27 exam-style questions on Technology and behaviour — topic HLE.3 of HL lenses (applied across all four Contexts) in the IB Psychology syllabus — with answers and explanations. Samples below; the full set is free with an account.
Which term describes the tendency to rely on and trust the output of an automated system even when contradictory evidence is available?
Answer: Automation bias
Automation bias is over-reliance on automated cues, leading users to ignore correct manual information; it is a key concern when studying technology and decision-making.
A study finds that adolescents who use social media more heavily also report higher anxiety. A researcher concludes that social media causes anxiety. Which limitation most directly undermines this conclusion?
Answer: A correlation cannot show causation
Most technology-and-behaviour studies are correlational, so bidirectionality and third variables (e.g. pre-existing anxiety) prevent any causal claim.
Which methodological feature most strengthens a study investigating the effect of smartphone presence on cognitive performance?
Answer: Random allocation to phone-present or phone-absent groups
A true experiment with random allocation allows a causal inference about smartphone presence, controlling for participant variables that plague correlational screen-time studies.
Research on 'digital multitasking' (media multitasking) most consistently reports which outcome for heavy media multitaskers?
Answer: Worse at filtering out distractions
Heavy media multitaskers tend to perform worse on attention-filtering and task-switching tasks, suggesting reduced cognitive control rather than enhanced ability.
When evaluating research on technology and behaviour, why is generalisability often a concern?
Answer: Samples are often WEIRD and not globally representative
Technology access and norms differ across cultures, so findings from WEIRD samples may not transfer, limiting external validity.
A concern with using digital data (e.g. social media logs) in psychological research is that participants may not have meaningfully agreed to its use. Which ethical consideration does this most directly raise?
Answer: Informed consent
Large-scale digital data can be harvested without participants understanding or agreeing to research use, undermining informed consent.
That was 6 of 27 Technology and behaviour questions.
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27 Technology and behaviour questions — free with an account. Spaced repetition, streaks and full exam simulations included.
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