Reflecting on Psychology Teachers: Jeremy Burman Douwe Draaisma Markus Eronen Imke Gooskens Other staff: Jonna Brenninkmeijer Maarten Derksen Stephan Schleim

Reflecting on Psychology Reflecting on Psychology (RoP): Putting psychology in perspective Goal: To understand why psychological concepts, theories and explanations are the way they are; explore how psychology is related to other parts of science and society Methods: History, philosophy, and sociology of science Students from RoP will become skilled in writing, qualitative analysis and reflection

Why Reflect on Psychology?

Why Reflect on Psychology? Reflecting on psychology is crucial for advancing psychology as a science (replication crisis etc.) More need for multidisciplinary approaches Psychology is increasingly important in society, but there is little reflection on its goals, methods and foundations RoP is unique: The only Theory and History of Psychology master program in Europe

Reflecting on Psychology One year programme: 60 EC 30 EC thesis project 10 EC Foundation courses Conceptual Issues in Psychology Brain, Consciousness and Society 10 EC Elective courses Reflections on Psychology: Critical Issues Boundaries of Psychology 5 EC Skills course: Writing skills 5 EC Methods course: Qualitative Research Methods

Foundation Courses Conceptual Issues in Psychology Classic and basic texts: e.g., scientific paradigms, social constructionism, classification, philosophy of mind, history of psychology Reading, assignments, discussion and final essay Brain Consciousness and Society Open book exam Topics: Asperger’s Syndrome and delinquency, relation between rationality and emotions, controversies on the interpretation of dreams, brain reading with fMRI, impact of the neurosciences

Elective Courses Reflections on Psychology: Critical Issues Elaborates on Conceptual Issues in psychology Discussion and presentations – topics: theory of mind, intelligence testing, consciousness, qualitative vs. quantitative research, transient mental illnesses and wellnesses Boundaries of Psychology Starting with Kuhn’s “incommensurability” to define what a boundary is, the topic will be approached from a historical, philosophical or sociological angle Concluding essay

Skills and Methods Courses Writing Skills Regular writing & reading of “best science writing” Learn peer review through collaborative wikis Goal: publication Qualitative Research Methods Foundations and ethics Digital methods Observations and ethnography Interviews and narrative research Data analysis

Master Theses and Internships 30 ECT Master thesis Possible internship (max 15 ECT) Communicate your research findings in media or lectures Participate in a research group Archival research (Co-)organize meetings on RoP topics Work with Mindwise

Master theses: possible topics What is the purpose of replication? What exactly is a replication? Can some types of crime be explained by reference to limitations inherent in autism? Is ‘cognitive dissonance’ an example of a discovery? Or is it an invention? What aspects of "Piaget's new theory" are still relevant to contemporary psychological science? Can meaning-change be identified using formal tools drawn from the Digital Humanities? Is it possible to scientifically measure psychological attributes such as intelligence? Can neuroscientists (some day) read your mind with neuroimaging techniques?

Teachers Douwe Draaisma: History of psychology, memory, science popularization Jeremy Burman: History of psychology, digital humanities, cultural evolution, historiography Markus Eronen: Philosophy of psychology, philosophy of science, methodology Imke Gooskens: Qualitative research methods, anthropology, ethnography

Other staff Maarten Derksen Stephan Schleim Jonna Brenninkmeijer

Former students Historians of science Academics in departments of psychology, philosophy and medicine Science communicators or publishers Science policy advisors Qualitative researchers for institutes or firms Teachers …

Alumnus: Saskia Wiegant Education Coordinator Hanze University of Applied Science

Alumnus: Saskia Wiegant "I learnt that knowledge doesn't sell itself, but that it travels over networks. And that knowledge is not neutral, but that it has a political dimension, and you must look for that dimension. That's why people like us function well in education and government, in interest groups, political parties. Any position where policy is translated into practice and vice versa. For me as a manager my training has been really useful too."

Recent Alumnus: Stephen Scholte PhD Student University of Sussex

Recent Alumnus: Stephen Scholte “Beyond providing introduction to some of the most interesting work in the theory, methodology and history of psychology and the social sciences, the RoP Master provided the framework within which I learnt to really think. Knowledge in isolation means little … What is necessary, and of utmost value in any interesting occupation (and especially for aspiring academics such as myself) is the ability to analyse, to reflect, and to connect the oversupply of information with which we are constantly confronted. This I learnt in Groningen, and is what I try to do every day in my current position.”

Reflecting on Psychology More information: http://www.rug.nl/masters/reflecting- on-psychology/ Questions? m.i.eronen@rug.nl