IB1- You will learn the foundations of psychology. The content you will learn in year IB1, you will apply to the topics we study in year IB2. It is.

WELCOME TO IB PSYCHOLOGY!

THE COURSE IB1- You will learn the foundations of

psychology. The content you will learn in year IB1, you will apply to the topics we study in year IB2.

It is vital that if you miss a lesson, you get the work off someone else and come and see me if you do not understand it.

IB1 COURSE CONTENT Biological level of analysis: The brain

and nervous system. How do our bodily functions in terms of neurotransmitters, chemicals and brain transmissions affect our behaviour.

This is very scientific- if you struggle with science, don’t worry. PLEASE come and see me after a lesson if you feel you have just sat through the lesson and not understood a word of it!

BIOLOGICAL CONTINUED We look at hormones and behaviour-

Melatonin and how it contributes to jet lag and seasonal affective disorder. We look at the role of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin and their affects on people in terms of OCD and depression.

We also look at the effects genes have on our behaviour. Are we born with the gene to become anorexic/alcoholic/drug addict or is it linked more to the environment?

COGNITIVE LEVEL OF ANALYSIS This perspective is all linked to our

thoughts and mind processes. Do not confuse aspects of it to the biological perspective. This perspective is about how we feel and think, not the chemical processes that are occuring.

COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY We look at how we remember things, models

of memory. We look at how memory can be unreliable through eye witness testimonies. We look at different types of memories.

SOCIAL- CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY This is the unit that looks at human

interactions within society. We look at why people conform, obey and comply. The effects of people blindly obeying without thinking for themselves. We look at some of the most influential psychological studies ever conducted.

We look at behaviour within different cultures and reasons as to why different cultures behave so differently to the same stimuli.

H.L= QUALITITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS. This is an independent study unit. You

will be given a set amount of time to complete a section of your work booklet. We will then have one lesson every two weeks going over what you have completed in your booklet.

We will also touch on some aspects of this unit in lessons. Whenever we look at a study, we will go through what TYPE of study it was and why it was best to use that type of study.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS NOT the most interesting aspect but it is

a necessity at higher level.

It is absolutely essential you keep to deadline on this otherwise you will have key research methods and statistics missing which could come up in the exam!

IB2 COURSE CONTENT In IB2, you apply all your knowledge

from year IB1 to two topic areas if you are higher level and one topic area if you are standard level.

SL students will be able (as a group) to choose one option, and the HL students will choose a second one from the following: Abnormal Pysch., Developmental Psych., Sports Psych., Relationships Psych., and Health Psych.

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT Begins after Easter in IB1. You decide the area you want to study,

however you must stick to the IB ethical guidelines which will be explained to you nearer the time.

H.l- 2000 words, you also have to run a statistical test on your results, as well as include extra bits of information in each section.

SL- 1500 words, no stats test, very basic replication of a study already carried out.

INFORMATION Psychology is the most content heavy

course at IB. There is a lot to learn, including theory, research methods and several psychological research studies that you must know and be able to apply to the relevant psychological perspective.

You cannot afford to miss work, as every lesson is an aspect of the course that you could be questioned on in the exam.

EXAM Paper 1: Section A- three 8 mark questions, one

for each perspective. Answer all three questions.

Section B- three 22 mark essay questions, one on each perspective. Choose ONE only! Obviously choose the one you feel you can answer best.

EXAM PAPER 2 There are several topic areas, only

answer the questions in the sections we have studied.

SL- there are 3, 22 mark questions in the stress/addiction section. Again, choose ONE. The one you feel you can answer best.

HL- You answer one question as above on the first option, plus you choose one of the three questions in the psychology of the second option

EXAM, PAPER 3, HL ONLY Qualitative research methods. You will

be given a scenario/case and you will be asked questions regarding what research methods you would use and why and what the advantages and disadvantages of this research method are.

ANSWERING QUESTIONS 8 mark questions are usually describe,

explain, examine....... They look at your knowledge and understanding of something.

22 mark questions are the questions students struggle most on. They are essay based questions. They require you to demonstrate knowledge and understanding, but crucially they look at your ability to analyse and evaluate.

22 MARKS! 9 marks for knowledge and

understanding, explaining/describing something.

9 marks for evaluation and analysis 4 marks for presentation, does your

answer flow from one theme to another. Does it make sense, have you used the correct research studies to support your answer.

P.E.E You must pee throughout your answers to

exam questions (mainly 22 markers). We will do loads of exam questions for

practise. P- Make a point. E.g, memory can be

unreliable................. E- Evidence. What evidence is there that

memory can be unreliable? Research studies: Loftus and Palmer eye witness testimonies, weapon focus etc.

E- Evaluate. Criticise positively and negatively the theory you have talked about and the research studies linked to it.

22 MARKER In a 22 mark question, you should aim

to write about three studies linked to the question being asked.

Hint- DO NOT confuse a research study and a research method.

Research study- the experiment conducted by the psychologist. E.g. Loftus and palmer (1976) study on eye witness testimony.

Research method- How they conducted the study. Was it a laboratory experiment, a case study and observation etc etc.

EVALUATING IN PSYCHOLOGY We can evaluate on a number of levels. Methodology- what was the methodology used in

studies to support a theory. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using this methodology.

Ethics- Is the theory/study unethical in any way. Were animals used? Did the study cause psychological upset. Did they gain consent or were participants deceived?

Culture and gender- was the study conducted in other cultures or has it just been conducted in USA and applied to other countries, what are the problems with this? Were participants all male/all female? What are the problems with this?

EVALUATING Think for yourselves too-if you think a

study is flawed in some way, put your ideas down and justify them. E.g. In eye witness testimony research, the studies are unrealistic, they don’t stir up the same feelings in someone as if they were involved in a real crime.

NOTES Please take your own notes during lessons

as extra information. You are responsible for your own notes.

Do not expect everything to be given to you on a plate. At IB, you are expected to carry out your own research. Look on google, wiki, and also check out the Psychology books in the library. Anything you find yourself that is relevant to the course, you can use in exams. Don’t think the information I give you is it. Conducting your own research will help you get the level 6/7.

ASK! I am always here if you need any help,

advice, information or you just want someone to moan too. My job is to make Psychology interesting but most importantly to get you all passed with a good grade.

Please talk to me if you are having any problems.

EX STUDENT I asked an ex student to write some tips for you

all concerning IB psychology, here they are: DO NOT expect to be taught to analyze people

directly, the psychology course is focused learning different psychological theories and the studies that back them up or disprove them, it could be that its not what you expect.

DO expect lots of work, there is a lot of memorization involved in Psychology, and lots of essay writing as well. If you feel overloaded, take standard, its one exam less to study for and a whole perspective less, which you will eventually learn is a massive difference.

TIPS! TAKE THEM OR LEAVE THEM AT YOUR OWN RISK....... DO NOT go over the word limit on your coursework.

DO the essays given to you as homework with as much effort as possible, as its one of the best ways of remembering whole topics, you get better exam technique, and it helps you organize theories, studies and exam questions in your head so you understand how they all fit together.

DO NOT leave studying until the last minute.

DO keep organized notes, for at the end of year 13 you will be so stressed and tired of studying that finding yourself without psychology notes a week before the exams will make you want to kill yourself. Keeping good notes actually helps you memorize everything better.

TIPS! In the IB you tend to learn everything you were meant to

have learnt (the whole syllabus of all your subjects) in the 3 months before the actual exams, so it would make things a lot easier to start revising early in IB2 and put the effort in to learn and have a solid understanding of all you do in year IB1. This is important

if you want to have a bearable last year, think of it as running 200 metres everyday instead of running back to back marathons the month before exams.

One of the best ways to study is writing 8 and 22 mark essays on topics and theories that you have to learn. Throughout the essay you must link back to the essay question with every point you make or paragraph you write, and organize your ideas clearly in different paragraphs. This makes the essay clearer and more focused, something that examiners look for.