Culture & Self-development (DP IB Psychology): Revision Note

Here is an example of a Paper 3 source and a 6-mark SAQ using culture (HL extension) in the Health & Wellbeing context:

Source 3

A researcher carried out a series of focus groups with participants in their 50s and 60s from the Black and Asian community to discuss their experience of schooling in the UK. The researcher carried out thematic analysis and found the following themes:

• The school curriculum in the 1970s did not account for multi-ethnic communities

• Texts studied in English lessons did not reflect their own identities as Black/Asian British

• Participants felt that their intellectual and social development was compromised due to their experience of school in the 1970s

Q3: Discuss how the researcher could improve the credibility of the findings in this source.

[6 marks]

Worked example:

The researcher could show their findings and conclusions to the participants to confirm that what they discussed in the interviews is reflected in the report (member checking). The researcher could ask colleagues from the same field of psychology/experts to review how the focus group was conducted, along with the findings, to provide external verification of the research. Additionally, more than one researcher (researcher triangulation) could be involved in the research process (conducting interviews and analysing data).

Data from the focus group could be combined with other research methods (e.g., a questionnaire) or data sources to validate the findings (triangulation of method and data). The findings from other methods could be compared against the findings from the focus group interviews, which is another way of assuring credibility. The researcher should also be open about any conflicts of interest or their own possible biases that may affect the credibility of the research (reflexivity).

Guidance

• The command term “Discuss” requires you to offer a considered review, acknowledging limitations as well as strengths, offering suggestions for improvement, demonstrating insight of the topic

• A discussion of how to improve credibility could include:

  • Checking the findings with participants

  • Using a focus group to validate the research, particularly the findings

  • Ask colleagues/experts to review the findings

  • Using reflexivity

  • Highlighting strengths and limitations of the procedure, sample, etc.