512-220 Quantitative Methods for Psychology 2

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Prerequisites

512-120 and 512-121 (or equivalent)

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

This subject comprises two units.

An introduction to design and analysis for psychological research covers basic experimental and survey design for psychological research and associated methods for data analysis. The unit is intended to develop students' capabilities in a range of exploratory and hypothesis-testing data analytic techniques, including skills in creating and interpreting graphical displays, and an understanding of a range of descriptive and inferential statistics. The unit introduces methods of statistical inference, interval estimation and hypothesis testing. Emphasis is given to the interpretation of data analysis. The practical classes introduce students to computer-based data analysis using the statistical package SPSS.

Quantitative approaches to psychology provides an introduction to the problem of psychological measurement, the ways in which quantification of psychological phenomena has been approached, and the role of quantitative methods in psychology. It aims to provide a critical perspective on quantitative approaches to psychology as well as an introduction to major theoretical and practical issues in psychological measurement and survey design. Topics may include: the history of psychological measurement; an introduction to psychophysics and scaling; critiques of psychological measurement; an introduction to psychological tests; reliability and validity of measurement; contemporary approaches to psychological measurement; and the development, implementation, validation, and analysis of surveys.

Assessment

An examination of no more than 3 hours in duration.

Attendance at 80% or more of the laboratory classes is a hurdle requirement. (In case of failure to meet the hurdle requirement, additional work will be required before a passing grade can be awarded.)

(Please note that this subject is a co- or prerequisite for all second and third level subjects in psychology, and its satisfactory completion in second year is essential if students wish to complete the psychology major within the minimum time.)