IBDP Psychology HL - Advanced Analysis & Evaluation

Front

Evaluate the use of **reductionism** in the Biological Approach to explaining human behaviour.

Back

While reductionism (breaking complex phenomena into simpler components) allows for objective measurement and causal links (e.g., neurotransmitters), it is often criticized for being oversimplistic. It ignores the emergent properties of human mind and the influence of sociocultural factors, leading to a limited understanding that fails to account for the holistic human experience.

Front

**Circular reasoning** in the context of the Biological Approach to behaviour.

Back

This fallacy occurs when the cause and effect are not clearly distinct, such as claiming 'he acted aggressively because he has high testosterone,' and 'he has high testosterone because he acted aggressively.' In evaluation, students must highlight this as a limitation of purely biological explanations that rely on correlational data.

Front

**Cognitive Load Theory** and its implication for **multitasking** (HL extension).

Back

Cognitive Load Theory suggests that working memory has limited capacity. 'Multitasking' is actually rapid task-switching, which incurs a 'switch cost,' depleting cognitive resources and increasing error rates. This explains why performance degrades when attempting complex cognitive tasks simultaneously in digital environments.

Front

Compare **Phineas Gage** (accidental) and **Moniz** (experimental) regarding **localization of brain function**.

Back

Both support localization, specifically the role of the frontal lobe in emotional regulation and personality. However, Gage's case was a single case study (anecdotal, lacking control) while Moniz used leucotomy (lobotomy) which was experimental but unethical, lacking informed consent and causing severe harm. They highlight the trade-off between localization evidence and ethical/methodological validity.

Front

Evaluate the **Reliability** of **Diagnosis** in Abnormal Psychology.

Back

Reliability refers to the consistency of a diagnosis. Issues include inter-rater reliability (do clinicians agree? - often low without structured tools like DSM-5/ICD-11) and test-retest reliability (consistency over time). While diagnostic manuals improve standardization, cultural bias and symptom overlap still threaten reliability, leading to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment.