IB Psychology (2027) Exam Structure

Short-answer Questions

Answer both compulsory questions, each drawn from a different approach to understanding human behaviour (for example biological and cognitive). Each question requires a short response worth 4 marks.

Stimulus-based Questions

Answer both compulsory questions, each set in a context (for example learning and cognition, human development) and requiring an explanation with reference to a provided scenario. Each question is worth 6 marks.

Essay

Answer one extended-response essay question from a choice of two, each worth 15 marks.

Short-response Questions

Compulsory short-response questions referring to your participation in a class practical, focused on research methodology. Answer all four questions, worth 4, 4, 6, and 6 marks respectively.

Stimulus-based Essay

One compulsory question requiring you to discuss a provided psychological study with reference to two or more of the six course concepts (bias, causality, change, measurement, perspective and responsibility). Worth 15 marks.

Analysis of Unseen Research

Compulsory data-analysis and research-methodology task based on an unseen set of sources (a piece of research and related stimulus material) provided in an accompanying resource booklet, collated around a single claim. Answer all four questions: explain one issue that limits the interpretation of the data (3 marks), analyse findings and state a conclusion linked to the claim (6 marks), discuss how the researcher could improve the credibility of the findings (6 marks), and write an evaluative response using your own knowledge and at least three of the sources (15 marks).