About the Methodology research section
The researchers of the Department of Methodology systematically work on development of methods, which are applied in psychological studies of the Institute, as well as general development of methods which can enrich psychology as a discipline. It is a case of methods, which are used in many scientific fields such as methods of statistical analysis of data or some approaches of qualitative methodology or methods and techniques which are for psychology unique such psychometric or psychodiagnostic methods.
The most often used quantitative methods and methods of statistical analysis of data are methods of multidimensional statistics, such as different steps of multidimensional or optimal scaling, cluster analysis, regression and factor analysis and structural modelling. Practical use of psychodiagnostics can record solutions of researchers interested in possibilities of using computer version of traditional testing and questionnaire methods, such as Computer Adaptive Testing based upon Item Response Theory.
Qualitative approaches developing at the department are coming from narrative methodology and semiotic approach to qualitative data. The study of these methods is interested in questions of validity of these approaches in relation to their contribution of knowing the researched events. Narrative mode of organisation of personal experience and construction of reality and forming of personal identity is researched especially in relation to subjective understanding of life line of individual. Hermeneutic-narrative approach integrates personal, cognitive, and methodological perspective.
We are attempting to use qualitative and quantitative approaches in a synthetic manner, based upon what approaches are more suitable to that concrete set of data. Qualitative approaches are used in cases for generating data accessible to quantitative analysis. This approach is developed for example in psychosemantic methods.
