Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Methodology Applied to Psychology
Other languages of instruction: Catalan,
Teaching staff
Introduction
General Information
- Subject: Methodology Applied to Psychology
- Degree: Psychology
- Course: 24/25 second semester
- ECTS credits: 6 credits
- Teacher: Josefina Vazquez
- Class schedule: Thursday and Friday from 12:15 to 14 hs
- Classroom: A12
- Contact: josefinavazquez@uic.es
Description of the Subject
The main objective of the subject "Methodology Applied to Psychology" is to introduce Psychology students to the main statistical methods used in psychological research. Through the study of fundamental statistical tests such as the Student's T, Chi cuadrado, ANOVA, Correlation and Regression, students will learn to apply these methods in the analysis of psychological data, interpreting the results appropriately to obtain valid scientific conclusions.
Pre-course requirements
Basic statistics knowledge applied to Psychology. Being able to differentiate between the various statistics and their formulas, recognizing their utility, theoretically understanding the forms of sampling, the terms Population and Sample, types of sampling distributions.
Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Conduct an appropriate research study in the field of Psychology, selecting and applying the statistical techniques relevant to each type of experimental design.
Distinguish between well-designed studies and those that are not, identifying methodological and design errors in previous research.
Interpret the results of statistical studies, drawing valid qualitative conclusions from the quantitative data obtained.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CB02 - Students must know how to apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional manner and have competences that are usually demonstrated through the creation and defence of arguments and the solving of problems within their field of study.
- CB03 - Students must have the ability to bring together and interpret relevant data (normally within their area of study) in order to issue judgements that include a reflection on relevant issues of a social, scientific and ethical nature.
- CB04 - Students must be able to convey information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- CB05 - Students must have developed the necessary learning skills to undertake subsequent studies with a high degree of autonomy.
- CE03 - The ability to make adequate decisions about what Psychology-specific methods and measuring instruments to use in each situation or evaluation context.
- CG05 - Understanding of the limitations of the psychological analysis of human behaviour and the ability to incorporate concepts and analytical techniques from other disciplines.
- CG06 - Flexibility, respect and discretion in the use of data corresponding to people, groups and organisations.
Learning outcomes of the subject
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Apply appropriate statistical techniques according to the experimental design in Psychology studies.
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Assess methodological and design quality in previous research.
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Derive qualitative conclusions from quantitative data in statistical studies.
Syllabus
Unit 1: Introduction to Research and Statistics Applied to Psychology
Definition and types of research in psychology.
Importance of statistics in psychological research.
Types of variables and scales of measurement.
Key concepts: population, sample, hypothesis, significant difference, statistical normality.
Unit 2: Student's t-test
Fundamentals of the Student’s t-test.
Types of Student's t-test: independent, paired, single sample.
Conditions for application: normality, homogeneity of variances.
Interpretation of results and decision-making.
Unit 3: Chi-Square (χ²)
Fundamentals of the Chi-square test: goodness-of-fit test and test of independence.
Applications of Chi-square in frequency studies and relationships between qualitative variables.
Application requirements: independent samples, adequate sample size.
Practical exercises and case analysis in psychology.
Unit 4: ANOVA (Analysis of Variance)
Fundamentals of analysis of variance: one-way ANOVA and two-way ANOVA.
Assumptions of ANOVA: homogeneity of variances, normality.
Interpretation of results: statistical significance, hypothesis testing.
Unit 5: Correlation and Regression
Fundamentals of correlation: Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients.
Relationship between variables: linearity and strength of the relationship.
Simple linear regression: analysis of the relationship between one independent and one dependent variable.
Interpretation of regression coefficients, R², residual analysis.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
The teaching methodology is based on a combination of theoretical and practical classes, with a participatory approach focused on problem-solving.
- Theoretical classes: Explanation of the concepts and foundations of each statistical technique.
- Practical classes: Solving practical problems and analyzing empirical studies.
- Case study: Analysis of previous research in psychology and evaluation of their methodological quality.
- Autonomous work: Research and analysis of additional examples provided by the instructor.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
The evaluation of the course will follow the criteria set by the UIC 24/25 Regulations. Passing the course will be based on obtaining a weighted average of 5 in the following components (considering that the final exam must be passed with a minimum score of 5):
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Written test (70%)
A final exam that will assess the understanding of statistical methods and their correct application in research studies. -
Practical assignment (10%)
Students must submit a research paper in which they apply the knowledge acquired about statistical methods by analyzing data from a study of their interest. The paper will include finding a suitable article for statistical analysis, selecting the method, formulating hypotheses, and calculating results, along with a brief discussion and comparison with the observations from the original study. -
Class participation (20%)
Active participation and respect in both practical and theoretical classes will be positively valued. At the end of each class, exercises will be assigned, which must be submitted and corrected at the beginning of the next session.
Bibliography and resources
Pardo, Ruiz y San Matin (2015). Análisis de Datos en ciencias sociales y de la salud Vol I.
Evaluation period
- E1 29/05/2026 A01 12:00h