Psychology Past Papers 2026
Browse all available Psychology sessions from 2003-2025. This archive currently includes 509 official papers and 1 donated papers.
46
Sessions
510
Papers
509
Official
2003-2025
Years
November 2025
Latest Session
46
Sessions
2003–2025
209
Question Papers
110
Markschemes
53% coverage
Components & time pressure
Marks per minute = how fast you have to write. Anything above 0.85 is tight; above 1.0 is brutal.
| Paper | Component | Marks | Duration | Marks / min | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Core: Biological, Cognitive, Sociocultural Approaches | 49 | 2 hours | 0.41 | Steady |
| Paper 2 | Options | 44 | 2 hours | 0.37 | Steady |
| Paper 3 | Approaches to Research (HL only) | 24 | 1 hour | 0.40 | Steady |
Components: 3 papers, up to 3 variants each. Component data extracted from 1 official IB subject reports (2024).
November 2025
Latest Session
46
Sessions
2003–2025
148
Question Papers
81
Markschemes
55% coverage
Components & time pressure
Marks per minute = how fast you have to write. Anything above 0.85 is tight; above 1.0 is brutal.
| Paper | Component | Marks | Duration | Marks / min | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Core: Biological, Cognitive, Sociocultural Approaches | 49 | 2 hours | 0.41 | Steady |
| Paper 2 | Options | 22 | 1 hour | 0.37 | Steady |
Components: 2 papers, up to 3 variants each. Component data extracted from 1 official IB subject reports (2024).
Yearly Exam Sessions
What IB examiners say about Psychology
Verbatim quotes from 1 official IB subject reports (2024). Every quote is attributable to a specific paper and session — these are the things IB markers flag year after year.
Describing studies instead of addressing the question
Students often wrote long summaries of the replicated study but did not use the study effectively to explain the theory.
Failing to address command terms
The terms 'Describe' and 'Outline' were not adequately addressed. Therefore, responses were underdeveloped and lacking the required amount of detail to achieve top-band marks.
Superficial, formulaic critical thinking
Evidence of critical thinking was largely limited to evaluation of the research which was often superficial, repetitive and formulaic.
About IB Psychology
IB Psychology is a Group 3 subject examining human thought and behaviour through the biological, cognitive, and sociocultural approaches to understanding psychology. It covers topics such as research methodology, human relationships, abnormal psychology, health psychology, and development. SL and HL students all study the three core approaches; HL students additionally study an extension examining the role of psychology in applied contexts.
IB Psychology is popular because it combines scientific rigour with engaging real-world content. Assessment involves essay writing, research study analysis, and for HL, the extension module. Our archive includes past papers and mark schemes from May and November sessions.
Exam Format
Paper 1 (SL: 2 hr / HL: 2 hr)
Section A: three short-answer questions (one per approach). Section B: one extended-response essay from the biological, cognitive, or sociocultural approach.
Paper 2 (SL: 1 hr / HL: 1 hr)
One essay from an optional topic: Abnormal Psychology, Human Relationships, Health Psychology, Sport Psychology, or Psychology of Human Relationships.
Paper 3 (HL only: 1 hr)
Three short-answer questions on qualitative and quantitative research methods using an unseen text.
SL vs HL
SL students sit Papers 1 and 2 plus IA. HL students additionally sit Paper 3 on research methodology and study the approaches in greater depth, requiring more studies and evaluation of research.
Study Tips for IB Psychology
- ✓Learn at least 2 strong research studies per approach (biological, cognitive, sociocultural) with author names, dates, methodology, results, and evaluation.
- ✓For Paper 1 Section B essays, use a consistent structure: introduction with approach overview, study 1 with evaluation, study 2 with evaluation, conclusion.
- ✓Know the difference between correlation, experiment, case study, and interview as research methods.
- ✓Apply the STROBE/WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrial, Rich, Democratic) critique to all studies.
- ✓For Paper 2 optional topics, memorise 3–4 studies specific to your chosen topic.
- ✓For HL Paper 3, practise identifying research methods, variables, and ethical issues from unseen texts.
Questions, answered.
The three approaches are the Biological Approach (brain, genetics, hormones), the Cognitive Approach (mental processes, schemas, memory), and the Sociocultural Approach (culture, social norms, group behaviour).
You need at least 2 studies per approach for Paper 1, plus additional studies for your Paper 2 optional topic. Quality of knowledge and evaluation matters more than quantity.
The optional topics are: Abnormal Psychology, Human Relationships, Health Psychology, Sport Psychology (HL only in some versions), and Psychology of Human Relationships.
IB Psychology HL is considered an appropriate preparation for university psychology. Many UK universities accept it for BSc Psychology, though some prefer A-level.