IB Psychology Revision Guide
IB Psychology Revision Guide
Core: Paper 1 - First Exams 2011
Written by: Chris Ting 13H
3/23/11
,Disclaimer
Thank you for purchasing or using this guide for your revision purposes. I hope you find this
guide useful and I hope it makes your Psychology revision a bit easier.
This guide covers the core area of the Psychology syllabus, which are the three levels of analysis.
For the research methods and ethics questions, details and a general evaluation of the research
methods used in each level are provided and also relevant ethical concerns. These questions
can be answered by using the research provided in the guide.
Please do not rely solely on this revision guide for your tests and exams. This guide is meant
to be used in conjunction with your own notes and those that are provided in class. If you fail
because you only used this guide, it is not my fault. There is usually more research than
required provided in this guide and it is not a definite way to answer it.
Thank you and good luck.
Chris Ting 13H
25/03/2011
,Table of Contents
Biological Level of Analysis ................................................................................. 1
General Learning Outcomes ............................................................................... 1
Physiology and Behavior ..................................................................................... 6
Genetics and behavior ...................................................................................... 31
Cognitive Level of Analysis .................................................................................. 41
General Learning Outcomes ............................................................................. 41
Cognitive processes .......................................................................................... 44
Cognition and emotion ..................................................................................... 66
Sociocultural Level of Analysis ............................................................................ 74
General learning outcomes ............................................................................... 74
Sociocultural cognition ..................................................................................... 78
Social norms ..................................................................................................... 88
Cultural norms ................................................................................................ 100
Research Methods and Ethics ........................................................................... 104
, Biological Level of Analysis
Biological Level of Analysis
General Learning Outcomes
Syllabus Question: Outline principles that define the biological level of analysis.
The three principles that define the biological level of analysis are:
I. Emotions and behavior are products of the anatomy and physiology of the nervous and
endocrine systems.
II. Patterns of behavior can be inherited.
III. Animal research may inform our understanding of human behavior.
IV.
Syllabus Question: Explain how principles that define the biological level of analysis may be
demonstrated in research.
Principle 1: Emotions and behavior are products of the anatomy and physiology of the nervous and
endocrine systems.
I. Suggests that behavior is genetically inherited. The patterns of behavior we see today are
theorized to have been of evolutionary benefits.
a. What is inherited may be a predisposition for a certain behavior that require
particular environmental stimuli before behavior will manifest
Research that demonstrates this principle are:
Heston (1996)
What was the study on? An adoption study, which assume that if offspring are separated
from their biological parents we can conclude that any physical and
behavioral similarities between parent and child are caused by
genetic factors
Aim of the experiment Study was too see whether schizophrenia is genetic or not
Conditions of the experiment If genetic, adoption would not affect number of children later
diagnosed with schizophrenia but due to biological inheritance a
higher incident of schizophrenia would be expected among adopted
children of schizophrenic mothers than those without schizophrenic
mothers
If nurture, incidence rate would be approximately same as other
adoptees
Results Incident of schizophrenia in general population is about 1% and was
similar for those who were adopted with no family history of
Page 1
IB Psychology Revision Guide
Core: Paper 1 - First Exams 2011
Written by: Chris Ting 13H
3/23/11
,Disclaimer
Thank you for purchasing or using this guide for your revision purposes. I hope you find this
guide useful and I hope it makes your Psychology revision a bit easier.
This guide covers the core area of the Psychology syllabus, which are the three levels of analysis.
For the research methods and ethics questions, details and a general evaluation of the research
methods used in each level are provided and also relevant ethical concerns. These questions
can be answered by using the research provided in the guide.
Please do not rely solely on this revision guide for your tests and exams. This guide is meant
to be used in conjunction with your own notes and those that are provided in class. If you fail
because you only used this guide, it is not my fault. There is usually more research than
required provided in this guide and it is not a definite way to answer it.
Thank you and good luck.
Chris Ting 13H
25/03/2011
,Table of Contents
Biological Level of Analysis ................................................................................. 1
General Learning Outcomes ............................................................................... 1
Physiology and Behavior ..................................................................................... 6
Genetics and behavior ...................................................................................... 31
Cognitive Level of Analysis .................................................................................. 41
General Learning Outcomes ............................................................................. 41
Cognitive processes .......................................................................................... 44
Cognition and emotion ..................................................................................... 66
Sociocultural Level of Analysis ............................................................................ 74
General learning outcomes ............................................................................... 74
Sociocultural cognition ..................................................................................... 78
Social norms ..................................................................................................... 88
Cultural norms ................................................................................................ 100
Research Methods and Ethics ........................................................................... 104
, Biological Level of Analysis
Biological Level of Analysis
General Learning Outcomes
Syllabus Question: Outline principles that define the biological level of analysis.
The three principles that define the biological level of analysis are:
I. Emotions and behavior are products of the anatomy and physiology of the nervous and
endocrine systems.
II. Patterns of behavior can be inherited.
III. Animal research may inform our understanding of human behavior.
IV.
Syllabus Question: Explain how principles that define the biological level of analysis may be
demonstrated in research.
Principle 1: Emotions and behavior are products of the anatomy and physiology of the nervous and
endocrine systems.
I. Suggests that behavior is genetically inherited. The patterns of behavior we see today are
theorized to have been of evolutionary benefits.
a. What is inherited may be a predisposition for a certain behavior that require
particular environmental stimuli before behavior will manifest
Research that demonstrates this principle are:
Heston (1996)
What was the study on? An adoption study, which assume that if offspring are separated
from their biological parents we can conclude that any physical and
behavioral similarities between parent and child are caused by
genetic factors
Aim of the experiment Study was too see whether schizophrenia is genetic or not
Conditions of the experiment If genetic, adoption would not affect number of children later
diagnosed with schizophrenia but due to biological inheritance a
higher incident of schizophrenia would be expected among adopted
children of schizophrenic mothers than those without schizophrenic
mothers
If nurture, incidence rate would be approximately same as other
adoptees
Results Incident of schizophrenia in general population is about 1% and was
similar for those who were adopted with no family history of
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