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In IB Psychology, extended response questions (ERQs) are a great opportunity for students to showcase their deeper understanding of psychological concepts. 

While they often start strong by describing theories and research, many students miss the chance to discuss key issues and debates that can take their responses to the next level. 

Especially for ERQs with the 'discuss' command term, examiners expect more than just a review of the material. 

Encouraging your students to weave in psychological issues and debates like gender differences, nature vs. nurture, and more can significantly improve the depth and quality of their responses. 

Here's how you can help them master this skill!

Going Beyond the Basics: The Value of Issues & Debates

Students are generally good at describing theories, explanations, and research, but it’s the evaluation and discussion of these topics that really differentiate top-band answers. 

One of the best ways to support evaluation is by introducing relevant psychological issues and debates into their responses. 

Whether the question specifically asks for it or not, a thoughtful discussion of these key debates enhances their argumentation. 

For example, students can explore if a theory accounts for gender or cultural differences, or whether it adequately addresses the interaction between nature and nurture. 

A robust answer doesn't just describe— it critically engages with the material.

Key Issues and Debates to Incorporate

To guide your students, start by teaching them some of the most accessible and commonly relevant issues and debates in psychology:

Gender and Cultural Differences: Encourage students to consider whether a theory or explanation accounts for variations across different genders or cultures. 

Many psychological studies have been criticised for being too Western-centric or androcentric, so raising these points can provide rich evaluation.

Nature vs. Nurture: This classic debate is essential in most areas of psychology. 

Ask your students to consider whether a theory or study takes a nature (biological) or nurture (environmental) stance. 

Stronger answers should also recognize the interaction between both influences, showing a more nuanced understanding.

Free Will vs. Determinism: Some theories suggest we have free will, while others propose that our behaviour is determined by biological or environmental factors. 

Students should explore whether the theory they’re discussing leans towards one side, and what the implications are for human agency.

Reductionism vs. Holism: A reductionist approach simplifies behaviour by breaking it down into basic parts, which may improve reliability, but might overlook complexity. 

A holistic approach, on the other hand, considers multiple factors and contexts, which may increase validity. 

Encourage your students to explore which approach a theory or explanation takes, and how that impacts its overall usefulness.

Nomothetic vs. Idiographic: Does a theory seek to identify general patterns in human behavior (nomothetic), or does it focus on individual differences and uniqueness (idiographic)? 

This debate can be especially useful when evaluating the practical applications and limitations of a theory or study.

How to Integrate These Debates into ERQs

The key to incorporating these issues into ERQs is practice. 

When students approach any extended response, they should first identify which issues and debates are most relevant to the theory or explanation being discussed. 

For example, if they’re writing about social cognitive theory, they could discuss how it accounts for cultural differences or explore its stance on the interaction between nature and nurture.

Encourage your students to explicitly mention these debates in the evaluation sections of their answers. 

This goes well as the penultimate paragraph, before the conclusion.

Rather than just saying a theory is “good” or “bad,” they should explain how it holds up when examined through the lens of key issues like reductionism or free will. 

These insights provide the critical depth examiners are looking for.

A Reminder: Practice Makes Perfect!

Bringing psychological issues and debates into ERQs may seem like a big jump for students at first, but with regular practice, it becomes second nature. 

Encourage them to start small—perhaps by focusing on one debate at a time—and gradually build up their ability to incorporate several. 

In doing so, they’ll develop a more critical, analytical approach to their essays that will serve them well in the exam room.

By teaching your students to bring these debates into their extended response questions, you're helping them think like psychologists, not just exam takers. 

With practice, they’ll be well on their way to producing nuanced, thoughtful ERQs that stand out to examiners!

I hope this helps elevate your students' ERQ marks and boosts their overall performance.

Have a fantastic week,

Thes

Further articles in this series:

• Great introductions and conclusion in ERQs.
• How to ensure students maintain focus in their writing.
• Successful exam question selection.