PSY3062

Research methods and philosophy of psychology

Dr Eleonora Gullone, Dr Ingrid von Sivers, and Associate Professor Chris Fraser

6 points - Second semester - One 1-hour lecture and one 1-hour tutorial per week , 3 hours staff supervision - Distance education students must complete a minimum of 12 hours on-campus weekend school laboratory work - Caulfield, Clayton, Gippsland, Peninsula and distance - Prerequisites: PSY2011 and PSY2022

Objectives On completion of this subject students will have become aware of the inductive/deductive theory building process, as well as how theory is linked to research methods and data interpretation; come to appreciate the impact of cultural/personal values on the development of psychological theories; acquired some knowledge of the diversity of current psychological work; come to appreciate the process of carrying out research from the inception of an idea through to deriving conclusions about hypotheses for data that have been collected and analysed; acquired in-depth knowledge on a specific aspect of psychology.

Synopsis This subject introduces the various perspectives that preceded psychology as a science and contributed to its growth. Explanations of the relationship between psychology and different fields of scientific endeavour identify some as yet unresolved philosophical disputes. Other important themes include the criteria of a good scientific theory, the impact of value systems on the pursuit of knowledge, and how conceptual frameworks influence research methods as well as interpretation of outcomes. Students will also undertake a semester long research project. Each project will be supervised, on a small group basis, by a departmental member of staff. A two-phase process is involved in the completion of this course requirement. The first phase involves the preparation and submission of a critical literature review and the second phase involves the completion of a research study. Students will select a topic from those offered which reflect the research interests of academic staff.

Assessment One 2-hour examination: 20% - One 1500-word essay: 20% - One tutorial presentation for on-campus students/1000-word essay for DE students: 5% - One 1500-word literature review: 25% - One 2000-word research paper: 30%

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