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Thinka May 2024 SL (TZ2) IB Diploma Programme-Style Mock — Psychology

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An original Thinka practice paper modelled on the structure and difficulty of the May 2024 SL (TZ2) IB Diploma Programme Psychology paper. Not affiliated with or reproduced from IB.

Paper 1 Section A

Answer all three short-answer questions. Marks are awarded for focused answers demonstrating accurate knowledge and understanding of research.
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PastPaper.question 1 · Short Answer Question (SAQ)
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Explain how neuroplasticity occurs in the human brain, with reference to one relevant study.
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Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life in response to learning, experience, or following injury. This process is driven by two main mechanisms: dendritic branching (the creation of new synapses to strengthen connections) and neural pruning (the elimination of unused synapses to increase the efficiency of neural networks). A key study demonstrating neuroplasticity is Draganski et al. (2004). The researchers investigated whether learning a new physical skill (juggling) would cause structural changes in the brains of participants. Using a sample of 24 non-jugglers, the researchers took an initial MRI scan of all participants. They then split them into two groups: jugglers and non-jugglers. The jugglers spent three months learning a simple juggling routine and were scanned a second time when they had mastered it. They were then told to stop juggling, and a final scan was taken three months later. The control group did not learn to juggle and were scanned at the same intervals. The researchers used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to measure changes in grey matter. The results showed that the jugglers had a significant increase in grey matter in the mid-temporal area (associated with visual memory and movement perception) of both hemispheres in the second scan. However, by the third scan (after three months of no practice), the amount of grey matter in these areas had decreased, although it remained higher than the baseline. The control group showed no changes. This study clearly demonstrates neuroplasticity. The increase in grey matter in response to intensive learning shows that environmental demands can stimulate dendritic branching and structural growth in specific brain regions. The subsequent decrease in grey matter when practice ceased illustrates neural pruning, where inactive neural pathways are eliminated, highlighting the dynamic nature of brain plasticity.

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Marks are awarded using the generic IB DP Psychology SAQ rubric (9 marks total): [7-9 marks]: The response is highly focused on the question, demonstrating accurate, relevant knowledge and understanding of neuroplasticity. The study by Draganski et al. (2004) is described accurately and its connection to neuroplasticity is explicitly and clearly explained. Key terminology (e.g., neural pruning, dendritic branching, grey matter) is used appropriately. [4-6 marks]: The response shows some knowledge of neuroplasticity, but explanation may lack detail or clarity. A relevant study is described, but the link between the study's findings and neuroplasticity is not fully developed or contains minor inaccuracies. [1-3 marks]: The response is superficial or shows limited understanding of neuroplasticity. The study may be omitted, highly inaccurate, or irrelevant. No clear link is established.
PastPaper.question 2 · Short Answer Question (SAQ)
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Explain schema theory, with reference to one relevant study.
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Schema theory is a cognitive theory about how the brain structures and processes information. A schema is a mental representation of knowledge, experiences, and expectations stored in long-term memory about a particular object, event, or situation. Schemas help us simplify and interpret the complex world around us by providing a cognitive shortcut. They can influence all stages of memory: encoding (we pay attention to things consistent with our schema), storage (we organize information according to existing schemas), and retrieval (we reconstruct memories based on what fits our schema). A classic study that demonstrates the influence of schemas on memory retrieval is Brewer and Treyens (1981). The aim was to investigate whether people's memory for objects in a room is influenced by their existing schema of an office. The sample consisted of 86 university students who were seated in a room made to look like an academic office. The room contained both schema-consistent items (e.g., desk, typewriter, calendar) and schema-inconsistent items (e.g., a skull, a piece of bark). It also lacked some typical office items (e.g., books). After 35 seconds, the participants were moved to another room and asked to recall the objects in the office using one of three conditions: written recall, drawing recall, or verbal recognition. The results showed that participants in the written and drawing conditions were highly likely to recall typical office items that were actually in the room, but they also falsely recalled items that were not there (such as books) simply because they fit their existing office schema. Many participants failed to recall highly atypical items like the skull. This study supports schema theory by demonstrating that memory is reconstructive. Rather than acting as a passive video recorder, our minds use existing schemas (the mental representation of an office) to fill in gaps during memory retrieval, leading to predictable, schema-driven memory distortions.

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Marks are awarded using the generic IB DP Psychology SAQ rubric (9 marks total): [7-9 marks]: The response is highly focused on the question, showing deep understanding of schema theory (including concepts like mental representations, cognitive shortcuts, and reconstructive memory). The study by Brewer and Treyens (1981) is accurately described, and the link between the study's results (false memories of schema-consistent items) and the theory is clearly and explicitly explained. [4-6 marks]: The response explains schema theory and details a relevant study, but the explanation of how schemas influence cognitive processes (such as memory reconstruction) is incomplete or lacks clarity. [1-3 marks]: The response shows a superficial understanding of schemas. The study is poorly described or irrelevant, with little to no link back to the theory.
PastPaper.question 3 · Short Answer Question (SAQ)
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Explain Social Cognitive Theory, with reference to one relevant study.
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Social Cognitive Theory, developed by Albert Bandura, suggests that human behavior is learned through the observation and imitation of models within a social context, a process known as observational learning. According to Bandura, this learning involves four cognitive/mediational processes: attention (the learner must actively perceive the model's behavior), retention (the learner must remember the observed behavior), reproduction (the learner must have the physical and mental capability to replicate the behavior), and motivation (the learner must have a reason to perform the behavior, often influenced by reinforcement or punishment). Self-efficacy (the belief in one's capability to succeed) also plays a critical role. A foundational study demonstrating this theory is the Bobo Doll experiment by Bandura, Ross, and Ross (1961). The researchers aimed to investigate whether children would learn and imitate aggressive behavior through observation of an adult model. A sample of 72 young children (ages 3 to 6) was divided into three groups. One group was exposed to an adult model who acted aggressively toward an inflatable Bobo Doll (hitting it, kicking it, and shouting at it). The second group observed a non-aggressive model who assembled toys quietly. The third group was a control group that did not observe any model. After observation, children were placed in a room with toys, including a Bobo Doll, and their behavior was observed through a one-way mirror. The results showed that children who observed the aggressive model exhibited significantly more physical and verbal aggression directed at the Bobo Doll compared to the other two groups. They often precisely imitated the exact behaviors and phrases of the adult model. This study directly supports Social Cognitive Theory by demonstrating observational learning. It shows that children do not need direct reinforcement to learn new behaviors; they can acquire complex behavioral patterns simply by observing a model and subsequently reproducing those actions when motivated to do so.

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Marks are awarded using the generic IB DP Psychology SAQ rubric (9 marks total): [7-9 marks]: The response shows an excellent understanding of Social Cognitive Theory, explicitly defining key cognitive processes (attention, retention, reproduction, motivation) and modeling. Bandura et al. (1961) is described accurately and its findings are explicitly linked to explain how observational learning takes place. [4-6 marks]: The response shows basic knowledge of Social Cognitive Theory and describes a relevant study, but the explanation of the link between the study and the theoretical mechanisms (mediational processes) is weak or descriptive rather than explanatory. [1-3 marks]: The response shows superficial understanding. It may simply describe children copying behavior without explaining the theoretical framework of Social Cognitive Theory.

Paper 1 Section B

Answer one essay question from a choice of three. Marks are awarded for demonstration of knowledge, critical thinking, and use of research.
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PastPaper.question 1 · ERQ
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Discuss the role of one or more neurotransmitters on human behaviour.
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### Essay Outline & Content Guide

**1. Introduction**
* **Define Neurotransmission:** The process by which signaling molecules called neurotransmitters are released by a presynaptic neuron, cross the synaptic gap, and bind to receptors on a postsynaptic neuron to transmit an electrochemical signal.
* **Introduce Neurotransmitters & Behaviours:** State which neurotransmitters will be discussed and their associated behaviours. For instance, Acetylcholine (ACh) and its role in spatial memory, or Serotonin (5-HT) and its role in prosocial behaviour and moral decision-making.
* **Thesis Statement:** Neurotransmitters play a profound role in modulating human cognition and behaviour, though understanding their effects requires looking past biological reductionism to consider methodological limitations and the bidirectional relationship between biology and environment.

**2. Neurotransmitter 1: Acetylcholine (ACh) and Spatial Memory**
* **Mechanism:** ACh is highly concentrated in the hippocampus and is known to play an essential role in the encoding of spatial and declarative memories.
* **Key Empirical Research: Antonova et al. (2011)**
* *Aim:* To investigate the role of acetylcholine in spatial memory tasks in humans.
* *Method:* Double-blind, post-test, repeated measures design. Male participants were injected with either Scopolamine (an ACh antagonist that blocks receptor sites) or a placebo, and put into an fMRI scanner while playing the 'Arena task' (a complex virtual reality game testing spatial memory recall).
* *Results:* Participants injected with scopolamine demonstrated a significant reduction in activation of the hippocampus compared to the placebo condition.
* *Conclusion:* Acetylcholine plays a crucial role in the activation of the hippocampus during the encoding of spatial memories in humans.

**3. Neurotransmitter 2: Serotonin (5-HT) and Prosocial Behaviour / Moral Decision-Making**
* **Mechanism:** Serotonin is an inhibitory neurotransmitter involved in mood regulation, impulsivity, and social decision-making.
* **Key Empirical Research: Crockett et al. (2010)**
* *Aim:* To investigate the effect of serotonin on prosocial behaviour and moral decision-making.
* *Method:* Double-blind, repeated measures laboratory experiment. Participants were given either a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI - citalopram, which increases serotonin levels in the synapse) or a placebo. They were then presented with personal and impersonal moral dilemmas (like the Trolley Problem).
* *Results:* In the personal moral dilemma (e.g., pushing a man off a bridge to stop a trolley), participants with increased serotonin (citalopram condition) were significantly less likely to choose the utilitarian option (sacrificing one to save many) because they had an increased aversion to causing direct harm to others.
* *Conclusion:* Serotonin modulates social decision-making by enhancing harm-averse responses and promoting prosocial cooperative behaviour.

**4. Critical Thinking & Evaluation (Discussion)**
* **Biological Reductionism vs. Holism:** Explaining complex human behaviours (like moral decision-making or memory) purely through neurotransmitter concentrations is reductionist. It ignores cognitive schemas, cultural norms, and environmental contexts.
* **Methodological Limitations:**
* *Construct Validity:* Measuring 'moral decision-making' via hypothetical dilemmas (e.g., Crockett et al.) may not translate to real-life prosocial actions.
* *Artificiality of Tasks:* fMRI environments (e.g., Antonova et al.) and virtual reality tasks lack ecological validity.
* *Animal Models:* Some foundational research on ACh (e.g., Rogers & Kesner, 2003) uses rats, raising issues of generalizability to humans.
* **Bidirectional Relationships:** Environmental stressors or learning experiences can alter neurotransmitter levels and synaptic connections (neuroplasticity), showing that the brain and behaviour influence each other bidirectionally.

**5. Conclusion**
* Summarize how acetylcholine and serotonin selectively modulate memory and decision-making respectively.
* Reiterate that while neurotransmission provides a robust biochemical explanation for human behaviour, it must be integrated with cognitive and sociocultural perspectives to provide a complete understanding.

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### IB Diploma Programme Psychology ERQ Rubric (22 Marks)

* **Criterion A: Focus on the question (2 marks)**
* **2 marks:** The response is focused on the question throughout, clearly identifying and addressing the specific role of one or more neurotransmitters on human behaviour.
* **1 mark:** The response is somewhat focused on the question, but contains irrelevant or distracting material.

* **Criterion B: Knowledge and understanding (6 marks)**
* **5-6 marks:** Focuses accurately on the biological mechanism of neurotransmission (synaptic transmission, agonists/antagonists, receptor sites). The role of the chosen neurotransmitter(s) is explained clearly, showing deep conceptual understanding.
* **3-4 marks:** Basic knowledge and understanding are demonstrated, but key biological mechanisms are either missing or lack clarity.
* **1-2 marks:** Little or highly fragmented knowledge of neurotransmission is demonstrated.

* **Criterion C: Use of research to support knowledge (6 marks)**
* **5-6 marks:** Relevant empirical research (such as Antonova et al., Crockett et al., or Rogers & Kesner) is introduced, described accurately, and explicitly linked to the essay prompt. The studies used directly support the arguments made.
* **3-4 marks:** Research is described, but contains inaccuracies, or the link between the study's findings and the role of neurotransmission on behaviour is weak.
* **1-2 marks:** Minimal or irrelevant research is cited, or research is merely mentioned without explanation.

* **Criterion D: Critical thinking (6 marks)**
* **5-6 marks:** Critical evaluation is consistently integrated throughout the essay. Discussion includes insightful points on biological reductionism, methodological limitations of the studies (construct validity, ecological validity, animal models), and ethical or bidirectional considerations.
* **3-4 marks:** Critical evaluation is present but limited, superficial, or presented as a separate 'evaluation paragraph' without cohesive integration.
* **1-2 marks:** Little to no critical thinking or evaluation is present.

* **Criterion E: Clarity and organisation (2 marks)**
* **2 marks:** The essay is well-structured, logical, and uses appropriate psychological terminology throughout.
* **1 mark:** The essay is somewhat organized but lacks flow or contains frequent errors in terminology.

Paper 2 Options

Answer one essay question from the choices provided under the option chapters studied. Marks are awarded according to the standard option ERQ criteria.
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PastPaper.question 1 · ERQ
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Discuss cultural considerations in the diagnosis of abnormal behaviour.
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Introduction:

  • Define diagnosis as the process of matching an individual’s behaviors and symptoms to established criteria in diagnostic manuals (such as the DSM-5 or ICD-11).
  • Introduce the concept of cultural considerations. Culture influences how symptoms are expressed, interpreted, reported, and diagnosed.
  • Outline the main argument: Western diagnostic systems have historically assumed universality (an 'etic' approach), which can lead to misdiagnosis, cultural blindness, or pathologizing of normal cultural variations. Conversely, taking an 'emic' approach helps clinicians understand culture-bound syndromes and localized idioms of distress.

Main Body Paragraph 1: Concepts and Theory (Etic vs. Emic approaches to diagnosis)

  • Define universalism (etic approach): the belief that psychological disorders are the same across all cultures. This can lead to category errors (applying a diagnostic category to a culture where it does not fit).
  • Define relativism (emic approach): the belief that abnormal behavior can only be understood within its cultural context.
  • Discuss how cultural idioms of distress (how different cultures express psychological pain) and cultural explanations (how culture attributes causes to distress) must be integrated into diagnosis to avoid cultural bias.

Main Body Paragraph 2: Empirical Research on Symptom Presentation

  • Study: Parker et al. (2001)
    • Aim: To investigate differences in symptom presentation of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) between Chinese and Australian patients.
    • Method: Surveyed patients diagnosed with MDD using DSM criteria in Malaysia (Chinese heritage) and Australia (Euro-Australian heritage).
    • Results: Chinese patients reported significantly more somatic symptoms (e.g., headache, insomnia, body pain) as their primary reason for seeking help, whereas Australian patients reported more cognitive/affective symptoms (e.g., sadness, worthlessness).
    • Link to question: Demonstrates that cultural differences in somatic versus cognitive expression of depression can lead to diagnostic errors if a Western clinician only looks for affective symptoms.

Main Body Paragraph 3: Empirical Research on Auditory Hallucinations and Cultural Perception

  • Study: Luhrmann et al. (2015)
    • Aim: To investigate how voice-hearing (auditory hallucinations) is experienced across different cultures.
    • Method: Interviewed participants with schizophrenia from the USA, India (Chennai), and Ghana (Accra).
    • Results: US participants reported voices as highly negative, violent, and clinical symptoms of a disease. Indian and Ghanaian participants reported more positive experiences, describing the voices as playful, or as spirits/ancestors guiding them.
    • Link to question: This shows that identical clinical phenomena (hearing voices) are framed radically differently depending on cultural background. A diagnostic manual that treats all voice-hearing as a sign of severe pathology may mischaracterize experiences in non-Western contexts.

Main Body Paragraph 4: Diagnostic Bias and Cultural Blindness

  • Discuss how clinicians’ own cultural backgrounds can introduce clinical biases.
  • For example, clinicians might overpathologize certain behaviors in minority groups (e.g., diagnosing higher rates of schizophrenia in African Caribbean patients in Western countries due to cultural misunderstandings of mistrust or spiritual beliefs).

Critical Evaluation:

  • Methodological considerations of the research: Use of self-report measures in cross-cultural surveys, potential translation issues, and sampling bias.
  • Strengths of integrating cultural considerations: Improves the validity and reliability of diagnosis; reduces stigma; prevents unnecessary medicalization or under-treatment.
  • Limitations / Challenges: Excessive relativism could lead to ignoring severe psychopathology under the guise of 'cultural difference'. The DSM-5 attempted to address this with the Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI), though its actual clinical usage remains inconsistent.

Conclusion:

  • Summarize how culture plays an indispensable role in how distress is formulated and diagnosed.
  • Conclude that for diagnosis to be both valid and ethical, a balanced approach combining universal criteria with culturally sensitive formulations (like the CFI) is necessary.

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Marking Rubric for IB Psychology Paper 2 Option ERQ (22 marks):

Criterion A: Focus on the question (2 marks)

  • 2 marks: The response is focused on the prompt throughout, specifically addressing cultural considerations in the diagnosis of abnormal behavior.
  • 1 mark: The response is somewhat relevant, but lacks consistent focus on the cultural aspects of diagnosis.

Criterion B: Knowledge and understanding (6 marks)

  • 5-6 marks: Explains key psychological concepts (etic vs. emic, cultural idioms of distress, reporting bias, clinical bias) with high accuracy and detail. Shows a clear understanding of the diagnostic process and how culture affects it.
  • 3-4 marks: Explains relevant concepts, but with some inaccuracies or a lack of depth.
  • 1-2 marks: Fragmented or superficial understanding of cultural considerations and diagnosis.

Criterion C: Use of research (6 marks)

  • 5-6 marks: Uses highly relevant and well-described research studies (such as Parker et al. and/or Luhrmann et al.) to support arguments. The link between the studies and the diagnostic process is explicitly explained.
  • 3-4 marks: Studies are described, but with minor inaccuracies, or the connection to the diagnostic process is weak or implicit.
  • 1-2 marks: Minimal or descriptive-only use of research, with little to no clear link to the essay topic.

Criterion D: Critical thinking (6 marks)

  • 5-6 marks: Displays excellent evaluation and critical analysis. Discusses the trade-offs of etic vs. emic approaches, evaluates the methodological strengths/weaknesses of cross-cultural studies, and discusses the implications on diagnostic validity and reliability.
  • 3-4 marks: Demonstrates some critical thinking, but it is limited, generic, or not well-integrated into the main arguments.
  • 1-2 marks: Lacks critical thinking; mostly descriptive.

Criterion E: Clarity and organization (2 marks)

  • 2 marks: Well-structured essay with an introduction, clearly organized paragraphs with transitions, and a coherent conclusion.
  • 1 mark: Some structure, but lacks flow, clarity, or has organizational issues.

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