Aus: M. Grumiller & T. D. Märk (Hrsg.) (2006). Zukunftsplattform Obergurgl 2006 – Forschungskooperationen
innerhalb der Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck (S.179-180). Innsbruck: Innsbruck University Press.
Research Focus: Psychology of Everyday Action (PsyAll)
The research focus Psychology of everyday action conjoins contents and methods from
several subject areas of the Institute of Psychology. Our research focus is based on the
personality which is seen as entity of thinking, acting and experiencing in lifeworlds
(‘Lebenswelten’). The link between the different disciplinary contributions is found in the coevolutionary, reciprocal perspective between requirements, resources, material and social
conditions of human activity on the one hand and in psychological relevant phenomena of
acting subjects on the other hand. General psychological phenomena (perception, learning,
memory,
knowledge,
problem
solving,
planning,
decision-making,
action-related
competences, emotions) in conjunction with research topics of personality psychology and
social psychology (e.g. social motivation, attitudes, attachment styles, social and moral
competences, traits, value orientations, life-sense and meaning in life) are applied to different
fields of acting in everyday-life in order to investigate the regulation of human action 1. We
aim at
- gaining knowledge about the efficacy and the promotion of personality and health
- gaining knowledge about social compatibility of action
- elaborating appropriate methods of assessment, evaluation and interventions.
In order to achieve an integrative approach to our research topic some basic psychological
concepts and categories derived from activity theory, action theories and other
transdiciplinary concepts are applied and enhanced. As a result of this approach close
interconnections between basic research, represented by general psychology, personality
psychology, social psychology, methodology on the one hand and research fields in applied
psychology (work and organisational psychology, traffic psychology, psychological
diagnostics, educational psychology, health psychology/clinical psychology, applied cognitive
psychology) are established which all have their roots in concrete projects. Current research
activities comprise the following topics:
-
Learning activity, memory and knowledge2
-
Acitivity in organisations and other social and societal domains3
1
Within this theoretical context, we do not use the term ‘behaviour’ because we do not refer to radical
behaviourist concepts but to scientific concepts stemming from activity theory, action theories, and further
humanist approaches.
2
Implicit and explicit knowledge; knowledge and media; participatory knowledge management; mnemonic aids;
artefacts in work; (cognitive and social) learning activities; cognitive errors and errors in actions; applied
psychology of perception; traffic behaviour)
1
Aus: M. Grumiller & T. D. Märk (Hrsg.) (2006). Zukunftsplattform Obergurgl 2006 – Forschungskooperationen
innerhalb der Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck (S.179-180). Innsbruck: Innsbruck University Press.
-
Integrative models of personality4
The connections between these research topics are made plausible in the footnotes.
Units of analysis and target groups of our research focus group Psychology of Everyday
Action comprise all possible levels of social systems, namely
-
Individual (e.g. personality, cognitive and social competences, world views,
requirements for activities, training, cognitive supports, stress and strain)
-
Group (e.g. attribution, attachment behaviour and cohesion)
-
Organisations and institutions (e.g. cognitive, motivational and social prerequisites of
knowledge management and knowledge sharing)
-
Society (e.g. value orientations fostering democracy, integration of immigration)
According to the approach of activity theory all four levels of social systems are analysed
with regard to objective (condition-related) and individual (person-related) parameters. At
each level, this integrative multi-level approach recurs to the same theoretical models and
concepts of activity theory and action theories which in turn can be refined by following our
research strategy.
A pool of data collection methods, analysis and assessment tools, assembled and continuously
updated by the members of our research focus team, represents a further major resource for
research activities within the framework of Psychology of Everyday Action. It comprises
experimental strategies, observation and interview techniques, a wide variety of diagnostic
tests and questionnaires for the assessment of personality, achievement, attitudes, and
interaction, as well as corresponding statistical and qualitative methods of analysis.
Additionally, further instruments have been – and still are being – developed and validated
(e.g. assessment of co-operation types, of social motives, values, and meaning in life, of
psycho-physiological states, of work experience, human error, computer aided design, and a
tool for decision-making support). Several of these developments have already been utilised
successfully in scientific, industrial, and clinical practice.
3
Health and risk behaviour (e.g. leisure time activities, sports, safety at work); mnemonic aids; activities of
design; artefacts of work; job analysis and work design; organisational behaviour; organisational culture; applied
psychology of perception; traffic behaviour; media research and communication; engagement in communities;
work-role fit; immigration and religiousness
2
Aus: M. Grumiller & T. D. Märk (Hrsg.) (2006). Zukunftsplattform Obergurgl 2006 – Forschungskooperationen
innerhalb der Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck (S.179-180). Innsbruck: Innsbruck University Press.
Considerable synergy results from the fact that instruments and methods of analysis used by
members of the research focus team can be applied to many areas of everyday action.
Furthermore, colleagues working in the research focus team bring in and make available
expertise from different psychological disciplines and co-operate with representatives from
sociology, philosophy, economics, and computer sciences.
Research and teaching in Psychology of everyday action are accomplished in close cooperation with economic institutions and other organisations. As a consequence, a high
number of diploma/master theses and dissertations can be integrated and supervised.
Connections and co-operation with institutions and corporations in health service, education,
private sector, with non-profit organisations and political institutions have been and still are
being used intensively to support theses, internships, invited lectures, and field excursions.
Research activities performed by the research focus team Psychology of Everyday Action
generate
 practical findings
 methods and tools for diagnostics, analysis, and assessment of action regulation within
different areas of the everyday (e.g. work, education, leisure activities, health
promotion, traffic behaviour)
 methods of (condition-related and behavioural) prevention
 guidelines and manuals for psychological intervention.
These scientific results contribute to the benefit of
 individuals (e.g. elder people when dealing with job demands, media and audiovisual
support, public transport, health supplies; e.g. risk reduction in extreme sports)
 groups (e.g. methods supporting team development, social learning, communicative
competence and achievement)
 small- and medium-sized enterprises (e.g. effects of democratic decision-making in
cooperatives and employee-owned firms; methods for the support of designing)
 technology manufacturers and
 social institutions and associations.
4
Health and risk behaviour (e.g. leisure time activities, sports, safety at work); interpersonal perception and
interaction; predictors for meaning and sense of life and their effects; work-role fit
3