Quantitative psychology

Quantitative psychology is a field of psychology that involves the application of statistical analysis to psychological research, and the development of novel statistical methods for measuring and explaining human behavior. It is a highly interdisciplinary field, drawing on methods from both mathematics and psychology.

History

Quantitative psychology has its roots in the early 20th century, when psychologists began to use statistical methods to analyze their data. The field grew rapidly with the development of psychometrics, the science of measuring mental capacities, and the invention of the factor analysis, a statistical method for studying the relationships among variables.

Methods

Quantitative psychologists use a variety of methods to analyze data, including descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and multivariate statistics. They also use psychometric theory to develop and validate measures of psychological constructs.

Applications

Quantitative psychology has many applications in both research and practice. For example, it is used in educational psychology to develop and validate tests of intelligence and achievement, in clinical psychology to measure the effectiveness of treatments, and in social psychology to study the relationships among social variables.

Training and Careers

Training in quantitative psychology typically involves coursework in statistics, research methods, and psychometrics, as well as practical experience in data analysis. Many quantitative psychologists work in academic settings, where they teach and conduct research. Others work in industry, government, or private consulting, where they apply their skills to practical problems.

See Also

• Psychometrics
• Statistical analysis
• Educational psychology
• Clinical psychology
• Social psychology