Lecture 1: What is Applied Psychology PDF

Lecture 1 Thursday, January 16, 2025 12:59 PM What is Applied Psychology? - Applied psychology: branch of psychology that uses psychological principles to solve prac problems in everyday life. Involves drawing-upon theory, principles, methods, and e...

Lecture 1 Thursday, January 16, 2025 12:59 PM What is Applied Psychology? - Applied psychology: branch of psychology that uses psychological principles to solve prac problems in everyday life. Involves drawing-upon theory, principles, methods, and eviden ○ Contribute to what we know about key issues ○ Design interventions to improve functioning - Educati - Social co Steps to Become an Applied Psychologist: - Politics 1. Pick an issue in the world - Marketi 2. Think about which psychological theories or concepts may relate to that - Rehabil problem. - Social g 3. Think of solutions leveraging that psychological approach. Goals of Science: - Description: illustrating the nature of a phenomenon - Prediction: factors that are related to a phenomenon - Causality: do changes in one factor change another? - Explanation: why does one factor change another? Theory: - Theory: a system of ideas that interrelates facts and concepts, summarizes existing data, predicts future observations ○ Good theory is falsifiable (possible to be disconfirmed) - Many psychologists working in an applied field are very aware of need for close cooperat between theoretical and applied psychology. This can be accomplished in psychology. If t theorist does not look toward applied problems with highbrow aversion or with a fear of problems and if the applied psychologist realizes that there is nothing so practical as a go theory. Experimental vs. Applied Psychology: - Experimental: ○ Aimed to establish and improve theory/prediction ○ Tests fundamental mechanisms - Applied: ○ Puts the theories of psychology to 'work' - to solve everyday issues ○ May use or develop theories, but the core purpose is practical ctical nce to: ion onflict ing litation good and tion the social ood  - Experimental: ○ Aimed to establish and improve theory/prediction ○ Tests fundamental mechanisms - Applied: ○ Puts the theories of psychology to 'work' - to solve everyday issues ○ May use or develop theories, but the core purpose is practical Approaches: - Social cognitive - Engaged research approach - Critical approach Levels of 'Social Context' - Socio-ecological model: a conceptual framework that illustrates how people are influence their environment and vice versa - Variables that predict police use of force: ○ Officer characteristics (gender, racial attitudes) ○ Interpersonal situation (# of officers, suspect's conduct) ○ Organizational (specialized unit, supervisory reviews) ○ Community (ethnic composition) Kurt Lewin: - Acquiring new knowledge inseparable from addressing social problems ○ Perspectives on epistemology § Aristotelian (nomothetic): typical response is meaningful. § Galilean (idiographic): rare and specific phenomena are also meaningful. § We need to 'comprehend the actual situation as possible, even in its individu peculiarities.' - Lewin ○ Action research § Research that is inspired by a need fir action, and integrates the layperson in design, conduct and interpretation. § '… and it requires elbowroom in the time dimension..' - Collier ed by ual nto  peculiarities.' - Lewin ○ Action research § Research that is inspired by a need fir action, and integrates the layperson in design, conduct and interpretation. § '… and it requires elbowroom in the time dimension..' - Collier Assumptions of Applied Psychology: - Value of Field Research: ○ Field research is hard ○ Difficulty testing mechanism ○ Testing robustness of an effect ○ Methodological/disciplinary cosmopolitanism ○ Helping others - Ecological Validity: ○ 3 meanings 1. Mundane realism: conditions in research = real life 2. Brunswick (1944): do we know how stimuli are interpreted? 3. Orne (1962): are there cues unique to the design/measure that threaten interpretation? ○ Rigor vs. ecological validity? § Rigor refers to the quality of a study, while ecological validity refers to how w study's findings can be applied to real-world situations. The ideal study will b both rigor and ecological validity. Applied Psychology Fields: - Key substantive issues are addressed by combining different areas of psychology ○ Applied geropsychology Industrial/Organizational Psychology: - Explores how individual behaviour is affected by the work environment, coworkers and organizational practices ○ Roles: research (consulting firms, universities, etc.), consulting and advising, teachin dissemination. - Broad issues: ○ Human resources (selection, training, performance) ○ Motivation and performance ○ Job satisfaction ○ Leadership ○ Group dynamics ○ Well-being ○ Turnover Human Factors and Ergonomics: nto well the balance ng,  ○ Leadership ○ Group dynamics ○ Well-being ○ Turnover Human Factors and Ergonomics: - Studies the 'fit' between people and their environment to improve performance, well-be safety, and health. ○ "How can we use what is known about human perception, motor skills, social intera to make products safe/useful/efficient?" - Example: driving requires attention (signal-detection, decision-making, learning, skill acqu workload, attitudes) ○ David Strayer, PhD, studies factors that impact cognition related to driving - with ul impacts for vehicle design, policy, etc. - Broad issues: ○ Human-computer interaction ○ Transportation ○ Control processes (ex. Milk production) ○ Design ○ Tech innovation ○ Safety and accident investigation Psychology and Law: - Legal psychology: "study of the effect of law on people; and the effect people have on the includes the application of the study and practice of psychology to legal institutions and p who come into contact with the law." - Roles in the legal system: ○ Researcher ○ Advocate ○ Expert witness ○ Policy/program evaluator - Forensic psychology: focuses on legal issues in which clinical psychologists can act as expe witnesses and consultants Environmental Psychology: - The study of how psychical settings affect human behaviour and how people change thei environment ○ How can physical environments effect us? ○ How can we protect our natural environment? - Example topics: ○ Architectural design ○ Noise ○ Littering ○ Constructed environments eing, actions uisition, ltimate e law … people ert ir  ○ How can we protect our natural environment? - Example topics: ○ Architectural design ○ Noise ○ Littering ○ Constructed environments ○ Personal space ○ Water use ○ Crowding ○ Pollution ○ Urban planning ○ Crowding ○ Energy conservation ○ Privacy ○ Green space use ○ Heat ○ Vandalism ○ Parks use Community Psychology: - Seeks to reach out to society by providing services and to effect social change. ○ Offers a framework for working with those marginalised by the social system, deve awareness, and design participatory work. - Change strategies central to community psychology: ○ Furthering social consciousness § Maintaining empathy ○ Creating new social relations § Facilitating connections among individuals with common interests ○ Developing alliances § Participatory relationships ○ Giving away psychology Performance Psychology: - Application of psychological principles to help individuals pursue goals and achieve peak performance across varying situations, while also promoting health and well-being. Consumer/Marketing Psychology: - Study of behaviour of consumers, along with their preferences and responses to elop self- Consumer/Marketing Psychology: - Study of behaviour of consumers, along with their preferences and responses to advertising/marketing - extends to buying patterns, customs and preferences. - Example tasks: ○ Advertising (creative/copywriting and planning) ○ Brand planning ○ Package design ○ Pricing ○ Sales promotion ○ Public relations ○ Market and consumer research ○ Strategic marketing planning ○ Product placement and promotion Other Applied Psychology Fields: - Sports psychology - Health psychology and health promotion - Educational/school - Positive youth development - Clinical/counselling - Clinical neuropsychology - Military psychology Communicating and Applying Psychology: Applying Psychology: - Specific fields where trained psychologists directly apply psychological principles, such as ○ School psychology § Helping students with learning, emotional, or social issues. ○ Psychotherapy § Treating mental health conditions through therapeutic techniques. Ve ○ Organizational consulting § Applying psychology to improve workplaces and businesses. ○ Mental training § Enhancing performance, often in sports or high-stress jobs. Dovidio & Esses (2007): - Why is it that psychological research is so underappreciated (absent in media)? (accordin Dovidio & Esses) s: Broad application of psychological theories and concepts, often by non-psychologists ('lay' public) use ersus psychological concepts in everyday life, like understanding biases or stress management, often without formal training.. ng to  ○ Mental training § Enhancing performance, often in sports or high-stress jobs. Dovidio & Esses (2007): - Why is it that psychological research is so underappreciated (absent in media)? (accordin Dovidio & Esses) ○ Internal validity (e.g.,. replicable) at the expense of external validity (e.g., real life) § Research is often focused on ensuring it's replicable and scientifically valid (in validity), but less focused on how it applies to the real world (external validity ○ Fragmentation of knowledge § Different areas of psychology may feel disconnected, making it hard to see th bigger picture. ○ University systems places a high priority on basic science § Universities emphasize foundational research over applied research. ○ Psychological findings often only communicated among scientists § Findings are often shared only among scientists, not the public. - Solutions? 1. Picking what we study and investigate § Research topics that are relevant to people's lives. 2. Being multidisciplinary (e.g., less fragmentation § Use multidisciplinary approaches to connect psychology with other fields. 3. Complement traditional laboratory research with field research (external validity) § Balance lab-based research with real-world studies. 4. Working on communicating in ways that suit the public § Improve how psychologists communicate with the public to make findings m accessible. Community Psychology Advocacy Example: - Example - advocacy research: conducting data collection and analyses with a social purpo ○ Coalition of community psychologists in 1990's sought to influence legislators regar seatbelt and/or car seat use ○ Illinois: partnership with community-based organization psychologists conducted behavioural observations and large-scale phone survey. § 93% of Illinois children not in adequate restraints § 78% of adults supported child passenger restraint bill ○ Sent results to half of senators - difference in support for bill was 79% vs. 53% Prevention Programming: - Psychology is also used to prevent problems before they occur, reducing the burden on individuals and society. ○ Research identifies robust risk and protective factors and then you develop preven interventions that target them. - Three types: ○ Universal: reduce specific health problems across all people in a particular populati  stress management, often without formal training.. ng to nternal y). he Tools: - Community psychology - Prevention - Knowledge translation - Consulting in an working guide policy more ose. rding ntion ion by  - Psychology is also used to prevent problems before they occur, reducing the burden on individuals and society. ○ Research identifies robust risk and protective factors and then you develop preven interventions that target them. - Three types: ○ Universal: reduce specific health problems across all people in a particular populati targeting risk and protective factors (e.g., minimum wage) ○ Selective: delivered to community based on existing risk factors (e.g., low-income) ○ Indicated: delivered to individuals already experiencing problematic behaviours or issues (e.g., people with addiction) Creating Briefs: - Summary of research information in an abbreviated format, usually enhanced with image targeted toward a specific audience and desired action. ○ Active transportation 1. Know your audience 2. Data: magnitude of problem and benefits of acting 3. Clearly state steps forward for the given audience - To what extent do the briefs from our module demonstrate these key criteria? Public Policy: - Public policy is broadly defined as the laws, regulations, course of action, and functioning priorities issued by the government to address the social issue at the local, state, and nat levels. - Psychology can influence public policy, which includes any government decisions about la funding, or regulations. - For instance, the legalization of same-sex marriage, how much funding is allocated towar public libraries, and even what is served for lunch at public schools. ○ This emphasizes how psychology can play a role in shaping policies that improve so ntion ion by specific es - g tional aws, rds ociety.