Cognitive Approach SAQsExam Question Bank

This post explains what to expect in Paper 1 Section A – the SAQs. We’ll focus on the Cognitive Approach. 

Jump to…

• IB’s Example SAQs
• Practice SAQs
• Revision Tips
• Some Examples
• Study Tips
• Teacher Tips

The Topics

The short answer questions (SAQs) in Paper 1, Section A are based on the three approaches. You will be asked two SAQs. One of these might be from the cognitive approach. The possible topics from the cognitive approach to understanding behaviour are:

• Anchoring bias
• Classical conditioning
• Cognitive load theory
• Cognitive models
• Confirmation bias
• Dual processing theory 
• Operant conditioning
• Schema theory 

Read more:

• The biological approach SAQs (Link)

IB’s Example SAQs

Practice SAQs

IB Version

Based on the learning objectives, this is how the IB might phrase SAQs for the cognitive topics:

• Anchoring bias: Describe the role of anchoring bias in decision-making.
• Classical conditioning: Describe the process of classical conditioning and its role in behaviour.
• Cognitive load theory: Explain the role of cognitive load theory in understanding human cognition.
• Cognitive models: Explain the role of one cognitive model is understanding one cognitive process.
• Confirmation bias: Describe the role of confirmation bias in decision-making.
• Dual processing theory: Explain the role of dual processing theory in understanding decision-making.
• Operant conditioning: Describe the process of operant conditioning and its role in behaviour.
• Schema theory: Describe the role of schema theory in understanding one cognitive process or behaviour.

Mr Dixon’s Version

You can see how the IB loves the phrase “the role of.” Personally, I don’t like it. I find it too abstract. So here’s how I’d phrase SAQs for each of these topics:

• Anchoring bias: Explain one effect of anchoring bias on decision-making.
• Classical conditioning: Describe the process of classical conditioning.
• Cognitive load theory: Describe cognitive load theory.
• Cognitive models: Describe one model of one cognitive process.
• Confirmation bias: Explain one effect of confirmation bias on decision-making.
• Dual processing theory: Describe dual processing theory.
• Operant conditioning: Describe the process of operant conditioning.
• Schema theory: Describe schema theory.

Remember you must include an example in your answer. That could be a real or hypothetical situation or study. Hopefully the IB will add a phrase in the question to make this clear, but currently the specimen papers do not.

Teacher tip: To make the questions clearer, you could add the following phrase to each question:  “Use one example to support your answer.”

Two Step Revision Method

The following two-step method can be used for all SAQ topics in the three approaches.

1. What is…?
2. How and why does…?

What is…?

Simply put this phrase in front of every topic:

What is…

• Anchoring bias?
• Classical conditioning?
• Cognitive load theory?
• (One) Cognitive models?
• Confirmation bias?
• Dual processing theory?
• Operant conditioning?
• Schema theory?

If you can define or summarise each of the topics in 1-2 sentences then you’re ready for Phase 2: How and why…?

How and Why…?

It’s not enough to define each key term. You have to explain them. What you’re explaining depends on what type of topic it is. All the SAQ topics fall into three categories:

1. Cause-effect
2. Theories/models
3. Research 

You can read more about the three types of SAQs in this blog post.

Cause-Effect: For these topics you need to explain how and why something is influencing cognition or behaviour.

• Anchoring bias: How and why does anchoring bias influence decision making?
• Confirmation bias: How and why does confirmation bias influence decision making?
• Classical conditioning: How and why does classical conditioning influence behaviour?
• Operant conditioning: How and why does operant conditioning influence behaviour?

Theories/Models: For these topics you need to be summarise how the theory or model explains cognition or behaviour.

• Cognitive load theory: How does cognitive load theory explain one cognitive process?
• Cognitive models: How does one cognitive model explain one cognitive process?
• Dual processing theory: How does dual processing theory explain decision-making?
• Schema theory: How does schema theory explain one cognitive process?

Research: Interestingly, there are no research topics in the cognitive approach.

Some Examples

The following examples are provided to give you a general understanding of the kinds of topics you could write about.

• Anchoring bias: The effect of anchoring bias on consumer decision-making.* For example price anchoring.
• Classical conditioning: Classical conditioning of fear responses, like Little Albert.
• Cognitive load theory: How cognitive load theory helps us understand the best conditions for learning.
• Cognitive models: How the multi-store model explains the formation and storage of memories.
• Confirmation bias: How confirmation bias can influence stereotype formation.
• Dual processing theory: How dual processing theory can explain cognitive biases (e.g. anchoring bias).
• Operant conditioning: Operant conditioning and its use in classroom behaviour management.
• Schema theory: How schema theory explains memory formation.

*Consumer decision-making is what people decide to spend their money on.

Study Tips

1. T-REX SAQs
2. Topic plus Example

T-REX: This acronym can help plan your answers ahead of time. You can read more about it here.

Topic plus Example: For each topic you need to explain the topic and have a supporting example. This could be “a research study or a real or hypothetical situation.” For some topics, it can get a bit blurry what’s your example and what’s your topic. You could use a two column table for your study notes – one side the topic and the other side the example you plan to use. It may look something like this:

Teacher Tip

Content through Contexts: The cognitive approach doesn’t need to be taught separately to the context “Learning and Cognition.” I’ve put all these topics in two units: Memory and Manipulation.