Introduction to Psychology

IB Psychology Framework

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour. IB Psychology uses the following framework:

• Psychology Literacy
Ability to apply psychology concepts in life’s various contexts
• Contexts
Real-world situations where content is applied

Concepts

The framework through which the context is observed. To help in memorizing, remember: Believe Perfect Concepts Really Make Crying

• Bias
Tendency to favour for or against a concept or systematic errors that can distort the results of the study
• Biases in Decision Making
• Researcher and Participant Bias
• Perceive information through cognitive filter of experience and preference
• Perspective
Different ways of viewing a concept
• Different ways humans view a concept
• Different ways and psychology models to interpret and examine a concept
• Causality
Relationship between a factor and its outcome
• Responsibility
Ethical obligation to handle or do something
• Ethics in Experiment
• Responsibility in usage of psychological theories
• Responsibility after learning psychological theories
• Measurement
Methods and operationalizing variables to properly represent and understand the observed behaviour in the experiment
• Change
Behaviour becomes different due to factors and applying psychological theories

Content

The various approaches to understand human behaviour through the use of research methods

Approaches

• Biological Approach
The way physical components and observable processes of the body affect human behaviour
• Brain Structures
• Neurotransmitters
• Genetics
• Hormones
• Cognitive Approach
The human’s internal mental processes affects their behavior
• Socio-Cultural Approach
The way society, groups and other humans influence the human behaviour
• Society/Group Behaviour (ex. Social Norms, Pressure, and Conformity)
• External Figures (ex. Method of Learning, Imitation and Rebellion)
• Presence or Lack of People in Situation

Research Methodology

The next page discusses various aspects of the research methodology.