Psychological literacy: What is it and how do we measure it?
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This document discusses the definitions and measurement of psychological literacy (PsyLit). It reviews how PsyLit has been defined over time, from early definitions focusing on core psychological concepts to more recent definitions incorporating nine qualities like applying psychology principles and communicating effectively. The document also examines different approaches that have been used to measure PsyLit, such as rating scales of concepts and multi-item surveys assessing domains like reflective thinking. Overall, the review finds no agreed-upon definition of PsyLit and that further validation is needed for models and measures of this construct.
Psychological literacy: What is it and how do we measure it?
- 1. CRICOS QLD 00244B | NSW 02225M TEQSA: PRV12081 Psychological literacy: What is it and how do we measure it? Prof Tony Machin University of Southern Queensland https://tinyurl.com/APA2018Machin
- 2. What is PsyLit? According to Cranney and Dunn (2011), it is the intentional application of psychological science to meet personal, professional, and societal goals. Further, “we strongly believe that psychological literacy is THE most important literacy for the Twenty-first Century, and that psychological literacy should be the primary outcome of undergraduate psychology education”.
- 3. What the world needs now, is PsyLit!
- 4. Why is PsyLit important? Hulme et al. (2015) describe a model in which PsyLit is relevant to all aspects of life, from an understanding of oneself through to being a global citizen.
- 5. While PsyLit has attracted substantial scholarly attention, a review of the different ways that PsyLit is defined led Newstead (2015) to conclude that there is no agreed definition, a conclusion that is shared by Mair, Taylor and Hulme (2013). It is therefore timely to review the different definitions of PsyLit and how these have been operationalised. That is, what is PsyLit and how is PsyLit actually measured? How is PsyLit defined?
- 6. Purpose: To describe empirical studies that have been conducted focusing on psychological literacy, and describe and evaluate current empirical measurement practice regarding psychological literacy. The aims therefore are: To systematically review the empirical research in relation to the concept of psychological literacy To critically characterise, evaluate and compare existing measures/assessments of psychological literacy. Initial aim
- 7. Key articles: Boneau (1990) McGovern, et al. (2010) Roberts, Heritage and Gasson (2015) Murdoch (2016) Where have we come from?
- 8. Boneau (1990) introduced the term “Psychological literacy” focusing on the key terms and concepts that constitute the core knowledge base in psychology. The importance of the concepts was assessed according to a rating scale which ranked the terms from 5 (…is able to make knowledgeable statements about this term) through to 1 (…too specialised for general knowledge even at the doctoral level). Early definitions of PsyLit
- 9. Even Boneau recognises that his rating scale was a “strangely concocted dimension, but it seemed to make sense to my respondents” (p. 892). A similar approach was taken by Tomcho and Foels (2017) to establish the core concepts in five areas of applied psychology, including health psychology, psychology of gender, I/O psychology, cross- cultural psychology, and psychology and law. The ratings scale was identical to Boneau (1990) and a total of 500 concepts were rated. Of these, 311 (61%) were unique to the applied areas. Some issues with this approach
- 10. This conference in 2008 created a definition of PsyLit that included nine separate qualities that all psychology graduates should possess: having a well-defined vocabulary and basic knowledge of the critical subject matter of psychology; valuing the intellectual challenges required to use scientific thinking and the disciplined analysis of information to evaluate alternative courses of action; APA’s National Conference on Undergraduate Education
- 11. taking a creative and amiable sceptical approach to problem solving; applying psychological principles to personal, social, and organisational issues in work, relationships, and the broader community; acting ethically; being competent in using and evaluating information and technology; This book introduces the term “Psychologically literate citizen”.
- 12. communicating effectively in different modes and with many different audiences; recognising, understanding, and fostering respect for diversity; being insightful and reflective about one’s own and others’ behavior and mental processes. (McGovern, et al., 2010, p.11).
- 13. Lynne Roberts, Brody Heritage and Natalie Gasson Roberts, Heritage and Gasson (2015) identified nine existing scales and included these multi-item measures along with the nine single-item measures from Chester et al. (2013) to determine the underlying structure of PsyLit. Reflective Processes (RP), Generic Graduate Attributes (GGA), and Psychology as a Helping Profession (PHP). Recent research
- 15. Heritage, Roberts and Gasson (2016) futher examined the validity of their multi-item measure of PsyLit using students enrolled in a range of degree programs and at different levels in these programs. Their approach is to comprehensively assess the nine dimensions of PsyLit using multiple measures. Evidence for a three factor structure?
- 17. Their three factors weakly differentiated between Psychology and Psychology-HRM students in their first year, but not between Psychology and Speech Pathology students. At the second year level, the three PsyLit factors weakly differentiated between Psychology and Speech Pathology students, but not between Psychology and Psychology-HRM students. Finally, comparisons between the three levels within Psychology (but not the other disciplines) found that PsyLit differentiated the first year level from the second year level, but not the third year level. Further evidence is required to support a three- factor model of PsyLit.
- 18. Murdoch (2016) Murdoch (2016) also questions whether PsyLit is what makes psychology unique? Most of the 9 attributes are not unique to Psychology, rather reflect general graduate attributes. Murdoch proposes that PsyLit is a higher order construct that incorporates a number of other “literacies” making PsyLit a meta-literacy. What next?
- 19. Murdoch (2016) illustrates that PsyLit is a product of understanding the core psychological knowledge of the discipline, combined with psychology- specific knowledge and skill (perhaps specialised sub-skills), and the ability to apply these knowledges and skills in meaningful personal, social and employment-related areas.
- 20. Murdoch (2016) concludes with seven recommendations that are a foundation for the further development of PsyLit, which “could and should be the goal of a psychology undergraduate education, but it does not need to be the goal” (p. 196). Final words
- 21. Halpern and Butler (2011) suggest that scenarios are an appropriate methodology to capture students’ understanding of psychological knowledge as well as their skill in applying this knowledge. Assessment of PsyLit needs to move beyond the self- report measures that have been used thus far.
- 22. Roberts, Gasson, Breen, Mancini, Chester & Heritage (2018) These authors just presented their latest research at ICAP in Montreal. “Measurement of Psychological Literacy to Assess Global Citizenship in Undergraduate Psychology Students” They are developing an objective measure that targets ability to apply psychological literacy to personal, professional and societal needs. Recent developments
- 23. Steps: Development of the scenarios Piloting Known Groups testing Convergent and Divergent Validity Predictive Validity
- 24. You notice that a newspaper report on the adoption of recycling and other environmentally sustainable behaviours concludes that the schemes often cost quite a lot to implement and may not really save taxpayers any money. a) Explain the impact of recycling on the individual, their neighbourhood and the society. b) What psychological theory and/or concepts might be relevant to your response. Example
- 25. While Australia has one of the highest rates of preventable skin cancers, many people fail to take adequate preventative action to reduce their risk. a) Explain the apparent contradiction in people’s failure to use adequate sun protection. b) What psychological theory and/or concepts might be relevant to your response. Another example
- 26. CRICOS QLD 00244B | NSW 02225M TEQSA: PRV12081 In conclusion, the definition and measurement of PsyLit is a critical part of specifying what a PsyEd can provide. It would also contribute to global psychological literacy citizenship (Cranney & Dunn, 2011). The value of a psychology education is not just in enabling graduates to find appropriate employment, but also in facilitating solutions to global human problems.
- 27. CRICOS QLD 00244B | NSW 02225M TEQSA: PRV12081