Psychology and social processes

GENERAL AIM The general aim of the course is the acquisition of basic elements of psychometrics. The course includes three main topics, closely related to each other, which refer respectively to descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and the study of the relationship between variables. The first part of the course will introduce the basic concepts of descriptive statistics (cases, variables, measurement levels), and the main techniques for the description and the graphical representation of the data (with particular reference to central tendency, dispersion, and form of the distribution). The second part of the course will deal with the foundations of inferential statistics (samples and populations, indicators and parameters, sample distributions), the properties of the central limit theorem, and the general principles underlying parameter estimates (point and interval estimation) and hypothesis testing (null and alternative hypotheses, the critical region, type I and II errors, statistical power). Several parametric and non-parametric statistical tests will be introduced (the one sample z-test, the one sample t-test, the two independent samples z-test, the two independent samples t-test, the analysis of the variance, the chi-square test). The third part of the course will focus on the statistical techniques aimed to investigate the relationship between variables (the correlation coefficient, bivariate regression). For each of these themes, students will first be introduced to theoretical and formal contents. Next, practical exercises will be proposed, in which students are required to analyze real data (both by hand and by using SPSS), and to interpret and discuss their application in the psychological field. SPECIFIC AIM Knowledge and understanding At the end of the course, the students are expected to get acquainted with basic notions of statistical methods for the analysis and description of data, the general principles underlying inferential statistics, the most important statistical tests in use for hypothesis testing, and main approaches for investigating associations between variables. Applying knowledge and understanding At the end of the course, the students are expected to be able to select and apply the most appropriate methods and statistical techniques to the analysis of real data; moreover, they are expected to be able to critically evaluate the applicability of such methods, according to the aim of the study, the measurement level of the variables, and the tenability of the assumptions on which they are based. Making judgements At the end of the course, the students are expected to have acquired the capability to evaluate and interpret results of studies and research in which the above statistical models are applied, and to critically evaluate their strengths and weakness. Several practical exercises will allow students to develop and refine these skills. The exercises will require students to read and interpret research reports and SPSS outputs. Communication skills At the end of the course, the students are expected to be able to communicate the results of studies and research in a clear and formally correct way. Such skills will be acquired providing examples of real data and reading materials (e.g., research reports, scientific articles). Learning skills At the end of the course, the students are expected to be able to continue independently in the application of the statistical techniques discussed during the course, and in deepening the study of theoretical and methodological aspects that are useful for conducting studies and research in the field of psychology.