Practise IB Psychology HL 3.1 by integrating stress, coping, resilience, illness and intervention evidence across biological, cognitive and sociocultural levels.
To what extent do biological factors influence health-related behaviour?
Refer to the paper 2 assessment criteria when awarding marks.
The command term "to what extent" requires candidates to consider the influence of biological factors on health-related behaviour.
Stress, obesity, substance abuse, and other health-related behaviours are equally acceptable for answers to the question. Candidates may approach health-related behaviour as a whole or use specific examples of health-related behaviour. Both approaches are equally acceptable.
Biological factors may include, but are not limited to:
- evolutionary explanations
- genetic predisposition
- the biological effects of drug treatment for addictive behaviour
- the neurobiology of food addiction (for example, Volkow et al., 2002).
Each factor that is identified should be connected to health-related behaviour. Where this connection is not made, no marks should be awarded for the mere listing or description of biological factors.
It is appropriate and useful for candidates to address sociocultural and/or cognitive factors in order to respond to the command term "to what extent".
Candidates may address a small number of biological factors in order to demonstrate depth of knowledge, or may address a larger number of biological factors in order to demonstrate breadth of knowledge. Both approaches are equally acceptable.
Discuss one or more cultural considerations in diagnosis.
Refer to the paper 2 assessment criteria when awarding marks.
The command term "discuss" requires candidates to offer a considered and balanced review of cultural considerations relevant to diagnosis.
Discussions may include, but are not limited to:
- how different cultures define abnormality
- classificatory systems may be culturally biased
- difference in prevalence rates across cultures
- changes in culture over time
- symptoms may be culturally determined
- emic versus etic approaches to diagnosis
- culture-bound syndromes
- "over-pathologizing" due to lack of understanding of different cultural norms.
Candidates may discuss one cultural consideration in order to demonstrate depth of knowledge, or may discuss a larger number of cultural considerations in order to demonstrate breadth of knowledge. Both approaches are equally acceptable.
The focus of the response must be on cultural considerations in diagnosis. If cultural considerations related to abnormal psychology in general, or treatment of specific disorders, are addressed, the response should be awarded up to a maximum of [3] for criterion A, knowledge and understanding, up to a maximum of [4] for criterion B, critical thinking, and up to a maximum of [2] for criterion C, organization.
To what extent do sociocultural factors influence abnormal behaviour?
Refer to the paper 2 assessment criteria when awarding marks.
The command term "to what extent" requires candidates to consider the contributions of sociocultural factors influencing abnormal behaviour.
Candidates could choose to provide a general response on the extent to which sociocultural factors influence abnormal behaviour or they could provide a response discussing the extent to which sociocultural factors influence one specific disorder.
Discussion may include, but is not limited to, the relevance of sociocultural factors for etiology, diagnosis and treatment.
Sociocultural factors may include, but are not limited to:
- sociocultural stressors
- media influences
- cross-cultural differences influencing body dissatisfaction
- the link between poverty and mood disorders
- differences in socialization which may produce different symptoms in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Relevant research may include but is not limited to:
- Zhang's (1998) study of mood disorders in China
- J acobs' (1998) investigation of Indian women in Great Britain
- Kleinman's (1982) study of neurasthenia in China
- J enkins-Hall and Sacco's (1991) study of ethnicity bias in diagnosis.
It is appropriate and useful for candidates to address other factors (including biological and/or cognitive factors) in order to respond to the command term "to what extent". Higher quality responses will probably argue that for most psychological disorders, the onset and development of the disorder is a result of complex interactions between biological, cognitive and/or sociocultural factors.
Candidates may consider a smaller number of sociocultural factors in order to demonstrate depth of knowledge, or may consider a larger number of cognitive or sociocultural factors in order to demonstrate breadth of knowledge. Both approaches are equally acceptable.