling anxious about the upcoming...
- Got it. Thank you so much for answering questions, it's really helpful, John!I apologize for bothering you, but I would like to clarify one more thing: can students use the HM study to answer some questions in paper 1 (such as localization...
- Thanks John for your support
- Dear AbenaThat is correct. They should outline the key studies that will be used to make their argument.
- Dear SamOnly that they should not know the study that is being done. If the study is known, then they should not be participants.
- Dear BhupinderThere is no best study. Students should be able to use any study and discuss any of the ethical considerations. I tell my students to always discuss either deception (if any one used) or informed consent. Both...
- I doubt it. This is never a good evaluation strategy for a published study unless the researcher has indicated such behavior in the original report.
- There are several studies in the textbook. In addition, they are listed in the study guide: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/28154/study-guide-cognitive-processes
- Dear LauraI don't use that term because it is so unclear. The IV is manipulated and it is not clear that the schools were randomly allocated to conditions. If they were, then it is a true experiment. If not, then it is quasi....
- Thanks John!
- Hi John, Could this study had screw-you effect: participants could have guessed a really high or low number, affecting the result?
- Hi John, Could you please suggest some other research for decision-making process so students can discuss in ERQ regarding decision-making?Many thanks!
- Dear John,I hope you're well.In the rubric (Focus & Method) it says, students must (in the introduction) "indicate the psychological theories and studies they will use and how." I see that not all the research is mentioned in this introduction,...
- Hi JohnWould there be any problem with the Psychology class being participants in each other's studies?
- Hi John - I had it down as a field experiment?
- Dear John, I would really appreciate your suggestion! Could you please tell me, from your opinion, which study is best to use to answer the SAQ 10th question from the sociocultural approach: 'Explain one ethical consideration in the study...
- Thank you John, that makes sense.
- Yes, that is fine.
- Dear LorenaThe IB only accepts this for the social norms and not for cultural norms.
- Hi John,One more question about this study! Can this be used for Brain and Behavior-localization? if student focus on the role of amygdala in memory?
- Hi John, In an SAQ about cultural norms, would it be accepted if a student wrote about stereotypes as a form of cultural norm (and used a stereotype-related study like Steele and Aronson?). Their argument is that Stereotypes affect the...
- Dear MaryyamWhen looking at flashbulb memories, Kulkoffsky shows that culture plays a key role and that emotion alone may not be what is important in flashbulb memory formation. Neisser and Harsh show that emotion may not create more...
- Dear SukanyaThat sounds like a well-reasoned argument to me. It should be just fine.
- Hi John,I read that this a possible question "To what extent does emotion influence one cognitive process?" What would be the counter claim though I cannot find research that says that emotion does not affect memory (we focused on memory).
- Thank you very much, John.
- Hi John,One of my students is working on 'To what extent does permissive parenting impact the academic achievement amongst adolescents'? The studies for the claim talk about the lack of a structured framework (demandingness) of permissive parenting...
- I see that and I appreciate it!
- Great, thank you!
- Dear AdelaCrane, J. P. (2019). NAME OF PAGE. Inthinking: IB Psychology. Retrieved DATE, from INCLUDE the URL
- Yes, a maximum of three marks.
- Dear Russell, They would earn zero marks for criteria A, B, and C. They would earn up to 2 marks for criterion D. They could earn full marks on criterion E.
- The key is that the command term needs to be met. This means that the student has "discussed" cognitive biases and not simply evaluated research.
- Dear AnaThey should have a total correct for each individual, so there are only two conditions. The rules are always the same. If they have two separate conditions, then Mann Whitney. If all participants are included in both...
- Dear MariaYes, that is fine. They accept all culture-linked examples for either of the headings.
- Here it is.
- Dear AarushiYes, but they would have to explain why this is a good choice.
- Dear IvoYou still mark it as usual. My guess is that it will earn lower marks in the evaluation or analysis because I doubt it would be complete/well-developed if it is below 18000 words. But there are no automatic deductions.
- Hi John, similar question... For an SAQ, if a student was asked: "Describe localisation with reference to one relevant study" but accidentally defined neuroplasticity but then went on to use an appropriate study study (Maguire, Taxi driver,...
- Dear John, hope you are doing well. I have a question - as my students have adjusted your samples of instructions, debriefing, and consent for their IA - I was wondering if there is a suggested reference that they should include in their final...
- Hi John, If a student were answering an ERQ: Evaluate Social Cognitive Learning and accidentally wrote about Social Identity Theory but did so correctly with appropriate definitions, supporting research and critical thinking, can they still...
- Dear AndreaYes, I think that is a good argument.
- Dear JenniferNo. The study does not measure stereotypes; it measures in-group bias. The IB does not award marks for this study for a stereotype question.
- Dear ShannonI have updated the page to fix that problem.
- For a sampling modification can a student give probability sample type-if in their main experiment they used opportunity sample?
- HI John, Could you please help me clarify how to grade the "focus on the question". What are the clues for me?I did not see much difference in samples 1 and 2 regarding this criterion. Could you please help to clarìy
- Do you have a new link to this document? It says it is no longer available when I use the link. Thank you
- Great, thank you John.
- Dear John,My question is related to the first point that Ida raised about the the confusing wording in the guide regarding "Culture and its influence on behaviour and cognition" and "Cultural influences on individual behaviour" a topic heading:...
- Dear John, if the students fail to write the required amount of words, i.e. 1800-2200, does it mean the students automatically fail or do I only deduct some points? And if I do, where from? Thank you for your reply.Ivo
- Hi John,If type A is a risk factor, could it be argued that Type B is a protective factor?
- Hi John, Would the Tajfel study be okay to use for the SAQ on stereotyping?
- Hi John,In the "A deeper look at culture" section, you refer to starting at slide 8, but I can only see 1-7 on the slides linked here. Thanks so much for all the resources you have created! They are life-saving :D
- Yes, you are correct. I will correct it.
- Dear KarenI am not sure who wrote that it is not allowed in the Facebook group. It is definitely allowed. On the May 23rd exam the stimulus was a semi-structured interview and the markscheme suggested a "focus group" as the alternative...
- Hi JohnIn this paper Q1c has specified alternative method. Just checking in an official paper 3 it will always give the option of alternative or additional?
- John, I would like your clarification based on the comments above. On the IB Facebook group, it has been stated that if 1.a is a type of experiment, that the students cannot write a different type of experiment for 1.c. The same for Interviews...
- Dear BarbaraWhen it comes to observations, all three of those factors (plus construct validity) are all appropriate strategies. When it comes to interviews, then population and construct validity are still relevant. The same for...
- Dear LaraYes,that is correct. These studies are more about social roles and gender role development, not about gender identity. They would not earn marks for this question.
- Dear RussellYes, that is correct. Otherwise, it would only be an "evaluate" command term asking for strengths and limitations of the explanation/etiology.
- Hi John,This is more of a request than a question - me and my SL students struggle with evaluating studies that are not experiments. For experiments it is easy, we go through internal, population and ecological validity factors. Can you suggest...
- Good day, I have a student who has written a response to the question: Evaluate one theory of the development of gender identity. She has used Stereotyping and Gender schema theory with Fagot, and Martin & Halverson as her studies...My...
- Thank you John, for the prompt response.
- Thank you so much for the clarification!
- Hi John, For the ERQ 'To what extent does one etiology effectively explain one disorder?', do students have to include an alternative etiology (approach) to compare the chosen etiology (approach) to?So for example, if Biological etiologies...
- Dear NathanielI agree. Also, there is no evidence that the 5HTT play may play a role in hikikomori. A valiant attempt to apply their learning, but it is not really a valid argument.
- Honestly, it would be better to use the term "true experiment" or quasi experiment. For example, the study above is carried out in a lab, but it is not a lab experiment. It is a field experiment. This is because it is quasi-experimental...
- Dear RanjaniThe link is located right under the video. Please see above.
- Dear YutingYes, absolutely. They do not have to have both parts of the study.
- Dear KennethYou are correct that Coan could most likely be used for MDD as well, but I would say that it is more linked to prevalence - looking at how protective factors may reduce the prevalence in a group - rather than etiology. The...
- Dear NaomiThese are not sample responses, they are suggestions for answering the question. As for the length of the Paper 3 question 3 response, my understanding is that many students only write a paragraph as their response. We would...
- Dear KatrinaStrange. It is now fixed.
- Hi John,May I double check on what it means by "IB doesn't use the term lab experiment"? Eg: Explain one research method used in the study of the effect of hormones on human behavior. Can students answer "lab experiment" and fully explain that...
- Hi John. Is there any research paper by Abigail Marsh, TED talk above, that we can use? The students are very interested in the idea that people who are altruistic have more active and bigger amygdala.
- Dear John, On a recent task " Discuss one or more effects of globalization on cultural origins of behaviour and/or cognition". A student spoke about globalisation effect(attitude towards global and local culture) on the development of...
- Hi John,If students use McGaugh&Cahill for ethics, when they describe the study, is it ok to only include either the first part or the follow-up? I thought it is ok? since for example, deception can be discussed in either study, correct?
- The text mentions Hays, Turner & Coates (1992). Could Coan, Schaefer & Davidson's (2006) study on the protective effects of social support during stress, be used in an ERQ for sociocultural etiologies, even though it is not about MDD...
- Thanks, John! Luckily this happened with one of my IB1 students (mid-term exam) so we have enough time to go through the process of identifying "the best studies" according to the topic and type of question (SAQs or ERQ).
- John, The Google Doc is not working...says not available. Help please?Thanks, Katrina
- Hello John. I'm wondering if this sample's answers are "exemplary"? Specifically, I'm referring to Q3 on credibility? This answer seems really short as far as some of the other example Paper 3's you've provided on the website. How many points...
- Hi John,I read that this a possible question "To what extent does emotion influence one cognitive process?" What would be the counter claim though I cannot fine research that says that emotion does not affect memory (we focused on memory).
- Dear SaraThey do not need to identify research methods as qualitative or quantitative. This should not be a problem. I would not use that label at all for Paper 3. And best regards to your students. I hope that they are getting...
- Dear SaraThey do not need to identify research methods as qualitative or quantitative. This should not be a problem. I would not use that label at all for Paper 3. And best regards to your students. I hope that they are getting...
- Thank you very much, John, for explaining this to me. Your clarifications are always helpful! From what I understand, students don't need to prepare for any specific questions related to questionnaires or surveys. However, in paper 3, some...
- Dear RanjaviIt is biological support of the cognitive theory that empathy plays a role in how we decide to help each other. It is support for the theory that empathy plays a role in helping behaviour.
- Dear EmmaYes, they may choose either strategy for the essay.For this question, if they ask to evaluate research, there is no theory that must be evaluated. Only the research.
- Fixed.
- The participants in the group identification scenario gave more help and pushed others less than those that did have a group identification.PLease review this sentence above.
- Dear Johan,In the video of Bartal et al, she specifically says at the end that the reason for the helping behaviour is biological/ neurobiological. So how does this feature under cognitive explanations?
- Dear John,If ss are asked to evaluate research on the validity and/or reliability of diagnosis, 1. they may choose to discuss both validity and reliability, or they only focus on either validity or reliability, right?2. usually for "evaluate",...
- Dear JasmineThe link is that having someone there to support you is a protective factor against stress and trauma. Of course, it is not possible to experimentally induce trauma, so one could argue that although this attempts to make connections...
- Thank you
- Hello John! Good morning! Hope you are well. Do you mind explaining briefly how this study can be linked to PTSD? Is it that the research method could potentially cause a level of trauma for the participants and therefore be a factor in the...
- Dear NabiaThis is always true in qualitative research, so it is not really a valid answer. Purposive doesn't really describe how the sample was obtained. I wouldn't recommend it for this stimulus as it would most likely not earn...
- Dear MeganYou definitely don't need to teach Ellis. You are correct that it is only in the slideshow, letting students know that there are other areas of CBT than just Beck.
- Dear LeeThey very rarely use it. It does feel like they have gotten rid of it. I think that I have only seen it once in this current curriculum.
- Dear ArnavEvolutionary arguments are biological arguments, so they are together on the biological page.
- Dear MattSorry. That is just poorly worded. I have fixed it.
- Dear John, Can it be said the sampling was purposive sampling as main characteristics of participants were defined in advance.
- Hi John.You mention Ellis's theory in your slides and I see that both Beck and Ellis are referred to on a worksheet around understanding therapy but can't find mention of Ellis anywhere else on the site. Was this something you added from your...
- Perfect, thank you!
- Hi John,Probably in the subject report from last year, but I'm using you as my 'transactive memory' source. Did they get rid of the 'To what extent' command term?
- Hi John, I only see the first 7 slides here.
- One more question, are the biological understanding and evolutionary understanding of the origin of prosocial behaviour separate in this topic as they are for formation of personal relationships? Or are Bio and Evo clubbed together for the...
- thank you John
- Dear IanYes, I agree with all of your points. All of those are possible ways to effectively answer the question.
- There is no official way to write an essay. Your method is the one that my students use most of the time. Evaluate research and then a "holistic paragraph" that directly addresses the question.
- Thank you very much, John!
- I also meant to ask about the best approach to answer this question.If "The goal of the response would be to show why the biopsychosocial model may be better than a biomedical approach to health problems."and "Research could be used that shows...
- Thank you John, that would be much appreciated.
- Hi John,I suggest my students to "divide criterion D" so they always:1. Evaluate the studies.2. Write a "Critical Thinking Paragraph" that really answers the questions. Is 1 not required in some option questions, like this one?
- Dear SamYes, it is a correlational study.
- Yes, that is correct.
- I don't, but I can add one over the weekend.
- Hi JohnJust checking my understanding of the research method here - this would be considered correlational research?
- Hi JohnI just wanted to check that this study would be suitable in the following areas: 1. Biological treatments of one disorder 2. Psychological treatments of one disorder 3. Effectiveness of treatmentIs that right?
- Dear John,Do you have more samples for a correlational study and survey? Thank you,Emma
- Thank you for the reassurance - we are all good then. :-)
- It is not really a great study for methodology. It is a "cross-sectional case study." The IB will except any of those methods you have listed, as long as the students justify it. Personally, I would have students prepare...
- Exactly.
- Dear JonThese studies are not accepted for the HL extension. It should be more modern - laptops, Internet, mobile phones, gaming, etc. It is best for them to stick to modern research to not be penalized for not meeting the "digital...
- Sure, Miller is fine to show that STM is limited in capacity.
- They would lose in both places. It will be difficult to link the findings to a theory if the theory is not directly relevant to the experiment.
- Totally fine, Trevor. Any study of cultural dimensions was accepted.
- Dear ZeynepYes, they will lose marks for this. If they identify a MRI but then describe and PET, they will earn no marks for the description as it should be about the technique that was identified. They would then earn marks for...
- Hi John,I notice that different sources say different things about the method used in the Brown & Harris study. I see LED semi-structured Interviews, I see Case Study, and I see Surveys. Is there a definitive one, or at least some guidance...
- Got it - so it would really only be suitable for a question about animal research in the study of hormones and pheromones. Thanks!
- Can I ask how tenuously 'digital technology' would have to be defined? After a free research session (possibly not a good idea!) I had one student trying to use Loftus&Palmer (difference in conclusion to Yuill/Cutshall was one group watched...
- Thank you so much!
- Hi John,Is the Miller study a good one to include for a discussion of a memory model (MSM)? Alex
- Right, that's what I am thinking. Just out of curiosity, where would they lose marks do you think? The Introduction or the Evaluation? Both?Thank you,E
- Hi John, Have a quick question on cultural norms. The SAQ on cultural norms was asked in N2020 and typical studies like Odden & Rochat, Cole & Scribner, Fagot, Berry, and others were identified as appropriate. Berry's study looks...
- Hi John, If my student writes MRI instead of PET in the exam, but explains all the details about the experiment correctly, will this reduce his score? (the correct display method is pet.)
- I agree... even though the researchers make the claim of significance after removal, ignoring the initial findings seemed problematic to me. Thanks for the feedback!
- Dear ChrisA discussion question would expect students to both evaluate the research used with regard to the question - and to have a holistic discussion of the question. In the final paragraph above, you can see that. If the student...
- Dear MariaYes, that is a potential question.
- Dear KarinaSorry, this did not come through my feed for some reason!You can use ANY study to answer this question. Remember, students do not have to discuss ethical violations, they have to think about what the researcher would have to...
- Dear KarlinaIt is definitely not the best study for an SAQ, but I think it should work. It is more about support for the model and would be great in an ERQ. I would not penalize a student on a mock, but I would advise them to choose...
- Dear TrevorI guess the question is how the subjective stress and arousal scores would affect the fMRI scanning. If this were caused by the scanning itself, it would make sense to eliminate the participants to avoid artifacts. However,...
- Dear CaitlynDepression is not measured in this study. He did do some research on baboons and depression, but I have just spent about 20 minutes online looking for it and I cannot find it. It must be embedded in one of his many studies...
- Dear AdeleLooking at the past markschemes, you will see that four "models" are accepted: MSM, WMM, Schema Theory, and Flashbulb Memory Theory.
- Dear EthanThey would surely lose points as that is not the reason for word length effect. They should be discussing the role of phonological loop in rehearsal and because of the time taken to rehearse longer words, displacement happens.
- Dear SamFor credibility, no. That would be more linked to generalizability. However, it is a common error that students think that gender must be balanced. Unless there is some specific reason why they would think it is necessary,...
- Hi John,The question does not focus on research studies, but the majority of the critical thinking in the essay does. I was always told that students should not focus on research unless they can explicitly link it to the theory. The response...
- Hi John,Is it possible to have a question, "To what extent does emotion influence one cognitive process?"
- Thank you so much for the clarification!
- Dear JohnOne of my students used Gilead et al 2013 as support for the question "Describe one model of thinking and/or decision-making, with reference to one relevant study". I know the study provides biological support to the model, but could...
- Hi John, What do you make of the researchers' claims about the 4 participants whose "subjective stress and arousal" scores were really high in the placebo condition (scored similar to the expected scores in the scopolamine condition -...
- Hi John, Is there a world where this could be used to support the cortisol hypothesis for depression? I'm looking for a study to satisfy both hormones/animal research and etiologies of depression. Thanks!
- Hi John, If a student is asked to "Discuss one model of memory" are they allowed to discuss The Schema Theory or should they just stick to WMM and MSM?Thanks, Adele
- Hi John,I have students who want to use the multistore model to support the Word Length Effect for their IA. They reason that 7+-2 is applicable to the WLE if they treat syllables like chunks, but to me each word is a chunk and so the...
- Thank you, John.Sorry another question - if students suggest that changes needed to have been made to a study, for example there are too many women in a sample and not enough men and they must therefore alter the sample, would that be credited?
- Dear IanThis cannot be considered experimental. There is no allocation to conditions; there is no pre-test / post-test design; there is no manipulation of variables. The questionnaire is a data collection method, not the research method. As...
- Hi John,Focusing on Research Method questions:This one was an observation but then there was a questionnaire about "how appropriate were certain behaviours". You have helped me understand that there is no clear line between questionnaires...
- Dear SarahTechnically, they may ask for only one research method. But the more commonly asked question is "one or more." For ethics, writing a whole ERQ on one ethical consideration is unlikely. The questions for far have...
- Dear AndreaYes, that is totally fine.
- Sí, esa pregunta está suficientemente concreta.
- Dear John,In Nov 2019 SL Paper 1, the following question was asked: Discuss the use of one research method to investigate individuals and groups.Can the students still be asked about ONE research method in an ERQ? And if yes, can an ethics...
- Hi Johni have a student who used Festinger to respond to the SAQ Explain the use of one research method used in the sociocultural approach in the study of the individual and the group. Is that appropriate?
- Hola John. Justamente hoy he tenido reunión con una de mis alumnas que me ha planteado una pregunta muy similar a la que te comenta Naiema más arriba. Su pregunta es la siguiente:¿Hasta qué punto las experiencias traumáticas tempranas...
- Muchas gracias. Lo veo como tú Juan
- Dear RebeccaThey do not have to do a replication. They may make any changes that they think make sense.
- Dear ReenStereotypes were not measured in the study. In the past, this has not earned marks on exams for questions on stereotyping.
- I think that it would be a stretch. Maybe acculturation, but then they are assuming that the individuals are integrated (bicultural) without carrying out any tests. I am not sure that the study would earn marks.
- Dear NehaI teach both to be safe. The November exam had a Paper 2 question on "trauma and resilience" and did not give students the option of "or." Better safe than sorry.
- Dear BhupinderYes, the working memory model is appropriate. The original study is not assessed, so I would not recommend including it in the introduction as this only eats up word count.
- Dear ArnavNo. The guide says that they will be asked one question from each of the three topics.
- Dear Yuting,That is the point of considerations. Students only need to discuss what psychologists would have to think about - they do not have to have that there was an issue with withdraw in this study.
- Dear AndrewNo. But this was an update to the guide. They could, however, use structured interviews as an alternative or additional research method.
- Hi John, I am wondering, if a study that the students want to replicate is Independent design, are they able to change it to a repeated measures design, or must they keep the procedure exactly the same?Thanks
- Thank you, John. Much appreciated.
- Hi John,A student has used this study for formation of stereotypes (talked about SIT and in group)- is this okay?
- Hi John, could Chen et al be used as a key study for HL Globalization? I have a student linking it to bicultural identity
- Thanks!
- Hi John,For HL extension, is it expected that both positive and negative influence of technologies on cognitive processes have to be addressed as the June 2023 subject guide says "positive and negative" or will it still be positive and/or...
- Thank you for that clarification.
- Dear John, My students are replicating Perham and Vizard (2010) study on how music preference influence serial recall. The criteria of the introduction says: 'The theory or model upon which the student’s investigation is based is described...
- Hi John, This question pertains to Paper 2 and all the options in general. Is it possible for the IB to give two questions from one topic area of a single option in the exam? For example, could two questions come from 'personal relations'...
- Hi John,Thanks for the reply!I understand that students are supposed to write about considerations. My concern is, for example, if students want to talk about " right to withdraw", do they need to use a study that the participants actually...
- Dear JohnThere is no mention of 'structured interview' under the section of 'Research methods' in Psychology Guide. So will the official stimulus material require students to identify such a research method?
- Dear AnnaThat would be fine. It is not important that we have evidence that Bartlett considered it. if the question were written in more student-friendly language, it would read: What is one ethical consideration that the researcher...
- Dear AmyI don't see how it could be linked to cooperation and competition. I wouldn't recommend it. It is very clearly about discrimination.
- Yo no lo recomendaría. Esta no es la teoría estándar para este estudio. Si encontraron esta teoría en el estudio original, entonces estaría bien. Pero no conozco esta teoría, así que no puedo decírtelo con seguridad. Recomendaría a...
- Dear YutingAny study may be used for ethics. All studies have ethical considerations. Students are supposed to write about considerations, not violations. Remember, considerations are "what would a research have to think about...
- Dear AnnaPlease see the comment above. It is not a great study for research methods. Remember, students are not required to mention the research method if they are not writing the research methods ERQ. Caspi calls his study...
- Dear AnnaThe IB does. It is in the guide that twin studies are a correlational method.
- Hi John, there is no correlational coefficient, but I thought multiple regression analysis was a type of correlational analysis? The original study correlated the number of SLE / self-reported depression symptoms with allele types and found...
- Hi John,Can this study be used for ethics - deception where the researchers did not tell the participant the true aim? and can it be used to explain right to withdraw? for example, if the participants found the story too upset they might quit...
- Hi John, would it be possible, when answering the "ethical consderations in studying reliabiilty of a cog process" type question - to use Bartlett to demonstrate that PPTs may be asked to contribute to a study over a long period of time so...
- Hi John, me again! Would you classify this research method as correlational? Many thanks,
- Hey, John. Could De Dreu et al be used for cooperation/competition in Group Dynamics? Certainly it can be used for prejudice/discrimination, but I'm hoping students can double dip here.Thank you!
- Hola estimado Juan¿Es adecuado hacer el IA sobre el efecto Halo pero haciendo referencia a la teoría de juicio moral rápido y deliberado?Gracias siempre por tu excelente ayuda
- Dear NaiemaYes, you are giving them sound advice.
- Dear IdaAs the questions are so poorly worded for culture, all culture research is accepted for both variations of the question. A poorly conceived set of topics. As for norms, if the question is about "social norms," then a study...
- Dear SamYes, peer review is accepted.
- Dear SamYes. That is correct. Although it is difficult for students because when they realize that, they try to write a bias response for a question on credibility. They need to understand why, for example, triangulation...
- Dear LidijaYes, that would be totally fine.
- Dear John! Is it ok to use Bailey and Pillard (1990) for the biological approach to interpersonal relationships?
- Dear John, I have two students proposing the following questions:How does observing violence as a child contribute to the likelihood of engaging in violent behavior later in life?To what extent does childhood trauma affect the development...
- Dear John,I am a little confused about the topic headings about culture in the guide. Can there be two different questions about research methods (and ethics), one in which only enculturation or acculturation will be accepted (from the topic...
- Thanks, John!
- Hi JohnPeer review is not mentioned in your Google slide presentations on Credibility. Just checking that it is accepted? If so, I would like to update my presentations.
- Hi JohnI have been steadily working through the InThinking resources connected to answering Q3 in P3. Am I correct in observing that there can be significant overlap. For example, some issues with credibility are also linked to the concept...
- Sorry, Stella. The link is now fixed.
- Hi, the link to the pheromones research grid won't open.
- Dear HarshitaThat sounds totally fine to me.
- Dear Thomas, That is because there are two parts to the study. The first part is a natural experiment; the second part is a true experiment. https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/22481/cognitive-approaches-to-ptsd
- Dear AndrewShe would not earn credit for the study. I am assuming she has described questionnaires as a research method for criterion B. If she has another study that is valid to the research method that is described, she could...
- Of a student wrote that, I think that an examiner would slide off his chair. Yes, it is totally acceptable.
- I wonder why anyone would use this study when homosexuality was still considered a mental disorder. Strange choice by OUP.
- La combinación con un enfoque se produce sólo en el "nivel de tema". No pueden preguntar específicamente sobre explicaciones biológicas del espectadorismo.
- Dear DaveThe link is working. It opens the page in a new tab.
- Dear DavidYes, same researchers, same communities, different aims. One is focused on aggression; one is focused on gender role stereotypes.
- It is unlikely that they will ask the emotion question, but it is still a "fair" question.
- Yes, that is correct.
- Hi John, my students is doing his IA on investigation on the effect of the music on free-recall memory and he is using Mozart effect. He's using irst Alfred Tomatis and later developed by Frances H. Rauscher's reference , that claims that people...
- Hi John / IT Team,FYI the link at the top of this page to the text chapter is dead.Best,Dave
- Hi John,A student of mine had answered a question on research methods by writing about Becker’s study, but focusing on her use of questionnaires. This seems to be the mistake you describe in the Exam Tips section above where you say such...
- Dear John, Is this the same study as Joy, Kimball, and Zabrack? They have two different aims but are carried out with the same population in the same year.
- How likely do you think that question is?? Seems one step too far to my mind...
- Hi John, Can you please tell me the research method that was use in Cockram et al's (2010) study? I am seeing on InThinking in different places that it is a natural experiment and also that it is a true experiment? Can you please let me know...
- This is very helpful, thank you! Oxford text actually has the illusory correlation bias listed under 'biases in thinking and decision making' using Chapman and Chapman's study (1969) on Rorschach cards.
- That's a good point, John. Thank you. Do you think it would be acceptable to use Wason instead for ''Describe one study of rational thinking''? My thinking is that the conditional statement participants were given required logical analysis...
- Muchas gracias John, pero mi duda es si la pregunta puede referirse al comportamiento prosocial/efecto del espectador como dos caras de la misma conducta o cuando habla del efecto de espectador se refiere al apartado espectadorismo. En...
- So could my student still say they were deceived as an ethical consideration? But wouldn't be able to say it was due to the placebo?
- Dear KoreyThe study determines whether they would seek out assistance or not, trying to disprove the idea that there is no difference in the prevalence of the disorder, only a difference in reporting. When they broke them into different...
- Dear MariaI have been told that both of those responses are allowed.
- Dear SreekalaYes, it is suitable. The students should be able to identify the IV (using a laptop for noting taking or not).
- El examen siempre podrá combinar los "enfoques" (biológicos, cognitivos y socioculturales) con los temas. Entonces esta es una pregunta válida.Hay teoría biológica en el libro de texto (y cognitiva y sociocultural) para cada uno de los...
- Dear EmmaYes, that sounds fine. The key is that they discuss the limited capacity and duration of the phonological loop. The fact that longer words take longer to rehearse and therefore may not be rehearsed before decay.
- Hello John,I am a bit confused by this study. It is written that "This study supports the argument that there are actual differences in the prevalence of depression in males and females and that is not the result of reporting or clinical...
- John, on another note about 1c, if the stimulus was an overt observation and student suggests alternative to be covert, is this allowed? In interviews, we do allow if focus group is the given, students can suggest, semi-structured. I wonder...
- Dear AlexisNo. Triangulation is not a method. It is a strategy for improving credibility of qualitative research methods or the reliability of quantitative research methods. The only research methods that are accepted are: experiments,...
- Dear MichaelThat is not necessary.
- My guess is that it would receive marks in the middle band, so between 4 - 6.
- You are correct that field experiments are not true experiments. Even though the researcher wrote in the original that they were randomly allocated, they weren't. They were randomly allocated by groups "of 3 - 5" people. This...
- Hi John, some of my students chose to replicate Landry and Bartling, Tversky and Kahnman, and Murdock. Just wondering what the suitable stat test would be? For those who did Landry and Bartling, they only did 4 lists of random letters instead...
- Hello, My DP 1 students are narrowing down on topics for their IAs. One group is considering Meuller and Oppenheimer's ( 2014) experiment on difference between long-hand and use of laptop on memory ( Psychological-Science-2014-Mueller-0956797614524581-1u0h0yu.pdf...
- HI John, Would "triangulation" be accepted as a additional research method for 1c? I have a student to used this as a the answer to a an additional for a focus group and then went on to talk about how it would increase creditability.
- Estimado John, acabo de enterarme de que en el examen de septiembre en la parte práctica de Relaciones Humanas, una de las preguntas fue;. ¿En qué medida la comprensión de la responsabilidad social (efecto del espectador, comportamiento...
- Hello John,If students use an online boxplot generator, should it be cited in their report the website they used? Thank you,Mike
- Dear John,If students were to discuss all three types of triangulation in Q3, would it only count 'once'? i.e. would it only be considered as one point and so they could only achieve around 3/9?Thanks,Laura
- Hi JohnThis year a group of students has replicated the Baddeley study off one of your menus - Baddeley et al (1975) The one to do with word length and structure of STM. In their Introduction they are talking about Miller- capacity of...
- Dear John,My understanding is that the given one is a true experiment as the IV is manipulated by the experimenter and participants were randomly assigned. However, I saw your comment sometime back that "Field experiments are not true experiments".Also,...
- Thanks a lot, John
- Dear SarahYes, it would be a quasi experiment.
- Dear EmmaThe majority of students worldwide will use a study to support it. Although it is not 100% required, it is strongly recommended.
- Dear AbhilashSure. It really doesn't matter.
- Yes, they would score zero marks.
- Yes, that would be fine.
- I think that it should be fine. The student just needs to explicitly link the study to either intuitive or rational thinking.
- It doesn't sound like a placebo to me. Only a control condition.
- Thank you!
- Thank you for the link John. A further question - if using this study can you call it a survey (how they collected the data) or does it have to be an experiment as they were comparing the challenger and the 9/11 groups? Just now trying to work...
- Dear John,If the command term is "to what extent" do biological factors influence... I understand that they have to showcase the other side of the argument (for example sociocultural or cognitive) but do they need research for that? or is it...
- Hi John,Can they use two different colors for the two bars (two levels of the IV) in the bar graph. Thanks,Abhilash V L
- Hi John,In the case where a student gives a completely irrelevant response e.g. uses a memory model to answer:- Describe one system of thinking and decision-making would they score 0?Thanks,Andrew
- Thank you, John;-)Best Asbjørn
- Thank you!
- Hi John,Can they use Wang et al., (2010) for assimilation? Thanks a lot...Abhilash V L
- Hi John, my student who had a different teacher last year is asking if they could use the study Mendel et al. 2011 on confirmation bias for both rational thinking and intuitive thinking. Do you think this works or is it not really appropriate...
- Hi John,The student sent it to me as a pdf, so I can't attach it here. This is what it says ...'participants were kept naive to the to the experiment's main hypotheses and the identity of all stimuli involved' and '....none of the participants...
- Got it Thanks!
- Dear ZohraI am sorry, but I do not have these in the textbook. I know the study and it is fine.
- Dear YutingAs the study does not indicate that there was a specific reason that they were allocated to groups, you should assume that they were randomly allocated. Students would not lose marks.They are fine to focus only on System 1.
- Dear ElviraThe exam may combine the topic with any of the three approaches. They could get a question that asks "Discuss sociocultural factors in personal relationships."
- Dear EugeneStudents cannot use these. The question is about cognitive biases "in thinking and decision making."Both of these are "social biases" that do not directly affect thinking and decision making. The IB has not awarded credit...
- I think that they might be able to do this. The problem is if the question is "Described one study of rational thinking." This is why I teach them Griggs and Cox to avoid this problem. I think it is a poorly chosen question...
- Dear JonWell, the question is not about system II thinking, it is about "intuitive and/or rational thinking". The study shows that they are able to avoid using the question to determine the answer because they have another strategy for...
- Dear IdaThe study is about the effect of globalization on the dimensions, not the effect of dimensions on behavior. I am not confident that the IB would award marks.
- If they are using a Likert scale rating system, no. They must use the median and IQR.
- Dear IsmatThe same way that I would mark one with more than one study. There is no difference in how it is assessed. The study will have to be well detailed in order to earn the full six marks.
- Dear AndrewThank you for catching that. I misread the question as "HL" not SL. I replied above so that Tom gets a push-out.
- Dear Tom,As you will see, Andrew below noticed that I misread your question! SL students do not prepare HL extensions. They get a different exam paper than the HL students.
- Although I know the guide says that they could compare the approaches with all topics, I would hope that they would not do this. It is so poorly thought out in the guide. "A cognitive approach to social development?" But yes, they...
- Dear VictoriaYes, all of those examples are fine. Students just need to remember that they do not need to find violations of ethics, they just need to discuss what a researcher must "consider" in carrying out research. The hardest part...
- Hi John!Is the study Curtis, Aunger and Rabie (2004), evolutionary explanation of disgust, appropriate? There is no clear link with genetics, but the textbook suggests it.Thank you.
- Sorry, it should be more than two levels. I found the presentation and updated it. Thanks for catching that.
- Dear AsbornThey are the three questions at the bottom of the page here: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/37330/revision-genetics
- Dear EkateriaI do not know the study by Weaver. I have searched the site and do not see anything.
- Hi John,I have 2 questions:1) Seems that this study did not mention if high school students were randomly assigned to 2 groups? what if students mentioned "random allocation" in their description of procedure, would they get penalized? Besides,...
- Hi John,I hope you're well. I was just wondering if it's necessary to teach the Sociocultural aspect of the Psychology of Attraction. Is teaching my students the Cognitive approach and the Biological approach enough for Personal Relationships?
- Hi again, One more question: in an effort to cut down on studies, I thought about using two studies from the sociocultural unit for a question on biases, namely: Bias 1: Illusory correlations — Hamilton & Gifford (1976) - Formation...
- Dear John, If the question is on rational thinking, could a student use a study on bias and therefore describe rational thinking indirectly by juxtaposing it to intuitive/system 1 thinking? Thanks!
- Dear John,Thanks for the clarification! I had a student use Smith & Lloyd in a practice paper for a question on stereotype effect. My first instinct was to grade much of it as an inappropriate example, and not being particularly relevant....
- John,I'm a bit unclear here. It feels like Griggs & Cox found different intuitions coming into play rather than system II ( it doesn't feel like one 'works out' the correct cards but agsain just 'sees' them). How would this link to a prompt...
- Dear John,Can students be given marks if they write about this study for cultural dimensions?
- Thank you. Also is it ok if students explain the mean rather than the median?
- Hello John,How would you grade this ERQ if a student only focus on one study and discusses it well, also does a decent job of the evaluation? Discuss one or more studies of neuroplasticity
- Hi John,I just saw the comment above from Tom and your reply by chance and wonder if there´s been a mix-up. Tom asks about SL students needing to study HL extensions in the case of all 3 ERQS on Paper 1 relating to HL extension material,...
- Thank you so much!
- Hello John, Sorry - one more question - With ‘discuss a cognitive approach to cognitive and social development‘ - Could you perhaps focus on studies of child play? I’m a bit confused as to how students could approach this. Many...
- Hello John, When planning an ERQ for ‘discuss two more more ethical issues in developing as a learner’ would it be acceptable to focus on the following: - Parental consent as children are being experimented on - e.g. Piagetian...
- Hi JohnI just need to get this clear. In your power point on the IA, you say that students should use the ANOVA, if there are more than one level of the IV, but in this text you say that they should use it, if there are more than two levels...
- Hi John.What are the questions you are referring to under "genetics"?Best Asbjørn
- Hello John! Can Weaver's study on epigenetics be used in the questions "Discuss the value of animal models in the study of genetics" and "Discuss the value of animal models in the study of hormones and/or pheromones"?
- Thank you so much for clarifying the marking standards so specifically. Cheers from Barcelona!
- Dear Aankeet. It depends on which citation method your students are using. APA Style does not require an access date. MLA style does require it.
- Yes, that is totally fine.
- Yes, it would receive marks on Paper 1. Sherif's Realistic Conflict Theory precedes Social Identity Theory, but SIT can be used to explain what happened in the study. If students focus on superordinate goals, then this is not relevant...
- Thanks John for clarification!
- Hi JohnIs date of access necessary for journal papers (peer reviewed papers). In my opinion, it should not be
- Thank you for the prompt response always!If a student has used Bargh’s auto-motive model, does that also work?
- Dear John, I read in an IB textbook that Sherif should not be used for SIT as it did not use minimal groups. However, I think it does show SIT and see you agree as social categorisation, identification and comparison can all be argued within...
- Whenever you recall something, regardless of what it is, the data is ratio. They could recall "0."
- Dear KanikaOnly two colors is totally fine. They should always simplify to two conditions.As for the theory, many students use classical conditioning for the theory - that is, we learn to associate red with negative emotions.
- Dear AbhijeetRemember, lab experiment is not in the guide. Students are asked to understand true experiments, quasi-experiment, and natural experiments. If they are asked to contrast two research methods, they cannot contrast two...
- Dear ConradYou are correct. There should only be one disorder, not two. And commonality does not make sense to me. May TWE does trauma play a role in ....
- They should use "correlational study" as the method. A twin study simply indicates the sample; it is not considered a research method. Just like "animal research."
- Dear JimIt could be. The student would have to explain how we know that the behaviour/cognition is actually localized in the hippocampus as a result of the study.
- Hello, I have a question about Bransford and Johnson study, with the idea units recalled will it be interval data or ratio level data?
- Dear John, What would be the theory/model that can be used to explain the study by Elliot et al. (2007)? Also if students decide to use only two colours Red and Black (as opposed to 3 in the original study ) will that be okay?
- Dear John, Could students compare two research studies that utilize the same method? For instance, would it be acceptable for them to contrast a lab experiment with a field experiment?
- Hi John, I have a student who's RQ is: "To what extent is trauma a commonality between the culture-bound syndromes of hikikomori syndrome and resignation syndrome?" I am a little worried about the word 'commonality' and using two different...
- Thank you John. I knew that for the Optional Content Paper 2 there is only ERQ and I thought the same for the Core Content Paper 1, but for a moment I doubted and wanted to make sure. Thank you!
- Thank you!
- John,If students use Kendler for a research methods question on genes and behavior, should they use correlational as the method, or twin study as the method?Thanks,Jim
- Okay, thank you! I was overthinking that one I think :)
- John,Just want to verify that the very useful Antonova study can also be used for localization as the hippocampus is involved.Thanks,Jim
- Ah yes, I see. Yes, that would be fine.
- Dear MargaThey do not ask SAQs on the HL extensions, only ERQs.
- I don't think so. I think it could be considered that way, but it could just be whether I like one's mannerisms. These old studies always seem to have some lack of clarity...
- Dear JillianIt is a very basic question - if it is cultural groups, then any study of culture will work. If it is social groups, any study linked to the "individual and the group" is accepted. It is not clear to me why the IB felt it...
- Dear DavidIt is not really about stereotyping; it's about cultural norms. In the past, it has not been accepted.
- Dear BhupinderYes, it could be argued that globalization has led to a rise in the prevalence of some disorders. You can also use Becker's study of eating disorders.
- This question is more restrictive than that question. Discuss one cognitive process allows students to choose any area of memory or decision making and write an ERQ of their choice.
- Dear ArnavAny of those theories would be fine. They should just focus on one of them and link it to their study.
- I mean that the second paragraph of your above ERQ sample can be used for the SAQ. (the first paragraph in the SAQ is about the description of the SIT) Social Identity Theory was first proposed by Tajfel. He argued that there we divide...
- Hi John,THANK YOU for your patience, I think this is my last question for Cognitive HL.I am already clear on the ERQs, but the HL SAQs, are they as follows? T1 COGNITIVE PROCESSING and T2 RELIABILITY OF COGNITIVE PROCESSING- ...
- Hi John, In the original the IV is warm/cold demeanor and the rating on the likert scale includes accent, mannerism and physical appearance. Isn't mannerism a part of demeanor? In which case the DV is part of the IV? Is that not invalid?
- Hi John, Which studies could you use for question 13 of sociocultural approach on cultural (social) groups? . Is the group referring to individualistic vs collectivistic groups, social identities? I'm not sure how this question should...
- Dear John, Could Smith & Lloyd be used as a study for stereotype effect? Could it be argued that the response of the mothers to the dress of the children activates a particular schema for "boy" or "girl"?
- Hi John, Could Norasakkunkit and Uchida's study of globalization be used for prevalence rates?Thank you!
- Hi John, Is this question the same as "Discuss one cognitive process" in the past paper. Many thanks~
- I was under the impression that a counterclaim was required and had to be based in a different approach. Thank you, this was very helpful!
- Hi John, my students replicated this study for their IA. The original study uses 'encoding hypothesis' and 'external storage hypothesis' to explain outcomes. However, in your earlier comments, you've mentioned Craik & Lockhart (1972) 'levels...
- Ah, yes! Good grief. I will fix that toute de suite!Thank your students for me!
- Yes, that is fine. However, the link has to be stronger than "and this happens in humans too."
- Dear KatarzynaThey cannot ask that. In the guide is says that they need to know one example of a "pheromone." So, they cannot ask a contrast question on Paper 1 like this. Same for hormones. And that totally made sense. No...
- In that case, they would still be fine for critical thinking. They would get a maximum of 3 marks for B. They could earn up to four marks for C, unless they mentioned how schema actually explain the study and thus link it to reconstructive...
- Hi John,My students noticed this: The procedure and results section states that this study is a true experiment, but the evaluation states that "the study is done with groups that occur naturally", which would make it a quasi experiment . ....
- Dear John,when explaining a neurotransmitter/an agonist/ antagonist - can students use an animal study with information, that similar results were found on humans?
- Dear John, straight to the point: is it possible for the IB to ask students to contrast two theories regarding pheromones? If so, how would you go about it? Same for hormones? Which theories would you consider to be adequate for contrasting?...
- Dear PTIt does not matter how they structure the SAQ. I am not clear what you mean by "the second paragraph." What would be in the first paragraph?
- Dear JasminPlease see this in the textbook: Ogihara & Uchida (2014) wanted to investigate the relationship between individualistic values, subjective well-being, and the number of close relationships in Japan and the USA. The...
- Hi John,They unfortunately stated the model as "reconstructive memory" rather than schema theory, and essentially used that lens without discussing relevant concepts of schema.
- Many thanks, JohnAm I correct that students can use the second paragraph for a description of SIT in an SAQ as well?
- Hi John hope you are well, my student is completing this worksheet and she noticed that for question 5 of Ogihara and Uchida’s study, the sample answer seems to not match the research. The answer is referring to students, but in the original...
- Dear YutingYes, it is.
- A good question. I always tell my students to think about what was manipulated and what was measured.In terms of what was manipulated, the Lost in the Mall study clearly presents four scenarios, three of which are verified by the parents....
- Yes, both of these studies would be fine for social learning theory. It is about learning through watching others. In this case, hearing from others about their feelings and concerns about sexual relationships and the use of sex...
- Dear RebeccaYes. They would have to frame the response slightly differently with a focus on either intuitive or rational thinking.
- Dear RebeccaNo need to apologize! You can see the potential SAQ questions here: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/36385/saq-study-guide (numbers 7 - 11).The IB guide only requires you to teach one neurotransmitter. But you may teach...
- Dear CharlotteThat is correct. Most students do, but it is not required. They do not need to justify their choice of inferential statistic; however, it must be an appropriate choice. If there data IS ordinal, they would use median/IQR....
- They would not lose marks for this; it is simply unnecessary.
- Evgenia,All samples would earn in the top markband. Please see above: The sample below is an exemplary response using an exogenous agonist.
- I am not sure what you mean. In general? Usually, I do most of my reading online using databases to read authentic research. If I have questions about physiology, I use Carlson and Birkett's Physiology of Behavior. I...
- Dear SamI guess it could be, but it would be difficult for students to use actual examples on exams. They have to be careful not simply to speculate; all claims must be justified.
- Dear BrennanThe model is actually "schema theory." As long as schema theory was the focus, he could do well. The distortion of memory is explained by schema theory which argues that memory is reconstructed. And yes, it has...
- The goal of the question is to discuss or evaluate how well an animal model reflects human behavior. Many students will compare the findings of an animal study with a human study; but this may also be accomplished by evaluating the animal model...
- Thanks John!
- Dear John,Since the participant were projected with both "summer" and "September", is this a repeated measures design?
- Dear John,How would you evaluate "Lost in the mall" study and "Bartlett" in terms of construct validity? Thanks!
- Thanks now I understand.
- Sorry, just to clarify my question - in the review guide, these 2 studies are listed under the "sociocultural factors in health promotion", but I felt it may be hard to address the topic. Unlike in other topics such as Joseph and Koch, students...
- Hello John,In the past papers, there was one question specifically asked "Discuss one or more sociocultural factors in promoting health.". Does this study and Lowe's be used since they are related to SCT? Yet I thought for social factors, it...
- Hi John! Can students use Wason for both intuitive and rational thinking for an SAQ? Thanks, Rebecca.
- Hi John, apologies if you have been asked this question before, but I was just wondering - how would the SAQ be worded in regards to excitatory, inhibitory, agonist and antagonist? The curriculum calls for ONE example of a neurotransmitter,...
- Dear John,Am I right in thinking that student's don't need to explicitly state the level of measurement of their data? And if students had decided to state that 'their data was at least ordinal', would they then by default need to use...
- Could you also please share the mark you would give for this essay?
- Dear John, In this example the student mentions other studies supporting the findings of the main one. I believe this is Critical thinking which belongs to ERQ. Am I correct? Can students be penalized for this in an SAQ? Can this be seen...
- Dear John, Could you please share what biopsychology textbook you use?Thank you
- Hi JohnCould the issue of publishing bias be used as part of an answer to ethical considerations in Abnormal Psychology?
- Hi John! Had a rather strong student use reconstructive memory for a mock response "Contrast two models of memory." It is done quite effectively and because of the fact IB has allowed for various theories related to distortion like schema theory...
- Hi.. I am not sure how students should approach animal models exam questions. I see that the exemplar response has human models; so do students argue or discuss the overlap / generalizability of findings in animal studies ?
- Thank you, John!
- I don't understand why students don't by default have access to all key studies.
- Dear EugeneYes, either question is fine.
- Dear RohitYes, they could use Berry (1967) for each of those. However, it is not Berry and Katz (1967). Just Berry. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1968-03891-001Yes, Shah could be used for acculturation. If the study is of...
- Dear SarahGood grief - I really messed this one up! You can now see the evaluation sample.
- Thank you, John. I agree.
- Hi John, I have a student who wants to do her EE on either of the following topics (she's currently looking into the research for both):1. To what extent is similarity the best predictor for romantic attraction? 2. To what extent is similarity...
- Dear John,Can students use the study, "Berry and Katz (1967)—the influence of individualism and collectivism on conformity" for cultural dimensions, enculturation and for the influence of culture on cognitive and/or behavior?Also, can they...
- Thank you John!
- Thank you, John! One other thing, I just noticed that the Sample Evaluation is actually linked to the Evaluation Template. Again, as the templates and samples are so helpful, I would be super grateful to be able to access the sample too. Really...
- Thank you, John.
- Dear RachelAll references are in the relevant chapters of the textbook. Here is the citation for this:Rogers, C. A., & Frantz, C. (1962). Racial themes in Southern Rhodesia: The attitudes and behavior of the white population. New...
- That would probably be a better approach.
- Dear KarolinaI think that the message to the student is that the IB will only assess the first study, so it would be wiser to choose the human study in this case. The student would lose a significant amount of time on exam day using this...
- Thanks, Sarah. I have been trying to fix a lot of Google issues this past three weeks, but clearly not without error! It is now linked properly.
- Noted! Thank you for the clarification. Much appreciated.
- Does anyone have a link to the original study? I am struggling to find this - though I can identify one by Franz and Rogers (1962)? I am not trying to be picky - we are creating our OBE study sheet and feedback from IB is to include the...
- Thanks John. I caught this in the study page: , it wrote "To develop the case materials, advice was sought from highly experienced trial judges. Then the case materials were tested on a group of 24 senior law students – this served...
- Thank you very much John. Your advice on understanding the IBPD Guide is truly wonderful and brings confidence to our teaching.
- What a relief! Thanks so much for the quick response.
- Hi John, Your IA samples and templates are so helpful! I just noticed the template on this page for evaluation seems to be linked to the exploration template. If you're able to link post the evaluation template, I'd be so grateful. Thanks...
- Dear John, I am struggling with assessment of an SAQ "Explain one effect of one neurotransmitter on human behaviour with reference to one study. The student described shortly neurotransmitters (what is it and how it works) and then wrote...
- Dear Roberto,As the studies are not about brain development but affects of the environment on the brain, this is problematic. The goal is to use studies that focus directly on child development (or any other stage). The theory would...
- Dear Sarah,Thankfully, no. You should mark each strand. So, if they explained the design and controls (3 - 4); described the sampling and materials (1 - 2) and then characteristics (0 marks). So, most likely this would be a 2.
- Estimada CristinaSí, eso es adecuado. Si tienen esa pregunta amplia en el examen, pueden optar por escribir sobre cualquier aspecto del tema.
- Dear BarbaraNot really sure if IB would accept it. It is more about NOT being a bystander. The amount of overlap in this unit is a bit frustrating because it is difficult to know if they will accept bystander research as prosocial behaviour...
- Hi, John.This isn't quite related to this question, but it's close.On his mock, an HL student has done something not advised--he wrote a Developmental Psych Paper 2, an option that we didn't cover. The prompt is: "Discuss one or more theories...
- Hi John, when marking the exploration section and students have explained the design and some of the controlled variables, described the sampling technique and bullet pointed the materials (described), but did not clearly state characteristics...
- Thanks, John.
- Estimado JuanSi en el examen preguntan por "discuta el comportamiento prosocial". ¿Es adecuada una respuesta referida al efecto espectador?Muchas gracias por toda la ayuda
- Dear John, would you accept Greitemeyer and Osswald (2010) study in the essay discussing factors influencing bystanderism? (factor being increased level of compassion)
- Thank you, John. Very clear!
- Thanks John
- Dear AndrewIf you are looking for a second study, you will find it on this page: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/29833/nolen-hoeksema-2000When it says they want one explanation - then Hoeksema's Response Styles Theory, linked to rumination,...
- Dear MargaYou are correct, I need to update this. The three can be applied to each, even though it is odd because the guide already has questions relevant to each approach in topics.Your suggestions for the three approaches to developing...
- I agree. It can be used for formation, but not for effects.
- Dear Giuseppe,There should address both. For example, the null hypothesis would be: there will be no significant difference in the frequency which participants select a certain or uncertain option regardless of the negative or positive framing...
- I guess it could be - showing that stereotyping leads to prejudice. But the aim was to see the role of self-esteem in prejudice, so I would worry that an examiner would look at the aim and feel that this was too indirect of a link.
- Dear KarolinaWithout a link to human behaviour, the maximum score is 6 marks.
- Dear DanyaYou will see that for clarity, I have separated the page into two documents. There is now a biological and cognitive page. The sociocultural is still located in the Factors affecting Bystanderism. I will take that...
- Dear John,The 'origins of prosocial behaviour' link does not seem to work for me and my students. Has it been removed?
- If there is no link to human behaviour would it be 0 points? Even is student described aim, procedure, findings from Rogers & Kesner (2003)?
- Hi John,Is this a study for effects of stereotypes or only the effect of low self-esteem/"feeling dumb" on stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination?
- Dear John,A group of students is planning to replicate Tversky and Kahneman (1986) in mini-pre-IA exercise, but in wording their hypothesis, they have created a sort of double hypothesis - hypothesizing an outcome for the positive frame and...
- Hello John, I had a student that supported an SAQ about the effects of stereotypes with Kimball study. I can assume that Kimball may support the formation of stereotypes but I´m not clearly sure if it can be used for the effects, do you agree...
- Hi JohnI return to a question raised in influences in Development () where you referred me to this page to see the type of possible questions.I see the type of Content-questions for each of the 3 Topics. But my doubt arises with the questions...
- Thank you John
- Dear John1. Because we need two studies to support one essay, so if the question asks for "one or more cognitive explanations", and we show evidence for only one cognitive explanation, this means that the two studies must investigate the same...
- Dear HarshitaIt is a true experiment. I would be cautious of labeling studies as "lab" and "field" as lab experiments are not even in the guide. Weirdly, field experiments are. This is done under controlled conditions. So, it is...
- Dear Anthony,They would not have to discuss both. They could discuss just one of the concepts.
- Dear ZahraYes, the guide says that they may study just one disorder.
- Dear RanjaviNo. Framing effect is based on the concept of loss aversion. There is no link between the study and the concept. Depending on the question, she would earn between 3 and 6 marks.If the question is describe one study,...
- Dear Andrewstudents are required to study one health problem. That is why the question asks for only one. It will never be one or more.The same for etiologies. They are required to study one disorder.It would be best to show...
- Dear SaraYes, I do not understand why the guide says questionnaires are quantitative.It is a cultural problem - there is no standard definition of survey. Most texts say it is quantitative whereas questionnaires are quantitative. Unless...
- Dear JillianAffect is much better than "enhance." It allows for a greater scope of research and avoids the problem of operationalizing "enhancement." The first question is fine; finding research on attachment and communication in relationships...
- Dear John, Is this field experiment? And would sample be convenience sample?
- Dear OliviaIt wouldn't, since there is no emotion identified in the study. In McGaugh and Cahill's study, they asked the participants how emotional they found the story, on a scale of 1 - 10. This study, however, is about stress. It...
- Dear DavidYes, it is totally fine.
- Dear John,Is Shih 1999 a good study to complement effects of stereotypes?
- Hello, John! Would students be expected to discuss both generalizability AND transferability for question 3? Or would a discussion of either one be sufficient?
- Hi John,Can you confirm that we can focus Abnormal psych on looking at just one disorder, for example depression?
- a student has used Tversky and Kahneman to support the framing effect stating that the way the numbers are framed (presented) influences the final estimate. Would that be right? would she get the full marks if well written?
- Dear JohnI found some inconsistencies in the phrasing of the potential exam questions from abnormal and health options. For abnormal, it is "one or more". For health, it is "one".Two example questions are as follows: Discuss (or Evaluate)...
- Dear John, Apologies, I hope I'm not bothering you with all my questions. I have a comment that is similar to Alastair's. According to my understanding, surveys can be either qualitative(open-ended questions) or quantitative(like when...
- Hi John, Can I get some feedback on this EE question: To what extent does the secure attachment style in childhood affect one's ability to form romantic relationships? The student and I have already discussed changing "affect" to...
- Hi John,Would this be a valid study to use in a "Discuss the influence of emotion on one cognition" question?I have a student who has used McGaugh and Cahill to argue the the biological support and then added to it with another hormone and...
- Dear Yuting,In this case, the pilot study does serve as a control as it was done with people with high experience. it is probably incorrect to call it a pilot study as it was not a full replication of the study, it was a way to determine what...
- Dear Catherine,It looks to me like only one IV - but two levels of the IV. The IV is the retrieval method. As for the findings, the problem is that it depends on how they organized it. If they have an equal number of schema congruent...
- Dear SaraYes, they could use both studies in an ERQ. The first study is a natural experiment. He measured the SPAFF score for each couple as newlyweds and then looked to see who was still together six years later.As for the Similarity...
- Dear John,In the LTQ part of this response, it says "students in the control condition", is this inaccurate? pilot group does not mean control group?
- Got it. Thank you so much for the clarification!!
- Perfect! I hadn't realised. Thanks.
- Hi John. Hopefully the last question. (Thank you again for your wonderful guidance)I have a group that despite instructions have more than 1 IV/DV. They are AAHL Math students, their analysis seems OK but I am unsure if it is correct. Obviously...
- Thank you for clarifying things, John! I went back to the original study and understood what I missed earlier. The unit structure in the IB guide is quite confusing. Just to confirm, we can use the first study as a second study in a discuss...
- Dear SamIt partly depends on the size of the population it is drawn from. In most cases, though, a sample size over 30 allows for statistical generalizability.
- Yes, the top green box is background information; the second box is the study.
- Dear YuliiaYes, it is best for validity.
- Hi JohnI was wondering if there was any guidance or rule of thumb when it came to evaluating sample size? What is big enough to consider it generalizable?
- Dear John, Are these two separate studies because they have two different aims and different sampling methods? I find this confusing. I'd appreciate your input. Thank you, as always!
- If student uses this study to answer question on validity and/or reliability of diagnosis would that be acceptable?
- Yes, that would be possible.
- Hello,Can they also have a question such as 'Discuss/ Evaluate research on one or models of memory'?
- Thanks John!
- Dear YaraThere is no neural pruning in Merzenich's study. It is cortical remapping. Not the same thing.
- Si, es adecuado.
- Dear HendNo, there is no hormone in this study. It may be used for evolution and for pheromones.
- Yes, Y & C could be considered purposive. Remember, students do not have to identify the sampling method in studies. If there is nothing written in the originals, then students should not just make something up on the exam....
- Dear Emma,Yes, it is fine to contrast different versions of the DSM.
- It can be found here. https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/31373/drury-et-al-2009-
- Dear John, My students would like to know if they can use the study by Merzenich et al (1984) to answer this question. Thanks!
- Buenos días John¿Es adecuado como método alternativo cuestionarios?muchas gracias
- Brilliant! Thank you!
- Hello John, Can this study be used to discuss the effect of hormones on behavior? Thanks
- Could you please provide the link to the study of Levine?
- Ah, I see. Thank you for your clarification! That is why for Yuille&Cutshall, it could be considered as using purposive sample, because it is a case study? But I was not able to find the specific sampling method for Tversky and Kahneman...
- Thanks John! That's super informative and helpful. The academic statement accessible to us about DSM is rather limited, and ss struggle in demonstrating differentiated connotation &strengths/limitations of different versions, may we approach...
- Dear Tammy To get into the top markbands, a minimum of eight peer-reviewed sources is recommended. It is nowhere in any guide.
- Hi John,Is there a minimum number of reference required by the IB? would four seems sufficient? I just can't find that in the guide.
- Yes, they are potential SAQ questions.
- Dear AlexOne of the problems with validity is that we rely on classification systems outlining symptoms to diagnose people with mental illness. The idea that several of the participants from Chennai and Accra did not see the voices as a problem,...
- Dear AarushiI don't see how that would be possible. Remember that the aim needs to stay the same with the use of any alternative method.
- Dear JoelTo what extent would require some reference to a different explanation - e.g. biological explanation vs. cognitive.A discussion question does not do that - it looks at areas of uncertainty or common problems with research. You...
- Dear EmmaIt would be easier for them to contrast DSM III and 5. I checked with the principal examiner for Paper 2 and was told that this was done successfully by students last session. And yes, each would have to have one study.
- Dear YutingPurposive sampling is a problematic term. All samples have some reason for being chosen. The IB even asks our students in the IA to justify the choice of participants. The first two studies are not purposive, simply...
- Yes, it would be. The researchers carried out follow-up assessments every 6 weeks for 2.5 years and then every 4 months for an additional three years. Since the measured the cognitive styles before and the sample was made up of...
- Dear VictoriaThe IB technically cannot give students a questionnaire as the method as it is not in the guide. But yes, they may use questionnaire as an alternative method.
- Thanks John Apologies for the two posts. I cant delete the second one. Would these be possible SAQs: Outline one study of social groups. Describe one study of cultural groups. Joel
- Dear GiuseppeThe student would need to explain the effect in some detail for criterion B. So, an explanation of stereotype threat would be necessary for S & A, but I am not sure what they would write about for H & L. It...
- Dear MichelleThey would earn none. If they had said survey but then described two points relevant to a natural experiment, they would earn up to 2 marks.
- Dear John,Thank you very much for the clarification. Your prompt responses are consistently valuable, especially for someone new to IB like me. I deeply appreciate it.
- Hi John, How would Luhrmann as reference for validity and reliability question? Thank you!
- Hi, would an observation be suggested as an alternative?
- Hi John, I'm having trouble understanding the difference between a "Discuss" question and a "to what extent" question, could you provide more explanations between the differences of the two?
- Hi John,When ss are asked to contrast classification system, do they have to use two concretely different systems(say: DSM vs ICD) , or they could contrast two different versions of one classification system(say: DSM III vs DSM VI)?Also, since...
- Hi John,I have a question regarding to the sampling method in Tversky and Kahneman (1974)， Englich and Mussweiler (2001)，and Brown & Kulik(1977).Did they all use purposive sampling? because T&K used high school students for limited...
- Would this study be considered prospective?
- Thank you John
- Hi John, Please can I clarify the use of Surveys vs Questionnaires in question 1a and 1c. My understanding (but I could be completely wrong here) is that for question 1a students would have to refer to the method as a survey (as this...
- Dear John,In a mock paper 1, a student answered the ERQ "Discuss one or more effects of stereotyping on behaviour" by using Hilliard and Liben and Steele and Aaronson. Both studies are described and evaluated very well in themselves, but of...
- Hi John, If a student said survey for 1a and gave two accurate points about surveys would they get two marks? Or none because it clearly states natural experiment? Thanks!Michelle
- Thank you John!
- Thank you, this helps. Keane
- Dear Andrew1. yes. Theoretically, students could answer the question with a single study, but they need to write to the same level as a student that wrote the essay using two studies. See this explanation: thinkib.net2. Cortisol...
- Most Helpful John, thank you soooo much!Best Wishes,Laura
- Thank you!
- That's great, thank you!
- Dear John,I am having a hard time finding the studies to answer the following question:Discuss two or more ethical considerations in the study of the role of emotion on cognition.Thank you so much!
- Dear John1. Do we need prepare two studies each for biological, cognitive and sociocultural explanations of one health problem? 2. I have confusion about using this study as support for "the role of biological factors in explaining stress"....
- Dear AndrewBecause it is stress that leads to cardiovascular problems. This is biological.The problem with stress as a health topic is that is the potential "cause" of health problems. Stress in and of itself is not a health problem....
- Dear AmyThere is no real behaviour identified. Usually this answer does not earn credit for the example of research, only for the description of the role of the neurotransmitter.
- Dear TahseenThose are different enough. For the EE, the student should not have carried out any experimentation of their own. If they have done a literature review, then they are totally fine.
- Yes, that is fine. If it says one or more, then one is an option and they are not penalized for choosing it.They cannot ask for two or "two or more."
- Dear RanjaviThis would be a top scoring essay. Being able to argue that the theory can be successfully applied is definitely a form of evaluation. In this essay, the argument is made that although it is successful, it is best if...
- Dear ShraddhaA digital form is totally fine. They would need to put a blank copy of the consent form into their appendices.
- Dear JohnI thought that Marmot et al. (1991) can be used to support sociocultural approach explanation. I am wondering why you cite this study under "Physiological aspects of stress"?
- Dear John,I got a students using the study highlighting Parkinson disease to answer neurotransmitters ERQ, would it be acceptable? Like using a study highlight disease’s symposia to answer questions on behaviour?And he actually suggest such...
- Thank you!
- Hi john.I need your guidance please. I am feeling myself in trouble because I reviewed the extended essay guide in detail today and I came to know that IA and EE topics shouldn’t be the same or extention of each other but for my student as...
- Thanks
- Thank you John - and another follow up question: If it is phrased 'one or more', is it perfectly fine to answer with one method (i.e. true experiment) and use two studies? Or is the expectation that students would still talk about two different...
- Thank you John!
- John, The question asks for cognitive explanations for a disorder. I am not convinced that discussion of treatment using CBT is relevant to the question. The evaluation could be on the lines of to what extent can the cognitive explanation be...
- Good to know! Thank you!
- Dear John,I have a question about the consent forms. Do the participants need to sign on a physical form or a Google/ Microsoft form is also acceptable?Since this is my first year with IB so just want to be sure about how the students would...
- Dear JoelLOL. I am not sure you want to hear my thoughts....This addition to the guide is rather frustrating. All it is asking is for students to write an SAQ where "social groups" is a focus. The IB accepts any study from...
- Dear Joyce,Usually, a cumulative (total) score is more appropriate if there is a fixed value. It depends on what the data actually was.
- Dear JeffYou can see studies here: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/52492/health-promotion-sociocultural-approach
- Dear NaomiDo you have a copy of the original study? I just did a quick look for it, as I do not know this study, and there doesn't seem to be a placebo used in the study. But that is only from the abstracts, since I cannot access...
- Dear YuchengYou are not alone! I just had mocks and my students do the same. But it is good that they make these mistakes with us, rather than on exam day!
- Dear JohnThe term Social Groups is italicized in the syllabus. Any thoughts on a possible SAQ for that term?ThanksJoel
- Hi John. In the experiment of my students, each participant had at least 3 different data. Can they just get the mean score of each participant and use that for Mann-Whitney?
- Hi John,Do you have any recommended studies to go with the Sabido method for a paper 2 ERQ on health promotion? Or do you have any advice on how to explain the method for top marks without a particular study?Thanks.
- Hi John,I have a student who used the study of Lundstrom and Olsson (2005), and is suggesting that the participants that were given a placebo are deceived. I wasn't sure if this worked, as surely participants knew that they may be given a placebo...
- Thank you John. Yes I know the sociocultural factors are good arguments, and I only taught them about Koch and Joseph under this chapter, yet students tried to invent something new during exams... So I was unsure whether to mark them low or...
- Ok, thanks, I will explain that.kind regards,Ethan
- Dear EthanI am not sure what the IB will do. They may get penalized in the analysis because you cannot really draw any clear conclusion from such a small sample. To be honest, I have never seen such a small sample size submitted. I...
- Dear DanThe link will download a file. Check your downloads folder. I have just used the link and it works.
- Thank you. Fixed.
- Dear DavidIt is a stretch. The study is a study of epigenetics, not really social psychology. I am not sure that the IB would accept it.
- Dear SaraTheoretically, yes. They have not done that so far.
- I would really not recommend it for a research methods question. It is not a really clear research method. It is longitudinal and there is a naturally occurring variable, but no pre-test/post-test. There is no correlational...
- Dear KeaneYes, there is no one size fits all for ERQs. It depends on the type of question. You can see the essay types here: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/36020/essay-typesThey only need to evaluate a theory if the question...
- Sí, sería adecuado.
- Agreed. I would have them look at the value of one of the two strategies only.
- Dear SamIt would be the same. 1. Outline the meaning of the ethical consideration; 2. describe the study; 3. make the link - explain what the ethical consideration would look like for that particular study.
- Hi John,A group of my colleague's students only ran their IA with 10 participants in an independent sample, so 5 in each group. They ran a Mann W test. I am just offering feedback but don't know what to say. I am not sure they will...
- Hey John,I was attempting the access the original version of the Bransford and Johnson study, but the link does not seem to be working. Do you know where I can access the original study? Thank you.
- Dear John,I think the document above should be Google slides. Unfortunately, it is not there.
- Dear John,Could Caspi et al be used for Sociocultural explanations for behavior? Kind regards,
- Hi JohnThis is so useful for assisting students with ERQs. Is there a similar page on how to approach an SAQ of this nature?
- Thank you for the quick response!
- Hi John,For either/both, research methods and ethical consideration ERQs, could they ask for just 'one?, instead of 'one or more'?Thank you!
- Can it also be discussed as correlational for a methods question?
- Hello John, I had a quick question. I also sent you a message through FB. I have been trying to find a solid ERQ outline and it seems like there are many differences and I was wondering if I could get some clarification. Do students need to...
- Estimado Juan. Sería adecuado utilizar Odden y Rochat (2004) como evidencia empírica para discutir la Teoría cognitiva social?
- Dear John, Do you think that directly comparing the effect of inclusive education and personalized education on ADHD students' school performance is better than trying to find out to what extent one method positively affects the school...
- Dear ElisabethSorry, that should read "documents"- those are the three files that are listed below that paragraph: HM dialogues.
- Dear GlennThank you for letting me know! A good way to start my day.
- Dear SunYes, they can do that.
- Dear SarahThe revision guides are helpful: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/28241/study-guide-determinants-of-healthYou will see in the textbook - Weinstein (1983) and Hoppe and Ogden (1996).Lee (2012) can be found here: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/28216/experiment-self-efficacy-and-pedometersBranstrom...
- Than you very much for this answer. It makes sense.
- Dear AmyYou are correct that most of the time the IB will actually state what the sampling technique is. Rule number 1 is definitely use the technique identified in the text if it is there. If not, then I would say always make purposive...
- Yes, just arguing that the behaviour is innate is enough. And yes, only one theory is necessary. And yes, social exchange theory can be described as a cognitive theory.
- Dear YuchengYou will see here that sociocultural factors that may increase the likelihood of a health problem is a good approach: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/28241/study-guide-determinants-of-healthThe example of a lack of self-efficacy...
- Dear SamYes, this is enough detail. Remember, the essay could be written with just one study, so a second study does not need to have a lot of detail. Either of those two studies are fine. Most students on exams do not write more...
- Dear ZoricaI can see that in the markscheme. That is very strange. I wonder if evolution was given credit since the guide clearly includes evolution under this heading. Personally, to answer this question I always tell students to write...
- Dear LauraApparently, the IB feels that reflexivity is only for qualitative research - which is frustrating since reflexivity is definitely now being used in quantitative research. It makes sense that a researcher would reflect on how...
- Dear StaceyIf they wrote a one-tailed hypothesis, then they would have to retain the null hypothesis. At least that is what Hugh Coolican and others say. They could simply write that the results are significant but they do not...
- Hi John,what is the difference in writing; Discuss prosocial behaviour and Discuss research on prosocial behaviour? I understand that in the second one the focus is more on research evaluation, but what should be writen in the introduction?...
- Dear John,Thank you very much for your fast answer!
- Thank you.
- Dear John,Thank you so much for your materials. Concerning the HM study you mention an "attached document" but I cannot find this document. Can you help? Thanks, Elisabeth
- Implementing this lesson for WASC visitation. Great lesson for collaborative learning.
- Hi John, I am wondering whether students can use the studies by Miranda & Matheny (2000) and Lueck and Wilson (2010) on acculturative stress to answer the topic of "cultural influence on cognition and/or behavior"? Many thanks!Best regards,Sun
- Dear IayaliThere is no problem with that question. It is fine. Questions that can simply be answered as "yes' or "no" should be avoided - for example, "Does the amygdala play a role in aggression?" We know the answer to this....
- Dear AarushiIf the study is not directly linked to the brain, then no.
- Dear Sam,I clearly need glasses! Fixed.
- They may use reconstructive memory when writing about schema theory. That is fine.
- Dear AmyI would have them resubmit their cover page. The most important information is actually their candidate code and the codes of group members. I am not sure why the My IB source does not have this information. The IB...
- Dear TeresaYes, that is not a problem using teachers or other adults.
- Dear MagdaNo, since the researchers manipulated the independent variable. It would be considered a true experiment.
- Most students will use two studies. A student may write an essay with only one study, but they have to be able to write it to the same level as a student who uses two. See this link: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/51962/single-study-essays
- Yes, if it is not specified, then animal research may be used without having to link to human behaviour. And yes, you are correct on the strategy.
- Dear YuiliaBecause the question is usually "in human behaviour." Students may use an animal study in an SAQ, but they have to be able to link it somehow to human behaviour. This is not always an easy task, so it is usually just...
- Hi John, I am wondering what studies, if any, on ThinkIB students would be able to use for this ERQ "Discuss the role of health beliefs on health behavior". Thank you.
- Hi John I read somewhere that "Yes/No" questions are to be avoided as RQ. However, after reading the above page I am still not sure why. The student's question is focused, operationalized and argumentative. The question is...
- Dear JohnSo do you think it would be appropriate if I try to comfort them by saying the concern that they are having would not be something IB wanna test on? (I mean referring to their interesting imagination on possible setting which purposive...
- Ok perfect. Will 1 theory for each bio, cog and socio be, ok? Guessing they may need 2 in case the question is centered around one of these specifically. So, behaviour is innate and Warneken et al (2007) and Batal, Decery and Mason. Would using...
- Hello John,I am a bit confused about which studies to use for the chapter "risk and protective factors in determining health". One student argue that lack of self efficacy can be a risk factor and used this study. Is it allowed? Some students...
- Hello, for ethical considerations in the study of brain and behavior, giving a hormone study shall be awarded marks?
- Thank you!
- Hi JohnI am trying to identify a suitable second study for the topic on psychological treatments of depression. I plan to use the Elkin study but am unsure of a second one. Are the ones above by Kuyken et al and Segal et al really provided...
- Hi JohnIts in the second last section of this page and is in the heading "Stengths of psychological treatments"
- thanks
- THought so thanks
- Hi John. Can students in their discussion of Schema theory also talk about reconstructive memory? Or should they just stay with Schema for the theory?
- John,I have a question about the title page, The psychology guide states that there should be a title, IB Candidate code, code of the group members, date/month/year of submission, and word count. However many of the samples on MyIB resource...
- Dear John, I have a group who got the mock exam question Discuss the relationship between genetics and behavior. One student wrote about evolution. I have checked the May22 markscheme (This exact question was asked) and there is no mention...
- Hi John,The FAQs for Paper 3 page is very helpful, thanks again! Scott
- Hi JohnI have a group that want to replicate Loftus and Palmer. They have tried it out on a few students first as they wanted to make sure they had instructions correct, but they weren't very happy with the results. I know the experiment doesn't...
- Dear John,Just 2 quick questions for paper 3 please:1) A question on 'reflexivity' and 'triangulation' for the Q3 bias question on paper 3.I understand that the 2 above terms are normally associated with qualitative methods, but are students...
- Hello John,I have students who are doing research based on Williams and Bargh's priming/schema theory. In it, they interviewed participants about their weekends or about their grandparents. They hypothesized that priming the students with talking...
- Explain one ethical consideration in one study of the brain and behaviour. Can students use animal studies to answer this question since it is not specified in the question that *human behaviour* is required?Will such strategy...
- Good morning John, would you say that this is a naturalistic experiment?
- Can you please clarify why?
- Dear IanPersonally, I think that Lueck and Wilson is easier for students to see the link between integration and assimilation than in M & M. But they could use M & M for the question as well. And the link to the original study...
- Dear LisaWith the most recent clarifications, it appears that this will always be the case.
- Dear SarahHere is a link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2925254/
- Good morning,Can Miranda & Matheny be used for the SAQ on Assimilation at the level of detail as written on this page? ... And if not, perhaps with an extra detail or two relating to the precise effect of time in host country, relationship...
- Hi JohnBiological Q21 makes reference to twin or kinship studies, would this always be the case, or could one be asked for specifically?Many thanks!
- Ah got it! thanks~
- Hi John, Do you have access to the original study by Hirst et al? We would like to use it in an ERQ on this topic and would like to see the original in order to evaluate. Thanks
- Definitely in the sociocultural. THe biological is fine and would be able to combine topics easily.
- Dear AnaI tend to use the research that the behaviour is innate - for example, Warneken et al (2007) or Batal, Decety, and Mason (2011), The latter is in the presentation for the teacher sources.. The problem with kin selection theory is that...
- Dear Yuting,Yes. When looking at flashbulb memory, Brown and Kulik proposed a "biological mechanism." This study, where the people in the "trauma" condition would have been surprised - and they recorded their level of emotional...
- Dear JustinBecause "spatial memory" is part of the response, the IB counts it as a behavior. Like your students, I think that cognition is not a behavior. If the student had not mentioned the role of spatial memory, the response...
- John,Do you think that it would be similar with biological and sociocultural extension?
- Ok thank you. What study can be used for Kin Selection theory? Can students use Pilivian et al as it looks at factors that are similar and how these contribute to people helping?
- Hi John,McGaugh&Cahill can be used for emotion and memory, correct? but for the Criteria B part, what should be focused on? Still the role of adrenaline on memory as they would in Hormone and behavior?
- Thank you
- Got it. Thanks!
- Hi John, I showed this to my students and they got confused by the second part of the question which relates to behaviour. They disagreed with the quality of the first sample, stating doesn't address the role of the brain in one behaviour....
- Dear AmyThe problem is that it is not an either/or as the IB seems to present it. Technically, the difference is that purposive sampling refers to intentionally selecting participants based on their characteristics, knowledge, experiences,...
- Yes, that is fine.
- That is totally fine.
- Dear AndreaThe independent measures design is not a research method. It would earn no marks. If they have a relevant study, they could earn a max of 3 marks.
- Dear IvanaThe question needs some clarity. What does it mean "to assist?" This will need some rewording. I would have the student try to find some peer-reviewed research before approving the question. It is very new...
- No, that is fine. They simply need to justify their removal (that is, explain why the data were removed).
- Dear Catherine Yes, the title needs to be linked to the hypothesis.
- Thanks, John - much appreciated.
- Dear John, My student has raised a very interesting question regarding the differences between purposive and convenience sampling. They asked if a study is having a clear stating is a study on boys then researchers go to a boy school,...
- Would IB accept Rosenhan for sick role bias? Thank you!
- Dear John,If a student uses a 'Box and Whisker Plot' that addresses the hypothesis but not a 'Bar Graph' how does it affect which mark-band they can achieve in? Thank you.
- Hi John,I have a few students who have specifically discussed the independent measures design as the research method for an SAQ: describe how one research method is used in one study from the cognitive approach. Is this acceptable?
- Dear John, A student is doing his EE on ''To what extent does Artificial Intelligence (AI) assist in diagnosing mental health disorders?''Would this be an appropriate research question for EE in Psychology. Thanks in advance,
- Sorry another question Guru John,If the sample size was 20 but there was 2 outlighers which they exclude is this an issue due to the sample size used? (I think this was lost above as I had it in the wrong place).
- Regarding the graph supporting the hypothesis - Does the title need to be linked to the hypothesis? Or just the information will is understanding/supporting the hypothesis? Thanks
- I think that if students can justify any other assumptions, that is fine. But I would say those two are the most evident.
- Dear RussellThey are right that choosing older students may make them understand the importance of this assessment for your students. You are also right that this might introduce demand characteristics. That would make a good discussion...
- Hi John, Which of the assumptions of the sociocultural approach are illustrated by this study?Am I correct that: Our behavior is influenced by others, even when we believe that we are acting independently; We have both an individual and...
- Thanks, John! I can understand your concern. It is very difficult to determine whether a study is purely a correlational study or includes correlation as part of its data collection methods.
- Thanks, John!
- Hi John, Some of my students have caught on to this evaluative point about sampling in the Exploration section in the exemplar and used it in their own report: Also, by using IB students we were hoping that we would have a more motivated sample,...
- Dear AbhilashNo, the box pot is not required. It does, however, give students more to write in the interpretation of the descriptive statistics if the data is at least ordinal.
- Dear RussellI think that they could discuss this in their evaluation. It is not really an 'error" per se, it is more that they tried to simplify the task and it may have been overly simplified. If their results are insignificant,...
- Dear PTOne of the things we have learned in IB is that terminology is not consistent across cultures. Vassarstats is an American program. It is possible that whoever wrote this comment is not aware of this.This is an odd comment....
- Dear HeidiUsually, I have one period to introduce it and get them brainstorming a procedure. They complete the plan for the procedure for homework and the next class we do our quick "pitches" to the class for which of the studies would...
- Dear AndrewI agree. That would not make any sense to ask the question that way. However, the IB says that they will not split the terms. If they ask the question, students would have to have at least one example of the counter - so one...
- Dear AndrewIt can be used, but I didn't include it here because this term confuses students so much! They think that if a study is "correlational" then it is a correlational study. There are very few studies that students might...
- Hi John,Boxplot showing the distribution of data is required? My understanding was bar-chart showing the mean score of both conditions as the graphical representation? Is boxplot required?Thanks in advance,Abhilash V L
- A good question. There is this: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/28838/presentation-avoiding-biasHowever, you point out that I need to make a clearer distinction between quantitative and qualitative research methods in this presentation....
- Thank you for letting me know, Sam. It is now fixed.
- Are they able to simply discuss these errors in their Evaluation and still have access to a high score? (This may be wishful thinking). Or, is it going to penalise them throughout the report?
- Hi John,My students have performed this study for their IA using 'type of recall' as the Independent Variable but have made a few alterations which I think are problematic. The conditions they used were; after exposure to the 'office setting'...
- Hi John, When I read the comments about Example 1: Levels of Processing on MyIB; the following comment made me confused with your analysis above. Which word should I use? Note that the student has interpreted the data correctly, but...
- Thanks a mil! That makes sense.
- Hello John! About how long did this project take your students?
- Dear JohnShould those HL students who choose cognitive approch as their ERQ focus prepare two studies to support "negative effects of technology..." and two studies to support "positive effects of technology..." ?The question "To what extent...
- Dear JohnI am wondering why correlational research can not be used as one research method to answer the Research Methods questions since it is in the syllabus?Also, would it be enough to label "experiments" when it is a type of true experiments?...
- Hi JohnThis section says the focus is on bias in qualitative research. Is there a presentation on avoiding bias in quantitative research?
- Hi JohnThe Google slides above say "the file you have requested does not exist". I have refreshed the page and restarted my computer.
- Dear AmyThankfully, no. They are not penalized if they do not include the year.
- Dear AmyYes, that is accepted as a kinship study.
- Dear Amy It depends on the question. If there is no procedure, it is as though the study is not included. Maximum would probably be a 5 marks in both cases you have described.
- Dear Johni want to ask can Scarr and Weinberg be considered to be a kinship study?thanks!
- Dear JohnI have been always wondering is the year of the study a must to be mentioned? Because I have always told them to memorise and write it but some students always give me the wrong year…thanks!
- Dear John, If students forget to provide procedures of the study but all the other SAQ element is there and is well written, what should be the highest grade for that?Also, another situation, missing procedures but everything is there...
- Dear AndrewI have a similar calculation here: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/26733/chi-squared-calculatorYou would not include the decoy as this in the IV. As for the Variation ratio, it would also be only between the two conditions...
- Thank you.
- Dear Greg, Actually, the key study says that the students were from: the psychology department of a prestigious university (in- group) or as students of ancient history (out-group) from that same university.So, although we don't know if...
- Dear ChrisI don't think so. I don't know how liberal the IB would be, but the topic is "group dynamics." I don't think that a conflict in a couple's relationship is the same as group dynamics. Maybe I am wrong, but I think...
- Dear MariaThis is definitely not a great study for discussing research methods. In some ways, it could be argued that it is a field observation - except that the situation was manipulated. A repeated measures design was used to investigate...
- Is it IV: context (competition vs cooperation)? DV: behaviors?
- Hi John,Is the Sherif study counted as a field experiment (versus controlled field observation)? If yes, what are the variables, especially the IV and conditions? Thank you very much!Maria Monzon
- Great, thanks for your quick response.
- Hi John, I have some students doing Huber, Payne and Puto's Asymmetric Dominance Decoy for their IA fir the first time. As it is nominal level data with repeated measures, they're obviously using the Chi-Squared Test of independence mentioned...
- Great- thanks for your help as always, John.
- Hi John,Is it acceptable for a student to write about poor communication as an explanation for conflict and conversely positive communication to explain conflict resolution (e.g. Gottman's study of the 4 horsemen)?Thank you.
- Dear John It looks like there is a mistake. Could you please check it?"ancient history students from the competitor university" - sample responses about Social Identity Theory vs " students of ancient history (out-group)...
- Dear MeaghanNo. The guide gives a list for both health problems and for abnormal psychology. They would not earn credit for using abnormal psychology to answer the question about the prevalence of a health problem.
- Dear RachelSimply because they were rather "neutral" in their rating of I-C. I have also always found it a rather strange choice.
- Hi John, When discussing prevalence rates of one health problem is is possible for students to discuss a disorder? For example, could they talk about the prevalence of major depressive disorder? Thank you!
- Hi John,Can you give any further explanation as to why the Scots were used as a reference group, please? How are they used as a comparison for example? Is it just because they've always had a Western education (whether urban or rural)?Many...
- Thank you.
- Dear YuchengYes, it could be used for risk factors.
- Dear ScottYou can see all the answers here: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/47341/faqs-for-paper-3What if a student misidentifies the research method but then describes the method used in the study correctly - identifying two appropriate...
- Dear DavidNo, they cannot ask that. They would ask: The effect of culture on cognition and/or behaviour. Students could write about memory or they could write about behaviour. Or they could do one study of each.
- Dear MartinThey are not expected to replicate a study; they are supposed to support the theory. Why might their participants not have used the heuristic? That is the goal. Sample size would not be seen as a valid answer by...
- Dear AndrewThat is correct. It is a quasi experiment. The IB accepts "field experiment", so it is also fine. My comment about field vs lab is that is it not as clear as most students think. For example, many students...
- Dear KittyIt depends on their sample size. If they have only 10 per condition, I would recommend keeping them in unless they are really large outliers. Otherwise, it is fine to remove them. They should always calculate outliers...
- Hi John, if students have mathematically identified outliers, should they remove these? If so, should this be before doing descriptive statistics (mean and graph) or only for the inferential? Thanks
- Hello John, Can this study be used as argument for risk factors? Thank you!
- Hi John,For question 1 on Paper 3, if a student incorrectly identifies the research method but then correctly outlines two characteristics of the method they identified, do they get any points for that?Similarly, for question 2, if they incorrectly...
- Hello John, Am I correct in thinking they can ask a question about the effect of culture on one cognitive process rather than the more open (in terms of studies they can use) effect of culture on cognitive processes? So students would have...
- If the sample size was 20 but there was 2 outlighers which they exclude is this an issue due to the smple size used?
- Thanks
- Hi John,Would credit be given for calling the research method a field experiment? As you explain elsewhere on the site, the IB acknowledges 3 types of experiment:- true, quasi and natural and I’ve told my students to stick to these. As a...
- Dear EfikaIt is an odd question. Students may use any study of culture. Most students on the exam used Berry's study of individualism and collectivism.
- Dear MikeIt should be fixed now.
- Dear Jeff,No, it will read "cognition and/or behaviour" but you can use this material. They changed the guide two years into the curriculum..
- Hi John, May 2020 exam asked to describe one study investigating cultural norms. I hardly find an example of writing to this question. What study should it be about?
- Hi - the lesson guidance reads: "You may want to download the presentation and modify it to fit the health problem that you have studied with your students." However, it appears that the ability to download or make a copy has been disabled....
- Hi John,On Section B of Paper 1 is it possible to get a question on the topic of globalization and specifically attitudes? Thanks,Jeff
- Dear PriyaThey cannot say as "x increases y increases (or decreases)", so it is not a correlational study. It is a quasi-experiment.
- Thank you, John!
- Dear John, If students use this study to answer a question about research methods - would they identify it as a quasi experiment or a correlational study?Warm regards,
- Thanks so much, John
- I think that the bigger concern would be what they learn from the cancer screening, which the researchers are not in charge of.
- Okay!
- Just had an additional thought: what if what participants learn from the study is much worse than what they expected? I might be stretching here, but wanted to turn over every stone I could.
- Makes sense. Thank you John
- They can download a consent form but they need to adapt it to their experiment and sample.
- She could, but she will need to cite it on the exam as it would not be known by examiners. If she does not describe it well and does not include the reference, she may earn 0 marks for the example.
- No worries. Thank you.
- Dear GisouIt is a natural experiment.
- Dear GisouI would consider it a case study. Longitudinal and more than one research method is used. There is no correlational coefficient (r value) so it cannot be considered a correlational study. Remember for correlational...
- Dear ArnavIt could be a consideration. As the participants are going to a cancer screening center, I don't think that it could be argued that this would cause distress. It would definitely be a consideration that they should be sensitive...
- Hi John, Are students allowed to download a consent form and use it, or do they have to create their own, as a group? I have so far found that Turnitin has flagged a consent form for one of my students, and it is from an external source. Thank...
- Hi John,My student found the study, Lundstrom and Olsson (2005), and wanted to know if she could use it for a biological explanation of attraction for pheromones? If yes, could she also use it in Paper 1 for a pheromone question?
- Hi John, is Caspi considered a Quasi-Experiment?
- Hi John, if students want to use this study in a question about research methods, is it a Case Study or a Correlational Study?
- Thank you, John,Additionally, with regards to the ethical considerations in this study, my interpretation is that there is a chance of undue psychological harm as, by nature of the questions, the interview would highlight information to the...
- Dear PavitrahAs noted above, they would receive two points, They have misidentified the method but they have correctly described the characteristics of the method used in the stimulus.
- Dear EvgeniaYes, that is totally fine. And yes, they would just put the other student's number on the cover page. This is commonly done in small cohorts.
- Dear ArnavThis would not be required, but it is part of a description of the sample that was obtained so it would not be penalized.
- Dear RussellIf there is no raw data, the moderator cannot evaluate the analysis. If there is no raw data, regardless of how well the analysis is written, the maximum score is 3. If they also do not include the calculations for the inferential...
- Dear SarahThe texts says, "who were recruited by responding to an advertisement either in the local newspaper or on a bulletin board in the student lounge." So,this is explicit. They are a volunteer sample. The IB would not...
- Dear PavrthrahThank you for letting me know. Fixed.
- Dear JoelYes, they could use this as an example of social identity or conformity to social norms as a way of developing stereotypes.
- Dear MichaelI don't see how they could do that for biological. For sociocultural, they could. Then students could write about social learning or cultural factors. I also don't really see cognitive being used. it is another...
- Hi, ' naturalistic experiments test a hypothesis and obtain quantitative data.' The answer for Sample 2, question 1(a). The characteristics mention that the 'naturalistic experiments test a hypothesis and obtain quantitative data.' The answer...
- As the guide specifies that antagonists are part of the study of neurotransmitters, this is not accepted on exams.
- Dear IgnacioThe student will have to be careful with question 1 that they don't use research outside of that age range.The second question is something I am not familiar with. Why would leukemia have a specific effect on learning processes?...
- Dear Ali1992 would be a bit early for AI. This is just the researcher ratings. Observational coding involves classifying verbal and nonverbal behavioral events or psychological states.
- Alright. Noted. Thank You John.Regards
- Dear John,Might be splitting hairs here, but for question 1b. in this mock paper, is it important to mention "The majority of the sample was middle-aged and female"? This seems more of a description of the sample vs. the sampling method. Would...
- Hi John, The statement: The appendices do not include the letter of consent, materials, or the debriefing notes. The appendices do include the raw data and statistical calculations. Failure to include raw data or statistical calculations...
- Hi John, regarding question 1b in a practice exam, I have a student who said in addition to the sampling method being volunteer/self-selected, that it was also snowball sampling. It doesn't explicitly say that students responding to the ad...
- Hi, there seems to be a confusion in the response shared for 'Research methods in the cognitive approach'. The questions asks for limitations but the answers have both limitations but mostly focuses on advantages. Is this right?
- Hi JohnCan a student use Rogers and Frantz for this ERQ?ThanksJoel
- Dear John,Is it possible for students to be asked to 'Discuss biological, cognitive, and/ or socio-cultural approaches to promoting prosocial behavior'?Kind regards,Michael
- Thank you John. Yes I'm sorry I was referring to the Anderson and Pichert study. Thanks again for such prompt answers. It is much appreciated.
- Hi John,Could you please help me with the following situation? There are 2 psychology students in the 11th grade of my school and 1 in 10th. This one student doesn't have a partner to work on IA. Can she do it with the 11th grade? If so, do...
- Hi. Could students use McGaugh & Cahill as a antagonist study because of the beta blockers?
- Hi John,Just wanted to check on this two RQ:1. To what extent do action video games impact the working memory performance of young adults (18-24)?2. To what extent does leukemia in young children can affect overall learning processes?Do you...
- Hi John, please can you clarify the meaning of coding in this study, is it just the researcher rating or is it done by some form of AI?
- Dear RussellA good question - and good that your students show that concern. However, it is not an ethical problem from the IB's point of view. If the students feel that they do not want to reveal the currency, they could say that...
- Hi John,Slightly odd question here I feel but my students (and I) were curious... My students have investigated effort heuristic and asked participants to value a piece of art work. They directly refer to the currency of our country which tells...
- Dear DuncanThe slide is from an interview that shows an example of reverse culture shock. It is in the right place.
- Dear SnehalYes, he needs to describe some of the research and evaluate it. Indirect links to studies will not earn much credit.
- Yes, that would be fine.
- Sorry, Ismat. Fixed.
- Hello John,A group of mine did not find significance in their study and a student suggested that a reason for why they did not find significance but Tversky did is the sample size. There may not have been a good sample size to show a significant...
- Hi John Is slide 7 in the presentation in the wrong place? It seems not to be connected with the slide immediately preceding it.
- Hello JohnOne of my students has written his EE on “To what extent does social media’s influence foster unrealistic expectations from romantic partners in young adults?”.He has quoted some indirect links to the studies but explained in...
- Hi John,I don't see the presentation for how you organize the course...
- Dear John,For students really using this study Chugani (1999) for answer "research method" era, can they refer it as an correlational study? Thanks!
- Thanks for your reply. It is been very helpful.
- Dear MikeYes, they will be asked one question on diagnosis, one on etiologies, and one on treatment. Always. This is in the guide. You can see how I organize my course here: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/30649/options-menuIt...
- Yes, that would be fine.
- Thanks John, we are seeing what we can do but it looks like the group will recollect their data! Thanks for the advice.
- Thanks, John. I will play it safe by using a different study for "cognitive processes" topic.
- Hi, John. This page said there will be one question on three topics in one option. Does that mean, take abnormal psychology as an example, there will be one question on diagnosis, one question on etiology and one question on treatment?...
- Oh, I see. I misunderstood. So does that mean that if the ERQ is not specifically about research methods, but instead is about a theory/concept from one of the approaches and options, it would be ok to use supporting studies that applied a...
- Dear AnaThey need to have a sociocultural explanation as well. The questions could be: Discuss a biological explanation of social responsibility (or cognitive, or sociocultural).
- Dear AndrewIt could be used for the more general question, but I would not recommend using it. The focus is on technology interacting with emotion to create memory - which is the third topic. I worry that an examiner might not give credit...
- Dear EleenaThey just need to know that qualitative and quantitative terminology is different. And they should understand how interviews are done and why controls would not make sense in an interview. The key is that qualitative...
- Dear WendyThey should only do one experiment. The first experiment is enough.
- Dear AbenaSorry, you caught me updating the site. Fixed.
- Hi John, Do students need to know a bio, cognitive and sociocultural explanation for the origins or prosocial behaviour? Or are they ok with Kin selection theory and the empathy altruism model for example to explain the origins or prosocial...
- Hi John,Not sure if it's just me but when I click the link to the doc above it says the file no longer exists.Hope all's well.
- Dear John, I understand they are not acceptable, however, I am thinking how should I explained because I guess they are too into the thinking that credibility is like validity of qualitative research. Any suggestions?
- Thank you!
- Dear John1. Can this study be used to support the topic "Discuss the positive and/or negative effect of technology on cognitive processes"? (e.g., argue that bying adding emotive image to news media, it can enhance our memory for the information...
- Dear John, I have a group of students that would like to replicate this study: Kensinger, E. A., & Corkin, S. (2003). Memory Enhancement for emotional words: Are emotional words more vividly remembered than neutral words? Memory &...
- Thanks John!!
- Dear JasmineYes, it is fine for enculturation.
- Dear AndreaAs they are looking at "considerations," any ethical consideration is relevant; they simply have to make the link between the consideration and the study.
- Oops, sorry read my question wrong. It should be “enculturation”!
- Dear John, Hello. I hope all is well. Could this study be used to “Describe one study investigating acculturation”?
- Dear EmilyYes, you are correct. It is a true experiment.
- Hi John, Is it appropriate for a student to talk about the ethical consideration of right to withdraw for the children in Hilliard and Liben?
- Dear John,Thanks! That helps clarify things up. I did notice that Gottman and Buss are examples of studies that overlap. Thank you for replying so promptly.
- Dear John, I just want to confirm that this study would be classified as an experiment as the IV would be the type of treatment and participants were randomly assigned to the different conditions. A student is making me question myself. ThanksEmily
- Dear EleenaDouble blind controls are not used for interviews, so I don't think that this would earn any marks. The level of control is also not relevant for credibility.
- Dear Zeynep I am not familiar with the term "review articles." Students need to use peer-reviewed research. That is the only real guideline.
- Dear WarrenWhat I have been told is that the ERQ would read "one or more genes..." This would be equivalent of "genetics and behaviour" and would allow students to use research where a single gene is not the focus of the study. And...
- Dear KittyIs there no way to match handwriting or some other way to match them up? If not, the only way to do it legitimately is to recollect the data. :(
- No, they do not need to discuss the generalizability of the sample. It is not required.
- Dear Russell,No, in fact, they shouldn't include that as it is not actuallyrequirement assessed. You are right that this was a requiement in the former curriculum.
- Thank you, Katrine. Added.
- Dear John,I have a student addressing the setting of interview questions and also double-blind control to increase validity in answering question 3 on credibility. Will that be acceptable?
- Ti would be perfect, thank you.
- Thanks as always John
- Hi John,Again, in the Evaluation section, do students need to comment on the generalisability of their findings with reference to their sample of participants and target population?Thank you.
- Hi, John. I wondered whether we could only use research articles in the Extended Essay or also benefit from review articles.
- Hi JohnMy students just pointed out that retrospective research is missing from this glossary.Sincerely, Katrine
- Thank you, John!
- Hi John, wondering if you can help. Let's say hypothetically a group of students conducted a repeated measures design experiment but did not record their data in pairs, is there any way to rectify this situation by e.g. running a test for an...
- Dear John,Thank you for the very helpful revision materials! Just a quick question regarding the wording of the exam questions with regards to what is in the "Exam Tips" box: If an ERQ is phrased as "Discuss one gene ...", would Kendler et...
- Hi John,In the Evaluation section, do students need to make a direct reference or comparison to the results of the original experiment? I believe this was very common in the past (if not a specific requirement).
- Dear DivyaThere are three questions that may be asked for any stimulus: Generalizability/transferability; credibility; or avoiding bias.The only question that may not be asked is credibility for quantitative research studies.
- Dear BhavnaWedekind may be used for MHC; Zhou may be used for AND.There are no human pheromones, so any study linked to the role of scent in human attraction is accepted by the IB. You will see these studies listed in the exam markschemes.
- Dear Tony1. I think you are referring to the study by Anderson and Pitchert here. And yes, that variation is totally fine. 2. Yes3. It is not required to justify the choice of inferential test.
- Dear RussellThat is correct. In the Exploration they have to explain why they chose the materials that they did. They do not need to refer to the original study, but they need to explain their choice of using a poem - and why this...
- Dear AndrewDiscuss is very similar to evaluate, except in evaluate they must have both strengths and limitations. This is not true in discussions. And yes, having aspects of TEACUP is totally appropriate.
- The limitation she has noted is rather superficial and you are correct that this is rather contradictory. It would probably earn 3 marks for the strand.
- Dear DavidThey should be able to write about each of the approaches for only one of the content points. The textbook focuses on reasons for human attraction. That is enough. They cannot be asked "sociocultural factors in why relationships...
- Dear SaraThe first statement is correct; the second statement is not correct with regard to the study.
- Dear CatherineJust having a box plot is enough if it matches their hypothesis.
- Thank you for letting me know, Catherine. Fixed.
- Hi JohnSince the above stimulus piece is the 'qualitative' one being 'case study', so why is Q3 asking 'the possibility of generalizing/transferring the findings of the study'.? I mean then the question should be asking, 'Discuss how a researcher...
- John,Many thanks. This is important for SL students and their teachers.
- So then in that case if the question is on the influence of one pheromone then which one should be addressed?
- Understood , thank you
- For clarification: Can they just have a box plot graph or do they need a basic bar graph as well??
- Hi John. Did you know that the Template Google Doc is not linking
- Hi John,Two Questions for you:1) I have a group of students doing the Schema study by Loftus with the Burglar and Homebuyer Schemas. To simplify the experiment, the students adapted it so that there was simply a Burglar Schema and No schema,...
- Hi John,I have some students doing the 'Effort Heuristic' for the IA. They have altered the material stimulus piece from a painting to a poem. Where should they explain and justify this change? I would assume in the 'Exploration' section, currently...
- Dear VIktorijaNo, they can only ask this question about assimilation. I am not sure why they decided to single this one concept out in the guide.
- Dear MilicaIt would not be appropriate for ethics because the focus should only be on animal research. For the value of animal models, a study that shows that what we see in animal research is also seen (or not seen) in humans is a fine...
- Dear KanikaIt will be difficult to access high marks for critical thinking. She should try to find some of the original studies that were listed in the literature reviews so that she can apply her evaluation of research skills.
- Dear MariaThey would lose marks for criterion C only. If they have a second study that is more relevant and well-described, they could still earn up to 4 marks for the criterion.
- Dear JoannaThe latest clarification seems to indicate that the question will always be and/or. And although they are supposed to be able to combine with the topics that you have listed above, I am doubtful that they will be asked simply...
- Dear TomWhat a lot of students do for exam preparation is study one of the three approaches "at the ERQ level." In that process, they prepare one of the three HL extensions. This is done to cut down on the number of studies that...
- Dear PTYes, it is the uppers and lower limits are critical values. If the value of U is less than the lower value or greater than the upper value, then the results are significant.
- Dear John, In order to help students lessen their study burden, I would like to ask for clarification on the requirements for Paper 2 Personal Relationships. Should students know at least 2 theories with two studies per theory for each approach,...
- Hello John, Once again thank you for all your help during the IA process it is really helpful.I have a student that writes a strenght for their choice of independent measure is that participants were in one condition only (as opposed to...
- Hi John,Can this question be asked as an SAQ for integration, marginalization and separation as well?
- Many thanks John!
- Thank you very much! The students eventually decided to replicate Bower (1969) which, I think, is a better option.
- Hi John,Is it fair to say that students may use some elements of TEACUP when discussing a theory, as long as they don´t actually reach an evaluation it in their answer? In many cases, where the command term is to ´discuss´ something, I find...
- Hi John,The guide I follow suggests the follwoing for this topic:SAQ: Buchanan and Lovallo - arguing that the short term effect of cortisol increases memory consolidation.ERQ: Bucanan and Lovallo and Luby (arguing that an excess of cortisol...
- I would like to rely on Lidija's question.Since for all other questions it is an acceptable strategy for students to use one human and one comparable animal study, is this an okay strategy with the questions about ethics and research methods?
- Fabulous! Thank you John :)
- Dear John, A student is doing her EE on "To what extent does childhood sexual/physical abuse and neglect affect the development of multiple personality disorders?" She has found a lot of research on the same, but the majority of them...
- A sight that some of my students use to revise has listed this as appropriate for a SC etiology question:https://www.savemyexams.com/dp/psychology/sl/17/revision-notes/abnormal-psychology/etiology-of-abnormal-psychology-explanations-for-disorders/two-key-studies-of-sociocultural-explanations-of-major-depressive-disorder-mdd/ I...
- Dear John.I am not sure if I understand it correctly.Students have to be prepared for:Cognitive processes - one study for positive effect and one for negativeReliability of cognition - one study for positive effect and one for negativeEmotion...
- Yes, thank you. I thought that would be the answer.
- So SL students writing the ERQ in Paper 1 will need to have studied the HL extensions if all three questions are based on HL extension topics as stated above?
- Thanks a lot John! That clarifies a lot.
- 1. How should we conclude if U value is less than the lower limit? 2. Is the upper limit exactly the same as the critical value?
- Dear NehaIf they have mentioned that collects qualitative data, that would earn one mark.
- Dear ArnavThey can only ask students about research methods at the topic level: so "Evaluate one or more research methods in the study of personal relationships." They do not need to discuss communication, they can look at any of the...
- Dear ShikunYes. They are only supposed to have two conditions, so this is fine.Remember, this is not supposed to be a replication, so they will have to make up their own recorded message. It can even be in Chinese if they like.
- It is here: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/38034/levels-of-data-ordinal-teacher
- Dear ConradI agree. Acculturative stress is linked to a risk of depression. I am not sure what the argument would be. I would have the student start looking for research on acculturative stress and then try to find a question that...
- Dear Ivo,Not really. It does not have two clear conditions and a manipulated IV. Students could, however, do a variation of it where one group has the "add-one" procedure that Miller used, and a second group had the random lengths...
- Dear MariaI am sorry, I don't know this study. I would have the student bring the study in to show you. From what I can tell from the abstract, this has nothing to do with etiology - it is a study of diagnosis.
- These three clarifications help them to link the questions that are being asked to the theory of Flashbulb memory.
- Dear KirstinaYou can see above:How did you feel when you heard about the event? (to indicate the level of emotion)How important was this event in your life? (to indicate personal relevance)How often have you talked about this event? (to indicate...
- Dear CatherineThat is very strange. I can see both. The presentation is a Google slides presentation. The Discussing brain imagining is a youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esPRsT-lmw8&rco=1
- Hi John,In case of question 1a the student has written the research method as qualitative and has identifies 2 methods ie, observation and semi - structured interview. He has also outlined characteristics of the same without mentioning it as...
- Dear John,My understanding is that meta-analyses don't get high marks in ERQs, however for this topic, two of the studies are: Collins & Miller (1994), and Bradbury and Fincham (1990), both of which are meta-analyses. What would be your...
- Dear John, I have a student wish to replicate Bransford and Johnson study(1972). There are total of 5 conditions in the original study. My student plans to replicate only two conditions: "no context and heard the passage once" and "context...
- Hi John, Could you please provide an answer key for the section "check for understanding"?
- Thank you so much!
- Hi John, sorry, I have another for you - "To what extent does acculturative stress increase the risk of depression in immigrants?" What are your thoughts on this? My concern is a lack of research to suggest otherwise.
- Dear John, Is it possible to use G. A. Miller´s article "The magical number 7, plus or minus 2" as a study to be replicated for their IA?Thank you very much for your help.RegardsIvo
- Hi John,Can students use the study done by Karasz (2005) in support of a sociocultural explanation for MDD? The study investigated how mental illness is conceptualised by South Asian and European American immigrants and one of my students has...
- Dear John. Can I confirm that the two videos in the boxes [Presentation on neuroimaging techniques] and [Discussing brain imaging] are correct? When I play them I get a promotional video about InThinking. Many thanks, Cath
- Hi John, should the 9-11 Interview script have some information in parentheses? I can only find the student questions. I ask because it states: "Please note that the information in parentheses is not on their handout. This is so that...
- Many thanks, John. Have a nice day and a wonderful week ahead :)
- Dear MeganAny of the studies that are listed here could be used on the exam. There is no definitive list. These activities are meant to help students develop their skills at evaluating studies. With the "key studies" having...
- Okay thankyou
- Hi John.I was wondering about the evaluating research activity. I noticed none of these studies are listed in the key studies for sociocultural for students. I worry about giving students this activity as I think they would try to use it on...
- Dear SaraThat is correct. They do not have to address all three aspects (concepts) on an exam. And they don't need to use the terms, but using them does increase the quality of the response if other aspects of the response are not as...
- Dear AngelaAbsolutely. I think it is actually a very good example.
- Dear PriyaTotally acceptable. And a strategy I strongly recommend to my own students.
- Dear IlianaIt is a question how the IB would score this. It is definitely not a pheromone. My guess is that they if everything else is well done, it could earn up to 6 marks but would not earn in the top markband.
- Dear SarahYes, you are understanding this perfectly.
- Yes, it could be.
- Dear RenataYes, that is definitely makes the memory even more personally significant - and it would definitely have been a surprise.
- Dear LeeNo. There was not test to see if their memories were accurate.
- Dear John, What is the IB's stand on students suggesting a different type of interview as the alternate method? If the student suggests a semi-structured interview, would that be acceptable?Warm regards, Priya
- I do appreciate you taking the time to explain these concepts to me in detail, John. Some of them are confusing, especially when applying them in IB exams. Just to confirm, students don't need to address all three concepts (representation,...
- Dear John,I hope this message finds you well :)We have discussed vulnerability theory as relevant to social aspects of stress and connected to poverty. Would you say that this theory can also be meaningfully connected to social hierarchies?...
- Dear John,My IB2 students are now sitting mock exams. One SAQ question was as follows: Describe the use of one research method used to study hormones and/or pheromones and behavior. One student correctly described the research methods and a...
- Thank you for the update.
- Hi John, my HL student and I are just revising ERQ ethics questions in the biological approach. Can I clarify from looking at the above that they can outline specific ethical considerations (informed consent and harm) but when you come to critically...
- Thank you so much!
- Thank you very much!
- Hi John, can it also be considered as a correlational study.
- Dear John,I am a little confused about the identification of FBMs in Sharot's study. If I understand correctly, the definition of FBM would be a memory for the circumstances in which one heard/found of the news about an event which was emotional,...
- Hi John, Can this also be used for reliability of memory?
- Dear KarinaI have had students do this IA successfully in the past. Here is the page with the study: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/30040/weinstein-1983They usually choose the control and then one of the other conditions. This...
- Dear PoorviThe data that is collected is qualitative, so it cannot be considered experimental. I have never seen it referred to as experimental.
- Dear JohnYou are correct that only the written text is assessed. However, for some students drawing the model (quickly) helps them explain it. They use the model to inform their writing. So, even though it is not assessed...
- Dear AlbertThe student would not get marked down. However, on a full exam, a student would probably lose time that is needed to write the full ERQ.
- It is now fixed. It should be good now.
- Sorry, you caught me doing some site maintenance!
- Thank you John.
- Hi John,Is Brown and Kulik not a quasi experiment? It can be considered as one, right?
- I'm having the same issue unfortunately!
- Dear John, Could you please provide further details regarding Weinstein (1987) study as an option for IA? As far as I am concerned, it is a correlational study, isn't it? Is there any possibility that students could conduct an experiment...
- Hi John, I really thought I'd replied to this at the time so I apologise for not sending my thanks for this very insightful response earlier. I'm just revisiting now as I'm teaching ToM and I noticed my error. Thank you very much for taking...
- Hi John,A quick question on diagrams in student responses: do you recommend them? I've seen some guidance which says that for topics such as the WWM, it's really useful, but since they don't replace the written explanation, it just seems like...
- Dear John, Can I mark down a too long and detailed intro in an SAQ? The answer is perfect, but it reads as an ERQ at the beginning. I know they are not supposed to write an intro in an SAQ, just defining terms, but I don't know how to...
- Dear JuanThis is not a study of reconstructive memory so it would not earn any marks. We have no idea if the people's memories are accurate as there is no documentation of this information on the day of the president's (or MLK's) assassination.
- Dear AlexFor finding stimulus pieces, I use the ones on this site, but I also will have them practice 1 of the 3 questions with the key studies. It is good practice fo them and it also helps them to think more deeply about the key studies....
- Dear LisaMaybe it could. The problem is that they didn't just do a statistical analysis of all the findings - instead, Chigani examined the MRI scans. The problem is that developmental researchers use different types of research designs...
- Dear SaraThey could simply write about voluntary sampling. It is difficult because almost all samples are complex. The IB most often will state in the text what the sampling technique is. That is the one that the students should...
- Hi John,Getting the 'Sorry, the file you have requested does not exist.' when i open this page. Could ypu please check the link for this? Many thanks. Alex
- With forty data points, they may apply either test.
- Dear AnaThere are two places. First, there is a section of the textbook devoted to command terms: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/23660/command-termsThere is also a section of exam prep that is devoted to essay types: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/36020/essay-types
- Dear BenYou can see all answers to all student tasks on the "teacher page." https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/35328/teacher-guide-qualitative-research
- Hi John,I'm having a tough time finding stimulus pieces for Paper 3. Also I'm prepping them for two types of qualitative sampling: purposive and snowball. For quantative sampling: random, volunteer and convenience. Am I missing anything out. Second...
- This would mean that they would have to use different anagrams in each condition. They can do this, but then they have to counterbalance and the statistical analysis is a bit more tricky. So, possible, but I am not sure why students...
- Dear RussellYes, they could use internal working model as an example of schema, but I don't see how Ainsworth is a test of the internal working model. I think it would be very difficult to make the link.
- Dear JillOops, sorry. They cannot ask for two studies, two theories, two methods - they can ask "one or more." But for ethics, they seem to break that rule and most questions have been asked "two or more..."
- Dear PTYou should now be able to see it in the teacher only box.
- Dear John,I have a student who used this study to answer the following SAQ: Explain one theory or study relevant to reconstructive memory.Is this study (or more generally speaking flashbulb memory) acceptable if the question focuses o reconstructive...
- Dear PT,If you click on the eye, there is an explanation of the first question.
- Dear KirstenIt is very difficult to find studies that are not experimental. I am hoping that the question will be "one or more research methods" as they have been using on exams so far. But just in case, I do this case study with my students:...
- Dear AndreaSorry, there is not. I have now fixed the comment above which was from the beginning of the site.
- Dear AriannaMaybe. There are a series of tests that are done to compare the levels using correlation coefficients, so it would more likely be a correlational study. I think that a student could, however, make an argument for a quasi experiment.
- Dear EdwardThe guide distinguishes twin and kinship studies, so they are not interchangeable. It appears that they will be asked to describe or explain one "twin or kinship study", so only knowing a twin study may be ok. I have...
- Dear AndrewI think that they are just being redundant. It should be in the introduction; there is no reason to restate it in the exploration. Yes, many students write a summary of the original, even though they do not have to do...
- Dear Russell,I have them include it in their aim but not the hypotheses. I am not sure that they have to have it in their aims, but I do it to play it safe.
- Dear IanIt does make sense and it would definitely show good critical thinking. I agree that critical thinking should not be memorized and reproduced - but a lot of students use that strategy on exam day....
- Hi John. Just wondering if Chugani is a metanalysis as it's an analysis of various studies. Or is it a study in its own right because it's an analysis research in a cross-sectional manner? My kids have always used it and scored well, so I guess...
- Dear John, Do we need to include the two different types of samples that were mentioned in the stimulus, like volunteering & opportunity? I'm wondering if it is necessary to include both of them or if mentioning only one of them would...
- Dear John. My students have conducted their experiment on Perham and Vizard on the impact of background music on serial recall tasks. They have completed the experiment on 20 participants, completing two conditions each (a silent state...
- Hi John, is there somewhere on this website where I can find a page that highlights the different structure for an ERQ/SAQ depending on the command term? Particularly with an ERQ using the terms 'contrast' and 'evaluate'.Thanks!
- Hi John, I hope you are well. In the "Assessing your Understanding" section, is the sampling method snowball or opportunity? Thank you, Ben
- Dear John,One of my students is replicating Elliot et al. (2007) and in spite of suggesting independent measures design, they insist on using repeated measures design. Is it fine? Thank you so much for your valuable feedback.
- Hi John, Could a student use Bowlby's 'Internal Working Model' as an example of schema? And the 'Strange Situation Test' by Ainsworth as evidence?Thanks!
- yes, that helps. thanks John
- Hi John You have said above that the IB can't ask for two of anything, but then the questions below ask for two ethical issues, does that rule not apply to ethics? Thanks, Jill
- Hi John, Could you please provide an answer key for the section "check for understanding"?
- Thanks - this is very helpful! Lucy
- Hi John, Could you please suggest the interpretation for the first question?
- Hi John, Looking over some example IAs and notice that students make mention of their IV and DV in the Exploration section of their paper. I imagine this is being done as a misinterpretation of the "controlled variables" part of the rubric...
- Dear John,For a potential Research Methods ERQ linked to hormones, I have only taught studies which are experiments (McGaugh & cahill plus Newcomer). Do you know of any study that we could use that incorporates a different method?Thanks...
- Hi John,Is there an annotated copy of this one?
- Hello John! I think that this is a quasi experiment (high and low-risk groups), what do you think?
- Thankyou John,Basically, they will have to clearly show how the researchers ensured 'no undue stress or harm'.It was really helpful :)
- Hi John, Do students need to know a twin study as well as a separate kinship study? Or can twin studies be counted as a type of kinship study?
- Hi John, Do students need to make reference to their target population (eg: International students aged 14-16 in an English speaking coeducational school) in their aim and or hypothesis? Thanks.
- The way I see it, Acculturation might be farfetched. Most of the population will not experience this kind of stress. However, mentioning Enculturation, Cultural Dimensions or norms (normative social influence) to explain how "breaking the rules"...
- Dear Poorvi,They would have to say more than that to earn full marks. They are correct that there should be no violation of ethics, but that is not the question. In the "consideration" of undue stress or harm they would have to...
- Dear LucyThe guide says that each of the questions could be combined with the core topics. This leaves us the awkwardly worded question: Discuss positive and negative effects of digital technology on emotion and cognition. The...
- Dear AmritaThere is no limit on the ERQ. The only limit is that students have one hour to complete it.
- Dear John, If a student picks Draganski and writes about how the MRI scans only acted as a minor inconvenience but participants were not subjected to any undue stress or harm, will it be appropriate? In my uderstanding, the relevance is...
- Hi John!An ERQ has to be within 1,200 words?
- Hi JohnQuick question about this topic - is it possible for it to come up as an ERQ ie is emotion and digital tech a possible paper 1 HL question? Or would it be something you could use in an answer to a broader emotion and memory question?...
- If there is a study of hormones/pheromones, then the maximum score would be 4 marks out of 9.
- Dear IanYes, your statement that the studied genes had an effect on the immune system: positive for the ones found in high-ranking and negative for the ones found in low-ranking monkeys is a good one. Definitely, the immune system is...
- Dear Anthony,Trevor is correct in what he wrote on Facebook. It's on page 57 of PDF version of the Guide. The question would read: "Discuss the possibility of generalizing/transferring* the findings of the study". The asterisk note reads, "Only...
- Hello John,Is the question "Discuss the possibility of transferring the findings of the study" (Q3) still a possibility on the exam? The question regarding transferability doesn't appear anywhere in the curriculum guide for P3 but...
- Hi John, If a student incorrectly writes about the use of MRI's as a research method but explains a relevant study well (in the case of the question being related to the brain & behaviour) what would be the maximum score available?...
- This is extremely helpful (and such a quick reply!) Thank you!!
- Thank you, John. Appreciate the swift feedback.best wishes.
- Hi John,The blood testing was focused on the genes that were expressed but there was not measurement of cortisol here, right?Regarding results: - "when a female's rank improved, her gene expression also changed within a few weeks, suggesting...
- Dear SarahShe should not put text into tables. That should be written as a paragraph. If they are just listed, then it will lose marks for lack of explanation. If she has put sentences like this into a table, it will be seen as...
- Dear IanThat is a good question. If they are looking at social factors (protective factors vs risk factors) that increase and decrease acculturative stress, then this may be fine. I find stress very problematic as it is not a health...
- Dear SamThe goal of this worksheet is for students to work with the information they have to answer the questions. You can see from the answers above, they should be able to determine all of this simply from the information in the worksheet....
- Dear ArnavIt is generally accepted that case studies have a high ecological validity because they are holistic and reflect real life conditions of an individual or group. Although experimental research may be done, as seen in the case...
- Dear MartinAs I wrote above, what your software writes is fine.
- Dear BhavnaNo. The value of a study is determined by its aim. Nowhere in Wedekind's study is AND measured - and it is not mentioned anywhere in the study. This would not earn credit on an exam.
- Hi John,Regarding the word count, it shows that tables are not included. Does this apply to all content contained in a table? For example a student of mine has created a table for controlled confounding variables consisting of 242 words. To...
- Hi John, A student has used different social factors that might interact to cause stress. Then they have used acculturative stress as an example. On the one hand, it is a loss of focus (A:1/2?)On the other hand, it is a "relevant...
- Hi JohnI wanted to use your worksheet on Vulnerability models, but in order to answer the questions it seems the kids need access to more information about the studies. Are there links to these studies somewhere? I have looked in what seem...
- Hi John, The following question is related to case studies, but not directly to paper 3. My students are asking if case studies have high or low ecological validity. Is there a formulaic way to answer that question? I know that given mixed...
- Hi John, Just to clarify. The software we use reports this information. The U-value is 0. The critical value of U at p < .05 is 34. Therefore, the result is significant at p < .05.The z-score is 3.9399. The p-value is .00004....
- Since the guide specifies one pheromone- can AND be the pheromone discussed with Wedekind being one of the supporting studies as sweat contains AND
- Thanks!
- Ok great.
- Dear AarushiAs most students use an opportunity sample, they could consider a different type of sample such as a self-selected sample and discuss why this would address a limitation of their sample. Or they could use a random sample drawn...
- Dear ChristineYes, that is fine. They could identify it as a field experiment, but either is correct.
- Dear EmmanouelaYes, it would be appropriate for prevalence. As we have become more sedentary, the rate of obesity has increased.
- Dear MartinI am not sure what you mean by a weak result. That is not something that I said during the workshop. The U value is fine to report, but it is not necessary to report it for the IB. All that needs to be stated is the p-value....
- Dear StephenThe study is more about an effect of stereotyping, as you can see in the blurb at the top of the page. It is not really a study of the formation of stereotypes. M & H did argue that the way that children actively seek out information...
- I am surprised that the others can be opened in your Google Slides. They are designed to only be shown within the InThinking site. However, I have updated the sharing of the file
- This is correct.The question is what to call it when the participants know which group they are in, but the researcher who is doing the data analysis does not know which group the participant was in. In some texts, they also refer to...
- Dear John, I had a question regarding the future modification for sampling, can a student give an alternative as a probability sample technique like random sample, even though size used in the current study is 20, or should the student...
- Thank you John for the clarification.
- Dear John - if a student used Draganski for a research methods question and identified it as an experiment but included that there was less control due to the juggling task being practiced at home would this be acceptable or would they need...
- Thank you for asking this, I was wondering the same
- Dear Johnone more question on Martinez Gonzales. Can it be used as a study on the explanation of prevalence in the case of obesity, or is it appropriate only for the sociocultural explanation of obesity?Thanks Emmanouela
- Dear John,I am writing with regards to how to report a Mann Whitney test *and by extension a wilcoxon test(. We have been reporting the U value (or W value if Wilcoxon) and if our U value is below the critical U value at p less than 0.05 it...
- Hi John,I hope you are well.A student of mine has used Martin & Halverson as a supporting study for the 'formation of stereotypes'. I am aware that schema theory could be used as a theory to explain how stereotypes may be formed however,...
- Hello, this slideshow cannot be opened from my Google Slides whereas the others can. Is there a sharing issue? Thanks.
- Hi John, I think I asked something similar before and now I wonder again:- Single-blind design controls for demand characteristics (participants do not know the aim, conditions, etc.)- Double-blind design would also control for researcher...
- Dear BhavnaI am sorry. I don't understand your question.
- Have a question John- Can Wedekind be taught linking it to AND being present in sweat?
- Dear MaryyamYes, the tourist attractions sound fine. And yes, they would have to link negativity bias to the model in order for it not to be seen only as a bias or effect, which would not earn them credit. I cannot really comment on the...
- Not ideal, but fine.
- Hi John,Can the IV be the negative vs positive articles and the DV the number of idea units recalled from each article.and to be able to link to the Dual process model, can they choose two articles about tourists attraction cites , and this...
- Thanks, John. That makes sense.
- Hi John, Is it ok if the students have taken 16 participants for their IA. Design being the IMD.
- Thanks for taking the time to explain that. It is tricky indeed!
- Dear AnnaIt is still a true experiment. Matched pairs designs can be used in both experimental and quasi-experimental studies. If there are three conditions for the boys, then they are matched for aggression and then randomly allocated...
- Dear MarryamI would have students read through this explanation of negativity bias - although Wikipedia, it is quite good: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negativity_biasIf you look at the original study, there are negative and positive news...
- Dear Kanika,This is very strange. It is definitely not a study of SCT. Not sure why it would be listed. I definitely would not recommend it for students to use for SCT because I would think that most examiners would not accept...
- Dear LisaI don't know how the IB would interpret that. Diathesis-stess comes out of the biological approach. It is the idea that some genes cannot be expressed without some "stressor" in the environment. It is definitely not...
- Dear RebeccaThey cannot ask about questionnaires or unstructured interviews. But students can use them to answer the question 1c. It is a very strange thing that they do not have them in the guide.
- Dear John, Would this be an example of a quasi experiment? The PPTs were not randomly assigned to each condition as they had to be matched for aggression levels, Many thanks!
- She should write on the cover page that she worked with one (or two) non-IB candidates.
- Dear AndrewYes, it may be used for the formation of stereotypes.
- Dear RussellYes, that would be an appropriate strategy for the cognitive approach.A second study with Markey and Markey could be Fiore and Donath (2005). It is described in the textbook.As for where else to use it in the cognitive approach,...
- Dear AnaYes, yes, and yes. You are correct on all of your suggestions.
- Dear AbhilashThe question would be so poorly worded for students, I cannot believe the question about emotions would be asked at all. But if it is, they will have a choice of positive or negative effects. My understanding is that it would...
- Dear John,My students choose to replicate the study of Trussler, M., & Soroka, S. (2014). and they focused on whether people will be able to recall information from titles that are negative articles more than positive titles?The model they...
- Follow-on questions... Could I teach only one of these models but would need 2 studies for it? Eg: Only teach 'Similarity-Attraction Model' and study by Markey & Markey and a second study (can't think of another exploring this model just...
- Dear John, I see this study listed in the mark scheme in the 22M. Paper 1. BP.TZ1.3 for the SAQ on Social Cognitive Theory?
- Dear John,Thank you very much for clarifying. I thought maybe IB would have updated this in MyIB or perhaps there is a note in the specimen papers or assessment clarification doc but as of last week, it's still the same...Thank you for your...
- Thanks John!
- Hi John, I was just wondering if Caspi could be used for a question on 'socio-cultural aetiology of depression' if the student discusses the diathesis-stress model and the stressors in the environment in combination with a genetic vulnerability....
- Hi, Do you know why the IB does not explicitly state questionnaires and unstructured interviews in their specification? Does that mean that they can give a stimulus piece like the one above- even if the term is not explicitly mentioned? Thank...
- Thank you!
- Hey John,If a student conducted the experiment of the IA with a group normally then her colleagues dropped IB. is she only going to write her candidate code on the front page?
- Dear JohnCan this study be used to support "formation of stereotype"? As it looked at the role of television in the development of gender stereotypes in elementary school children.
- Dear John, for an ERQ asking 'Discuss a Cognitive Approach to personal relationships', should a student refer to both the 'Similarity-attraction model' and the 'Internal working model' and make use of the studies by Markey & Markey and...
- Ok, thanks!
- Sorry I meant Realistic group conflict theory
- Hi John. Could students use realistic contact theory and Sherif's cave study to explain conflict? Would they be able to use one conflict explanation and one conflict resolution explanation in the same question if the question was 'conflict...
- Hi John,As the guide says "For all three SL/HL topics in the cognitive approach, and with reference to research studies, HL students should study the following. • The influence (positive and negative) of technologies (digital/modern) on cognitive...
- Yes, this would be appropriate for a kinship study.
- Dear AndreaIt is. They could discuss that some of the mice were exposed to chronic stress to produce memory impairment; in addition, they were sacrificed in the end so that their brains could be studied.
- Hi John,Is this study acceptable to use in a question about kinship studies?
- Hello John,In response to the SAQ “Explain one ethical consideration in one study of the brain and behaviour” a student argued that Prevot at al (2019) caused undue harm to the mice used in that experiment. Would this be accepted?
- Yes.
- Dear AndrewWell, in the sense that the MSM is overly simplistic, yes, these studies can be used to show this with regard to the MSM
- Hi John, The link for the ANOVA test is not working.
- Dear JohnIs this study OK for a SAQ about the role of cultural groups/social groups in cognitive processes?
- Dear JohnCan this study be used to against the Multi-store Model of Memory? And more generally, are all the studies supporting Working Memory Model necessarily against MSM?
- Dear MariaI am sorry to say that this was an error in the specimen paper and the IB decided not to reissue the paper. This question cannot be asked - either as an SAQ or an ERQ. They can ask students to Evaluate one or more research...
- Hi John,In the Paper 1 specimen paper, it was an SAQ, "With reference to a study investigating acculturation, outline one strength and one limitation of a research method used in the study."Could this be turned into an ERQ such as: "With...
- Dear MargaYes, that is correct. Without the raw data, the analysis cannot be assessed. There is actually no evidence that the experiment was actually carried out. If there is no consent or debriefing, the student may earn 0...
- Dear CaitlynThey argued that they did not feel afraid, but had an "adrenaline rush." So, maybe in an ERQ, but for an SAQ, I don't think that this is the best example. That being said, the IB does accept it.
- Hi JohnI have some doubts about the correction of the IA, of contents that have to be in the IA, but that are not explicitly included in the marking grid.Is there a penalisation and how much?- Missing appendices . Raw data...
- Thank you John
- Hi John, Do you think this study could be applied successfully in an emotion and cognition response? I have my doubts, but I did promise my students I'd seek another opinion!
- Hi John,Thank you for the detailed response! Your line of thinking makes sense to me. Good point that some participants did indeed have reconstructed memories. I will chat with my student and coach them in a more appropriate response.Thanks!Scott
- Dear EleenaYes. You can see the markbands here: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/24558/assessment-markbands
- Dear MargaThe study only challenges the age at which object permanence begins, it does not say that the stage does not occur. That study would be fine for the essay. And yes, Piaget and Inhelder would also be possible for this essay.
- Dear John, I would like to ask is it a 17-mark IA is enough to be considered as a grade 7 piece?Thanks!
- Thanks as always for your time John!
- DearJohn, In this sample there is a study supporting Vygotsky, but in contrast Piaget's study does not support him but challenges him. Generally, in ERQs there is at least 1 study that supports the theory explained, and a second one...
- Dear SarahYes, they can use Rogers and Kesner and then generalize the findings to human behavior.
- Dear KathrynYes, for B they do need to refer to the text to give more detail about how the sample was actually obtained.
- Thank you. That is why I was confused, why is it expected for B but not A. Thank you for the quick reply.
- Hello John,For this question do students need to refer to a study which uses humans, or can they use for example Rogers & Kesner (2003) and generalise the findings to human behaviour?
- Dear JillAs I wrote above, I cannot guarantee that this won't be seen as a biology essay. In that case, the student would score low. However, if she can find sources in psychological journals, the topic should be fine. If the journals...
- Dear DougYou are correct that they cannot have familiarity as this does not allow for random allocation, so the study would be a quasi-experiment and this is not allowed by the IB. In addition, they can only have one DV, not two. I do...
- Dear ScottWell, we know that memory is reconstructed, so this would definitely not earn full marks. It is not a great example to show reconstructive memory,but in the study, some people did have reconstructed memory - that is, they were...
- Dear John,Thank you so much for your guidance. I will refer to the resource you have advised.
- Thanks for your response John about my student interested in investigating whether neuroplasticity enhances the auditory senses in the visually impaired. I too am nervous about it NOT being psychological - in relation to behaviour. But since...
- Hi John! For the Internal Assessment, a group of my students is seeking to modify Brewer & Treyens' (1981) "office experiment" in a particular math or science classroom. They want the independent variable to be the students' familiarity...
- Hi John,I gave my students the task to write an SAQ on this question. One student used Yuille & Cutshall (1986) in their response. This study suggests memory is reliable and not necessarily reconstructed; do you think it would still...
- Thank you, John, it's a big relief. After reading some comments, I got a little confused but worried, too. Thank you so much. Kind regards,Joginder
- Dear AndrewNo. Twin studies just indicate the sample - twins. It is like animal research, it is not a research method. For twin studies, the IB accepts either natural experiment or a "correlational study." Either is...
- You and I share that pet peeve...
- Dear KathrynOddly, they do not.
- Dear JoginderYes, the Stroop effect is fine.
- Dear KetkiYes, that is fine. There is also a sample of this as an example of how to use the chi-squared on MY IB under the TSM for statistics. They should also use the VR - the variation ratio for variance. You can find...
- Yes, it is in women. Here you can see its potential role in happiness. And here, aggression.
- John,Could students use twin studies as a research method for this question?Andrew
- Thanks so much John! I think it would be fine to get them to discuss the relevant ethics but the way it's worded encourages them to try find ethical problems that, of course, don't exist in modern research. My pet hate is how they try argue...
- Hi John, Do students have to reference the stimulus in their response for 1a? Thank you
- Thank you John.
- Hi John,My students have done the IA on the Stroop effect. Is that acceptable or not? I referred to the suggestions listed on this page under the heading 'other areas of research', and the Stroop Effect is listed there. Thanks,Joginder
- Hi John , https://books.google.co.in/books?id=ZVyGDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT43&lpg=PT43&dq=Five+males+of+the+family+had+high+urine+levels+of+monoamines+due+to+possessing+a+shortened+version+of+the+MAOA+gene+(which+only+males+can+possess),+the+effect+of+which+was+to+produce+low+levels+of+the+MAOA+gene+and+therefore+not+absorb+monoamines+and+remove+them+from+the+body.&source=bl&ots=lw6Gc-1yQB&sig=ACfU3U1cHfxcYHE2Hrgn0YRD57-pSy4uOg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwity4fI6KyEAxVLumMGHWaGDxEQ6AF6BAgJEAM#v=onepage&q=Five%20males%20of%20the%20family%20had%20high%20urine%20levels%20of%20monoamines%20due%20to%20possessing%20a%20shortened%20version%20of%20the%20MAOA%20gene%20(which%20only%20males%20can%20possess)%2C%20the%20effect%20of%20which%20was%20to%20produce%20low%20levels%20of%20the%20MAOA%20gene%20and%20therefore%20not%20absorb%20monoamines%20and%20remove%20them%20from%20the%20body.&f=false...
- Dear John,My students wish to replicate this experiment. Additionally, they have conducted a pilot study just to gain an understanding of the process. But before I finalize I want to be sure myself, if the process if fine. I would be grateful...
- Dear DanielI agree with you. I don't see how Tajfel is about conflict. It is about in-group bias and could be used for discrimination, but not for conflict.
- Dear John, For the question: discuss origins of conflict and/or conflict resolution, a student used the Sherif et al. and the Tajfel as evidence. The first one, to show origins of conflict based on scarcity of resources and negative interdependence....
- No, he didn't. Thanks, John!
- Dear StevenDid he refer to the studies in the discussion? If not, I worry he would only get a maximum of 4 marks.
- Yes, that is correct.
- Dear BrianI don't really have any. I stick to this one and Maguire. There are very few that are easily accessible for the majority of students. You could also look at developmental research on neural pruning in brain development,...
- Hi John, I have a student who wrote a 'Discuss SCA aetiologies of one disorder' ERQ that contained a magnificent global discussion, including multiple well-developed global discussion points that were fully-developed using PEEL. However,...
- Dear John,for dual processing model can students use Daniel Kahneman- Thinking fast & Slow- Tversky and Kahneman...is it correct or they are more for reliability and biases?regards
- Hello John,What other studies would you recommend looking at that do a better job explaining/describing neural pruning?Thanks!
- Thanks a lot, John! appreciate your guidance.Regards
- Dear AnniI share many of your concerns. There is no problem with "protection of harm" and "protection from undue stress or harm." Both are fine.As for the question about the arbitrary nature of what they did vs what they should...
- Dear ShraddhaYour students should be able to find several examples of the Stroop Effect online. There is no reason to modify it. It is a very basic experiment. They should go online, do some research, and then come back with a proposal.
- Dear ThomasNo. It is not in the guide. If they do, it must be counted in the word count - and it earns no marks.
- Dear John,I just marked the students' Paper 3s with the May23 mark scheme and am a bit horrified about the ethics question - it seems super-arbitrary to divide the points to those that were applied and those that should be considered further....
- Dear John,What is the best way to replicate/ modify Stroop's effect for IA? Appreciate your help. Regards
- Dear John, thank you for your valuable input. regards
- Hi John, Should students write an abstract for their IA? I'm seeing conflicting information about this. Thanks in advance, Thomas
- Dear AarushiIt should be a peer-reviewed study. So, theoretically, it may be used, but it needs to be published.
- Hi John, a had a question- can the student use any dissertation study finding to support his Research question along with other academic journals? He has cited the dissertation also.
- Dear HarshitaStress is pretty broad. It would be better if the student could be more specific in the research question.
- Dear ShraddhaI do not see how shapes with different colors would still be the Stroop effect. The inhibition occurs because they are reading a word that is different from the color that it is - and it is the automatic process of reading...
- Hi John This is my first year teaching IBDP Psychology. I wanted to check whether the following question is appropriate for EE in psychology- "To what extent does stress influence the reliability of eyewitness testimony?"Many thanks...
- Dear SalmaIf she can find research on that topic, then it will be fine.
- Thank you so much for clarifying John.
- Thanks so much
- I have a student who is interested in criminology from the socio-cultural perspective.She wants to do a question to what extent does social media influence teen to commit crimes?Can you advise
- Dear John,I need your assistance with the Stroop effect for IA. My students plan to use shapes in different colours for their experiment, and I want to know if this is an acceptable approach. additionally, I want to confirm that the Stroop...
- Of course... I completely forgot about that. Thank you!
- I would say that actually all of them are ethical considerations. You are not required to get informed consent in a field experiment, but this ends up, then leading to the inability of people to withdraw, be debriefed, and potentially...
- Dear CaitlynYes, that is correct. This study is fine for all of those. I will also be happy to finally have this guide behind me!
- Dear WendyThe problem is that "ingestion" is forbidden for IB experiments. You can find this in the curriculum guide. They can do a priming experiment, but they cannot do one that involves food or drink.
- I should have been more clear; this technology is not readily available. Most of the use of MRIs has been done in cancer research and other forms of medicine; rarely used in psychology until very recently. Regardless, the student would earn...
- Dear John, In Q#4 in the quiz, it feels like all of the first three answers are not ethical considerations of a field experiment since the participants do not know they are being observed. Could you please comment more on that? Thank...
- Estimada Ester, No, los apéndices y las referencias no cuentan en el recuento de palabras.
- Dear GregYes, they are similar. So, they are unnecessarily tricky for our students.1. If they ask for one gene (and may ask for one or more genes), then a gene must be identified. If they ask for more than one gene (or allow them...
- Hi John, Lueck and Wilson can be used to respond to questions regarding assimilation, effects of acculturation, and acculturation itself, correct? Or is one of these question stems tricky? I have a faint memory of seeing a discussion about...
- Dear UshaStudents may use animal research on Paper 1 for the SAQs (and ERQs), but for the SAQs, they have to also make a link to humans. So, if they are looking at the role of cortisol on memory impairment, they could describe Meaney...
- Dear VickiRemember, they can write about any "consideration," they don't have to be violations of ethics. So, for Kearins, students could write about "informed consent." They would need to get consent from the parents.The children should...
- Hi John!I have a group of students who want to replicate a priming study. In particular, they want to replicate the priming study that included a counting task between paper and money followed by a candy -chocolate analyis. This was a video...
- Hi John, Could you please comment more on why you say that MRI is not used on rats? I found many articles on how it is used on mice, for example, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2694493/#:~:text=Mice%20are%20used%20in%20many,both%20embryonic%20and%20neonatal%20stages. And...
- Buenos días John. En la evaluación interna las referencias a los anexos. ej (anexo1) etc. ¿cuentan en el recuento de palabras? En este caso contaría como dos palabras más?
- Dear JohnQuestions:* Explain the role of one gene in one behavior with reference to one study, * Explain how genetic similarities help psychologists in the study of genes and behavior with reference to one study, and* Explain the use...
- Dear JohnThat sounds great! I am relieved to know about this. Very much thanks for your valuable input!
- Dear John,This is reg Q 1 - as the question is specifically asking for an effect on human behavior - is it ok if the students use Meaney et al study (animal research) ? Kindly suggest.Thank you,Usha
- Dear JonIt will score low. It will not earn any marks for A.. If there is any discussion of attachment, then marks may be awarded for B, but no more than 2 marks if there is no description/explanation of attachment but psychological...
- Dear AndrewIt should be fine. The assessment team knows about this problem. But it does make the question of the "prevalence of stress" rather difficult as usually the health psychologists are looking at the prevalence of heart...
- Hi John, If students were answering the question 'Explain one ethical consideration related to one research study of culture and cognition and/or behaviour' and were looking at using Berry for cultural dimensions or Kearins for culture...
- Thanks John, I will feed this back to him. I may have him refine the RQ further to make sure he stays on track.
- Thank you!!
- Hi John,Could I ask a general marking principle question? I had a student have a 'brain freeze' in a mock paper 2 & for the question 'development of empathy/ToM' wrote an excellent essay about development of attachment. Would this be a...
- Thank you so much.
- Dear JohnThanks so much for your thorough explanation. Based on your professional experience, if I stick to the stress topic, do you think this will make it disadvantaged compared with other topics?
- No worries at all... thought I had missed a later mention that I glossed over. Cheers!
- That's my thinking. If an experiment looks at the context in which people help (in-group bias), it then also then provides evidence for why they don't and act as bystanders (out-group bias). Thanks!
- Thank you for clarifying John!
- Dear TrevorI think they should be fine. There is a lack of clarity in the guide as to what the difference is between research on bystanderism vs. pro-social behaviour; surely they are just mirror images of each other, right?
- Dear NargesThey should only choose one. Purposive sampling ins only for qualitative research, so this should not be used.
- Dear AfricaNo. It is a study of framing effect, not anchoring bias.
- Dear AndrewYes, you can look at change over time and/or differences between populations. You could look at prevalence rates of stress in different levels of the hierarchy for Marmot - this looks at the role of risk and protective factors...
- Hmmm... I just looked this up and you are correct that it was 17. I didn't design this page and did not verify the numbers (or the citation!) I will update the page.
- Hi John,Would students using Levine et al.'s or Drury et al.'s research receive credit if they focused on the out-group and the lower levels of helping? It seems as though this could be used to explain bystanderism even if helping was the focus.
- Dear John, Regarding IA, my students explained the Sampling technique, and they mentioned two Tech, please let me know if this is right. Are they allowed to use both ? Thank youConvenience sampling: Convenience sampling was...
- I need at least two studies to support an essay question for stress in health option. There are many studies available on this website for explanations of stress, so the only problem is to find enough studies to support "prevalence rate of...
- Dear John,Would Kahneman and Tversky's study on the hospital problem also be an example of anchoring bias?Thank you very much!Best,Africa
- Dear JohnI read the study by Curran and Hill before, and use it as evidence for cognitive explanation of stress, as it suggested "perfectionism" as a cause for increase in stress level.So do you mean that we can compare the stress levels across...
- Hi John, I'm just going through the original study with my students, and we noticed that the original said that there were 17 divorces at the end of the 6-year period rather than 28 (p. 10). I'm wondering if the 28 number is from one of Gottman's...
- Dear ConradIt does not need to be directly linked to a syllabus topic, so that is not a problem. However, he has to be careful that this does not become a politics paper, rather than a psychology paper. If his research is sources are...
- Dear AmyJust another variation. My students came up with it. They liked "viper" more than the "d" for data, which they struggled to apply.
- Dear AndrewThis might work. Have you seen Curran and Hill? https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/31089/curran-and-hill-2017
- Hi John, I have a very bright student who has been doing a lot of background reading into superstitious beliefs and finding links to a biological eatiology. As his research has progressed he has moved to the following RQ: "To what extent does...
- I'm liking DIVER very much and will into it after we finish the IA. But, on a different page you say your students changed it to VIPER - what is the P that replaced the D?
- Thanks, John. Yeah, hope it never on the exam!
- No idea. No one seems to be able to answer this question. "Describe one neuron with reference to one study?" That is a ridiculous question. FIngers crossed that they never ask it. If they do, students will most...
- Dear, JohnI am wondering whether this study can be used to support the question of "the prevalence rate of stress", as this study found that workers from high-ranking positions will show lower level of stress compared with workers from low-ranking...
- Dear John,The IB Psychology Guide has the word "neuron" as the specific content under the content heading of "Neurotransmitters and their effects on behaviour". IB says that any specific content in italics may be formulated as a SAQ question....
- Ok. I will let students prepare both to be safe. Thanks!
- That's reassuring! Thanks, John!
- Dear AbbieIt doesn't really say that they are unstructured; the response for an alternative method is structured interviews because every person is asked to answer the same set of questions. in a focus group, it may be the case that some...
- Dear AndrewThat is a good question. I have been told that students will have a choice on exam day. But that is not in writing anywhere, so I am always a bit cautious with this advice. Personally, I would have students know...
- Dear WernerThere are not many questions that may be asked with "to what extent" on Paper 1. There are more questions on Paper 2 that lend themselves to this command term - but overall, it is rarely used. I would not spend a lot...
- Dear SaraYes, Likert scales are quantitative, collecting ordinal data. Surveys are quantitative; questionnaires are qualitative. But students do not need to say this on exams. This is not something to worry about.
- Yes, that is correct.
- Dear PaulinaNo, they are not required to justify why the use a two-tailed test. That is fine.They only need to include a copy of a blank consent and debriefing form. They shouldn't include signed forms.
- Dear HarshitaPlease see here: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/36112/mdd-biological-explanationsThe study by Kendler is a twin study.
- Dear HarshitaYes, either of those is fine.
- Dear AmberThe link is now fixed. Thank you for letting me know.
- Dear AndrewYes, that would be fine.
- Dear, John. What about the effect of serotonin on depression as an example of a neurotransmitter influencing a behavior? Depression is a psychological disorder, can it be counted as a behavior?
- it would be better to choose something other than a meta analysis because the procedure of a meta analysis is difficult to describe on exam day and often does not earn full marks.
- The only specific theories that they can ask you are the ones written in the guide.
- Yes, that is fine.
- Dear AarushiAny of the ethical considerations is applicabl. Students simply have to describe it - eg informed consent - and then explain what it would look like in the study
- Dear SarahYes, this is one of the idiosyncrasies of the curriculum. This question is only asked at the tooic level. Part of that topic is evolution , so Wedekind is allowed. A poorly designed guide leads to these peculiarities
- hello john I would like to know how did we come to the consenses that the focus group interview is unstructured as it is not mentioned in the case study
- Hello, John! In the biological approach section of IB Psychology Guide, it says that we need study "Twin and kinship studies". I know that kingship studies actually means family studies, just want to confirm whether we need prepare twin studies...
- Hi John,I was wondering if I should still practice “To what extent” questions as you don’t mention any among your Potential exam questions (in all the approaches)?Thanks,Werner
- Thank you for your clarification, John. In the study, they used a 4-point Likert scale, which means that it produced numerical data, right? Also, I'd appreciate your confirmation on something. In IB, surveys are considered qualitative...
- Hi John, Is Paper 1 worth 40%, and are Papers 2, 3, and IAs each worth 20%? Thank you!
- Thanks for your support. I get you-probably my phrasal connectors should have been specific on what I wanted to check. But your reply gave me a sense of direction
- Dear John,my students decided to go for two-tailed hypothesis to avoid possible type 1 or type 2 error. Are they supposed to justify their decision for not going for one-tailed hypothesis?Second question: are students supposed to attach the...
- Hi John, could you shared a study for twin study for depression. Thank you in advance
- Dear John, I think they still will need a study like Caspi in order to answer about the effect of one or more genes on behavior as mentioned by Ethan. There is a possibility of an ERQ, hence they need 2 studies (perhaps, Capsi and 1 more)....
- Dear John, how about using •Caspi et al (2002) and Brunner et al.(1993) studies for MAOA gene for aggression?
- Thank you John. In that case, is Bouchard and McGue (1981) sufficient for twin studies? It uses meta analyses.
- Hi do you have a different link for this one? Avoiding the gymDoes reading something in difficult-to-read font make it appear to be more difficult?Background theory: Cognitive load, processing fluency, Dual processing model; illusory...
- Thanks John,I think I am overthinking and trying to decide if each concept could be considered a theory or not. Is there a document that lists the theories? or should I just focus on the content points in the guide that contain the word...
- Could I do phobias as an anxiety disorder?
- Dear John,I have a question for the 4th sample on Wedekind. I can understand, why this would not be appropriate for this question, but I just want to make sure, that I understand correctly. In the November 2022 examination there was a question:...
- Hi, in case a student uses Sharot to answer ethical consideration in research on 'emotion and cognition', what all guideline can they cover?
- Dear ToddThe only lists are the ones in the guide. There are very few specific theories that they must know. These include the social identity and social cognitive theory - and memory models/schema theory. I don't know what you mean...
- Dear SylvanI am not sure what you mean. Do you mean the command terms? If so you can find them here: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/42115/explaining-command-termsThere is no definitive list of critical thinking skills....
- Thanks, John. Is there any list of theories that students are expected to know? Is it safe to assume that only items that have theory in the title can be asked as an evaluate/dicuss theory type question? I am sure this has come...
- Thank you!
- PLease write a summary of the critical thinking skills.
- Dear MaggieThey will only be awarded marks for the first answer that they write. if they wrote the correct answer first, then this is scored. Otherwise, no marks are awarded.
- Dear PoojaYes, she needs to simply the question - simply end at the word "volume." There is no need for the samples to be listed in the question.
- Dear LucyThe assessment criteria are that she must demonstrate critical thinking. She doesn't have to have a counter-argument. However, research showing the positive effects does counter the role of social media in depression. So,...
- Yes, that is correct.
- Ah! Thank you, Sam. No one has noticed that in three years! Fixed.
- You are right. The use of "synapse" and then "neurotransmitters" is rather confusing in the guide. I have told my own students to be ready for either version - inhibitory or excitatory neurotransmitters (or synapses)
- There is no research on the site for the theory. Here is an example by Cialdini.Cialdini, R. B.; Darby, B. L.; Vincent, J. E. (1973). "Transgression and altruism: A case for hedonism". Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 9 (6):...
- Dear SukanyaWhat are your concerns about this question? I am not supposed to approve questions. I can answer questions about the question. I would ask that in the future you pose a specific question and not ask me just to comment...
- Dear CharlotteI tried to chase this up when the word got out about examiners not accepting 'case studies." I was told that it was particular to that specific exam because it did not match the aim of the study. I am skeptical about...
- That question is much better - but it would be best to focus only one one of the two disorders.
- Dear ElenaNone. This is a term used by Bartlett to explain schema theory. Any schema theory study is applying past understanding/learning to memory formation and retrieval, so there is no need to link specifically to "effort after...
- Dear John,Regarding question 1a) how many marks would a student get if they name two different research methods with two characteristics for each, and one of the research method is correct? I.e. if the answer is covert observation, they mention...
- Hi John,One of my student worked on PTSD and Hippocampal volume, where she ended up showing differences in the combat related PTSD in veterans and childhood maltreatment related PTSD in individuals. But the RQ is 'to what extent does PTSD impacts...
- Hi JohnI have a student who is writing about the extent to which social comparison explains the impact of social media on mental health. She is focusing on MDD specifically. At the moment her essay explores how social media platforms might...
- Thank you!
- Thank you John
- Thank you, John!So, basically all the questions on neurotransmitters (inhibitory and/or excitatory neurotransmitters, agonist, antagonist) can be answered with Antonova?
- Hi JohnThe question on localization is phrased as "Explain localization of behaviour..." Is this accurate? Should it not be Localization of function? Just want to check I am exposing my students to all the different ways a question can be asked,...
- Thanks John! It's just that in the IB Guide in says "Synapse (how these relate to excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters)" so my colleague was concerned that it could be either which is why I reached out. I am glad that it it will be "or"...
- Hi John,Is there a study to support Negative-State relief on the site and, if not, can you recommend one I can look up?Thanks,Andrew
- Thank you so much!
- To what extent does permissive parenting affect children's academic achievement and personal development? Please suggest how this RQ is for an EE. thanks and regards
- Hi,Thank you for these paper 3 mock papers, they are really good. I read somewhere that examiners do not accept case study as a suggested alternative or additional research method for question 1c. In this sample response however, it was...
- So the student sent me this after the feedback '' Does PTSD play a significant role in alcohol-use disorder and none-alcohol substance use disorder '' Should the student focus on one of the disorders or is it okay to continue with this and...
- Thank you for your feedback however do all easy have to be a '' to what extent''? and the student has studies that suggest that there is a high chance that one with PTSD may struggle with addictions so the student wants to find ways of forming...
- Hi, John!What other study as an example of "effort after meaning" schema processing could you advise for ERQ?
- Dear MeganAccording to IB guidelines, they should only have two groups. As you have not taught them which statistics to use for comparing the data for three groups, they should only design an experiment that uses what they have been taught....
- Dear LaurenThe question is descriptive in nature. In needs to be worded in a way that promotes debate. Most students start with "To what extent" but it is not required. See the question types here: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/52429/research-question-proposalI...
- Dear Todd,No. They could use Schema Theory for an ERQ and then use examples of reconstructive memory.
- Dear RachelleThey are not required to have error bars on their bar graph. I have my students do it so that they can also write about it in their explanation of the descriptive statistics.
- Yes, that would be appropriate.
- Dear John,Could you please help with this question for an EE? I have a student who has written about the following EE, "How do societal attitudes towards schizophrenia impact the behaviours and interactions of individuals diagnosed with the...
- Hi JohnIs reconstructive memory considered a theory? Could we get an evaluate the theory of reconstructive memory question for an erq?
- Hi John, could this study also be used for a clinical bias question? E.g the impact of culture on diagnosis?
- John, when using the Median and IQR, should there be error bars on the bar graph?
- Hi John.What do they do if they had a control group with something like this? I have students with a couple different studies (anchoring bias and the like) that had 2 conditions (high and low anchor) plus a control group. When running the test,...
- Dear MarieThe first tip is to get rid of the word "and." And don't start a question with "what is the the role." Remember, the question must be set up as a debate. Maybe To what extent....I don't actually understand the question....
- Dear KatieThe question will be "one or more biological explanations." So, yes, that is a fine approach to the question.
- Dear JonIf the question is on the effects of enculturation, yes, that would be appropriate.
- Dear JillYou can see above that I have it listed as "or" - not separately.
- We can always use a test with lower power - we just cannot use a test of higher power. A WSR converts the data to ranked data (which is ordinal) as you can see in Vassar Stats. The justification is simply that the sample is small and...
- No, esta pregunta no se puede hacer en los exámenes. Los estudiantes pueden utilizar estos términos para evaluar la investigación cultural, pero no están obligados a hacerlo.
- Questionnaires are "qualitative surveys." It is a problem of the inconsistent use of terminology across cultures. Surveys are quantitative; questionnaires are qualitative - like written interviews.
- The study's conclusions show that it was a correlational study: Veterans that reported physical neglect in childhood were 4.55 times more likely to report a history of suicide attempts than in cases where no physical neglect was reported.My...
- Dear YuliaThey will have a choice between inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters - so they do not need to prepare. Remember that an agonist is any chemical that fits into the receptor site and causes the post-synaptic neuron to fire....
- Please help me advise me on this research topic WHAT IS THE ROLE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF ADDICTION IN COPING WITH PTSD SYMPTOMS? Is there any way it can be simplified
- Would it be appropriate to explain NPY through Morgan and hippocampal size with Gilbertson to answer this question? Or does that go beyond "one biological explanation"?
- Hi John,Would enculturation research have to directly involve children? I have students wanting to use a study closer to the effect of 'culture' on behaviour (honor culture Southern US - Cohen et al) which I guess shows an 'effect of enculturation'...
- Hi John,I have a question about "Synapses (excitatory and inhibitory)". I thought that the IB would NOT separate these for an SAQ. Eg. they wouldn't ask a question that says "Explain the role of inhibitory synapses in one behavior with reference...
- Hello John,My students are using WIlcoxon signed rank test even though their data is interval or ratio. And I know that techincally they should use a repeated t-test but I don´t think we do that. So what justifications can they use to say...
- Estimado John. En el enfoque cultural pueden hacer la pregunta "Explica cómo se utiliza el enfoque emic-etic en la investigación?
- Thank you for all your help, John! I checked the study, and it seems like the method used is quantitative surveys. However, in the table above, it's labeled as questionnaires. Am I missing something? I would appreciate your confirmation. Thanks...
- Hi John,Students might answer that the research methodology was questionnaires, since it is mentioned in the stimuli. Would this answer award them points? Also, some students have pointed to focus groups as an additional research method, and...
- Dear John, I am currently using this strategy to prepare my students to answer questions about inhibitory/excitatory function and agonist/antagonist neurotransmitters. Can you please advise if it is acceptable and maybe possible to narrow it...
- Thank you so much John! Much appreciated as always :)
- Dear IanYes, that would make sense.
- Dear Claireyes, that is totally acceptable - and an interesting topic.
- Dear PavithrahThe questions will be worded as seen above. They cannot combine with specific content - e.g. neurotransmitters. Thank god!
- Dear EugeneYes, that is totally possible - and they are the studies most often used on exams.
- Hi John, A student who replicated Loftus & Palmer used the t test "because it is a small sample and does not have a normal distribution"... They had 10 participants per condition (20). They did apply the test and interpreted correctly...
- Thank you so much!
- Sorry John, just one more question. My first student I told you about has now changed his question to the following:To what extent does genetic predisposition lead to the development of obsessive compulsive disorder?He is a strong biology student...
- Hi John, is it possible that the questions are specific to each of the topic content above or will they ask only questions based on the broad topic which is just on biological approach?
- Yes, I agree :) Worth a shot :D Thank you very much, John.
- Dear John, Do you think it's possible to use the studies from the schema theory chapter (Brewer & Treyens - 'The Office' Study and Bartlett - 'War of the ghosts' study) for reconstructive memory? Thanks!
- Thank you, John, very useful!
- Dear AndreaThey can always use animal studies but they need to make some link to human behavior. For many students, it is just easier to use human studies.
- Dear IanTyping in Walder (2010) and COMPT I found: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3522124/And it would be fine to contrast these two theories.
- Dear MariaI am not sure what you mean by the Yang Lu stereotyping activity. I have not edited any of the pages of the site in this chapter in the past few weeks.
- Edit to my question - #4 Bio SAQ Explain the effect of one neurotransmitter on human behavior, with reference to one study.
- Hi John,Can students use studies that use animal models for #4? (such as Antonova)Thanks,Andrea
- Thanks for the confirmation! Another student decided to use different studies than the ones we worked on. For the social explanation, Steen (2000) - Subjective Social Stress.For the biological explanation, Walder (2010) - Compt genes (I...
- Hi John, did you remove the Yang Lu stereotyping activity? I've been searching for it everywhere on this site and can't find it, even though I saw it yesterday.
- All sample essays would earn top marks.
- Dear IanThat is a good question. Usually, the theory is linked to shame. This might play a role in human hierarchies, but with regard to Tung's study of macaque monkeys, I don't see how this would be linked.
- Hi John,How many marks would this sample ERQ earn?Many thanks,Donna
- Weird. It works for me. I have relinked it. If it doesn't work, please let me know.
- Dear JohnI don't see _Strengths_ anywhere on this page.
- Dear RussellI think that they could be more clearly linked to abnormal psychology than human relationships.
- Dear IdaI don't really see how reconstructive memory is explicitly linked to the study. The organization of the information through schema assists with recall, but there is not really any evidence that it is reconstructed.
- Dear KeerthanaI am not sure I understand. The key is that students may use animal studies on paper 1 for the SAQs if they make a link back to human behaviour.
- Hi John, Can the social self-preservation theory, being cognitive explanation, be linked to or used to question the "regular" interpretation of studies with social hierarchy (like Tung)? A student confused this explanation, I guess because...
- Thank you for your prompt reply.
- This link works: -
- fyi dead link in "Limitations" section:
- fyi typo in subhed: "Stengths" instead of _Strengths_
- Hi John, These 2 studies suggested for the HL section on Globalisation: Norasakkunkit & Uchida (2014), Ogihara and Ochida (2014) Could they be used in any sections of the Option on Human Relationships: Personal Relationships? I feel...
- Hi John,Can this study be used for an essay question about reconstructive memory (as well as for schema theory)? Thanks in advance for your answer :)
- Thank you!
- Dear John, Just correct my following understanding whether it is right or wrong, "SL and HL students are allowed to state the animal studies unless until it is connected back to the human conditions".
- Yes, it does sound a bit off. Thank you!
- Dear HarshitaYou could, but it is not required. Family studies (kinship studies) and twin studies are enough for the genetic similarity question.
- Dear ClaireThe first three are fine (and the third needs to choose a disorder), but the fourth one lacks clarity. "Childhood upbringing strategies" is not a standard term in psychology and would need to be more specific.
- Dear John, do we have prepare students with adoption studies as well?since guide mentions - Genetic similarity: Study genetic similarity (twins, siblings, parents, adopted children) for one behaviour.
- Dear CatherineAbsolutely. The way we define a disorder and diagnose it has an effect on prevalence rates in a population.
- Dear SaraThe guide says that students only need to know one hormone. So, two studies from one hormone is the expectation. They could get "Discuss the effects of one or more hormones", so they could write about two different hormones, but this...
- Dear Sara,You can find a summary of the study here: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/37343/buss-1989
- Dear KatarzynaIt seems like they have to give the research method (in most cases) in the text itself. We would not know what type of interview is used if it is not stated. The same for observations and case studies. The one...
- Dear StaceyThe trend has been, and I assume will remain, one or more. The guide, however, does say that students only need to study one, so theoretically they could ask for only one. If that were to happen, students would not be...
- Dear MaggieThey may use that strategy for a question on the use of animal models, but not for ethical considerations. In order to show the value of an animal model, it makes sense to show the study of something similar in humans. For...
- Thanks so much, John. I think I am also having to reframe my thinking/ use of these terms in a general sense. Really useful though - much appreciated.
- Hi again John,Another one of my students is brainstorming possible questions/topics. So far he has come up with the following:1. To what extent does cognitive behavioural therapy (or another specific treatment) improve the symptoms of PTSD?2....
- Thank you so much!
- Dear John. Can I check, this would be relevant for for a question on prevelence rates (e.g., Discuss prevalence rates and disorders.). Thanks.
- I have a question, John. Do students need to know two studies for two different hormones in this topic? Can it be two studies for the same hormone? Thank you very much!!
- Hi John, I need your confirmation on whether they used quantitative surveys in Buss, thus making it a quantitative research method? or questionnaires? Thank you, as always!
- Dear John, a (silly) question. Is the IB going to provide a stimulus with an identified research method? I am asking as this study in particular would be difficult to identify as a case study if the method was not already suggested. There is...
- John,Will the question always ask for "ONE cultural dimension" or can it be simply on any? I taught one study each for two different dimensions. uh oh...Thanks!Stacey
- Dear John, For this ERQ question, would students be allowed to discuss with one animal study e.g. Meaney, and compare with a second study conducted with humans e.g. McGaugh & Cahill? I'm guessing no?Many thanks!
- Theoretically, yes. However, it is not clear what this question would actually mean. How does digital technology affect the reliability of cognitive processes? If that were the question, I would simply stick to the research...
- I think that emotional contagion could, theoretically work. As I wrote above, the wording of the question is so bizarre I am not really clear what would be acceptable and what would not be. I think that Chou & Edge - which links...
- Dear JessicaThis study has not been accepted for stereotypes. It is about gender norms - and this is different. The idea that a girl "should not be loud" or "not jump" or "not play with trucks" - these are norms/rules that are established...
- Linking it to a More Knowledgeable other? They would have to make a good explanation to link the two. As this is not really the focus of the study, the student would have to make a good argument for the examiner. I think it...
- Dear John, Could the students get a question on the influence of technology and the reliability of cognitive processes?Kind regards,Alejandra
- Good afternoon. To add into the conversation with Ethan, can I ask about Kramer (emotional contagion) and even Chou & Edge (“many of my friends are happier than me”). Aren't any of these possible for emotion & cognition? Thanks.
- Dear John,My students are wondering: Could they use Fagot to discuss stereotypes or effects of stereotypes? While they want to make an argument about gender stereotypes at work, I'm not sure the aim of the study is appropriate to this question...
- Hi JohnI have a student who has used Odden and Rochat to support Vygotsky. Does that work?
- Well, it is a bit question of what will be allowed. The question would be the effects of technology on "emotion and cognition." The word "and" is important here. The question is how it will affect emotion and thus cognition? Or...
- Ah yes, sorry, I missed that. So, the way it is in the guide, students have to address the role of technology on cognition AND emotion, which is why the relationship to FBM?I was thinking to just use studies supporting the negative emotional...
- Dear NehaYou can see on Facebook that Trevor answered that for you. You write "non-IB student."
- Dear EthanI definitely do not have any favorites. The question is so poorly worded, it is hard to believe that the IB would ask it on exams - for 22 marks! Here is what I use with my own students: https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/36869/cognition-and-tech-emotion-and-cognition
- So in terms of the title page of the IA report how will we mention the group details when all members are not IBDP students?
- Hi John,I was wondering if you have two studies you like for a question about the role of dig tech on emotion. Do you have any you use or that are on the site? Kind regards,Ethan
- Dear NehaYes, that is totally fine. Remember, groups have to be between 2 and 4 students. So, 2 is totally fine. The students who are not in the DP Psychology course only have to help in the following ways:1. They should read over...
- Dear John,As per the Psychology guide the IA group students may work with another student who is not studying DP psychology. Could this students be studying psychology under another examination board which may be a national board?I would...
- Dear GinnyYes, I am also a bit puzzled by this one as well. See: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1998-12057-015The researchers define "proximal" as health related and "distal" as more about social context. It is a slightly different...
- Hi John,We are having a debate about the proximal and distal risk/ protective factors in the Jessor study - would distal factors not be those that are 'closer' to one and proximal 'more distant? We are in a conundrum! Thanks so much. Ginny
- Many thanks John! Will steer him in the direction of sociocultural factors and addiction.
- Dear RanjaviThat is correct. Teaching only an evolutionary explanation is fine.
- Dear EleenaI don't think that there is any other question on the exams that specifies a "model." Yes, these terms may be used interchangeably for assessment.
- Dear HendHere is a good overview of the concerns of this study. I teach it as an example of problematic research and tell students not to use it on exams. https://www.vox.com/2018/6/13/17449118/stanford-prison-experiment-fraud-psychology-replicationEven...
- There are many variations of this study that she did, using different objects. You can see a list of those objects here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1786712/
- Thanks so much John.
- Noted. Thank you, John.
- Dear John, I am wondering if for an ERQ which says "discuss the biological approach /explanation to the formation of relationships" , can the students be taught , let's say Buss et al and Wedekind , both of which support the evolutionary...
- Dear John, So does that mean every model in IB psychology can be considered as a theory and every theory can be counted as a model?
- I see! Thank you John!
- Thank you John!
- Thank you so much!
- Thanks for the clarification, John. Much appreciated!
- Thank you, John. I wasn't aware if studies were fully covered in the textbook they wouldn't be repeated in the key studies section. I will make sure to make my students aware.Appreciate your time in responding.
- Can I know why you stopped using it?
- Dear John,Thank you for the above, I had the same question. Also, while going through Baillargeon's study as uploaded on ResearchGate, I could find no mention of the toy mouse - only the box. Is this a similar reference to another study?Thank...
- Dear ShenPersonally, I would not recommend it for an SAQ. Since you cannot include evaluation, it makes it difficult to make clear why this study is important in our understanding of reconstructive memory. Using it as a counterargument...
- Dear HarshitaThat is not usually what is meant by kinship studies since they look at the gene across generations, not just in a single sibling cohort. I am not sure that it would be accepted.
- Dear BridieIf the question is about "effects" of enculturation, then any study of cultural dimensions is accepted.
- Dear John,if students want to use this for SAQ-reconstructive memory-schema processing, do they need to focus on arguing that schema processing does not seem to influence reconstructive memory (high reliability between police reports and research...
- Dear John, Can Brunner et al.(1993) that looks at MAOA gene and aggression be used in family studies (wherein Five males of the family had high urine levels of monoamines due to possessing a shortened version of the MAOA gene (which only males...
- Yes, that is correct.
- Dear John,A student asked if Chen et al be used for enculturation/acculturation? I don't see it listed as such as study for this anywhere, but just want to be sure.
- You and me both! Thank you.
- Dear John, According to the guide, students have the option to discuss an example of reconstructive memory, such as confabulation, schema processing, or false memories. If students choose to examine studies like Loftus & Palmer (1974) and...
- Thank you John!
- Dear JoelIf the question is on the effects of enculturation, as it was a few sessions ago, this study is appropriate and was accepted.
- Dear Louise,That should be fine. But the student will have to operationalize "academic performance" in the introduction to the essay.
- Hi John,Would this study be appropriate for an SAQ on enculturation such as "Describe one study investigating enculturation"? Enculturation is certainly at play regarding conformity within each culture, but it doesn't seem to me the aim of...
- Dear John, Would you mind giving me your thoughts on the following EE question: - To what extent does regular physical exercise influence academic performance in adolescents?Thank you for your help!
- Dear SarahIt is a requirement to have a good description of the sample. Many students are moderated down not for not having gender, but for lacking detail about the nature of the sample. They need to then find relevant traits and describe...
- Dear EvgeniaPersonally, I don't think a single bout of physical activity is very practical in memory development, but if the student finds enough research on it, it would be a viable question.
- You can do it either way. the question of practice effect is something that you can discuss with the class. Students often say that there was a practice effect simply because it was repeated measures. However, the question would...
- Dear RusselWhich study are you referring to? For looking at how we acquire gender norms from our culture, the following studies are already explained in detail: Martin and Halverson, Fagot, Greenfield, Kimball, and Hilliard and Liben. For...
- Can you include more details of the study in the textbook on enculturation so we can get a better pictuire of how to use this in exam answers?
- Thanks John, that's very helpful.
- Hi John, I am wondering if it is still necessary to report on gender given that it is not a relevant characteristic of the sample and may be harmful to ask of students. Thank you!
- Dear John,Could you please tell me how you feel about this question: To what extent acute exercises (a single bout of physical activity) influence long-term memory? Any advice would be appreciated.Thank you
- Hi John, the multitasking experiment with or without music, as written, would seem to be repeated measures (the students are only referred to collectively for both tasks). But I'd think it would be more effective as independent samples, as,...
- Thank you, John!
- Thank you, Katrina. I think that I have fixed them all now! Yes, the joys of technology!I hope you enjoy your weekend.
- Dear SamThe contrast command term is a bit odd. It asks students to contrast the two theories, but it does not require evaluation of the research. I should colour the contrast points more clearly so that all of the critical thinking can...
- Dear MartinThey need to explain what that means in the context of their study. Simply saying "avoiding order effects" is not enough.
- Dear JosephineA good catch - and a bit of a problem with the published study and the video. The published study says 5.5 months. However, in the video the researcher says 3.5 months. I have 3.5 months on this page because...
- Hello John,Many of the links in the "answers/suggestions" on the Task above no longer lead anywhere. Not a big deal, but thought you'd want to know. One of the many joys of technology. ;-)Thanks for all you do! ~Katrina
- Hi JohnThis essay is provided as an example of a high scoring response to the set question, however I am unsure where the marks for critical evaluation are coming in? There seems to be very little critique of the studies - a line or two. In...
- Hello John,When students in their IA talk about why they chose independent measures and they say it is to reduce order effect and to avoid demnad characteristicsDo they need to explain what they mean by that or just stating this is enough?
- Hi John, I have a question for Baillergeon: In the student text book here, it states; "that is, infants aged 3.5 months and older are able to represent and reason about hidden objects." How ever in the study described on site it does not...
- Yes, that would be fine.
- Dear KatieIt is not a really strong study to use for the MSM. The MSM says very little about LTM, so I would not focus on that with the research.
- Hi John,Thank you for your kind suggestion.So is it better to frame it this way if the student wants to do a comparison and figure out which works best?To what extent does the Authoritative parenting style contribute to children's academic...
- Hi John, Can this study be used to support the MSM due to the fact it was attempting to test the duration of LTM which the model proposes is a lifetime? or is the fact that the research only tests up to 48 years means it is flawed and thus...
- Yes, the IB is very liberal in the interpretation of model vs theory.
- Dear John, Can multi store memory model or working memory model being considered as a "theory", I have some students writing these when I ask for one theory and one model in the ERQ!
- Thanks so much for your confirmation, John!
- I would ask them to see a copy of the study. Barry et al's study is Barry et al.’s (1959) cross-cultural study on economic systems and child training practices (e.g. parenting) is a good one to use. These researchers compared 46...
- Thank you John
- Hi John, In our mock exam a student answered the SAQ 'Explain one study of enculturation' using the study Barry et al on investigating learning curriculums in individualistic and collectivist cultures. They claimed that students learn...
- Dear AnnaThe IV is the communication style - positive or negative. And the DV is whether they are still married after six years.
- Dear DanyaIf the study is relevant, then yes. But SCT is not relevant to Buss's findings. He is looking at evolutionary explanations vs. cultural findings. There is no evidence of SCt in his study.
- Dear StephanieIt is totally fine for students to do topics that you do not cover in your course. And yes, that question is fine. They would not write about alternative explanations, but should look at why research that shows that...
- It would be a survey. The results are correlational in that they do not establish a cause and effect. However, there is no r value, so it is not a "correlational study." The r value would mean that as x increases, y increases (or...
- Dear MeganThey should just include the list of words. They do not put the actual presentation into the appendices.
- Ok. That is good because I don't see any issues with any of those questions.
- Me again! Is the IV whether the PPTs were happily/unhappily/married/divorced and the DV is ability of the researchers to predict? Or would it be the IV is the communication style and the DV is the married/divorced after 6 years. I looked at...
- Hi John.For the appendices, what do students do if they created a PowerPoint to show words or images to participants? How would they include that in the materials for the appendix?
- Hi John,Actually, I didn't find any concern with these questions. I have 8 students doing EE in Psychology. I feel it would be great if I get an extra opinion on these questions. Thanks in advance!!!
- Dear John,If students want to use an additional theory to explain the role of culture, could they use theories from the 'Sociocultural Approach Topic' - e.g. to use 'individualistic vs collectivist cultures' (i.e. cultural dimensions) or Social...
- Hi John, I have a student who wants to write about the inheritance of addictive behaviours for their EE. We don't teach the health unit for Paper 2, so can the student use this topic, or can it not be anything that's in the IB syllabus....
- Dear John I am a bit unsure in terminology for If they were asked to ''Discuss one or more research methods used in the study of personal relationships.''It says research methods = interviews, observations, experiments, correlational studies,...
- Dear MartinTechnically, you only have to report the p-value. Many students around the world report the W values (or T values). Very few (if any) report the z values.
- Yes. It is not a study that I teach anymore, but it is definitely allowed on exams. The IB has simply said that we should not use research from the 19th century.
- Dear EleenaYou are correct. It is actually an example of top-down processing, not bottom-up. As for the first response, it is more that the activation of the schema allows the listener to focus / pay attention and organize the information...
- Thank you, Joel. Have a good rest of the week!
- Dear AbhilashPlease remember, I cannot approve your questions. What are your concerns about these questions? Which ones do you feel that you are not certain and for what reason?
- Hello John,For reporting the WIlxocox signed rank test do we use the W value or the Z value. We had sample of 11 students in conditions. Just not sure how to do it.
- Hello, Is it okay to use the Zimbardo's study or is it outdated?
- Dear John,Thank you so much.
- Hello~ John! So my student is trying to answer an SAQ on schema theory with the study Bransford and Johnson(1972) with an aim: to Investigate the effect of context on comprehension and memory of text passages, the one witht he balloon picture....
- Hi John,Thanks for the clarification. Much appreciated!The students are really enjoying the experiments and analysis. Thanks for the great lessons.Best,Joel
- Dear John, I would like to know your feedback for the given set of RQs,1. To what extent does exposure to media violence impact the rate of aggression in children2. To what extent is Dance/ Movement therapy (DMT) an effective mode of therapy...
- Dear HendMaybe a potential question. I would ask the student to find at least three peer-reviewed studies before finalizing the question. I would think that there would be limited research on this topic - but I have been proven...
- Hi John, Could you please help with this RQTo what extent does confirmation bias contribute to the persistence of conspiracy theories / or decsion making. TIA
- Thank you!
- Thanks a lot John. You're a saviour. Warm Regards
- Thank you so much!
- Dear ClaireThat question is fine. However, it should be a very strong student. I have had two students in my career try this question and the reading is very difficult. Genetic arguments for addiction are complex and the research...
- Dear AnaYes, they could use Theory of Threatened Egotism. They could also use ITT. Both of them have cognitive elements. The arguments are based on social cognition, making it difficult to differentiate between the two approaches....
- Dear TimThe Stroop Effect is definitely allowed. There is no such restriction.It sounds like an interesting experiment, but they will need to find a theory to base the study on. I don't see how incidental memory is linked to their...
- Dear RyanNo. The question is about using another method to investigate the same question. A meta-analysis is a statistical analysis of research that has already been done by others. Students need to use one of the listed methods...
- Dear CarolHave you chosen the studies in Student Access? If you have done that and saved your choices, then your students should be able to see the pages. If you have done that and they cannot see them, then there is a strange glitch....
- Dear JoelOk, a few things. First, my mistake yesterday. It was correct that you run a Mann Whitney U test. You can see (I have put it in italics), students have to switch roles. Hence, the Mann Whitney U.It is up to...
- Dear AndrewNo. If the question is: BA: Does A precede B? Then answer is no. B is before A.
- Hi John, One of my students wants to do a question based on addiction. So far he has come up with: "To what extent is genetic predisposition the cause of addiction?" but we are worried that it is too biology heavy with no real psychological...
- One more question! For each of the above explanations, for example cognitive, what would be counted as the 'theory' and supporting study. Could I use the Theory of Threatened Egotism and the study by Fein and Spencer. If this is the case, is...
- Hi John, In the last 5/6 years of teaching Psych my students have generally chosen well known experiments and theories for their IAs. I have a current group of students, who wish to conduct an experiment in which they investigate how...
- Thank you
- Hi John, For Question 1C, could a meta-analysis be an acceptable or appropriate alternative or additional research method?
- Dear Jhon,My students have the same issue, I've checked student view and noticed they are only able to check key studies from abnormal psychology, the other options (developmental, human relationships & health ones) did not display the...
- Hi John,I am still a bit confused on how the Mann Whitney U or Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test would work for the dual task technique. Unless I am missing something, it seems that for either test there are two data sets I can enter, which I figure...
- John, is there an answer key for dual task technique task 1?Thanks, Andrew
- Thanks for the quick response, John. Much appreciated!
- Dear AlastairI also think that it is the matrix that was used - and then, how they awarded points to the in-group or out-group would be the dependent variable.
- Dear John, What would you say was the independent variable in this experiment? The type of matrix used? Or the group membership of the two recipients of the points (that is, whether they belonged to the out-group or the in-group)? The original...
- Dear SarahYou are correct. It would be more appropriate to use the median. However, in the original study, they used the mean. It shows that the IB uses a more conservative approach to descriptive statistics than many in the actual...
- Dear BridieNo, it is not one of the questions listed in the guide.
- Dear TriptiThat is fine. The counter-argument is that it doesn't lead to antisocial behaviour. There is definitely research out there to support the counter-argument; have the students look for examples of those mediating factors...
- Ah - well spotted. That should be the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test. Fixed.
- Dear GregThe sample with Leyton is the same study. It is attributed differently in the print and online publications. I used the Setiawan attribution here in the study because it is what is found online. Leyton was the sample...
- Dear AnnaIt is a natural experiment. As they took the test to measure variables when they were first married and then they were checked again six years later to see if they were still married.
- Dear John,Is this RQ acceptable as an EE topic? Please add your valuable feedback. Thank you!"To what extent does child abuse lead to the development of antisocial behaviour?"Also, what can be considered as a counter-argument for the above...
- Hi JohnIs this exactly the same study as Leyton? Thank you for enlightening me :) Greg
- Hi John,Just checking - students can't be asked about ethics in this extension?
- Hello,I have a quick question about this study. Since they rated personality traits on a 6-point scale, is it right to use average (mean) of the composite score? Or would it be better to use median? If we were to look at each ranking separately,...
- Hi John,I am a bit confused on how to set the Mann Whitney U for the dual task technique. Are you comparing the data for the times only (i.e. not including the data on number of errors)? Sorry if this seems obvious, but this is my first time...
- Oh goodness, glad I checked, I did not notice this before. That helps with my decision then! Thank you for your swift response. Have a great day. Anna
- Hi John! What research method would the Gottman study be please? Would this be classified as a case study? Many thanks!
- I think that they could use it for clinical biases, focusing on confirmation bias.
- Dear SaraSexual selection is a subset of natural selection, so this is fine for Wedekind. And Raleigh's study and social competition hypothesis is an acceptable answer and is commonly used.
- Dear NataliaThe IB is looking at agonists as related to neurotransmission. Oxytocin works on target cells on the amygdala. In the past, students who have used oxytocin have not earned marks for this question. They should use a neurotransmitter...
- Dear ZohraThe stimulus actually says questionnaires. It is the directions at the top that mistakenly identify the method. That is now fixed. Questionnaires are like structured interviews, so if you are assessing them, then...
- Dear AnnaThe guide allows for five disorders: anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, and eating disorders. Students are not allowed to write about schizophrenia. Of course, you and your students may do some research on this topic, but...
- Hello JohnI was looking at teaching schizophrenia instead of depression for Abnormal due to some concerns in relation to wellbeing. I am not finding much material but Simply Psychology has some of the theories and research. Do you think...
- Hi John, would this study be relevant for clinical biases in diagnosis? I am having a hard time seeing the connection as the participants were not asked to give a diagnosis per se but gave a rating on how disturbed they perceived them to be....
- Hi John, I have a question regarding Script 2. I was wondering if you could clarify why it is referred to as natural selection instead of mating selection. Also, I'm wondering if Wedekind's study can be applied to both concepts (natural &...
- Thank you for the clarification!
- Hi John! Would the Baumgartner et al (2008) study work as a study that shows how Oxytocin is an agonist for trust behaviour? As the study states "It seems that oxytocin may facilitate the expression of trust even after trust has been violated...
- Dear John,My students identified the method as a structured interview as it is mentioned in the study. Is their response wrong?Thank you
- Dear IanI am not sure that either of them is actually required. Being able to discuss the role of stress on health is enough to earn marks for B. I have not read in the subject reports that such theories are required. As such,...
- Cualquiera de los dos enfoques está bien. Los estudiantes pueden escribir sobre cualquiera de los estudios, pero si escriben sobre un estudio con animales, deben establecer una conexión explícita con el comportamiento humano.
- Dear SamStudents will have a choice between explaining an excitatory or an inhibitory neurotransmitter.
- Yes, that study is fine. It is also possible to just use a study of a neurotransmitter, which is an endogenous agonist.
- Dear BridieYes, that is correct. Caspi would be fine in either case. When it comes to "more than one gene," it is not expected for students to know all the genes involved in a behaviour. If the question is "one or more" then any...
- Thanks John! Makes sense :)
- Hello John,Other resources focus on the Buffering Model and Main-effect Model as theoretical explanations that students should include in their Introduction for criterion B. I understand how most of social circumstances can be explained within...
- Estimado Juan. Esta muestra de escritura muestra un estudio con ratones, aunque al final lo vincula con el estudio de Porges. Me preocupa que al preguntar sobre un solo estudio solo tengan en cuenta la primera parte de la pregunta, que no se...
- Hi JohnDoes this mean the IB could also ask about the role of an excitatory neurotransmitter?
- Dear John , Hope you are well. Could you please help me validate the attached study, if can be used to answer for Agonist SAQhttps://www.themantic-education.com/ibpsych/2019/10/10/agonists-and-behaviour-pramipexole/
- Hi John,Just checking. Students would be safe to use Caspi whether the question was 'one' or 'one or more', correct?Also, one student pointed out that Weismann is listed in the study guide for this question but on the Weismann page it says...
- Dear RussellAbsolutely. It is helpful (but not required) that materials in the appendices include an English translation.
- Dear AnnaYes, absolutely.
- Dear AnnaOops. This is not part of the unit, so I never did it. I have deleted it from the above page and cleaned up the page a bit. Sorry about that. You will see, however, that I have added a new page to the textbook...
- Dear MariaYes, theoretically these can be combined, but the wording is very odd and the intention/meaning of the questions is not clear. For cognitive, yes, students may apply their understanding of cognitive biases (or clinical biases) to...
- Dear ZahraIt is not a problem. And each question is assessed by a different examiner. The one caveat that I tell students is that if they have misunderstood a study and make a mistake in its description or interpretation, then they...
- Dear DavidYou are correct that it is a replication of the study by Latane and Darley. The study in the video is, however, carried out by Dominic Abrams.
- Dear Ian1. I think that "contrast two approaches" is a valid question. So, contrast two explanations of one disorder is a likely question. Contrast two treatments would also be a potential question. They just asked "Contrast...
- Dear SamHazan and Shaver is described on detail in the textbook. When that is the case, I don't repeat it again in a key study. The amount of detail that is available for most studies in the textbook is enough for students on exams....
- Dear RebeccaNo, a study of neurotransmission alone is not enough to answer a question on neural networks. It would have to be a study of neuroplasticity.
- Hi John, Are students allowed to conduct the actual Experiment in a language other than English for non-English speaking participants if it is an English accredited IB School and then write the report in English? So, some materials and instruction...
- Hi John, if pupils are asked to discuss ethical considerations in health promotion, could pupils use this info, instead of just picking out the CARDUD ethical considerations in 2 (or more) of their key studies?
- Hi John, I can't see any lesson on LP3 - ethical considerations in health promotion.
- Hi John, For approaches to research, would "Cognitive factors in /influencing diagnosis" and Bio be possible prompts too? And for cognitive, would biases be a possible point of discussion here? I find this challenging - any...