LibGuides: OGC Extended Essay: Psychology

Psychology: Overview

An extended essay (EE) in psychology gives students the opportunity to:

investigate in depth a topic of their choice within the subject
develop their skills in research, analysis and evaluation, and communication
increase their understanding of behaviour from a psychology perspective.

Psychology may be defined as “the study of behaviour”. The subject involves studying the behaviours of humans and non-human animals and has a range of specialist terms, methods and literature. It is therefore essential for students undertaking an EE in psychology to:

have a sound understanding of the subject and its methodologies
choose a topic amenable to psychological investigation and analysis.

Students who have not studied psychology formally should not undertake the EE, unless they can demonstrate sufficient knowledge and understanding of the subject.

Requirements for a Psychology EE

The Subject-Specific Guidance page for your chosen subject is THE KEY to ensuring your paper meets the requirements. Print, highlight, and annotate this page and pin it above your desk!

Subject-specific Guidance, via the IBO

The Command Terms are the key terms and phrases used in examination questions. Use these in your essay to indicate a strong background in your subject

Psychology Command Terms

The Subject Reports give an overview of what EXAMINERS have said about makes a successful paper in the subject. It's smart to read these over to know what the examiners are looking for.

Research Questions

Review the questions below

Which ones will be most successful?
What ideas do the questions spark for you?

Sample Questions scoring A or B

To what extent does gender play a role in the development of the imposer phenomenon?
Is physical attractiveness determined by cultural influences or evolutionary adaptations?
To what extent is self efficacy a predictor of academic procrastination?
To what extent does early bilingual acquisition improve the social and cognitive development of children?

Sample Psychology Research Questions

(score unknown - think about which are most successful)

To what extent is the phenomenon of Karoshi, the overworking of office workers in Southeast Asia, interconnected with symptoms of depression?
To What Extent is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, as an addition to traditional pharmacotherapy necessary for the successful treatment of Schizophrenia?
To what extent is Δ9-THC an effective antidepressant that can be used to treat patients with depression?
To what extent are sociocultural and biological factors major causes of elderly people’s depressive behavior?
To What Extent Do Behavioural Addictions Fit The Criteria for ‘The Disease Model of Addiction’?

Past Papers: Why Read Them?

See common structures, methodologies, use of command terms and other subject-specific vocabulary
Notice the difference between successful papers AND papers that were less successful
Read the examiner comments on scored papers and their reflections to note what worked and what didn't

Psychology