Part 1 – Biological Approach Syllabus Dashboard
An Academy adaptation for planning and mastery.
LAYER 1: CONTENT OVERVIEW (2027 Syllabus – Verified)
Based on the official 2027 syllabus, the following Academy mastery checklist organizes key Biological Approach learning requirements for study and mastery:
| Syllabus Topic | SL | HL |
|---|---|---|
| Localisation of Function | ✓ | ✓ |
| Neuroplasticity | ✓ | ✓ |
| Brain Imaging Techniques (MRI, fMRI, PET, CAT) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Neurotransmission | ✓ | ✓ |
| Chemical Messengers (dopamine, acetylcholine, serotonin, hormones, cortisol, testosterone) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Genetics / Genetic Inheritance | ✓ | ✓ |
| Diathesis-Stress Model | ✓ | ✓ |
| Biological Reductionism | ✓ | ✓ |
| Animal Models / Animal Research | ✓ | ✓ |
Total trackable items in Part 1: 35 (verified against 2027 syllabus).
LAYER 2: RECOMMENDED SEQUENCE
Purpose: A suggested order for working through this section.
| Topic | Sequence | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Localisation of Function | 1st | Foundational concept |
| Neuroplasticity | 2nd | Builds on localisation |
| Brain Imaging Techniques | 3rd | Methods for studying the above |
| Neurotransmission | 4th | Core mechanism |
| Chemical Messengers | 5th | Extends neurotransmission |
| Genetics / Genetic Inheritance | 6th | Core concept |
| Diathesis-Stress Model | 7th | Integrates genetics + environment |
| Biological Reductionism | 8th | Meta-evaluation of the approach |
| Animal Models | 9th | Methods & ethics |
STUDENT ACTION: "This is a suggested order. You may adapt it to your own learning style and classroom sequence."
LAYER 3: SYLLABUS ITEMS WITH MASTERY TRACKING
SECTION: BIOLOGICAL APPROACH (2027 Syllabus – 35 Items)
Instructions:
- Use the status buttons to mark an item Not Started, Revising, or Practising.
- Use Test Mastery when you are ready to check whether you can mark the item Mastered.
- You must pass the Mastery Gate for the status to become Mastered.
- If you cannot pass, choose I Couldn't Pass. The item will be marked Revising and added to your Weak Spots.
- HL-only items are clearly marked.
LAYER 4: MASTERY GATE
Purpose: Test your understanding of the selected item.
Answer the questions that match the learning objective type:
🔹 For DEFINE / DESCRIBE items:
☐ Can I recall the definition accurately?
☐ Can I explain it in my own words?
🔹 For EXPLAIN items:
☐ Can I recall the definition?
☐ Can I explain the mechanism/process?
☐ Can I give an example?
🔹 For DISCUSS / EVALUATE items:
☐ Can I recall the definition?
☐ Can I explain the concept?
☐ Can I give an example/study?
☐ Can I evaluate it (strengths AND limitations)?
PASS?
YES → 🟢 MASTERED
The checkpoint moves to Mastered.
Academy Spaced Review:
1 Day → 3 Days → 7 Days → 30 Days
Mastered checkpoints return for review according to the Academy's spaced-review system.
NO → 🔴 REVISING
The checkpoint remains in Revising and is added to your Academy Weak Spots.
Review it and attempt the Mastery Gate again.
LAYER 5: DASHBOARD
BIOLOGICAL APPROACH – PROGRESS OVERVIEW
🚨 WEAK SPOTS (Items that failed the Mastery Gate):
⬆ UPCOMING SPACED REVIEWS:
Updates automatically after each Mastery Gate result.
📊 PROGRESS: 0%
LAYER 6: HL EXTENSIONS – INTEGRATED ACROSS THE COURSE
HL students: The three HL extensions (Culture, Motivation, Technology) are integrated across all four contexts, not taught as separate topics within the Biological Approach.
For HL students, these extensions should be considered when studying Biological Approach content within each context:
| Extension | Application Across Contexts |
|---|---|
| Culture | Cross-cultural differences in brain function, genetic expression, and hormonal responses across different populations |
| Motivation | Biological bases of motivation (dopamine, reward pathways) applied to health, development, relationships, and learning |
| Technology | Impact of technology on brain development, neuroplasticity, and cognitive processing |
HL students take an additional Paper 3 – a source-based data-analysis paper on one HL extension topic (Culture, Motivation, or Technology) applied to one of the four contexts.
LAYER 7: KEY STUDIES REFERENCE
Purpose: Studies commonly used to illustrate Biological Approach content. These are examples – not a required list. Use them where they support your answer.
| Study | Year | Focus | Useful for... |
|---|---|---|---|
| HM (Corkin, 1997) | 1997 | Hippocampus & memory | Localisation of Function |
| Maguire et al. | 2000 | Taxi drivers & neuroplasticity | Neuroplasticity |
| Caspi et al. | 2003 | 5-HTT gene & depression | Genetics, Diathesis-Stress |
| Bouchard et al. | 1990 | Twin studies | Genetics, Evaluation of methods |
| Rosenzweig & Bennett | 1972 | Rat brains & enriched environments | Neuroplasticity, Animal Models |
⚡ ACADEMY RECOMMENDATION – FOR PLANNING PURPOSES
Academy Suggestion: We recommend aiming for 80% mastery of this section before making the Cognitive Approach your next major study focus. This is our own planning guideline, not an IB requirement. The new IB course is integrated – you may also choose to study approaches in parallel rather than strictly sequentially.
This dashboard is an adaptation created by IB Psychology Academy to help you plan your studies. It is NOT the official IB syllabus. Always refer to the official IB Psychology guide (first teaching 2025, first assessment 2027) for definitive syllabus content.
🔗 Official IB Psychology subject brief
IB Psychology Academy · Part 1 Biological Approach · Adapted from IB DP Psychology Guide (2025)