Week 1
Microlecture: What is design methodology for psychology?
Design refers to how something is planned or made, such as a blueprint for an intervention.
Methodology is the system used to carry out the design. In this course, the ASCE model is applied.
Psychology is the science of explaining, predicting, and influencing behavior.
Therefore, interventions are always aimed at changing or influencing behavior.
Microlecture: What is the problem?
What is the problem analysis?
This is the first step in the ASCE model and its goal is to describe the psychological problem.
The problem analysis consists of 6 guiding questions:
• What is the problem?
o Make it concrete. Is it relevant, is the problem changeable, and can psychology be
applied?
• Why is it a problem?
o Describe underlying mechanisms. Convince others that an intervention is needed.
• How common is the problem?
o Assess seriousness using statistics (e.g. % of students cheating).
• What are the consequences of the problem?
o Focus on the impact on individuals.
• Who is the at-risk group?
o The group that suffers from or causes the problem.
• Who is the target group?
o The group whose behavior needs to change in order to solve the problem.
The at-risk group and target group can relate in 3 ways:
1. They are the same.
2. The target group is a subset of the at-risk group.
3. They are different groups. This means that the behaviour of the at-risk group is directly
changed by changing the behaviour of the target group directly.
The problem statement
Summarizes the psychological problem in one sentence, after answering the 6 questions.
A clear problem definition should:
1. Provide insight into what needs explaining.
2. Support a focused literature search.
3. Guide the intervention design process.
Microlecture: How do you carry out the problem analysis?
You answer the 6 guiding questions using reliable, relevant scientific sources (e.g., from the UT library).
You need:
1. Scientific sources
2. A funnel structure – Start broad, end focused
3. Strong writing skills
,Communication and writing process problem analysis
1. Meeting the problem owner:
Ask:
• What is the problem from their view?
• Is it a psychological problem?
• Can behavior change solve it?
• What are their expectations?
Important considerations:
1. The client’s perspective is subjective. Don’t accept it uncritically.
2. Bounded rationality: Don't simplify too early, look beyond symptoms to real causes.
2. Explorative literature search
• Start online to find direction
• Use books (broad but may be outdated)
• Prefer peer-reviewed scientific articles
3. Reading, selecting, processing, analysing and combining
• Is the source relevant and useful for describing the psychological problem?
• Discover structure in the info and make selective choices
This leads to the funnel structure: from broad understanding to a clear problem statement.
4. Drafting and writing: The writing process is iterative.
You aim for a clear, concise, well-structured description using academic reasoning in funnel
form. Argumentation is applied.
5. End product of the problem analysis
A detailed written description of the psychological problem, with a clear funnel structure.
Sometimes more research is needed if info is missing or the direction shifts.
Tutorial 1
What is the role of the SPD-er?
• Designer
• Researcher
• Adviser
What is a psychological problem?
A mismatch between actual and desired behavior that can be fixed through behavior change.
This problem affects society, it concerns large groups.
Intervention = a combination of measures, resources, and people aimed at changing behavior.
Undesired behaviour - > behavioural intervention - > desired behaviour
,What is behaviour?
• It’s something you can do
• It’s observable
• It’s concrete
Example: Eating = behavior, thinking = not (not directly observable)
The ASCE model
Designing psychological interventions is a systematic, logical, step-by-step approach.
Determinants are internal causes of behavior, what makes someone act a certain way.
ASCE steps:
• Analysis: Problem analysis, behavioral analysis, analysis
of determinants
• Synthesis: Define objectives, select methods & strategies
• Construction: Intervention design & implementation
• Evaluation: Effect & process evaluation
Determinants are the underlying factors that influence behavior,
they help explain why someone behaves in a certain way. In behavioral
science and intervention design, understanding these determinants is crucial for effectively changing
behavior.
Examples of common behavioral determinants:
• Knowledge – Does the person know the facts?
• Attitude – What does the person feel or believe about the behavior?
• Social norms – What do others around the person think or do?
• Self-efficacy – Does the person feel capable of performing the behavior?
• Motivation – Is the person willing or driven to act?
• Environmental factors – Are there physical, social, or economic barriers or supports?
Determinants are partially the cause of the problem. What you have learned influences how you
perform behavior, determinants are the cause of behavior, explaining why you think or act in certain
ways.
You can describe the determinants as specifically as possible to target and influence behavior change. In
other words, determinants are directly linked to the problem and show where to focus in order to change
behavior.
The goal is to transform undesired behavior into desired behavior. The undesired behavior comes from
the behavioral analysis (based on literature), and the desired behavior also stems from this analysis.
Analysis of determinants helps to answer the question: How can we achieve the desired behavior?
The determinants can be used to justify and support the desired behavior (usually based first on the
behavioral analysis).
Finally, goals can be made SMART through a schematic representation — for this, you need both the
desired behavior and the analysis of determinants.
Circles of the ASCE model
Involvement:
• The designer informs the environment about activities
• Takes into account people’s views
, • Builds trust
Accountability:
• Are all steps evidence-based?
• Is there proper justification for each choice?
Note: ASCE and Preffi use the same terms, but the meanings are different (psychological basis).
Reader Summary – Chapter 1
What is psychology?
Psychology is the science of behavior and mind.
• Behavior: observable actions
• Mind: internal experiences like emotions, motives, thoughts, and perceptions
Two main approaches:
• Behaviorism – focuses on observable behavior.
• Cognitivism – focuses on internal processes like thinking, emotion, motivation
Behaviourism or science of behaviour
This approach focuses on observable behavior and was the first attempt to treat psychology as a hard
science. It uses objective measurements to study human or animal behavior. The core idea is that only the
systematic study of individuals' or groups' behavior makes it possible to predict future behavior and thus
develop psychological theories.
Laws of Thorndike — an example of the behavioral approach:
1. Law of exercise:
The relationship between a stimulus and a response becomes stronger the more often the
stimulus is followed by the same response (law of use). If the stimulus is seldom followed by
the same response, the connection weakens (law of disuse).
2. Law of effect:
The relationship between a stimulus and a response strengthens if the response is followed
by a reward. If followed by punishment, the strength of the relationship decreases.
Research findings:
Punishment can cause the disappearance of unwanted behaviors. However, once the punishment stops,
the unwanted behavior often returns. Therefore, rewarding desired behavior is much more effective for
changing behavior than punishing undesirable behavior.
Cognitive Psychology
This was a revolution in psychology, where researchers argued that behaviorism was too limited and did
not fully explain behavior. They aimed to better understand the mental processes in the mind, such as
motives, emotions, and thoughts that drive behavior. Most psychological phenomena occur within the
mind and brain rather than being purely observable externally.
Cognitive psychology became increasingly dominant in psychological science. Many theories were
developed, for example, on how human memory works, how people solve mathematical problems, and
how individuals predict other people’s behavior.
Ulric Neisser played a key role by publishing his influential book Cognitive Psychology, where he
systematically and empirically described how humans process information for the first time.
In conclusion:
Psychology is the study of mental processes and human behavior to explain, predict, and change
Microlecture: What is design methodology for psychology?
Design refers to how something is planned or made, such as a blueprint for an intervention.
Methodology is the system used to carry out the design. In this course, the ASCE model is applied.
Psychology is the science of explaining, predicting, and influencing behavior.
Therefore, interventions are always aimed at changing or influencing behavior.
Microlecture: What is the problem?
What is the problem analysis?
This is the first step in the ASCE model and its goal is to describe the psychological problem.
The problem analysis consists of 6 guiding questions:
• What is the problem?
o Make it concrete. Is it relevant, is the problem changeable, and can psychology be
applied?
• Why is it a problem?
o Describe underlying mechanisms. Convince others that an intervention is needed.
• How common is the problem?
o Assess seriousness using statistics (e.g. % of students cheating).
• What are the consequences of the problem?
o Focus on the impact on individuals.
• Who is the at-risk group?
o The group that suffers from or causes the problem.
• Who is the target group?
o The group whose behavior needs to change in order to solve the problem.
The at-risk group and target group can relate in 3 ways:
1. They are the same.
2. The target group is a subset of the at-risk group.
3. They are different groups. This means that the behaviour of the at-risk group is directly
changed by changing the behaviour of the target group directly.
The problem statement
Summarizes the psychological problem in one sentence, after answering the 6 questions.
A clear problem definition should:
1. Provide insight into what needs explaining.
2. Support a focused literature search.
3. Guide the intervention design process.
Microlecture: How do you carry out the problem analysis?
You answer the 6 guiding questions using reliable, relevant scientific sources (e.g., from the UT library).
You need:
1. Scientific sources
2. A funnel structure – Start broad, end focused
3. Strong writing skills
,Communication and writing process problem analysis
1. Meeting the problem owner:
Ask:
• What is the problem from their view?
• Is it a psychological problem?
• Can behavior change solve it?
• What are their expectations?
Important considerations:
1. The client’s perspective is subjective. Don’t accept it uncritically.
2. Bounded rationality: Don't simplify too early, look beyond symptoms to real causes.
2. Explorative literature search
• Start online to find direction
• Use books (broad but may be outdated)
• Prefer peer-reviewed scientific articles
3. Reading, selecting, processing, analysing and combining
• Is the source relevant and useful for describing the psychological problem?
• Discover structure in the info and make selective choices
This leads to the funnel structure: from broad understanding to a clear problem statement.
4. Drafting and writing: The writing process is iterative.
You aim for a clear, concise, well-structured description using academic reasoning in funnel
form. Argumentation is applied.
5. End product of the problem analysis
A detailed written description of the psychological problem, with a clear funnel structure.
Sometimes more research is needed if info is missing or the direction shifts.
Tutorial 1
What is the role of the SPD-er?
• Designer
• Researcher
• Adviser
What is a psychological problem?
A mismatch between actual and desired behavior that can be fixed through behavior change.
This problem affects society, it concerns large groups.
Intervention = a combination of measures, resources, and people aimed at changing behavior.
Undesired behaviour - > behavioural intervention - > desired behaviour
,What is behaviour?
• It’s something you can do
• It’s observable
• It’s concrete
Example: Eating = behavior, thinking = not (not directly observable)
The ASCE model
Designing psychological interventions is a systematic, logical, step-by-step approach.
Determinants are internal causes of behavior, what makes someone act a certain way.
ASCE steps:
• Analysis: Problem analysis, behavioral analysis, analysis
of determinants
• Synthesis: Define objectives, select methods & strategies
• Construction: Intervention design & implementation
• Evaluation: Effect & process evaluation
Determinants are the underlying factors that influence behavior,
they help explain why someone behaves in a certain way. In behavioral
science and intervention design, understanding these determinants is crucial for effectively changing
behavior.
Examples of common behavioral determinants:
• Knowledge – Does the person know the facts?
• Attitude – What does the person feel or believe about the behavior?
• Social norms – What do others around the person think or do?
• Self-efficacy – Does the person feel capable of performing the behavior?
• Motivation – Is the person willing or driven to act?
• Environmental factors – Are there physical, social, or economic barriers or supports?
Determinants are partially the cause of the problem. What you have learned influences how you
perform behavior, determinants are the cause of behavior, explaining why you think or act in certain
ways.
You can describe the determinants as specifically as possible to target and influence behavior change. In
other words, determinants are directly linked to the problem and show where to focus in order to change
behavior.
The goal is to transform undesired behavior into desired behavior. The undesired behavior comes from
the behavioral analysis (based on literature), and the desired behavior also stems from this analysis.
Analysis of determinants helps to answer the question: How can we achieve the desired behavior?
The determinants can be used to justify and support the desired behavior (usually based first on the
behavioral analysis).
Finally, goals can be made SMART through a schematic representation — for this, you need both the
desired behavior and the analysis of determinants.
Circles of the ASCE model
Involvement:
• The designer informs the environment about activities
• Takes into account people’s views
, • Builds trust
Accountability:
• Are all steps evidence-based?
• Is there proper justification for each choice?
Note: ASCE and Preffi use the same terms, but the meanings are different (psychological basis).
Reader Summary – Chapter 1
What is psychology?
Psychology is the science of behavior and mind.
• Behavior: observable actions
• Mind: internal experiences like emotions, motives, thoughts, and perceptions
Two main approaches:
• Behaviorism – focuses on observable behavior.
• Cognitivism – focuses on internal processes like thinking, emotion, motivation
Behaviourism or science of behaviour
This approach focuses on observable behavior and was the first attempt to treat psychology as a hard
science. It uses objective measurements to study human or animal behavior. The core idea is that only the
systematic study of individuals' or groups' behavior makes it possible to predict future behavior and thus
develop psychological theories.
Laws of Thorndike — an example of the behavioral approach:
1. Law of exercise:
The relationship between a stimulus and a response becomes stronger the more often the
stimulus is followed by the same response (law of use). If the stimulus is seldom followed by
the same response, the connection weakens (law of disuse).
2. Law of effect:
The relationship between a stimulus and a response strengthens if the response is followed
by a reward. If followed by punishment, the strength of the relationship decreases.
Research findings:
Punishment can cause the disappearance of unwanted behaviors. However, once the punishment stops,
the unwanted behavior often returns. Therefore, rewarding desired behavior is much more effective for
changing behavior than punishing undesirable behavior.
Cognitive Psychology
This was a revolution in psychology, where researchers argued that behaviorism was too limited and did
not fully explain behavior. They aimed to better understand the mental processes in the mind, such as
motives, emotions, and thoughts that drive behavior. Most psychological phenomena occur within the
mind and brain rather than being purely observable externally.
Cognitive psychology became increasingly dominant in psychological science. Many theories were
developed, for example, on how human memory works, how people solve mathematical problems, and
how individuals predict other people’s behavior.
Ulric Neisser played a key role by publishing his influential book Cognitive Psychology, where he
systematically and empirically described how humans process information for the first time.
In conclusion:
Psychology is the study of mental processes and human behavior to explain, predict, and change
