IB Psychology HL · 2021 to 2025
Psychology HL Paper 3
93 past paper questions from 24 papers across 24 exam sessions. See what repeats, then practise the same skills with AI marking.
Starter set across the most-tested skills, with AI marking and model answers.
By paper:Paper 1Paper 2Paper 3All papers
HL archive · 2011 to 2027
Paper 3
Latest exam session: Specimen 2027
- questions
- questions
- papers
- papers
- exam sessions
- exam sessions
Where Paper 3 marks go, by unit
In syllabus order. The ring is the share of the marks each one carries.
Exam pattern
How often each micro-topic has been examined, year by year. Each label is explained under the grid.
Does it repeat?
Top 4 of 11 micro-topics for the next sitting. Numbers are questions per year.
fewermore
| Micro-topic | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ·Validity, 2011: 0 questions | ·Validity, 2012: 0 questions | 1Validity, 2013: 1 question | 2Validity, 2014: 2 questions | 1Validity, 2015: 1 question | ·Validity, 2016: 0 questions | ·Validity, 2018: 0 questions | 1Validity, 2019: 1 question | 1Validity, 2020: 1 question | ·Validity, 2021: 0 questions | ·Validity, 2022: 0 questions | 2Validity, 2023: 2 questions | ·Validity, 2024: 0 questions | 2Validity, 2025: 2 questions | 1Validity, 2026: 1 question | 1Validity, 2027: 1 question | |
| 1Self-report methods, 2011: 1 question | 2Self-report methods, 2012: 2 questions | 2Self-report methods, 2013: 2 questions | 1Self-report methods, 2014: 1 question | 3Self-report methods, 2015: 3 questions | ·Self-report methods, 2016: 0 questions | 2Self-report methods, 2018: 2 questions | 2Self-report methods, 2019: 2 questions | 1Self-report methods, 2020: 1 question | ·Self-report methods, 2021: 0 questions | ·Self-report methods, 2022: 0 questions | 4Self-report methods, 2023: 4 questions | 3Self-report methods, 2024: 3 questions | 3Self-report methods, 2025: 3 questions | 2Self-report methods, 2026: 2 questions | ·Self-report methods, 2027: 0 questions | |
| 1Ethical treatment of participants, 2011: 1 question | ·Ethical treatment of participants, 2012: 0 questions | 1Ethical treatment of participants, 2013: 1 question | ·Ethical treatment of participants, 2014: 0 questions | 1Ethical treatment of participants, 2015: 1 question | 1Ethical treatment of participants, 2016: 1 question | 1Ethical treatment of participants, 2018: 1 question | 2Ethical treatment of participants, 2019: 2 questions | 1Ethical treatment of participants, 2020: 1 question | ·Ethical treatment of participants, 2021: 0 questions | ·Ethical treatment of participants, 2022: 0 questions | 2Ethical treatment of participants, 2023: 2 questions | 2Ethical treatment of participants, 2024: 2 questions | 2Ethical treatment of participants, 2025: 2 questions | 1Ethical treatment of participants, 2026: 1 question | ·Ethical treatment of participants, 2027: 0 questions | |
| ·Sampling techniques, 2011: 0 questions | ·Sampling techniques, 2012: 0 questions | ·Sampling techniques, 2013: 0 questions | 1Sampling techniques, 2014: 1 question | ·Sampling techniques, 2015: 0 questions | 1Sampling techniques, 2016: 1 question | 1Sampling techniques, 2018: 1 question | 2Sampling techniques, 2019: 2 questions | 1Sampling techniques, 2020: 1 question | ·Sampling techniques, 2021: 0 questions | ·Sampling techniques, 2022: 0 questions | 2Sampling techniques, 2023: 2 questions | 2Sampling techniques, 2024: 2 questions | 2Sampling techniques, 2025: 2 questions | 1Sampling techniques, 2026: 1 question | ·Sampling techniques, 2027: 0 questions |
7 more micro-topics with a free account
- FadingReducing bias· last Nov 24 P3
- Regularin roughly one paper in six or more
- Fadingused to appear, but not seen for two years or more
Free account · no card needed
See the full exam pattern
Every micro-topic in the heatmap and the complete watch list, free with an account.
You come straight back to this page with your set built.
- With a free account
- 3 generated sets of 10 past-paper questions, any scope
- One AI-marked practice set with step-by-step feedback
- The full exam pattern: every micro-topic and the watch list
Past paper generator
Generate Psychology HL past paper questions
Choose what to revise and build a set in one click. Every question stays whole, so multi-part questions come as they appeared in the exam.
- 1Pick any unit, topic or micro-topic
- 2Generate whole exam questions from the archive
- 3Practise the same skills with AI marking
Questions on Paper 3, by exam session
Which papers asked about Paper 3, and which question numbers. Open a paper to see them highlighted.
Specimen 2027
1 paper
May 2026
1 paper
November 2025
1 paper
May 2025
1 paper
November 2024
1 paper
May 2024
1 paper
November 2023
1 paper
May 2023
1 paper
November 2020
1 paper
November 2019
1 paper
May 2019
1 paper
November 2018
1 paper
May 2018
1 paper
November 2016
1 paper
May 2016
1 paper
November 2015
1 paper
May 2015
1 paper
November 2014
1 paper
May 2014
1 paper
November 2013
1 paper
May 2013
1 paper
November 2012
1 paper
November 2011
1 paper
May 2011
1 paper
Every Paper 3 question, unlocked
Generate any unit, topic or micro-topic in full, practise every question with AI marking, and see how each mark is awarded.
- Every past-paper question in any unit, topic or micro-topic
- Generate sets of 20 or all questions, as often as you like
- Unlimited practice with AI marking and worked answers
- See how every mark is awarded for each question
- Predicted papers and crash courses built from the same data
Used by IB students preparing for Nov 2026, May 2027 and May 2028
From €8.29/mo. 14-day money-back guarantee. Cancel anytime.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers about this page.
Which Psychology HL exam sessions are covered for Paper 3?
28 exam sessions from 2011 to 2027, the latest Specimen 2027. Every Paper 3 in every timezone is read and classified in full, which gives 24 papers in this archive.
Which Paper 3 topic comes up most?
Validity (1.4.3): in 16% of papers, last seen May 26 P3. Usually "Discuss", worth about 9.9 marks in a paper that includes it.
Can I see the original question and mark scheme?
No. The wording belongs to the IB. You get the citation, the marks, the command term and the skill tested, plus our own matched practice questions with worked answers and AI marking.
What do "banker", "due" and "rising" mean?
Banker: examined in at least one sitting in four and still appearing. Due: regular before, but absent for the last two exam sessions. Rising: clearly more common in the last two years. Our classification of real papers, not an IB statistic.
What is free and what needs Pro?
Reading this page and the exam pattern is free. A free account generates three sets of ten questions and launches one practice set. Pro opens every question in any scope, sets of twenty or all, and unlimited practice.
Keep going
More Psychology HL exam preparation
Every question, by paper
What each Psychology HL paper tests across all its sittings: the marks by unit and the micro-topics it keeps coming back to.
Open the paper analysis
Mock exams
Full Psychology HL papers under timed conditions, marked by AI against IB criteria.
Sit a mock
All IB past papers
Every subject we have classified by topic, with the same exam-pattern analysis.
Browse subjects
Practise Paper 3 the way it is examined.
Pick any unit, topic or micro-topic, see what repeats, then practise the same skills with AI marking.