Okay, so I decided to make an IB Psychology study guide. I’ve heard from so many people that they’re struggling with keeping all the studies and concepts straight, so I figured, why not? I’m pretty good at organizing information, so I thought I’d give it a shot.
First, I brainstormed all the major topics we’ve covered in class. You know, the big ones like cognitive processing, biological approach, sociocultural stuff, and all the abnormal psych options. I just jotted them down on a piece of paper to get a general overview.
Then, I dug out all my old notes, handouts, and textbook readings. It was a bit of a mess, to be honest. Papers everywhere! But I managed to find everything eventually.
Breaking it Down
Next, I started organizing everything by topic. I created separate sections for each of the approaches and the options. I figured this would make it easier to find things later.
- Cognitive Approach: Memory models, schema theory, thinking & decision-making… the usual suspects.
- Biological Approach: Localization of function, neurotransmitters, hormones, genetics… all that brain stuff.
- Sociocultural Approach: Social identity theory, social cognitive theory, cultural dimensions… how we interact with each other.
- and so on, for all the options!
For each topic, I summarized the key concepts and theories in my own words. I tried to keep it simple and to the point, no fancy jargon. I also made sure to include the aim, procedure, findings, and evaluation for all the key studies. That’s the stuff they always ask about on the exams, right?
I spent a good few days working on this, just plugging away at it whenever I had some free time. It was actually kind of fun, in a nerdy sort of way. It felt good to be productive and to create something that could actually help people.
Finally, I typed everything up neatly. And boom I made this, hope this helps for you guys!
