70186 - Observation Psycology (Optional)

Learning outcomes

After completing this course the student:

- knows the methodological techniques of observation of behaviour

- has a good knowledge of development processes

- is able to apply observational techniques to the evaluation of educational projects

- can realize materials and documentation functional to the knowledge of various educational contexts

- is able to integrate his/her knowledge and his/her own instruments with the tools of other disciplines.

Course contents

The course deals with the method of observation from the theoretical point of view and from an operational standpoint, since the observational techniques require a close connection with the practice through their application. During the course, the main features of the observational method in developmental psychology will be described: the theoretical issues (observation ecology, ethology, Piagetian and psychoanalytic approach), the planning observation stages (who, what, how and where to look), validity conditions of the observational method (reliability, validity, etc...), the different techniques (narrative descriptions, coding system, checklists, rating scales, questionnaires) and application areas. Furthermore, the course will deal with some observational tools that can be used by students on the workplace and are thus enriching educational growth. Both in reference to the description of the general characteristics of the observational method and in relation to the instruments, several exercises and activities will be carried out in the classroom in order to allow the students to apply the techniques of observation.

Readings/Bibliography

Baumgartner, E. (2004). L'osservazione del comportamento infantile. Teorie e strumenti con CD-rom. Roma: Carocci.

Camaioni, L., Aureli, T., Perucchini, P. (2004). Osservare e valutare il comportamento infantile. Bologna: il Mulino (chapters 1 e 2).

Corsaro, W.A., Molinari, L. (1999). La famiglia, i compagni, la scuola: il metodo etnografico per lo studio dei contesti di sviluppo. Etnosistemi, VI, 62-75.

Crugnola, C.R., Arbizzati, A., Caprin, C., Gazzotti, S. (2010). Stili di interazione e di regolazione tra madre e bambino e attaccamento materno. Psicologia Clinica dello Sviluppo, XIV, 503- 526.

Grazzani Gavazzi, I. (2003). L'osservazione delle emozioni al nido: un'esperienza e le sue applicazioni. Psicologia Clinica dello Sviluppo, VII, 135-143.

Guarini, A., Sansavini, A., Denaro, E., Angelucci, P., Cecchini, P. (2012). Uso della LIM e sviluppo delle competenze comunicative-linguistiche in un bambino con ritardo mentale. Uno studio osservativo con il questionario PVB. Infanzia, 3, 169-175.

Montirosso, R., Premoli, B., Cozzi, P., Borgatti, R., Tronick, E. (2007). Regolazione emozionale in bambini tra i 3 e i 6 mesi: applicazione del paradigma Still-Face. Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, 34, 193-219.

Teaching methods

The lectures will be complemented with classroom exercises through the presentation of videos and analysis of protocols of observation.

The classroom exercises are particularly important to understand the observation techniques through their application, discussing the difficulties and advantages and limitations of each method of observation.

A further opportunity is work in small groups reading and studying of a specific observation instrument, followed by classroom presentation.

Assessment methods

Assessment method consists of a written test in three separate parts:

a) 5 short open questions on general knowledge related to the psychology of observation (see in particular the text of Baumgartner 2004 and Camaioni, Aureli, Perucchini, 2004).

b) an open question on the instruments of observation. The students who have attended the course and submitted a work in small groups can replace this question with a description of the work.

c) a practical part on the application of a technique of observation (for example, the student may be asked to comment on an observational protocol, an encoding scheme or to draw up a narrative account while watching a video). For students who have not attended the course and that have not been exercised during the year and have never applied the techniques of observation, the recommended reading is: Cassibba R., Salerni N. (2004). Osservare i bambini: tecniche ed esercizi. Roma: Carocci.

Teaching tools

The course will be supported by the use of Power Point and the projector. The projector will also be used to show videos in the classroom to practice the use of observation techniques.

Office hours

See the website of Annalisa Guarini