IB Psychology SL : IB Psychology SL

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for IB Psychology SL

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Options

According to the American Psychological Association, a binge eating disorder occurs when a person experiences frequent outbursts of out of control eating. Unlike other disorders, such as bulimia, binge eaters do not purge their bodies of excess calories, which can result in high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and issues associated with obesity. Which of the following best describes the prevalence of binge eating disorders in males versus females?

Possible Answers:

Males are affected about the same as females 

Binge eating disorder affects females exclusively 

Binge eating disorder affects males exclusively 

Males are affected more than females

Females are affected more than males

Correct answer:

Males are affected about the same as females 

Explanation:

It is true that eating disorders primarily effect females; however, contrary to media depictions of eating disorders, males are still considered to be an at-risk population. About a quarter of preadolescent cases of anorexia occur in males. Likewise, the prevalence of binge eating disorder is about the same in males and females. 

Example Question #2 : Options

According to the American Psychological Association, a binge eating disorder occurs when a person experiences frequent outbursts of out of control eating. Unlike other disorders, such as bulimia, binge eaters do not purge their bodies of excess calories, which can result in high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and issues associated with obesity. Which of the following best describes the prevalence of binge eating disorders in males versus females?

Possible Answers:

Females are affected more than males

Binge eating disorder affects males exclusively 

Binge eating disorder affects females exclusively 

Males are affected more than females

Males are affected about the same as females 

Correct answer:

Males are affected about the same as females 

Explanation:

It is true that eating disorders primarily effect females; however, contrary to media depictions of eating disorders, males are still considered to be an at-risk population. About a quarter of preadolescent cases of anorexia occur in males. Likewise, the prevalence of binge eating disorder is about the same in males and females. 

Example Question #13 : Ib Psychology Sl

A 23-year-old female is contemplating taking a job after college graduation on the other side of the country. She is torn because this is an amazing opportunity, but she would be leaving her family and boyfriend of two years behind. Which stage of psychosocial development would Erikson say this young woman is experiencing? 

Possible Answers:

Identity vs. role confusion 

Trust vs. mistrust 

Integrity vs. despair 

Initiative vs. guilt 

Intimacy vs. isolation 

Correct answer:

Intimacy vs. isolation 

Explanation:

Erik Erikson was a theorist who believed that each stage of life had its own task to overcome. Erickson’s psychosocial stages included the following: infancy, toddlerhood, preschool, elementary school, adolescence, young adulthood, middle adulthood, and late adulthood. He assigned each stage with an approximate age range. In the young adulthood stage (from the early twenties to the early forties), Erikson believed people needed to resolve issues associated with intimacy versus isolation. He hypothesized that individuals at this stage struggle with forming close relationships in the hope to achieve intimate love. He theorized that if this is not accomplished, then the individual might feel socially isolated. The other provided options are stages in Erikson's stages of psychosocial development; however, they each have their own tasks (i.e. integrity versus despair or identity versus role confusion) and are incorrect. The young woman in the question falls firmly within this range.

Example Question #1 : Psychology Of Human Relationships

A 23-year-old female is contemplating taking a job after college graduation on the other side of the country. She is torn because this is an amazing opportunity, but she would be leaving her family and boyfriend of two years behind. Which stage of psychosocial development would Erikson say this young woman is experiencing? 

Possible Answers:

Intimacy vs. isolation 

Trust vs. mistrust 

Initiative vs. guilt 

Integrity vs. despair 

Identity vs. role confusion 

Correct answer:

Intimacy vs. isolation 

Explanation:

Erik Erikson was a theorist who believed that each stage of life had its own task to overcome. Erickson’s psychosocial stages included the following: infancy, toddlerhood, preschool, elementary school, adolescence, young adulthood, middle adulthood, and late adulthood. He assigned each stage with an approximate age range. In the young adulthood stage (from the early twenties to the early forties), Erikson believed people needed to resolve issues associated with intimacy versus isolation. He hypothesized that individuals at this stage struggle with forming close relationships in the hope to achieve intimate love. He theorized that if this is not accomplished, then the individual might feel socially isolated. The other provided options are stages in Erikson's stages of psychosocial development; however, they each have their own tasks (i.e. integrity versus despair or identity versus role confusion) and are incorrect. The young woman in the question falls firmly within this range.

Example Question #1 : Sport Psychology

Cody is a starting shortstop for his minor league baseball team and leads his league in home runs and RBIs. Cody’s teammates overheard him telling his girlfriend that he does not truly love playing the sport; he only plays for the money that he earns and for the approval of his strict, critical father. Which of the following terms best describes what Cody is experiencing?

Possible Answers:

Intrinsic motivation

Extrinsic motivation

None of these

Positive punishment

Negative reinforcement

Correct answer:

Extrinsic motivation

Explanation:

Although Cody is a very talented and skilled baseball player, he does not play baseball because he truly loves playing baseball—he plays to make money and to gain the approval of his father. Cody is not motivated to play baseball for the mere sake of playing baseball, he is experiencing extrinsic motivation—the desire to perform and behave in certain ways to obtain external rewards or avoid a threatened punishment.

Example Question #2 : Sport Psychology

Cody is a starting shortstop for his minor league baseball team and leads his league in home runs and RBIs. Cody’s teammates overheard him telling his girlfriend that he does not truly love playing the sport; he only plays for the money that he earns and for the approval of his strict, critical father. Which of the following terms best describes what Cody is experiencing?

Possible Answers:

Negative reinforcement

Positive punishment

None of these

Intrinsic motivation

Extrinsic motivation

Correct answer:

Extrinsic motivation

Explanation:

Although Cody is a very talented and skilled baseball player, he does not play baseball because he truly loves playing baseball—he plays to make money and to gain the approval of his father. Cody is not motivated to play baseball for the mere sake of playing baseball, he is experiencing extrinsic motivation—the desire to perform and behave in certain ways to obtain external rewards or avoid a threatened punishment.

Example Question #1 : Introduction To Experimental Research Methodology

What is the main difference between laboratory experiments and field experiments?

Possible Answers:

Laboratory and field experiments differ based on the number of subjects

Laboratory experiments are more realistic

Laboratory experiments are conducted in the lab and field experiments are conducted in the real world

Field experiments are more easily controlled

Laboratory experiments are conducted in the real world and field experiments are conducted in the lab

Correct answer:

Laboratory experiments are conducted in the lab and field experiments are conducted in the real world

Explanation:

The difference between laboratory experiments and field experiments is not the number of subjects, but the place where they are conducted—the lab or the outside world. Lab experiments are more easily controlled, whereas field experiments are more realistic.

Example Question #2 : Introduction To Experimental Research Methodology

A researcher is curious about how temperature relates to aggression and predicts that as the temperature in a room increases, a measure of the subject's aggression will increase as well. What is the experimental design term for "temperature" in this scenario?

Possible Answers:

Dependent variable

Independent variable

Hypothesis

None of these

Theory

Correct answer:

Independent variable

Explanation:

A variable is described something that varies between people or objects—in this case, temperature and aggression are the variables. The “independent variable” (IV) is the variable that is manipulated by the researcher (temperature) and the “dependent variable” (DV) is the variable that changes as a result of a change in the IV (aggression). A “hypothesis” describes the relationship between variables and is generally what the researcher predicts will happen (i.e. “as the temperature in a room increases, a measure of the subject's aggression will increase as well”). Last, a “theory” is a principle or set of principles that explains a phenomenon.

Example Question #3 : Introduction To Experimental Research Methodology

A researcher is curious about how temperature relates to aggression and predicts that as the temperature in a room increases, a measure of the subject's aggression will increase as well. What is the experimental design term for "temperature" in this scenario?

Possible Answers:

None of these

Hypothesis

Theory

Independent variable

Dependent variable

Correct answer:

Independent variable

Explanation:

A variable is described something that varies between people or objects—in this case, temperature and aggression are the variables. The “independent variable” (IV) is the variable that is manipulated by the researcher (temperature) and the “dependent variable” (DV) is the variable that changes as a result of a change in the IV (aggression). A “hypothesis” describes the relationship between variables and is generally what the researcher predicts will happen (i.e. “as the temperature in a room increases, a measure of the subject's aggression will increase as well”). Last, a “theory” is a principle or set of principles that explains a phenomenon.

Example Question #1 : Simple Experimental Study

Which subdiscipline of psychology focuses on studying human behavior in the workplace?

Possible Answers:

Sociological psychology

Applied psychology

Developmental psychology

Environmental psychology

Industrial-organizational psychology

Correct answer:

Industrial-organizational psychology

Explanation:

"Industrial-organizational psychology" focuses on applying the scientific study of individuals and groups to optimizing workplace performance. Psychologists in this field typically work for large corporations and help them to improve areas including employee satisfaction, employee retention, and productivity. 

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