Psychology of Communication and Marketing

2 Obiettivi formativi 2.1 Obiettivi generali
 The course aims to let students practice and familiarize with advanced data analysis models. Each data analysis model will be considered with respect to the underlying statistical theory, its assumptions and its basilar principles. Students will learn in which case it will be more appropriate to use a particular model of analysis as well as to interpret and correctly communicate and criticize the results. Students will also learn to use statistical software for running data analysis and for writing and communi-cate results for scientific or non-scientific contexts. 2.2 Obiettivi specifici 2.2.1 Conoscenza e capacità di comprensione (knowledge and understanding). The course will extends and generalize the basilar concepts on descriptive statistics and on inferential principles that students have to acquire before the course begins. At the end of the course, students should be able to read and/or write a scientific report and/or conduct the data analysis concerning the ad-vanced statistical models considered in the course. 2.2.2 Capacità di applicare conoscenza e comprensione (applying knowledge and under-standing). The advanced statistical models considered in the course shares a common background with other scien-tific disciplines other than psychology (like neuroscience, biology, sociology, economics etc.). So the knowledge of these advanced statistical models is also an occasion for cross-breeding and let psychologi-cal research hypothesis to be investigated with methods and analysis that cross scientific disciplines. 2.2.3 Autonomia di giudizio (making judgements). The laboratory is an hands-on experience that has the aim to let the student practice and familiarize with statistical analysis of simulated datasets of real scientific reports by using a statistical software. In particu-lar students will acquire the ability to run a specific statistical analysis and to read and to critically discuss the output for investigating with respect to a specific research hypothesis. Having the possibility to com-pare their results and their comments with those reported in the scientific report will help students to be more incisive and to acquire independence of judgment in concluding that a specific research hypothesis has been (scientifically) proved. 2.2.4 Abilità comunicative (communication skills). During the course, the use of different communicative styles are encouraged. In particular during lectures the discussion of formal and academic aspects of statistical models and principles will be considered. While during practice with statistical software, procedural and pragmatic aspects of research investigation are stressed (i.e. how to use different multivariate models for investigating different research hypotheses). Finally, students are encouraged to critically draw conclusions about whether statistical results support or not research questions and their limits (i.e. whether findings are generalizable to other samples, context or not). 2.2.5 5) Capacità di apprendimento (learning skills). At the end of the course, students will know how to read statistical results of a scientific article, will be able to run the needed statistical multivariate models for investigating specific research hypotheses, and will be able to write down and appropriately comment findings according to the investigated research hypotheses. These skills will give students easy access to scientific literature regular update and the practice with the statistical package will open the possibility to work in the marketing research area.