IA ideas · Psychology and social sciences
Maths IA ideas for psychology and social sciences
People are unpredictable, which is exactly why they make good Maths IAs. Do we really have a “hot hand”? Can you beat people at rock–paper–scissors? Are birth months linked to sporting success? These questions need careful statistics, sensible probability models and honest reflection about what data from people can and can't show.
If you collect data from other students, plan it properly: a clear question, a fair sampling method, consent, and anonymity. Your school may have rules for surveys and experiments on people — check them before you start.
Next step: shortlist ideas with the free IA topic explorer, which filters starting points by course, interest and how easy the data is to get. For feedback on your own draft, the IA package (€39 once) gives you 5 AI feedback credits and every annotated exemplar in full.
Accessible (6)
- Do students who sleep less react more slowly?AI SLAI HLAA SLAA HLAccessible
- Can you beat people at rock–paper–scissors?AI SLAI HLAA SLAA HLAccessible
- Are elite footballers more likely to be born early in the selection year?AI SLAI HLAA SLAA HLAccessible
- Do TV series really get worse over time?AI SLAI HLAccessible
- Is a lottery ticket ever worth buying? Expected value and rolloversAA SLAA HLAI SLAI HLAccessible
- Is crime seasonal? Testing monthly crime countsAI SLAI HLAccessible
Solid (9)
- Is the “hot hand” real? Streaks in my free throwsAI SLAI HLAA SLAA HLSolid
- The Monty Hall problem when the host is forgetfulAA SLAA HLAI SLAI HLSolid
- How fast does news spread through a year group?AI SLAI HLAA SLAA HLSolid
- How connected is my year group? Analysing a friendship networkAI HLAI SLSolid
- Is the golden ratio really everywhere? Testing a popular claimAI SLAI HLAA SLAA HLSolid
- Can statistics tell two authors apart?AI SLAI HLAA SLSolid
- Are arrivals at the school canteen random? A Poisson model of a queueAI HLAI SLSolid
- Will one phone brand take over? Brand loyalty as a Markov chainAI HLSolid
- Measuring inequality: fitting Lorenz curves and computing the Gini coefficientAA SLAA HLAI SLAI HLSolid
Ambitious (1)
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a survey for my Maths IA?
Yes, if the survey answers a precise question and you plan the sampling and analysis in advance. Get consent, keep responses anonymous and follow your school's rules on research with people.
What statistics suit a psychology Maths IA?
Correlation and regression for relationships, chi-squared tests for categorical data and t-tests for comparing groups are common. Check each test's conditions and discuss the limitations of your sample.
Is the Monty Hall problem too common for an IA?
The basic problem is. A variant — a forgetful host, more doors, a simulation you compare with theory — makes it your own.
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Answer the planning questions: your question, the maths, the data and milestones back from your deadline. Then take it to your first teacher meeting.
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