PSMA016 Psychology Constructs: Theory and Methodology

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2024
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Marek Blatný, DrSc. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Martin Jelínek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Petr Květon, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Vojtěch Juřík, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Jan Ondřej (lecturer)
Mgr. Martin Ptáček (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Martin Jelínek, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Jarmila Valchářová
Supplier department: Department of Psychology – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Tue 12:00–13:40 C11, except Mon 18. 11. to Sun 24. 11.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course involves a discussion of a number of advanced contemporary theories and constructs and their methodological backgrounds. The main objective is to illustrate, from a critical perspective, how methodological approaches are associated with the nature and validity of psychological constructs and how new methodological developments shape scientific thinking. Psychological constructs and methodological approaches are introduced through the Institute's members own research projects. At the end of the course, apart from obtaining a general overview of new theories in psychology, the students should be able to perceive the inseparability of theory and research methodology, and the importance of considering methodological background when evaluating the relevance and applicability of psychological constructs.
Learning outcomes
Students will be able: to understand how methodological approaches are associated with the nature and validity of psychological constructs and how new methodological developments shape scientific thinking; to perceive the inseparability of theory and research methodology; to focus on methodological background when evaluating the relevance and applicability of psychological constructs; to write a summary of their bachelor thesis in the form of a scientific journal article an to read scientific studies critically.
Syllabus
  • Selected topics:
  • Evidence based psychology - Basic principles, procedures, and unresolved issues.
  • Longitudinal research as a modern approach for studying human lifespan development.
  • The influence of video games on human behaviour: Major trends in research.
  • Introduction to modern equipment in cognitive psychology: Eye tracker, wearables and other promising technologies.
  • Methodological aspects of development and adaptation of psychodiagnostic methods: Current trends and perspectives
  • Single-case experimental designs for intervention's effectiveness testing: An example from sport psychology research
  • Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET): From Theory to Psychotherapeutic Application
  • The functioning of mnemonic techniques from the perspective of cognitive psychology: LOCI method
Literature
    required literature
  • GOODWIN, Kerri A. and C. James GOODWIN. Research in psychology : methods and design. Eight edition. Hoboken: Wiley Custom, 2018, xx, 455. ISBN 9781119510239. info
  • GIRDEN, Ellen R. and Robert KABACOFF. Evaluating research articles : from start to finish. Third edition. Los Angeles: Sage, 2011, xvi, 399. ISBN 9781412974462. info
    recommended literature
  • Poulton, R., Moffit, T. E., & Silva, P. A. (2015). The Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study: Overview of the first 40 years, with an eye to the future. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 50, 679-693.
  • Bamberger KT. The Application of Intensive Longitudinal Methods to Investigate Change: Stimulating the Field of Applied Family Research. Clinical child and family psychology review. 2016;19(1):21-38. doi:10.1007/s10567-015-0194-6.
  • Meltzoff, J. (1997). Critical thinking about research: Psychology and related fields. American Psychological Association.
  • Ferguson, C. J., & Heene, M. (2012). A vast graveyard of undead theories: Publication bias and psychological science’s aversion to the null. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7(6), 555-561.
  • Simmons, J. P., Nelson, L. D., & Simonsohn, U. (2011). False-positive psychology: Undisclosed flexibility in data collection and analysis allows presenting anything as significant. Psychological Science, 22(11), 1359-1366.
  • KVĚTON, Petr. Hraní videoher v dětství a dospívání : dopady a souvislosti v sociálně-psychologické perspektivě. Vydání 1. Praha: Grada, 2020, 175 stran. ISBN 9788027128877. URL info
  • JUŘÍK, Vojtěch, Katarína ŠAFÁROVÁ and Čeněk ŠAŠINKA. Embodied cognition significance for the ecologically valid psychological research in virtual reality. Online. In Maierová, Eva; Viktorová, Lucie; Dolejš, Martin; Dominik, Tomáš. PHD EXISTENCE 2019 „Body and mind“. 1st ed. Olomouc: Portál, 2019, p. 374-382. ISBN 978-80-244-5544-0. URL info
  • Single case research methodology : applications in special education and behavioral sciences. Edited by Jennifer R. Ledford - David L. Gast. Third edition. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2018, x, 424. ISBN 9781138557130. info
  • STERNBERG, Robert J. and Karin STERNBERG. Cognitive psychology. 7th edition. Boston: Cengage learning, 2017, xxvii, 596. ISBN 9781305644656. info
  • BOLGER, Niall and Jean-Philippe LAURENCEAU. Intensive longitudinal methods : an introduction to diary and experience sampling research. Edited by David A. Kenny. New York: The Guilford Press, 2013, xv, 256. ISBN 9781462506781. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, homework, reading, class discussion.
Assessment methods
Students are required to prepare a critical evaluation of a research study of student's choice OR to write a summary of their bachelor thesis in the form of a scientific journal article. The evaluation of the articles will put emphasis on the structure of the paper (preferably in IMRAD format), reflecting the process of scientific thinking and the interconnection of the theory and utilized research design and methods.
Language of instruction
English
Study support
https://is.muni.cz/auth/el/phil/podzim2024/PSMA016/index.qwarp
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
General note: Some lectures may be delivered in Czech (all supporting materials are available in English only).
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2024/PSMA016