The assessment rule summarized above is based on the IB: Psychology syllabus updates, first assessment 2027 ↗. Check the official version for your assessment session.
Four practicals: which method fits each context?
The new course distinguishes health and well-being, human development, human relationships, and learning and cognition. The official minimum samples below belong to the class-practical contexts; do not treat them as universal recommendations for the separate research proposal.
| Context | Method | Official minimum | Interpretation warning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health and well-being | Interview | One interview participant or 3–8 in a focus group | Don't replace a participant's account with a causal claim. |
| Human development | Observation | At least one participant | Define observable behaviour and address consent and privacy. |
| Human relationships | Survey / questionnaire | 10 participants | The wording and sampling method affect what the responses can support. |
| Learning and cognition | Experiment | 5 participants | Distinguish a controlled comparison from correlation. |
Worked example: evaluate a class-practical survey
Illustrative classroom exercise, not collected participant data: Suppose a class explores whether students describe deadline pressure differently across two familiar situations. For the relationships context, the curriculum specifies a survey or questionnaire with at least ten participants. Design a cautious plan and then examine the limits of the method instead of pretending to have collected results.
Population
Define a small eligible participant group and distinguish convenience sampling from a representative sample.
Avoid promising representative conclusions about all IB students.
Question
How do respondents describe the pressure of different deadline scenarios in a neutral questionnaire?
An association question cannot support a causal conclusion.
Measurement
Write short non-leading survey items, consistent response choices and an explicit time frame.
A leading or ambiguous question distorts your construct.
Sampling and consent
Use teacher-approved recruitment, voluntary participation, confidentiality and an appropriate withdrawal process.
Approval and risk management matter especially with minors.
Interpretation
If responses vary, evaluate alternative explanations such as wording effects or a nonrepresentative sample.
A good proposal plans for uncertainty, not a foregone conclusion.
Three mistakes to catch before analysing a practical
- Do not confuse a class practical with the separately assessed 2027 research-proposal IA. Each has a different purpose.
- Do not confuse the four required class practicals' minimum participant numbers with a universal rule for every study design.
- Do not present imagined class responses as genuine findings. If you conduct the practical, use teacher-approved ethics and preserve the actual evidence.
Sources and verification
Primary-source references for this article, checked 12 October 2026. Rules and admission policies can change; confirm the current version for your assessment session or university course.
- IB: Psychology syllabus updates, first assessment 2027 ↗
New research-proposal internal assessment, four class practicals, method types and minimum sample sizes.
- IB: DP psychology subject overview ↗
Course context and distinctions between psychological research approaches.
Independent student guidance, not an official IB publication. Ask your school coordinator to confirm policies relevant to your circumstances.