Scientific thinking skills

The module is designed to develop student understanding of scientific thinking skills, including all stages of the research process from formulation of hypotheses through design and construction of a piece of research, statistical analysis and interpretation of results. This includes understanding what makes a good argument, how to critically evaluate arguments, and understanding how the conditions of everyday life make it difficult to draw causal inferences. It also includes an understanding of bogus argument techniques such as manipulative persuasion and misuse of information and evidence in advertisements political propaganda. The module uses a combination of lectures and interactive teaching to facilitate student engagement with the issues, and aims to develop practical thinking skills for use in both science and everyday life. Examples taken for critical analysis will include self-improvement courses, as examples of how the application of scientific thinking skills in everyday life can benefit the individual.

Qualitative research

• Through example-based learning, students will be introduced to underlying concepts and principles associated with qualitative research design within the field of psychology. Students will also learn about the application of these methods to the understanding of human behaviour.

• Students will gain experience of a simple qualitative study in psychology, analysing data and writing laboratory reports.

1. Students should know how to evaluate arguments.

2. Students should know how to construct good quality arguments.

3. Students should know how to present graphical and statistical information accurately.

4. Students should know how to describe situations in which psychologists make use of qualitative research to answer questions and further our understanding of human behaviour, and provide examples of qualitative psychological research being conducted in the School of Psychology.

5. Students should know how to recognize the main data collection methods used in qualitative research and their advantages and limitations.

6. Students should know how to describe the processes involved in carrying out qualitative research including the research question, design, data analysis to results and interpretation.

7. Students should understand the role of qualitative research methods in psychology including complementarity with quantitative methods.

The module will be delivered via lectures, practical activities, and small group instruction and discussion

Scientific thinking skills

Presentation skills including design of a professional research poster.

Delivery of oral presentation about the poster.

Learning to work in a group towards a collective end-product.

Ability to critically evaluate arguments and material in the media and online.

Transferrable skills - learning how to apply critical thinking skills in novel contexts.

Learning how to apply appropriate methods to test hypotheses.

Learning about the importance of evidence as a way of supporting assertions.

Learning about techniques of persuasive communication.

All of the above can be regarded as academic skills and also as generic employability skills.

Qualitative research

Intellectual Skills:

To suggest methods for using qualitative approaches within particular areas of psychology.

Discipline Specific (including practical) Skills:

To apply their knowledge about qualitative research to a range of practical problems in clinical, education and health psychology.

To discuss the limitations and constraints of qualitative psychological research.

To experience a simple study using a qualitative approach and write scientific reports of those experiments

Transferable (Employability) Skills:

To see the potential for practical application of qualitative methods in diverse settings.

To facilitate participatory group work and interaction.

To demonstrate the ability to analyse and synthesise information.

To process information effectively.

To listen effectively.

To manage and assume responsibility for independent learning.

To analyse information to extract key facts relevant to the issue.

Assessments will take the form of coursework and an exam.

The potential for reassessment in this module
Reassessment will take place with alternative assessments.

Qualitative research

1A. Aims, uses and ethical issues in qualitative research.

1B. Tales from the consulting room: clinical, education and health case studies using qualitative methods.

2A. Techniques of qualitative data collection and analysis.

2B. Bringing qualitative data to life: illustrative clinical, education and health case studies using qualitative approaches.

3A. Going global: participatory action research methods.

3B. Visual metaphors: exploring the use of the DrawingOut method in qualitative research.

Scientific thinking skills

Understanding persuasive communication

4. The Persuasion System: the psychological system targeted by persuasive communication

5. Personal Persuasion: attitude and behavioural change

6. Group Persuasion: accepting and resisting collective conformity

7. Heuristics and Persuasion: Heuristics and effective compliance

Evaluating Persuasive Communication: “A better you!”

8. Group Productivity: evaluating pop psychology ideas for effective group interaction

9. Likeability evaluating pop psychology ideas for improving likability

10. Romance: evaluating pop psychology ideas for initiating romantic attraction

11. Relationships: evaluating pop psychology ideas for relationship success

12. Scientific Development: evaluating how ideas change based on evidence and debate

13. Review and Summary