This document discusses critical thinking skills needed for psychological research. It explains that critical thinking involves evaluating evidence from research studies by examining the methodology, relating it to major debates, considering applications to society, and connecting it to other studies and levels of analysis in psychology. Specifically, critical analysis of a study involves assessing the strengths and limitations of its methods, ethics, reliability, and validity.

1. Critical Thinking

2. Objective
• I can apply critical thinking skills to psychological
research.

3. Critical Thinking
• In IB writing assessments, you will be required to
use psychological research studies as evidence to
support a claim and to critically examine that
evidence.
• Critical Thinking: You can apply and evaluate the
knowledge appropriately and use it in the
analysis of psychological phenomena.

4. Types of Critical Thinking
• Evaluation of Method
• Connections to Major Debates
• Application to Society
• Connections to other studies and explanations in
psychology (Biological, Cognitive, Sociocultural)

5. Evaluation of Method
• Explain the strengths and limitations of the way that the
study was conducted.
• Ethics: Was the study ethical?
• Reliable: Will the test lead to the same results every
time?
• Validity: Does the experiment test what it is meant to
test?
• Ecological Validity: Does the experiment show how
people will act in the real world?

6. Connections to Major Debates
• How does this evidence help answer major
questions in psychology?
• Nature vs. Nurture
• Reductionism vs. Holism
• Free-Will vs. Determinism

7. Application to Society
• How can this research be applied to the real
world?
• How can it help us better understand the
behaviors of humans?
• Can this information be used to help
individuals/society?

8. Connections to other Studies and
Levels of Analysis
• What studies have we examined that study
similar aspects?
• Do the studies defend or negate these results?
• How would a psychologist from a different Level
of Analysis explain these results? Do these
explanations defend or negate the results?