Master's Thesis Social, Health and Organisational Psychology, track Social Influence & Health Promotion

Course goals

The entire course will be taught in English. This also includes assignments and exams.


In the thesis the student learns to function independently as a researcher in the domain of Social or Health Psychology. The thesis involves a literature-based, empirical quantitative study, resulting in a written report that includes both scientific and practical implications. Every stage of the research cycle should be covered: formulation of the problem, in-depth theoretical study, design of the study and materials, data collection, data analysis, and reporting (oral and written).
 
After completion of the thesis, the student is able to independently conduct simple psychological research. In addition, the student will have acquired basic skills to write a scientific report in a format that is commonly used in the field.
 
Correspondence between assessment and learning goals:
 
The following aspects will be assessed: theoretical insight, research skills, work attitude, quality of oral presentation, quality of the thesis report. The assessment of the quality of the report covers formulation of the problem, in-depth theoretical study, design of the study, data collection, data analysis, and reporting. A specification of the assessment criteria can be found in the guidelines on Brightspace.

Deze cursus kan bijdragen aan je LOGO verklaring. Klik HIER voor meer informatie.
 

Content

The domains of Social Influence and Health Promotion share a common interest in understanding human behavior, whether in social contexts or in relation to health, illness, and well-being. Both fields emphasize the importance of social influence, cognitive processes, and behavioral regulation in shaping individual and group behavior. Research within these areas is both fundamental and applied, employing experimental and field research methods to investigate key psychological mechanisms.

Topics of interest include the role of attitudes, norms, and habits in explaining behavior, as well as the effectiveness of persuasive communication and other behavior change strategies. In addition, researchers explore the psychological processes behind health behavior interventions, proactive coping, and self-regulation. Other research topics include the impact of moral norms on behavior, the (dys)functioning of close relationships, emotion regulation, bedtime procrastination, and medically unexplained symptoms.

Students must select a topic within the expertise of their supervisor and align it with ongoing research projects in the department. This way, students will gain a strong theoretical and empirical foundation, equipping them with the necessary skills to understand, design, and evaluate interventions in both social and health-related domains.

At the start of the master’s programme, students are assigned to a topic and supervisor based on their preferences. The regulations concerning the internship can be found on Brightspace. Further information about internships can be obtained via the coordinator of the Master's track Social Influence and Health Promotion, Dr. Madelijn Strick. She can be contacted via m.strick@uu.nl