Psychology

Course summary

The biological level of analysis, the cognitive level of analysis, the sociocultural level of analysis. In addition to the generic aims for Group 3, the aims of the Psychology course at SL and at HL are to: • Develop an awareness of how psychological research can be applied for the benefit of human beings. • Ensure that ethical practices are upheld in psychological inquiry. • Develop an understanding of the biological, cognitive and sociocultural influences on human behaviour. • Develop an understanding of alternative explanations of behaviour. • Understand and use diverse methods of psychological inquiry. IB Psychology adopts an exclusively analytical approach. This involves studying the different approaches psychologists use, in an attempt to gain an understanding of the underlying assumptions held by disparate groups of psychologists. The ultimate intention is to gain a holistic vision for how psychology fits together into a unit. Coursework has a compulsory experimental approach. In terms of assessment, the IB Psychology course places more far more emphasis on essays than on structured questions.