RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND MULTIVARIATE DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES

Single discipline educational activity

Course Sheet

Course code:

PSICOM09

Academic Year of enrolment:

2023

Year of supply:

2023/2024

Type of Course:

Related/Supplementary

Degree:

Course of 2nd Cycle Degree in PSYCHOLOGY

Disciplinary Sector:

Psychometrics

Language:

Italian

Location:

CHIETI

Credits:

Programme Year:

Professor and Collaborators:

SAGGINO ARISTIDE

Cycle:

First semester

Hours of classroom activity:

Individual study hours:

Prerequisites:

Bachelor's degree psychometrics exams

Objectives

Educational goals:
Acquisition of skills in the field of psychological research and data processing. Capacity to perform data analysis using the techniques described in the course program. In addition, as an exemplary application of the methodological part of the program, we will explain what are the criteria for the scientific evaluation of the effectiveness of psychotherapies.

Expected learning outcomes:
- Knowledge of the fundamental rules of the scientific method
- Knowledge of the various types of experimental designs
- Knowledge of the mathematical and logical bases of multivariate analysis

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:
- Ability to develop and design experimental designs in the context of psychological research
- Ability to independently evaluate the scientific quality of research work
- Ability to independently evaluate the scientific quality of psychological applications
Autonomy of judgment:
- Ability to judge the quality of experimental methods in research and applications
- Ability to evaluate the quality of scientific data and scientific theories
- Ability to evaluate scientific reports based on the experimental method

Communication skills:
- Ability to describe the results obtained for research or application purposes according to the criteria of the experimental method
- Ability to provide correct information on the results of scientific studies and research

Learning ability:
- Know how to evaluate the validity of an experimental protocol
- Knowing how to discriminate between scientific and non-scientific applications in the field of psychological research and clinical psychology
- Ability to perform multivariate statistical calculations

Contents

Methodology of psychological research and psychological applications. Explanation of the main statistical techniques of multivariate analysis (regression, variance analysis, factor analysis) and their execution through appropriate computer programs.

Extended Syllabus

The course is divided into three modules:
1) Methodology of research in psychology (3 CFU):
1. The scientific method, rules and characteristics
2. Concept of variable, function, set, relational structure, homomorphism, measurement scales. Validity of the measurement.
3. Experimental, quasi-experimental and non-experimental designs
4. The validity of the experimental designs (validity of content, construct, external and statistics). Control techniques in experimental and quasi-experimental designs
5. Methodology of single subject designs
6. Methods for evaluating the effectiveness of psychotherapies

2) Multivariate data analysis techniques (3 CFU):
1. Analysis of variance (one-way, multi-way with between and within factors, analysis with factorial and mixed design)
2. Multiple linear regression and its application in research. Multicollinearity analysis.
3. Exploratory and confirmatory factorial analysis.
3) research methodology in psychotherapy
(2 credits)

Recommended Bibliography

A) McBurney D.H., White T. L. (2008). “Metodologia della ricerca in psicologia”, Il Mulino, Bologna. ISBN: 978-88-15-11972-8.
B) Saggino A. e Collevecchio A. (2014) "Psicoterapie e metodo scientifico" Milano: Franco Angeli editore. ISBN: 9788891709745
C) M. Tommasi – A. Busonera, 2010, “Teoria e tecniche dei reattivi e delle interviste in psicologia”, Franco Angeli Editore, ISBN 9788856815719- Chapt. 9 e 11
D) Ercolani A. P., Areni A., Leone L., 2002, ”Statistica per la psicologia. II statistica inferenziale ed analisi dei dati”, Il Mulino, Bologna, ISBN 8815084134-Chapt. 4

Methods of Provision

Conventional

Teaching Methods

The course includes 64 hours of frontal teaching, divided into lessons of 2 to 3 hours depending on the academic calendar. The frontal teaching consists of theoretical lessons and, possibly, of seminars held by experts in psychological methodology and topics covered. During the lessons the main topics of the teaching are explained with examples on the blackboard or on a computer.

Evaluation methods

Verification of learning:

The verification of student’s competency consists of a written test with multiple choice answer options related to the entire program with a possible subsequent oral integration at teacher’s discretion. The total points (30) will be divided according to the questions presented in the examination. The total score is given by the sum of correct scores to the individual questions. The duration of the written test is 35 minutes. 20 questions are related to modules 1 and 2 and 10 questions are related to module 3.

Contacts/More Information

On the site “www.psicometria.unich.it” it is possible to find any didactic material or additional information that the teacher thinks to be appropriate for students.

Università degli Studi
"G. d'Annunzio"

Chieti - Pescara

Aree

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