HISTORY AND METHODS OF PSYCHOLOGY

The course will present the historical and methodological foundations of research in psychology, with particular reference to applications in the fields of education. Psychological theories will be studied from the foundation of the laboratories based on the experimental method, to the psychodynamic, reflexological, behaviorist and cognitivist approaches, up to the recent contributions of the cognitive sciences.

Parallel to the theories, the respective methods will be highlighted in the lessons: classical experimental method, strategies for controlling the variables; longitudinal; qualitative, clinical and single-case. The main methods for analyzing data and extracting significant deductions for the theoretical hypothesis will also be explained and exemplified. A part of the course will be dedicated to the psychodiagnostic tools, which the Pedagogist will have to know in part to understand its use, partly to evaluate (for the tests concerning learning and the pencil-paper commonly used in the school). Attending students will be guided to plan: - a concrete application of psychological theories to educational and training, school or extracurricular practice, choosing the most suitable tools for verification; - a research, starting from the analysis of bibliographic sources, from the focus of the theoretical model of reference, and from the formulation of the hypothesis coherent with it.

1) P. Legrenzi (ed), Storia della psicologia. Il Mulino, Bologna (pages 216)

2) S. Di Nuovo, Fare ricerca. Introduzione alla metodologia per le scienze sociali. Bonanno, Acireale-Roma (pages 150)

3) S. Di Nuovo, Misurare la mente. I test cognitivi e di personalità. Laterza, Bari-Roma (full volume excluding chapter 2, pages 135)

Teaching material: go to Studium