Looking for ready-to-use resources that will save you hours of preparation time? Our extensive collection of FREE worksheets covers every Content, Context, and Concept in the course and we’ve even included the Research Methods and Data Analysis and Interpretation topics.
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Each worksheet is written to provide complete coverage of its topic. Students will find clear definitions, detailed explanations, and thoughtful discussions that build genuine understanding. But we don’t stop at theory, every worksheet includes engaging questions that reinforce learning and encourage critical thinking.
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Comprehensive coverage
With one (and often two) worksheets available for every topic, you’ll have everything you need to support student learning throughout the course. From Biological to Sociocultural, from Research Design to Statistical Analysis… it’s all here.
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Here’s a question that’s been bouncing around: ‘What do we mean when we say psychology is conceptual?’
It sounds like academic jargon, I know. But stick with me, because this idea gets right to the heart of what makes psychology such a fascinating and essentially human field.
What ‘conceptual’ means
When we say psychology is conceptual, we’re pointing to something fundamental: the things psychologists study aren’t sitting out there in nature waiting to be discovered, like gold deposits or new species of beetle.
Think about it. ‘Memory’, ‘aggression’, ‘intelligence’, ‘attachment’, ‘depression’… these are all human-created concepts. We invented them. We drew the boundaries. We decided what counts as ‘aggression’ versus ‘assertiveness’, where ‘normal anxiety’ ends and ‘anxiety disorder’ begins, and what behaviors signal ‘secure attachment’.
These aren’t discoveries of pre-existing, naturally occuring things. They’re useful ways we’ve carved up the messy, continuous reality of human behavior.
Concepts change with time and culture
Here’s where it gets interesting. If psychological concepts were natural features, fixed features of reality, they’d be universal and unchanging. And of course, they’re not.
The concept of ADHD didn’t exist 100 years ago. ‘Hysteria’ was once a major diagnostic category; now it’s vanished from our textbooks. Different cultures conceptualize mental states in different ways. Some languages don’t even have a word that maps onto our concept of ‘depression’.
Our psychological concepts are also theory-laden. When we talk about ‘working memory’, we’re not just describing something neutral, we’re buying into a particular model of how cognition works. When Freudians spoke of ‘ego defence mechanisms’, they were smuggling in a whole theoretical framework.
So what’s the alternative?
If psychology is conceptual, what would it look like if it weren’t?
The alternative would be studying human behavior and experience as purely physical or biological phenomena. We’d focus only on directly measurable, observer-independent entities: neurons firing, neurotransmitter concentrations, brain structures, hormone levels, reaction times, genetic markers…
This would be neuroscience or physiology: concrete, physical, and measurable.
The problem is…
The problem is that most of what makes us human: love, identity, grief, creativity, the search for meaning…, these can’t be fully captured by purely physical descriptions.
You could give me a complete neural map of everything happening in someone’s brain during grief. Every synapse, every chemical cascade, every pattern of activation. And yet that description wouldn’t capture what grief is as a human experience. It wouldn’t tell you what it means to lose someone you love.
Living in the tension
This is why psychology occupies such uncomfortable territory. It sits between the natural sciences, which study observer-independent physical phenomena, and the human sciences, which study meaning-laden, conceptual phenomena.
Psychology is both at once. It studies real biological processes and culturally-situated concepts. It measures objective behaviors and interprets subjective meanings. It discovers and constructs.
This creates unique methodological and philosophical challenges. But it’s also what makes psychology interesting. We’re not just measuring things; we’re constantly negotiating what those things even are.
And that’s not a weakness. It’s the nature of studying something as complex, dynamic, and meaning-soaked as human experience.
What do you think? Does recognizing psychology as conceptual make it less scientific or does it make it more honest about what science of the human mind can actually be?
An often-neglected aspect of teaching IBDP Psychology helping students develop fluency with subject-specific terminology. Words like validity, reliability, etiology, synaptic gap, neurotransmitter, and operant conditioning aren’t just vocabulary, they’re the precise tools we use to communicate complex ideas about behavior.
The assessment criteria make this explicit: ‘There is accurate and precise use of psychological terminology’ and ‘Psychological terminology relevant to the research methods is used effectively’. These aren’t minor criteria, they directly affect student grades in all assessment components. When students write about ‘proof’ instead of evidence, or ‘sadness’ instead of depression, they’re not just being imprecise; they’re failing to demonstrate the precise and accurate vocabulary that examiners expect.
Teaching terminology effectively means more than providing definitions. Students must understand when and how to use these terms. Does this theory apply to all cultures or is it ‘culture-bound’? Is this a hormone or a neurotransmitter? Understanding these distinctions demonstrates genuine psychological literacy, not just memorization.
The payoff extends beyond exam scores. Students who master the subject’s vocabulary think more precisely about behavior, communicate more effectively in their internal assessment and extended essays, and develop the academic foundation necessary for university level psychology study.
IB Diploma Psychology – The Glossary of Psychology Vocabulary (by Tom Coster) is an essential companion for every IB Diploma Psychology student, providing a clear and concise collection of key terms and concepts tailored to the IB Psychology syllabus.
Designed to support your journey into the field, this glossary will enhance your understanding of human thought, emotion, and behavior, while helping you master the specialized vocabulary required for academic success and real-world application.
Thematic analysis is a method for identifying, analysing, and reporting patterns (or themes) within qualitative data, often interview transcripts or text-based data.
Braun and Clarke’s widely used six-phase approach includes: (1) familiarising yourself with the data, (2) generating initial codes, (3) searching for themes, (4) reviewing themes, (5) defining and naming themes, and (6) producing the final report.
Braun and Clarke’s approach encourages reflexivity, transparency, and detailed interpretation of meaning. Virginia Braun and Victoria Clarke are psychologists and qualitative research experts who developed this structured approach to thematic analysis. Braun is a professor at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, and Clarke is based at the University of the West of England, Bristol. Their paper, Using thematic analysis in psychology (2006) helped establish thematic analysis as a distinct and rigorous method. Since then, they have continued to publish widely on qualitative methods, advocating for reflexive and transparent practices in thematic analysis.
To read more about how to conduct a thematic analysis, and to see a worked example, download the FREE document below.
At the heart of psychology lies a beautifully simple question: What causes what? The experimental method gives us the clearest path to answering this question, and its elegance lies in its straightforward logic.
Causality is the relationship between cause and effect. When we say “X causes Y,” we mean that changes in X directly produce changes in Y. In psychology, establishing causality allows us to move beyond mere correlation and understand the mechanisms behind behavior.
The key requirement for causality is that we must demonstrate that one variable directly produces a change in another variable.
The experimental method is powerful precisely because of its simple logic. The basic formula involves three steps. First, change one thing, which is the Independent Variable or IV. Second, keep everything else the same by controlling all other variables. Third, measure what happens by observing changes in the Dependent Variable or DV.
The beautiful conclusion follows naturally. If the DV changes, and we’ve controlled everything else, then the change in the IV must have caused the change in the DV. That’s it. That’s the entire logic.
Teaching Tip 1: Start with the Logic: Before diving into terminology, help students grasp the fundamental reasoning. If I want to know whether caffeine improves memory, I need to change only the caffeine and see what happens to memory. If I change multiple things at once, I can’t know which one caused the effect.
Teaching Tip 2: Emphasize Control: The power of the experimental method isn’t in what we change, it’s in what we don’t change. Every variable we control strengthens our claim of causality.
Teaching Tip 3: Connect to Real Research: When teaching studies like Loftus and Palmer on leading questions and memory, or Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment on observational learning and aggression, highlight the beautiful simplicity. Identify the IV, which is the variable the researcher manipulated. Identify the DV, which is what they measured. Note the controls, which is everything they kept the same. Then draw the conclusion: because everything else was controlled, the IV caused the change in the DV.
The Three Essential Components: Help students remember these three pillars. First is manipulation, where the researcher deliberately changes the IV. Second is control, where all other variables are kept constant. Third is measurement, where the DV is carefully observed and recorded.
When all three are present, we can claim causality. When any are missing, we cannot.
Some students believe that correlation shows causation. This is incorrect. Only the experimental method establishes causality because only experiments control for alternative explanations.
Others think that any study with numbers shows causation. This is also incorrect. Surveys and correlational studies provide valuable data but cannot establish cause and effect.
Some confuse control with control group. This is partially correct. Control means keeping variables constant and may include a control group for comparison.
Making It Stick: Use this simple framework when analyzing any study. (i) What did they change? That’s the IV. (ii) What did they measure? That’s the DV. (iii) What did they control? Those are the other variables. (iv.) Can we claim causation? Only if it’s a true experiment.
The experimental method’s beauty lies in its logical simplicity. Change one variable, control all others, measure the outcome. If the outcome changes, you’ve found your cause. This simple logic is psychology’s most powerful tool for understanding the mechanisms of human behavior.
Here’s a powerpoint presentation that you can use for teaching a lesson on the true and quasi experiment.
Here’s a question being asked by many IBDP Psychology teachers and students: What do students have to submit for the Class Practical to be assessed?
The answer is surprising many: nothing.
Unlike the Internal Assessment, the Class Practical requires no written report submission. Teachers don’t grade students’ contributions to the Practical itself. Students must participate in some capacity—perhaps planning and conducting the study, serving as participants to experience research from that perspective, or acting as members of an ethics committee reviewing the Practical. The teacher determines each student’s role, but these contributions are not formally assessed.
So where does assessment come in? Paper 2, Section A.
This exam section contains four questions specifically about the Class Practical:
Question 1 (10 minutes): Describe how you used [one of the 4 methods] in your class practical, including its aim and procedure.
Question 2 (10 minutes): Explain the concept of [one of the 6 Concepts] in relation to the [interview or focus group] in your class practical.
Question 3 (15 minutes): Compare and contrast the research methodology used in your class practical with [one of the other 4 methods].
Question 4 (15 minutes): Design [one of the other 3 methods] to investigate the same topic you investigated in your class practical.
For detailed guidance on Class Practicals and to see sample high-scoring responses to these questions, consult Tom Coster’s Textbook and the Ten Mock Examinations book. (Click on the images below to find out more about these books.)
Confirmation bias is our tendency to search for, interpret, and remember information that confirms our existing beliefs/opinions while overlooking contradictory evidence. It’s one of the most pervasive cognitive shortcuts (heuristics) affecting most people’s daily decisions.
Confirmation bias has deep evolutionary roots. Our ancestors didn’t have time to carefully weigh every piece of evidence; quick decisions often meant survival. The brain evolved to use heuristics that conserve cognitive energy and calories. Because processing information requires significant mental effort, our minds developed efficient strategies: stick with what you already “know” works, and filter out conflicting information. This usually generates “good enough” decisions quickly, which helped us navigate dangers and opportunities without ‘analysis paralysis’.
Imagine you’re convinced that a particular route to work is fastest. One morning, you hit unexpected traffic and arrive late. Instead of reconsidering your route choice, you think, ‘This is unusual, there must have been an accident’. The next day, you arrive on time and think, ‘See, this route really is the best’. You remember the smooth commutes vividly while dismissing the delays as anomalies. Meanwhile, you’ve never actually tested alternative routes because you’re already ‘certain’ yours is quickest.
We follow news sources that align with our politics, interpret ambiguous feedback from our boss based on our existing opinion of them, and notice evidence supporting our favourite sports team’s superiority while forgetting their losses.
Understanding confirmation bias doesn’t eliminate it, but recognizing when we might be cherry-picking evidence can help us make more balanced decisions, even if it costs us a few extra mental calories and a few extra seconds.
Here’s a powerpoint to help teach this topic to your IB Diploma Psychology class…
We’ve created the complete PowerPoint teaching bundle to perfectly complement Tom Coster’s IB Diploma Psychology – The Textbook. Whether you’re a new teacher navigating the updated syllabus (first exams in 2027) or an experienced educator looking to save precious prep time, this resource is built with you in mind.
Our DP Psychology Powerpoint bundle will save teachers HOURS of time
What’s in the box? This all-in-one package includes 16 fully editable .pptx files (Apple’s Keynote will open and read them), carefully designed to align with every part of the IB Psychology syllabus:
The Three Approaches Biological, Cognitive, Sociocultural
Research Methodology
Real-World Contexts Health & Well-being, Human Development, Human Relationships, Cognition & Learning
Student Success Tools Internal Assessment, The Examination, How to do well in IBDP Psychology
Why teachers love the package: Complete coverage – Every aspect of the syllabus is ready to teach. Engaging visuals – Slides are clean, appealing, and logically structured. Time-saving – Spend less time preparing and more time teaching. Fully customizable – Tailor each presentation to your own teaching style and your students’ needs. Exam-ready focus – Dedicated materials for IA and exam prep ensure your students are set up for success.
Ready to use from day one: Open, display, teach—it’s that simple. Or, if you prefer, edit and adapt the slides to make them your own. Either way, you’ll have a professional, syllabus-aligned resource library at your fingertips.
Give your students the best chance to succeed in IB Psychology. With this bundle, you’re not just getting PowerPoints—you’re getting confidence, clarity, and consistency in your teaching.
In IB Psychology, mastering subject-specific vocabulary isn’t just about definitions, descriptions and explanations, it’s about communicating with precision. The assessment criteria highlight this directly: examiners will be looking for accurate and consistent use of the language of psychology. Using the correct terminology makes students’ exam answers clearer, more credible, and much more likely to score in the higher markbands.
And how to learn vocabulary? Copy it, copy it’s meaning, and then use it in your writing at every possible opportunity.
Take, for example, the difference between saying “the study was good” and “the study had high internal validity because confounding variables were controlled.” The second statement not only shows that you know the correct term but also demonstrates deeper conceptual understanding. Words like validity, reliability, quasi-experiment, overt, covert, mean, median, determinism and many others allow students to describe research and arguments with the level of precision that examiners expect.
But the importance of vocabulary extends beyond exams. In class discussions, using appropriate and relevant terminology sharpens students’ arguments and makes their reasoning clearer to others. Even beyond the classroom, being able to apply psychological language helps students engage in more nuanced conversations about behaviour, mental health, and social issues.
So how do students achieve this? The glossary at the back of the Subject Guide is a solid starting point, but it’s very limited. That’s why we’ve compiled a resource with nearly 1,000 psychology words and phrases, organised into three sections: Concepts, Content, and Contexts. Available both in print (perfect for highlighting and making margin notes) and as an eBook (ideal for quick reference on the phone), this book gives students the tools to expand their psychological vocabulary and, with it, their confidence in exams.
One of the quiet revolutions in teaching IB Psychology is this: our students no longer need to memorise outlines of 200 or more studies, each with two strengths and two limitations. That’s worth celebrating. It makes our subject lighter, more engaging, and far more relevant. Students can now focus on developing critical thinking, connecting concepts, and applying their knowledge rather than playing flashcard games with endless lists of studies.
But let’s not forget: research is the scientific foundation of psychology.
Would you teach ethics in psychology without telling your students about Little Albert and the white rat, Zimbardo’s appalling Stanford Prison Study, or Milgram’s not-so-appalling obedience experiments? Of course not. These are the stories that not only illustrate concepts but also bring to life the ethical debates that shape our subject.
Would we introduce social identity theory without Sherif’s Robbers Cave study? Could we possibly explain observational learning without Albert Bandura’s endlessly punched Bobo doll? And when we turn to methods, what better way to anchor quasi-experiments and neuroplasticity than Eleanor Maguire’s London taxi drivers, or to illuminate the case study method than Henri Molaison, whose memory loss is legendary?
The point is simple: research gives psychology its credibility.
Yes, assessment criteria don’t explicitly require studies by name. Students aren’t graded on whether they remember that it was 22 boys in Sherif’s camp or 72 children in Bandura’s playroom. But to teach any of the IB Psychology concepts with integrity, we must draw upon the research that produced them. Without robust studies and their conclusions, our discipline risks floating away into abstraction, detached from the science that grounds it.
So let’s celebrate freedom from rote memorisation, but let’s also celebrate the research itself. Studies are not an add-on; they are the very evidence that makes psychology worth studying.
Tom Coster - Psychology 