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 that they have sufficient knowledge and understanding of the subject. Schools where psychology is not taught must be aware that students who submit an EE in psychology with no formal exposure to the subject may compromise their level of achievement.
Choice of Topic
The topic may be an extension of an area covered on the Diploma Programme psychology course or a topic of interest outside the content covered. When choosing their topic, students should remember that their EE must be based on secondary sources only. The collection of primary data is not permitted for the psychology EE (see Treatment of the topic). The process of selecting a focused research question may be summarized as:
choose a field in psychology of particular interest
refine this choice to a specific topic
develop a research question on this topic.
For example, a student might be interested in stress. They may then narrow this to the topic of stress within commercial aviation. Many large commercial airlines employ psychologists to investigate pilot performance and factors such as stress or emergency management. The student’s research question could be: “To what extent does airline pilot stress affect airline safety standards?” (See also Examples of topics.) Students must ensure that enough relevant and appropriate resources are available for them to conduct their research. They should investigate this at the start of their planning process. The research question should require the construction of a systematically structured and fully supported argument in the development of an informed conclusion. Supervisors do not necessarily require detailed knowledge of the student’s topic. Tricky topics Topics within the fields of “pop psychology” or “self-help” will not be appropriate for the EE as they are not supported by peer-reviewed research studies. Topics that do not lend themselves well to analysis, evaluation and debate are unlikely to be the best choices for a student. Topics such as eating disorders, dysfunctional behaviours (eg schizophrenia or depression) and forensic psychology are popular with students. However, they pose a challenge unless students focus their research question very tightly. These topics are extremely ambitious, requiring far more time and experience than students generally have at their disposal.
Examples of Topics
Treatment of the Topic
Primary versus secondary data Primary data collected using the students’ own experiments, surveys, observations and case studies is inappropriate for the EE. Instead, students must use secondary data from published sources. They should develop their argument with careful and appropriate citation of relevant concepts, theories and studies from academic psychological research journals and books. Students should not make any assertions unsupported by evidence drawn from psychological theories or studies. Analysis and discussion and evaluation To develop a well-rounded understanding of their topic, students should carefully evaluate any research they cite. The essay should offer a balanced argument in response to the research question. Students should demonstrate critical awareness and understanding of the material they use. They should analyse rather than simply describe. They need to apply what they have read to the research question rather than report the information. One of the aims of all group 3 subjects is to enable the students to recognize that the content and methodologies of the subjects in group 3 are wide ranging and require students to critically evaluate the choices they make with regard to methodologies. An EE in psychology should demonstrate such understanding. The Psychology guide introduces a framework for evaluation. It trains students to address cultural, ethical, gender and methodological considerations potentially affecting how a particular study or theory interprets behaviour. Comparative analysis may also be a useful evaluative strategy. Students should keep these considerations in mind when selecting a topic, generating a research question and developing their argument. Ethical guidelines The IB has published a set of ethical guidelines that apply to the psychology EE and internal assessment task. Many topics within psychology are sensitive in nature. Students should consider carefully all possible ethical issues before they embark on their essay. Students and supervisors share the responsibility for ensuring it does not breach the guidelines.
Examples of Topics, RQs, & Approaches
Note: All information on this webpage has been copied or adapted from the IB Extended Essay Guide (2018) and is used for educational purposes only.