Psychology: Subject Specific GuidanceAn extended essay (EE) in psychology gives students the opportunity to:
investigate in depth a topic of their choice within the subject
develop their skills in research, analysis and evaluation, and communication
increase their understanding of behaviour from a psychology perspective.
Psychology may be defined as “the study of behaviour”. The subject involves studying the behaviours of humans and non-human animals and has a range of specialist terms, methods and literature.
It is therefore essential for students undertaking an EE in psychology to:
have a sound understanding of the subject and its methodologies
choose a topic amenable to psychological investigation and analysis.
Students who have not studied psychology formally should not undertake the EE, unless they can demonstrate that they have sufficient knowledge and understanding of the subject.
Schools where psychology is not taught must be aware that students who submit an EE in psychology with no formal exposure to the subject may compromise their level of achievement.
