Context · 2027 Syllabus
Human Relationships
People are social and interdependent on others. They influence and are influenced by the behaviour of others in interpersonal relationships such as friendships, romantic partnerships, family relationships and work relationships.
One aspect of human relationships is group behaviour. Social learning and acculturation are ideas that help us understand how a person gradually becomes part of a group by, for example, learning the acceptable behaviours and cultural norms. Social identity theory explains why people find it so important to belong to a group and why they may behave favourably towards their group members and not so favourably towards others. The idea of cultural dimensions describes the cross-cultural variations in human behaviour. Conformity and compliance techniques are specific types of social influence.
Another aspect is interpersonal relationships. A lot depends on our understanding of how interpersonal relationships develop and how they are influenced. Various models and explanations have been proposed, including purely cognitive models of relationships, the role of genetic factors, chemical messengers and communication/language. If we understand how relationships develop and what they depend on, it becomes possible to design strategies for improving relationships.
Source: International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). (2023). Psychology guide (first assessment 2027), pp. 31–32. IBO. ibo.org
Study Notes in This Context
Group Behaviour
Interpersonal Relationships
Key Areas of Inquiry
As set out in the IB Psychology Guide (first assessment 2027), pp. 31–32. Subheadings are for convenience of presentation and will not be used in the formation of examination questions.
Group Behaviour
Students should have an understanding of the following.
| Area of Study | Learning Objective |
|---|---|
| Acculturation | Different acculturation strategies and their effect on behaviour and mental health. |
| Compliance techniques | The application of one or more compliance techniques to change group behaviour(s). |
| Conformity | The role of conformity in understanding group behaviour(s). |
| Cultural dimensions | The role of one or more cultural dimensions in understanding group behaviour(s). |
| Social identity theory | The application of social identity theory to explain and change group behaviour(s). |
| Social learning | The application of social learning theory to change group behaviour(s). |
Interpersonal Relationships
Students should have an understanding of one or more of the following: social relationships or interpersonal conflict/aggression.
| Area of Study | Learning Objective |
|---|---|
| Chemical messengers | The role of one or more chemical messengers in interpersonal relationships. |
| Cognitive explanations | One or more cognitive explanations for interpersonal relationships. |
| Communication/language | The role of communication in interpersonal relationships. |
| Strategies for improving relationships | One or more strategies for improving interpersonal relationships. |
Tables 4.8 & 4.9 — Areas of study and learning objectives for Human Relationships. IBO (2023), pp. 31–32.