New Curriculum Structure
What are the key concepts for this course?
change🌿
responsibility⚖️
bias🫤
measurement📏
perspective👀
causality➡️
In quantitative research, what do you need to do to theoretical constructs that are not directly observable, in order to measure them in an experiment?
They must be operationalised (expressed in terms of a specific observable behaviour)
Identify the four qualitative research methods in IB Psych.
Interview, Observation, Questionnaire, Case studies
Which neurotransmitter is most related to long-term happiness and wellbeing?
Serotonin
An MRI interacts with which molecules in the brain tissue?
Hydrogen
Paper 2 Section A has four short answer questions. What are they about?
Research methodology within the four class-run practicals
What are two key features of an experiment?
Participants are randomly allocated into groups to manipulate their experience of the independent variable (IV)
The dependent variable (DV) is measured (to determine the impact of the IV)
All other factors that could affect the DV are controlled as far as possible
Normally conducted in a fabricated environment
Data is normally quantitative
What is a key feature of a case study? (other than an analysis about a unique person or group)
Triangulation: Data is gathered by a range of different sources and research methods.
A single case study might include interview data, observational data and experimental data all woven into one case study data set
Explain why the process of neurotransmission is "electro-chemical".
Electrical signal down axon, chemical signal between neurons (via chemicals released into the synapse)
Which theory asserts that all areas of the brain are equally active in overall mental functioning?
equipotential
What is the difference between content, contexts and concepts in the new IB Psych course?
☂️ Contexts = topics/categories of content
📝 Content = stuff we will learn within each context
🧁 Concepts = 6 key ideas you must be able to apply to all the content (critical thinking)
What are three different ways you can operationalise stress levels in an experiment?
Average heart rate (BPM) over five minutes
ng/mL of cortisol present in saliva at 3pm
Self-reported rating scale “How stressed do you feel right now?” 1→7
What sampling technique would be used to gather hard-to-reach participants?
Snowball
Define long-term potentiation (LTP).
LTP is the persistent strengthening of synapses based on patterns of activity, resulting in a long-lasting increase in signal transmission between two neurons
Does an MRI or an fMRI have higher ecological validity, and why?
MRI - reflects long term changes achieved over time in real life scenarios (fMRI reflects short term changes in a highly fabricated context)
There are two questions for Paper 1 Section A. What is the structure of these questions?
"Describe/explain" ... "content point" ... "using one example"
Define internal validity.
The extent to which a research study establishes a trustworthy cause-and-effect relationship between the independent and dependent variable.
Define reflexivity in the context of research.
The researcher’s awareness of their own bias and how it may influence the research process. It involves critical self-reflection during the research process, and a statement at the end of a research paper to acknowledge the bias.
Most neurotransmitters are agonists. What does this mean?
a chemical that attaches to a receptor and stimulates the target cell, causing a response
fMRI machines measure a BOLD signal. What is a BOLD signal and how does it measure brain activity?
Blood oxygen level dependent signal (which reflects changes in blood oxygenation - active areas of the brain require more oxygen)
How long is the Paper 3 exam? (HL only)
1 hour 45 mins
Briefly describe the 5 different sampling techinques.
Random: All participants have equal chance of being selected from the population.
Stratified: Population split into subgroups > random sample taken equally from subgroup.
Self-Selected: Individuals choose to participate in research on their own accord.
Opportunity: Choosing the most convenient participants (location, accessibility etc.)
Snowball: Existing participants choose new, similar participants.
Define credibility.
The degree to which the research gives a true picture of what is being investigated and the results represent the perceptions and opinions of the research participants.
After a neurotransmitter is released into the synapse and binds to a receptor, there are three outcomes that may follow. What are the three outcomes?
Reuptake: The presynaptic neuron reabsorbs the neurotransmitter, allowing it to be recycled and reused
Degradation: Specific enzymes within the synapse break down the neurotransmitter, so it can no longer be used
Diffusion: The neurotransmitter drifts away from the synaptic gap, moving into the surrounding extracellular fluid where it can no longer bind to receptors
What is the compromise within localisation of function research?
Basic skills are localised to specific brain structures, but most complex mental functions combine these skills so extensively that the whole brain is involved in most types of behaviour.