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Psychology Extended Essay Guide
A complete guide to writing a rigorous, well-designed IB Psychology Extended Essay that meets academic standards.
What is a Psychology Extended Essay?
The Psychology Extended Essay (EE) is one of the most challenging and rewarding parts of the IB Diploma. Below you will find everything you need to choose a strong topic, design your methodology, and write a high-scoring EE in Psychology.
Word Count
3,500 – 4,000 words
Excluding bibliography, abstract, and appendices. Budget every section carefully before you start writing.
Assessment
Graded A–E
Combined with the TOK essay for up to 3 bonus IB Diploma points. A strong EE and TOK = maximum bonus.
Timeline
12–18 months
From initial topic to final submission. Most students underestimate this. Start early and plan backwards from your deadline.
Supervision
3 required meetings
Initial, interim, and final (viva voce). Each requires an RPPF reflection. Your supervisor approves your RQ.
Strong Psychology EE Topic Ideas
| Topic Idea | Why It Works | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| To what extent does cognitive reappraisal as an emotion regulation strategy reduce anxiety in adolescents? | Cognitive approach, secondary analysis, literature review | Medium |
| How does social media use correlate with body image dissatisfaction in female teenagers? | Survey-based primary research, social cognitive theory | Easy |
| To what extent does stereotype threat explain the gender gap in mathematics performance? | Experimental psychology, secondary analysis | Medium |
| How effective is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy compared to mindfulness-based stress reduction for treating depression? | Clinical psychology, comparative review | Medium |
| What is the relationship between sleep deprivation and working memory performance in IB students? | Primary research possible, cognitive neuroscience | Easy |
| To what extent does attachment style in early childhood predict adult romantic relationship quality? | Developmental psychology, longitudinal research | Hard |
Subject-Specific Advice
Ethics First
Get ethical approval before collecting data
If you conduct primary research involving human participants, you MUST obtain ethical approval from your school before collecting any data. Retrospective approval is not accepted.
Report Structure
Follow IMRaD format
Introduction, Methodology, Results, Discussion, Conclusion. This is standard scientific report format and what psychology examiners expect.
Triangulation
Use multiple studies
A literature review of 5–8 peer-reviewed studies is stronger than relying on 1–2 studies. Triangulate findings across studies to build a stronger argument.
Critical Evaluation
Evaluate every study
Discuss limitations: sample size, cultural bias, experimental demand characteristics, ecological validity. A Psychology EE without critical evaluation is capped at mediocre bands.
Assessment & Common Mistakes
Assessed on: knowledge of psychology, research methodology, critical evaluation, and quality of argument. Psychology EEs that lack methodological rigour or use non-academic sources score in the lower bands. Ethics is non-negotiable.
⚠ Common Pitfall
Students often use Wikipedia, popular psychology blogs, or TED Talks as sources. All sources must be from peer-reviewed journals (Psychological Science, PLOS ONE, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology). No primary research source is acceptable without peer review.
Psychology EE Checklist
- ✓ My RQ is specific and testable/reviewable — not a general question about psychology
- ✓ If conducting primary research: ethical approval obtained before data collection
- ✓ I follow IMRaD report structure (Introduction, Methodology, Results, Discussion, Conclusion)
- ✓ All sources are peer-reviewed academic journals — no Wikipedia, blogs, or popular media
- ✓ I critically evaluate each study I cite (sample size, methodology limitations, cultural bias)
- ✓ My discussion section connects findings back to psychological theory
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