From Theory to Reality: A Podcast on 5 Classic Psychology Studies

Written by Yunseo (Claire) Park, Y12 and Chair of the Psychology Society

As part of Psychology Enrichment Week, the psychology society has created a podcast exploring five of psychology’s most influential studies. These experiments provide fascinating insights into human behaviour, social influence, learning, and authority—key themes that continue to shape our understanding of psychology today.

The podcast delves into a foundational study, summarising its purpose, methods, and findings, as well as the ethical questions and real-world implications these studies raise.

The podcast is created by IB Psychology students, and the studies featured are part of the IB Psychology curriculum. If you’re interested in IB Psychology, this is a great start to dive into key concepts and foundational studies.

Here’s a sneak peek into a few of the featured experiments

The Asch Conformity Study: Solomon Asch’s 1951 experiment examined how social pressure from a group could influence an individual’s judgement, even when the correct answer was obvious.

The Milgram Experiment: This 1960s study by Stanley Milgram explored the extent to which people would obey authority, even when asked to perform actions conflicting with their personal ethics.

The Stanford Prison Experiment: Philip Zimbardo’s 1971 study investigated the psychological impact of perceived power and authority by assigning college students to the roles of guards or prisoners in a simulated prison environment.

To listen to the podcast, feel free to visit the first floor of the library, where you’ll find a computer station with headphones set up for you. Stop by to explore the foundations of human behaviour and the reasoning behind our everyday actions. Alternatively, you can listen on the link below.

Be sure to check out the other activities during Psychology Enrichment Week, including the Psychology in Jeju project exhibition, psychology book display in the library, and many more interactive activities in the corridor.