DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

MSc in Economic Psychology module descriptions

PSY6033 Research Methods for Economic Psychology

[15 credits]

Several options are offered within PSY6033, and candidates are required to select 2 of them. Those expected to be offered in 1997/98 include Role-play and simulation techniques, Questionnaire design, Psychometrics, Qualitative field research (counts as two choices), Research interviewing, and Secondary data analysis. Some of the details vary between options, and are given separately for each below.

Prerequisites:

None

Terms & duration:

Michaelmas or Lent (5 weeks per option)

Rationale/objectives:

This module offers a practical introduction to the use of a variety of different research methods, with the opportunity to gain experience in their use in carrying out model projects.

Method of teaching:

Seminars/workshops

Transferable skills:

This module will involves students in working in groups and interfacing with technicians and other specialists. Some of the specific techniques that will be taught, e.g. interviewing, have applications well beyond the research field.

Contact & study time:

• 1 2-hour seminar/workshop per week for each option.
• Practical work requiring an additional 8 hours/week per option.

Option 1: Role-play and simulation techniques

Taught by:

Dr Paul Webley

Term:

Michaelmas

Method of assessment:

Project report

Syllabus plan & content:

This option will deal with the reasons for using role-playing techniques, the uses to which role-playing data can be put and will provide experience in carrying out a role-play study. Three issues in particular will be considered:

1. how can involvement in a role-play be increased
2. how can the success of a role-play experiment be evaluated
3. what theoretical issues are raised by the use of role-play techniques.

Reading:

Basic:

• Ginsburg, G.P. (1979). The effective use of role-playing in social psychological research. In G.P. Ginsburg (Ed), Emerging Strategies In Social Psychological Research. Chichester: Wiley
• Greenberg, J. & Folger, R. (1988). Controversial Issues In Social Research Methods. Chapter 3 'Role-playing versus deception' pp 39-60.
• Yardley, K.M. (1995). Role play. In J.A. Smith, R. Harre and L. Van Langenhove (eds). Rethinking Methods in Psychology.

Additional:

• Cooper, J. (1976) Deception and role-playing: On telling the good guys from the bad guys. American Psychologist, 31(8), 605-610.
• Haney, C., Banks, C., & Zimbardo, P. (1976). Interpersonal dynamics in a simulated prison. pp 158-190 in M.P. Golden (ed), The Research Experience. 301.1072.
• Hendrick, C. (1977). Role playing as a methodology for social research: a symposium. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 3, 454
• Geller, D.M. (1978). Involvement in role-playing simulation: a demonstration with studies of obedience. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36, 219-235.
• Krupat, E. & Garonzik, R. (1994) Subjects' expectations and the search for alternatives to deception in social psychology. British Journal of. Social Psychology, 33, 211-222.
• Martin-Costa, M., & Gatz, M. (1992). Determination of credit in published dissertations. Psychological Science, 3(6), 354-357.
• Webley, P., Robben, H.S.J., Elffers, H. & Hessing, D.J. (1991). Tax Evasion: An Experimental Approach. Cambridge: CUP (Chapters 1 and 2).
• Yardley, K.M. (1984). A critique of role play terminology in social psychology experimentation. British Journal of Social Psychology, 23, 113-120.

Option 2: Questionnaire design

Taught by:

Dr Brian Young

Term:

Lent

Method of assessment:

Project report

Syllabus plan & content:

The purpose of this option is to introduce the student to a selection of issues in the general area of questionnaire design and aims to produce researchers who understand the power and limitations of questionnaire-based research methods, and who are capable of constructing questionnaires to answer research questions, obtaining results using various survey designs, and who can analyse results and present findings to various client groups. There will be a substantial 'hands-on' component, and students will learn by doing.

Content will be selected from the following range of topics:

• defining the research problem;
• various survey designs;
• obtaining questionnaire items;
• presentation and wording of questions;
• questionnaire response categories;
• issues in metrication;
• ethical issues;
• client-based issues;
• analyses of obtained data;
• presentation of results.

Each student will be expected to construct a questionnaire and present a report (for assessment) based on results. Consequently, students attending this option MUST be using or intending to use questionnaires as part of their practical work.

Reading

• Oppenheim, A. N. (1992). Questionnaire Design, Interviewing and Attitude Measurement (new edition). London: Pinter Publishers.

Option 3: Psychometrics

Taught by:

Professor Paul Kline

Term:

Lent

Method of assessment:

Project report

Syllabus plan & content:

The option will provide a firm grounding in psychometric techniques. Topics covered will include:

• the psychometric model of human behaviour,
• test variance,
• factor model of test variance,
• the true score and standard error of scores,
• test construction methods,
• item analysis,
• types of correlation coefficient,
• reliability,
• Cronbach's alpha,
• criterion-based test construction,
• validatory tests,
• item-characteristic curves,
• Rasch scaling,
• tailored testing.

Course texts:

• Kline, P. (1992). Handbook of Psychological testing London: Routledge.
• Nunnally, J.O. (1978). Psychometric testing. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Option 4: Qualitative Field Research [double module]

Given by:

Dr Andrew Sparkes (School Of Education)

Term:

Lent

Method of assessment:

Portfolio of exercises including a research proposal, an observational skills task and an interview guide or schedule.

Syllabus plan & content:

This option aims to introduce students to methodological issues related to the conduct of qualitative research. The topics covered will include:

1. Qualitative research design and preparing a proposal
2. Observing
3. Qualitative interviewing
4. Data analysis
5. Writing up qualitative research

Reading:

• Bannister, P. et al. (1995. Qualitative methods in psychology: a research guide. Buckingham: Open University
• Bryman, A. & Burgess, R (Eds) (1994). Analysing qualitative data. London: Routledge
• Glesne, G., & Peshkin, A. (1992). Becoming qualitative researchers. London: Longman
• Hammersley, M. & Atkinson, P. (1995). Ethnography: principles in practice. London: Routledge
• Maykut, P., & Morehouse, R. (1994). Beginning qualitative research. London: Falmer Press Rubin, H., & Rubin, I. (1995). Qualitative interviewing. London: Sage
• Silverman, D. (1993). Interpreting qualitative data. London: Sage
• Wolcott, H. (1990). Writing-up qualitative research. London: Sage

Option 5: Research interviewing

Given by:

Keith Nichols

Term:

Michaelmas

Method of assessment:

Portfolio of exercises

Syllabus plan & content:

This option covers the basic skills of conducting research interviews. Students will be given practical experience of carrying out different styles of interview, and will be videotaped. Topics covered will include:

• The first five minutes;
• Building rapport;
• Closed and open questions;
• How to use silence;
• The debriefing interview.

Option 6: Secondary data analysis

Taught by:

Dr Paul Webley

Term:

Lent

Method of assessment:

Project report

Syllabus plan & content:

This option will deal with some of the issues raised by the use of secondary data analysis and will provide experience of carrying out a secondary data analysis of a large panel study of financial behaviour.

Reading:

• Baker, T.L. (1988). Doing social research. New York: McGraw Hill (pp. 254-60)
• Elliot, H., & Halfpenny, P. (1994). Extracting data on charitable giving from the FES. ESRC Data Archive Bulletin, 57, 8-11
• Hakim, C. (1982). Secondary analysis in social research: a guide to data sources and methods with examples
• Dale, A., Archer, S. & Proctor, M. (1988). Doing secondary analysis. London: Unwin Hyman

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Document created 13th February 1997

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