Design Methodology for Psychology
Summary
Contents
What is design methodology for psychology? .................................................................................... 4
Chapter 1 - Applied Psychology: Designing Interventions for Psychological Problems ...................... 4
What is psychology? ........................................................................................................................ 4
History of applied psychology ........................................................................................................... 4
Types of psychological research ....................................................................................................... 5
Problem solving and design in psychology ........................................................................................ 5
Design approaches in other disciplines: instructional design ............................................................. 6
Technical design .............................................................................................................................. 6
Designing psychological interventions grounded in knowledge from applied psychology ..................... 6
The ASCE-model ............................................................................................................................. 7
....................................................................................................................................................... 8
Chapter 2 - Development of Interventions using the ASCE approach: A case study .......................... 8
Analysis .......................................................................................................................................... 8
The analysis of the problem .......................................................................................................... 8
Undesired behaviour of the at-risk group and target group .............................................................. 9
Environmental influences on the problem behaviour of the at-risk group and target group ............... 9
Determining the desired behaviour ............................................................................................... 9
Determinants of behaviour ......................................................................................................... 10
Determining the intervention objective ........................................................................................ 10
Synthesis: determining the objective of an intervention.....................................................................10
Behavioural objectives ............................................................................................................... 10
Schematic representation of change objectives........................................................................... 10
Synthesis: methods and strategies ..................................................................................................10
Construction: designing the intervention ..........................................................................................11
Involvement: establishing a linkage group ................................................................................... 11
Dissemination, adoption, implementation and continuation of the intervention ............................ 11
Evaluation of the intervention ..........................................................................................................11
Chapter 3 - Analysis of the Psychological Problem ........................................................................ 12
Problem analysis ............................................................................................................................12
Psychological problem ............................................................................................................... 12
Systematic Psychological Designer ............................................................................................. 12
Content problem analysis .......................................................................................................... 12
Chapter 4 - Behavioural Analysis .................................................................................................. 14
Problem behaviour analysis ............................................................................................................14
Problem behaviour of the at-risk group ........................................................................................ 14
Environmental influences ........................................................................................................... 15
1
, Determining the target group of the intervention .......................................................................... 15
Determining the desired behaviours of the target group................................................................ 15
Determining the intervention objective ........................................................................................ 16
Chapter 5 - Analysis of Behavioural Determinants ......................................................................... 16
Determinants of behaviour ..............................................................................................................16
Explaining behaviour .......................................................................................................................16
Cognitive determinants of behaviour ...............................................................................................17
Health belief model ........................................................................................................................17
Protection Motivation Theory ...........................................................................................................18
Social Cognitive Theory ...................................................................................................................19
Theory of Planned Behaviour ...........................................................................................................19
Proximal and distal determinants of behaviour .................................................................................20
Interrelation of determinants ...................................................................................................... 21
Attitudes, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control ...........................................................21
Accountability: investigating the determinants of behaviour ..............................................................21
Chapter 6 – Synthesis: Defining the goals of an intervention .......................................................... 22
Preparation prior to the formulating of behavioural objectives ...................................................... 22
Phrasing of the behavioural objectives: SMART .................................................................................23
Schematic representation of the change objectives ..........................................................................23
Components of a schematic representation ................................................................................ 23
Phrasing the change objectives .......................................................................................................24
Attitude ..........................................................................................................................................24
Subjective norm .............................................................................................................................25
Perceived behavioural control .........................................................................................................26
Checking the prerequisites for an intervention in a specific environment ...........................................26
Chapter 7: Synthesis: Methods and strategies .............................................................................. 27
The development of interventions ....................................................................................................27
Methods and strategies ...................................................................................................................27
Methods .................................................................................................................................... 27
Strategies .................................................................................................................................. 28
How to choose a method for an intervention ....................................................................................28
General methods ....................................................................................................................... 28
Methods targeting cognitive determinants ................................................................................... 28
Methods based on learning and behavior change theories ........................................................... 29
Accountability ................................................................................................................................29
Chapter 8: Construction: Intervention Design ............................................................................... 29
Uniting strategies into an overall program design: scope ...................................................................29
Pre-test and pilot test......................................................................................................................30
Channels and media.......................................................................................................................30
Materials ........................................................................................................................................30
2
, Cultural considerations ..................................................................................................................30
Message framing ............................................................................................................................31
Personal stories: narrative .......................................................................................................... 31
Endorses ................................................................................................................................... 31
Tailoring ..................................................................................................................................... 31
Chapter 9: Construction: Implementation .................................................................................... 32
Implementation ..............................................................................................................................32
Key elements of implementation .....................................................................................................32
Psychological Implementation .................................................................................................... 32
Technical Implementation .......................................................................................................... 32
Sustained Implementation ......................................................................................................... 32
DiZusion of Innovations Theory (DIT) ................................................................................................32
Five qualities that influence the adoption rate of innovations:....................................................... 33
Types of adopters ...........................................................................................................................34
Innovators ................................................................................................................................. 34
Early adopters............................................................................................................................ 34
Early majority ............................................................................................................................. 35
Late majority .............................................................................................................................. 35
Laggards .................................................................................................................................... 36
Intermediaries and stakeholders .....................................................................................................36
Stakeholder identification........................................................................................................... 37
Stakeholder analysis .................................................................................................................. 37
Stages of the diZusion of innovation theory and their application .......................................................37
Dissemination ........................................................................................................................... 37
Adoption.................................................................................................................................... 38
Implementation ......................................................................................................................... 38
Continuation.............................................................................................................................. 38
Formulation of implementation objectives .......................................................................................38
Chapter 10: Evaluation: ENect and Process evaluation .................................................................. 39
Validity ...........................................................................................................................................39
Problem Definition, Outcomes, and the Outcome Line .....................................................................39
Measurement .................................................................................................................................40
Planning an evaluation ....................................................................................................................40
3
, What is design methodology for psychology?
- Design: a way in which something is planned and made à design of an
intervention, what are we going to do?
- Methodology: a system of ways of doing something à ASCR model, how are we
going to do it?
- Psychology: science of explaining, predicting and influencing behaviour à
intervention is directed to influencing or changing behaviour
Chapter 1 - Applied Psychology: Designing Interventions
for Psychological Problems
What is psychology?
Psychology: science of behaviour and mind
- Behaviourism: a prominent approach in the early 20th century, emphasized the
study of observable behaviours to predict and understand future action
- Thorndike’s Law of Exercise and E?ect exemplify the behaviourist approach,
demonstrating how the frequency of a response and the presence of rewards or
punishments influence behaviour.
- After World War 2, cognitive psychology gained traction, shifting the focus to the
internal workings of the mind, including motives, emotions and thought to
explain behaviour.
- Cognitive psychology acknowledges the importance of considering internal
mental processes alongside observable behaviour to fully understand and
explain human actions
History of applied psychology
- The late 19th century saw the establishment of laboratories for conducting
psychological research, marking the adoption of the empirical method from the
natural sciences
- Structuralism aimed to break down complex psychological processes into basic
components of consciousness, while functionalism focused on the practical
application of psychological knowledge
- John Dewey advocated for a ‘linking science’ to bridge the gap between basic
research and practical problem-solving, arguing for a connection between
theoretical knowledge and its application in real-world situations
- Hugo Münsterberg, another pioneer of applied psychology, proposed two
approaches to applying psychological knowledge:
o Starting with basic research findings and exploring their practical
applications
4
Summary
Contents
What is design methodology for psychology? .................................................................................... 4
Chapter 1 - Applied Psychology: Designing Interventions for Psychological Problems ...................... 4
What is psychology? ........................................................................................................................ 4
History of applied psychology ........................................................................................................... 4
Types of psychological research ....................................................................................................... 5
Problem solving and design in psychology ........................................................................................ 5
Design approaches in other disciplines: instructional design ............................................................. 6
Technical design .............................................................................................................................. 6
Designing psychological interventions grounded in knowledge from applied psychology ..................... 6
The ASCE-model ............................................................................................................................. 7
....................................................................................................................................................... 8
Chapter 2 - Development of Interventions using the ASCE approach: A case study .......................... 8
Analysis .......................................................................................................................................... 8
The analysis of the problem .......................................................................................................... 8
Undesired behaviour of the at-risk group and target group .............................................................. 9
Environmental influences on the problem behaviour of the at-risk group and target group ............... 9
Determining the desired behaviour ............................................................................................... 9
Determinants of behaviour ......................................................................................................... 10
Determining the intervention objective ........................................................................................ 10
Synthesis: determining the objective of an intervention.....................................................................10
Behavioural objectives ............................................................................................................... 10
Schematic representation of change objectives........................................................................... 10
Synthesis: methods and strategies ..................................................................................................10
Construction: designing the intervention ..........................................................................................11
Involvement: establishing a linkage group ................................................................................... 11
Dissemination, adoption, implementation and continuation of the intervention ............................ 11
Evaluation of the intervention ..........................................................................................................11
Chapter 3 - Analysis of the Psychological Problem ........................................................................ 12
Problem analysis ............................................................................................................................12
Psychological problem ............................................................................................................... 12
Systematic Psychological Designer ............................................................................................. 12
Content problem analysis .......................................................................................................... 12
Chapter 4 - Behavioural Analysis .................................................................................................. 14
Problem behaviour analysis ............................................................................................................14
Problem behaviour of the at-risk group ........................................................................................ 14
Environmental influences ........................................................................................................... 15
1
, Determining the target group of the intervention .......................................................................... 15
Determining the desired behaviours of the target group................................................................ 15
Determining the intervention objective ........................................................................................ 16
Chapter 5 - Analysis of Behavioural Determinants ......................................................................... 16
Determinants of behaviour ..............................................................................................................16
Explaining behaviour .......................................................................................................................16
Cognitive determinants of behaviour ...............................................................................................17
Health belief model ........................................................................................................................17
Protection Motivation Theory ...........................................................................................................18
Social Cognitive Theory ...................................................................................................................19
Theory of Planned Behaviour ...........................................................................................................19
Proximal and distal determinants of behaviour .................................................................................20
Interrelation of determinants ...................................................................................................... 21
Attitudes, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control ...........................................................21
Accountability: investigating the determinants of behaviour ..............................................................21
Chapter 6 – Synthesis: Defining the goals of an intervention .......................................................... 22
Preparation prior to the formulating of behavioural objectives ...................................................... 22
Phrasing of the behavioural objectives: SMART .................................................................................23
Schematic representation of the change objectives ..........................................................................23
Components of a schematic representation ................................................................................ 23
Phrasing the change objectives .......................................................................................................24
Attitude ..........................................................................................................................................24
Subjective norm .............................................................................................................................25
Perceived behavioural control .........................................................................................................26
Checking the prerequisites for an intervention in a specific environment ...........................................26
Chapter 7: Synthesis: Methods and strategies .............................................................................. 27
The development of interventions ....................................................................................................27
Methods and strategies ...................................................................................................................27
Methods .................................................................................................................................... 27
Strategies .................................................................................................................................. 28
How to choose a method for an intervention ....................................................................................28
General methods ....................................................................................................................... 28
Methods targeting cognitive determinants ................................................................................... 28
Methods based on learning and behavior change theories ........................................................... 29
Accountability ................................................................................................................................29
Chapter 8: Construction: Intervention Design ............................................................................... 29
Uniting strategies into an overall program design: scope ...................................................................29
Pre-test and pilot test......................................................................................................................30
Channels and media.......................................................................................................................30
Materials ........................................................................................................................................30
2
, Cultural considerations ..................................................................................................................30
Message framing ............................................................................................................................31
Personal stories: narrative .......................................................................................................... 31
Endorses ................................................................................................................................... 31
Tailoring ..................................................................................................................................... 31
Chapter 9: Construction: Implementation .................................................................................... 32
Implementation ..............................................................................................................................32
Key elements of implementation .....................................................................................................32
Psychological Implementation .................................................................................................... 32
Technical Implementation .......................................................................................................... 32
Sustained Implementation ......................................................................................................... 32
DiZusion of Innovations Theory (DIT) ................................................................................................32
Five qualities that influence the adoption rate of innovations:....................................................... 33
Types of adopters ...........................................................................................................................34
Innovators ................................................................................................................................. 34
Early adopters............................................................................................................................ 34
Early majority ............................................................................................................................. 35
Late majority .............................................................................................................................. 35
Laggards .................................................................................................................................... 36
Intermediaries and stakeholders .....................................................................................................36
Stakeholder identification........................................................................................................... 37
Stakeholder analysis .................................................................................................................. 37
Stages of the diZusion of innovation theory and their application .......................................................37
Dissemination ........................................................................................................................... 37
Adoption.................................................................................................................................... 38
Implementation ......................................................................................................................... 38
Continuation.............................................................................................................................. 38
Formulation of implementation objectives .......................................................................................38
Chapter 10: Evaluation: ENect and Process evaluation .................................................................. 39
Validity ...........................................................................................................................................39
Problem Definition, Outcomes, and the Outcome Line .....................................................................39
Measurement .................................................................................................................................40
Planning an evaluation ....................................................................................................................40
3
, What is design methodology for psychology?
- Design: a way in which something is planned and made à design of an
intervention, what are we going to do?
- Methodology: a system of ways of doing something à ASCR model, how are we
going to do it?
- Psychology: science of explaining, predicting and influencing behaviour à
intervention is directed to influencing or changing behaviour
Chapter 1 - Applied Psychology: Designing Interventions
for Psychological Problems
What is psychology?
Psychology: science of behaviour and mind
- Behaviourism: a prominent approach in the early 20th century, emphasized the
study of observable behaviours to predict and understand future action
- Thorndike’s Law of Exercise and E?ect exemplify the behaviourist approach,
demonstrating how the frequency of a response and the presence of rewards or
punishments influence behaviour.
- After World War 2, cognitive psychology gained traction, shifting the focus to the
internal workings of the mind, including motives, emotions and thought to
explain behaviour.
- Cognitive psychology acknowledges the importance of considering internal
mental processes alongside observable behaviour to fully understand and
explain human actions
History of applied psychology
- The late 19th century saw the establishment of laboratories for conducting
psychological research, marking the adoption of the empirical method from the
natural sciences
- Structuralism aimed to break down complex psychological processes into basic
components of consciousness, while functionalism focused on the practical
application of psychological knowledge
- John Dewey advocated for a ‘linking science’ to bridge the gap between basic
research and practical problem-solving, arguing for a connection between
theoretical knowledge and its application in real-world situations
- Hugo Münsterberg, another pioneer of applied psychology, proposed two
approaches to applying psychological knowledge:
o Starting with basic research findings and exploring their practical
applications
4
