5
Topics
IB Group 3 — Individuals and Societies
IB Psychology 2026
IB Psychology examines behaviour and mental processes through three approaches: biological, cognitive, and sociocultural. HL students additionally study one extension (abnormal, developmental, health, human relationships, or sport).
HL · 240hSL · 150h
HL & SL
Levels
25%
IA Weight
240h
HL Hours
Past Papers Archive
Browse IB Psychology past papers
View the normalized archive for Psychology, organized by session and file type.
Syllabus Topics
Official topic breakdown with approximate teaching hours.
| Topic | SL Hours | HL Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Approach to Behaviour (neurochemistry, genetics, evolution) | 30h | 30h |
| Cognitive Approach to Behaviour (schemas, memory, cognitive bias) | 30h | 30h |
| Sociocultural Approach to Behaviour (social identity, cultural norms, conformity) | 30h | 30h |
| HL Extension — Abnormal / Developmental / Health / Relationships / Sport PsychologyHL only | — | 20h |
| Research Methodology (throughout all levels) | 15h | 20h |
| Total | 150h | 240h |
Assessment Structure
External Assessment
Paper 1 (short-answer + essay on all three approaches, 2 hrs, 50% SL / 40% HL). Paper 2 (essay on one HL extension, 1 hr, HL only, 20%). Paper 3 (HL only — research methods short-answer, 1 hr, 20%). Internal Assessment: Experimental study (SL 25% / HL 20%).
Internal Assessment — Experimental Study
HL: 20%SL: 25%
A simple replication of a published psychology experiment with a written report (2,200 words) covering introduction, exploration, analysis, evaluation, and presentation.
Exam Tips for IB Psychology
1
Learn each study precisely: researcher, year, method, participant details, key results, two evaluations
2
Match your answer depth to the command term: 'outline' (brief), 'explain' (mechanism), 'evaluate' (+ and −)
3
Link studies across all three approaches in essays — cross-level analysis earns top marks
4
HL Paper 3: understand the differences between qualitative and quantitative methodology in depth
5
IA: choose a well-known, simple study (e.g. Stroop effect) — clean design and clear null/alternate hypothesis
Grade Boundaries
View all subjects →| Session | Level | Grade 7 | Grade 6 | Grade 5 | Grade 4 | Grade 3 | Grade 2 | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | HL | 75 | 65 | 54 | 43 | 32 | 21 | 100 |
| May 2024 | SL | 73 | 63 | 52 | 41 | 30 | 19 | 100 |
Grade boundaries shown are percentages. Actual boundaries vary by session and are set after grading. Use the score calculator →
Predict your IB Psychology grade
Enter your component marks and see your predicted final grade based on grade boundaries.
Related IB Subjects
Frequently Asked Questions
What topics are in IB Psychology?
IB Psychology covers Biological Approach to Behaviour (neurochemistry, genetics, evolution), Cognitive Approach to Behaviour (schemas, memory, cognitive bias), Sociocultural Approach to Behaviour (social identity, cultural norms, conformity), HL Extension — Abnormal / Developmental / Health / Relationships / Sport Psychology, Research Methodology (throughout all levels). HL students study additional depth and some HL-only extensions. Total teaching hours: HL 240, SL 150.
How is IB Psychology assessed?
Paper 1 (short-answer + essay on all three approaches, 2 hrs, 50% SL / 40% HL). Paper 2 (essay on one HL extension, 1 hr, HL only, 20%). Paper 3 (HL only — research methods short-answer, 1 hr, 20%). Internal Assessment: Experimental study (SL 25% / HL 20%). The Internal Assessment (Experimental Study) counts for 25% of the final grade at SL and 20% at HL.
What is the IB Psychology IA?
The IB Psychology IA is the Experimental Study. A simple replication of a published psychology experiment with a written report (2,200 words) covering introduction, exploration, analysis, evaluation, and presentation. It accounts for 25% of the final grade at SL and 20% at HL.
Should I take IB Psychology HL or SL?
Take HL if Psychology is relevant to your university course (Medicine, nursing, social work, and behavioural science university applications.), or if you are genuinely strong in the subject. HL adds 90 extra hours of content and deeper examination requirements. SL is suitable if you need the subject for the diploma but it is not your primary focus.