Answering SAQs - Paper 3: Question 3 (HL Only) (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 Learning & Cognition context:

Source 3:

The findings are taken from Bartlett's War of the Ghosts (1932) study:

Results: Bartlett found that the resulting stories bore little similarity to the original Native American folk tale. The changes made by the participants included:

• Omission: Key details of the story were ignored or missed out, particularly unfamiliar or unpleasant details such as a contorted face or black coming out of a mouth. Participants even omitted the key idea that ghosts were fighting which is surprising as this is the title of the story. Ghosts were soon dropped from the re-telling of the story as they do not fit with the way that adult males see the world, particularly in relation to war; details such as a contorted face were omitted as they may have caused unpleasant memories.

• Assimilation and sharpening: Story details were changed to suit the participants’ own cultural schemas e.g. ‘canoes’ became ‘boats’; ‘paddling’ became ‘rowing’. Details such as the spirit wound were re-interpreted as a flesh wound with words such as ‘therefore’ and ‘because’ inserted to explain the events.

• Levelling: The story became shorter - the original story was approximately 350 words and the participants’ version was around 180 words.

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

[6 marks]

Model answer:

The researcher could improve the credibility of this research several ways, one of which is the use of triangulation. Bartlett could use triangulation of method by implementing additional ways of collecting data e.g., via a questionnaire; research triangulation by asking other experts to look over his procedure and/or join him in collecting and analysing the data.

The use of reflexivity (acknowledging his own biases and preconceived ideas) would be a good way of keeping subjectivity in check. Using an audit trail would also help to improve credibility as it ensures that precise records are kept of all research decisions, data collection methods, and analytical steps taken throughout the research life-cycle.

Guidance

• The command term “Discuss” requires you to 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.

Here is an example of a Paper 3 source and a 6-mark SAQ using technology (HL extension) in the Human Development context:

Source 3:

Technoference refers to the phenomenon of technology interfering with interpersonal communication and attachment behaviours (e.g., playing, chatting). Some women believe that technoference has had a negative effect on the social and emotional functioning of their child.

Zayia et al. (2021) obtained a sample of 80 mothers and of elementary-age children (mean age of 3.5 years). The study questioned both the mothers and the children to report their perceptions of parental technoference (i.e., the mother's use of technology) and the impact it had on their relationship with their mother and their own social and emotional functioning.

The children who reported higher technoference also reported a less secure mother-child attachment - interestingly, this was not reflected in what their mothers reported (i.e., they reported no insecurity in attachment to their child). Higher rates of technoference were associated with lower ratings of the child's social and emotional functioning by the mothers. A more secure attachment bond between mother and child worked as a protective factor against the negative impact of technoference.

Q3: Discuss how the researcher could avoid bias in this source.

[6 marks]

Model answer:

The researcher could avoid culture bias in this study by ensuring that her sample is ethnically diverse. The sample could be broadened to include mothers from countries outside of the USA (which is where the research took place) and/or from a diverse range of ethnic and cultural groups within the USA. The researcher could avoid gender bias by including fathers in the sample as well: this may help to shed light on possible differing attitudes between parents as to the impact of technoference on attachment.

The researcher could avoid confirmation bias by practicing reflexivity i.e., she should make sure that she is aware of her own preconceived ideas as to technoference and attachment prior to, during and after the procedure. By doing this it should be possible for her to avoid only reporting data that confirms her initial idea/hypothesis.

Guidance

• The command term “Discuss” requires you to 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 avoid bias could include:

  • Using reflexivity to be alert to confirmation bias and researcher bias

  • Checking the procedure/questions to avoid social desirability bias and acquiescence bis

  • Aiming to find a sample that is as unbiased and representative as possible

  • Being sensitive to issues such as culture bias and gender bias

Here is an example of a Paper 3 source and a 6-mark SAQ using motivation (HL extension) in the Human Relationships context:

Source 3:

Intrinsic motivation refers to any behaviour that comes from an internal source and which has a specific, non-reward-based goal. The inherent satisfaction that comes from achieving a goal is enough for people who are intrinsically motivated; they see activities, tasks or projects as an opportunity to learn, to explore, to enjoy the process.

The following study by Tauer & Harackiewicz (2004) investigates the ideas set out above:

Aim: To investigate the effects of cooperation and competition on intrinsic motivation and performance in sport

Participants:

• 36 boys from grades 7-9 (mean age 12 years) 

• The boys were attending a basketball day camp in the USA

Procedure:

• The researchers used a matched pairs design according to their ability in basketball

• Each participant had been pre-tested on their ability at throwing and scoring baskets.

• There were three conditions of the independent variable:

  • The pure cooperation condition: the paired participants’ pre-test scores were combined and they were told that that they had to beat this score by one point by working together

  • The pure competition condition: this was a straightforward case where one boy was pitted against the other to see who could score the most baskets

  • The intergroup competition condition: one pair of boys was put in competition against another pair of boys so that the pairs had to work together to win against another pair

• The dependent variable was:

  • the number of free throws each participant made

  • their responses to a questionnaire about how much they had enjoyed the activity (from 1 – 10 with 10 indicating most enjoyment).

Results:

• The intergroup competition condition resulted in the highest levels of task performance and self-reported task enjoyment

• There was no real difference in performance and enjoyment found between pure cooperation and pure competition

Conclusion: Cooperation and competition combined appears to result in optimum performance and intrinsic motivation for the task

Q3: To what extent are the findings transferable to other populations or contexts?

[6 marks]

Worked example:

The findings are not easy to generalise: a sample of 36 boys in grades 7-9 from the USA is a biased and limited sample. For a start, this is a small sample size which means that any quantitative data will lack statistical power, making it difficult to show that there is a significant effect of cooperation/competition on intrinsic motivation. The external validity of the sample is low as the boys all attended the same day-long basketball camp which suggests that they were all from the same geographical area.

The focus of the research, however, draws from issues that are likely to affect children who engage in competitive sport (competition is particularly important to individualistic cultures such as the USA). To this extent the findings are transferable to other contexts in which children take part in competitive sport and may be affected by intrinsic motivation. The findings are gender-biased as they cannot be generalised to girls as well as culture-biased as they do not represent other cultures (people from other countries and also from other states/counties of the USA).

Guidance

• The command term “To what extent” requires you to express a view/judgement on the merit, validity, or success of an argument or concept, supported by relevant evidence

• Points made about transferability could include:

  • How easily the findings can be transferred/generalised to other populations or situations/contexts

  • How easily understood or relatable the concepts, ideas and experiences covered in the data are to most people

  • How relevant the research appears to a modern audience/population

  • How well the researcher has explained their use of materials, procedure, method, data analysis etc.