IB Psychology,
approaches &
named studies.
IB DP Psychology HL and SL — covering all three approaches (biological, cognitive, sociocultural), research methods, and the option topics. Coached by specialists who drill the named-study fluency the mark scheme rewards.
The IB's behavioural science. Strong foundation for psychology, neuroscience, medicine and social science degrees.
IB Psychology rewards named studies over general ideas.
IB Psychology is built around three approaches to explaining behaviour — biological, cognitive and sociocultural — and a set of option topics at HL. The course is research-heavy, and the mark scheme specifically rewards students who can cite named studies with authors, dates, aims, methods, findings and evaluations.
The naming problem
"Research has shown that people conform under pressure" scores nothing. "Asch (1951) found that 75% of participants conformed at least once when the confederate group gave clearly wrong answers" scores full marks. Teaching this level of study fluency is the primary skill Times Edu coaching delivers.
The IA
The IB Psychology IA is an experimental replication of a published study. It is worth 20% (SL) or 25% (HL) of the grade and requires full understanding of experimental design, statistics and inferential testing. Most schools under-coach this. We spend dedicated sessions on the IA from early DP2.
The full content we cover in 1:1 lessons.
Every Times Edu Psychology mentor maps lessons directly to the official IB subject guide — nothing on the final exam is a surprise.
Biological Approach
Brain, genes, neurotransmitters, hormones, evolution.
Cognitive Approach
Memory, thinking, schema, cognitive biases, models of memory.
Sociocultural Approach
Social identity, cultural dimensions, stereotypes, compliance.
Research Methods
Experiments, observations, interviews, case studies, ethics.
Abnormal Psychology
Depression, eating disorders, classification, cultural factors.
Developmental Psychology
Attachment, cognitive development, identity formation.
HL Extensions
Additional depth on every approach — only on HL papers.
Internal Assessment
Experimental replication with full written report — SL 20%, HL 25%.
Every paper and every IA, mapped.
IB assessment mixes exam papers with the Internal Assessment — and the IA is where most schools lose marks. Here is the full breakdown.
Approaches (SAQ + Essay)
Three short-answer questions plus one 22-mark essay on an approach.
Options (HL)
One 22-mark essay on each of two HL option topics — HL only.
Research Methods (HL)
Stimulus-based short-answer questions on research methodology — HL only.
Experimental Replication
Individual replication of a published study with full IA report.
Why even strong students lose IB points here.
These are the three traps we see most often in diagnostic sessions with new IB Diploma Psychology students — and every one is fixable with focused coaching.
Vague studies
The mark scheme awards full marks only for fully-named studies with date and methodology. "A famous experiment" scores nothing; "Milgram 1963" scores in full.
Thin essay evaluation
The 22-mark essays require at least 4 separate evaluative points. Students who evaluate once and move on cap at 14/22.
Weak IA statistics
The IA analysis criterion requires inferential statistics (t-test or similar). Students who only use descriptive stats lose 4 marks.
Across HL and SL.
I memorised 16 named studies across the course. By exam day I could deploy five of them on any essay question. Final grade: 7 in HL Psychology.
What families always ask about IB Psychology.
Have a specific question about your child's situation? Book a free 60-minute diagnostic and our IB specialist will answer every one.
Is Psychology a science or a humanity at IB?
Officially Group 3 (individuals and societies) — so a social science. But research methods and statistics play a larger role than most families expect. Students who dislike experimental design often struggle.
How many studies should my child know by exam day?
15–20 fully-named studies with date, method, findings and evaluation. We drill this systematically throughout the course.
Is IB Psychology good preparation for medicine?
Yes — increasingly valued by medical schools for understanding patient behaviour and communication. It pairs well with Biology and Chemistry.
Do you help with the experimental IA design?
Yes — we coach IA design from week 1 of DP2. Choosing a replicable published study and designing an ethical experiment is where most students need the most help.
Ready to turn IB Psychology into a full 7?
Your child's free 60-minute Psychology diagnostic includes a full topic-by-topic gap analysis, a realistic grade prediction, an IA review and a personalised roadmap through to final May exams. Worth $60 — free for the first 50 families this intake.