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Social Sciences - Master's level (all)
Political Science
Courses in Political Science are usually only open for incoming exchange students majoring in Political Science and for exchange students at the School of Social Sciences (Sociology, Psychology). Nominated exchange students will be contacted by their departmental exchange coordinator via e-mail at the end of November/early December (fall semester) or by the end of May/early June (Spring semester) regarding their course choice.
Exchange students from other schools and departments may only attend classes if (a) places are left for other students (b) they have basic knowledge in political science and statistics (c) the departmental exchange coordinator explicitly approves their participation. In case of further questions, please contact: int-pol@uni-mannheim.de.
Advanced Quantitative Methods (Lecture, English)
Lecture type:
Lecture
ECTS:
7.0
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Hours per week:
2
Recommended requirement:
Recommended for
CDSS students
MA Political Science Students of 2nd semester, as well as MA Data Science Students and Master MMBR Management Students should have passed “Tutorial Multivariate Analyses” as well as “Multivarate Analyses” in their first semester, preferably with grade 2.0
Literature:
Eliason, Scott R. 1993. Maximum Likelihood Estimation: Logic and Practice. Newbury Park: Sage.
Long, J. Scott. 1997. Regression Models for Categorical and Limited Dependent Variables. Newbury Park: Sage.
King, Gary. 2008. Unifying political methodology: the likelihood theory of statistical inference. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.
Instructor(s):
Professor Thomas Gschwend
Date(s):
Wednesday
(weekly)
13.02.2019 - 29.05.2019
08:30 - 10:00
B 244 Hörsaal; A 5, 6 Bauteil B
Description:
The goal of this course is to provide an introduction into maximum-likelihood estimation.
Comparative Government: Political Institutions and the Political Process (Lecture, English)
Lecture type:
Lecture
ECTS:
7
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Hours per week:
2
Instructor(s):
Professor Marc Debus
Date(s):
Tuesday
(weekly)
12.02.2019 - 28.05.2019
10:15 - 11:45
B 244 Hörsaal; A 5, 6 Bauteil B
Description:
This lecture gives an overview of selected theoretical concepts and the main research findings in the field of Comparative Government, specifically focusing on the role of political institutions and their impact for political decision-making at all stages in the political process. The course introduces a number of core themes in the comparative study of political institutions, such as constitutions and their design as well as electoral institutions and their effects on turnout and voting behaviour. In addition, the lecture focuses on the impact of different institutional designs on patterns of party competition, government formation and coalition governance. In a third step, we discuss the effects of political institutions on various aspects of legislative behaviour.
Course Description:
The main goal of this lecture is to present an advanced introduction to theoretical approaches, key concepts, and substantive issues in comparative political behavior. Building on a multi-level perspective, it will provide an overview of key concepts and theories in the analysis of micro-level processes of political behavior that are embedded in and feed into macro-level processes. Capitalizing on this analytical perspective, the lecture will also address major changes in the relationship between societal and political processes and institutions.
International Political Economy (Lecture, English)
Lecture type:
Lecture
ECTS:
7
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Hours per week:
2
Instructor(s):
Professor Richard Traunmüller
Date(s):
Wednesday
(weekly)
13.02.2019 - 29.05.2019
13:45 - 15:15
B 243 Hörsaal; A 5, 6 Bauteil B
Description:
International Political Economy
In this course, we will discuss contemporary scholarly research on International Political Economy. The course examines how domestic and international politics drive trade, investment, financial, and immigration policies and outcomes. It emphasizes the theoretical core, and some current debates, in the field but also aims to expose students to some nuts and bolts of each policy area and the chief methods by which scholars acquire knowledge of the subject. We pick up some knowledge of historical and contemporary examples wherever possible, but presenting historical material systematically is not the focus of the course. The course is intended to stimulate students to form original ideas for promising research projects in the area of international relations and political economy.
Required readings are indicated in the course schedule. In addition to scholarly articles, we will rely on several chapters from the following textbook:
Frieden, Jeffry A., David A. Lake, and Kenneth A. Schultz. 2018. World Politics: Interests, Interactions, Institutions. 4th edition. New York: W.W. Norton.
Each session requires a significant amount of reading. Focus on the key arguments. You are not expected to know the details of all readings, or specific empirical strategies, results or facts. The lectures will help you identify priorities.
Instructor(s):
Professor Sabine Carey
Date(s):
Monday
(weekly)
11.02.2019 - 31.05.2019
13:45 - 15:15
B 244 Hörsaal; A 5, 6 Bauteil B
Description:
The security of individuals and states depends profoundly on international politics. Beyond the realm of security, structures and actors of “global governance” have been proliferating for many years. They influence crucial public policies in diverse ways. This lecture surveys academic debates on key topics of international politics, including: the sources of war, peace, and terrorism, the emergence and operation of international organizations and transnational civil society, and the making of key international policy outcomes including respect for human rights and climate policies.
Selected Topics in Comparative Politics:Understanding Public Opinion on European Integration (Seminar, English)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
7.0
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Hours per week:
2
Instructor(s):
Professor Harald Schoen
Date(s):
Tuesday
(weekly)
12.02.2019 - 28.05.2019
12:00 - 13:30
B 317 Seminarraum; A 5, 6 Bauteil B
Description:
Outline:
Public opinion plays an important role in European integration, e.g. by constraining elite decisions. Understanding European integration requires thus a proper understanding of the nature and origins of public support for European integration. This seminar will address key concepts and theories for the analysis of public support for European integration and its behavioral consequences. Students will review the latest empirical studies in the field and prepare research papers in which they analyze specific questions using available data sets.
Selected Topics in Comparative Politics: Roll call voting. Theory, Methods and Applications (Seminar, English)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
7.0
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Hours per week:
2
Recommended requirement:
Students are expected to be familiar with the basics of multivariate statistics and have at least low level proficiency in R.
Instructor(s):
Professor Thomas Bräuninger
Date(s):
Wednesday
(weekly)
13.02.2019 - 29.05.2019
10:15 - 11:45
A 305 Seminarraum; B 6, 23-25 Bauteil A
Description:
This course offers an introduction into legislative politics with a particular emphasis on the link of theories and methods: what can we learn about legislators and their preferences when we looking at their behavior? Our key focus will be on roll call voting and ideal point estimation (which is a useful tool in other areas as well, for instance in International Politics or International Political Economy) using spatial voting theory. While we read some of the seminal literature in this field we will spend equal time and effort in the lab to become trained in programming and using different methods out there (NOMINATE, optimal classification, Bayesian methods). Computing is done in R and JAGS. As this is a research seminar, the course allows students to pursue areas of individual interest in more depth, and therefore the course content is to some extent determined based on the interests of the students.
Selected Topics in International Politics: The Politicization of European Integration (Seminar, English)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
7
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Hours per week:
2
Instructor(s):
Professor Nikoleta Yordanova
Date(s):
Thursday
(weekly)
14.02.2019 - 30.05.2019
13:45 - 15:15
B 318 Seminarraum; A 5, 6 Bauteil B
Thursday
(single date)
11.04.2019
15:30 - 17:00
B 243 Hörsaal; A 5, 6 Bauteil B
Tuesday
(single date)
09.04.2019
15:30 - 17:00
A 102 Seminarraum; B 6, 23-25 Bauteil A
Description:
The Politicization of European Integration
MA Seminar, Spring Semester 2019
University of Mannheim
Instructor: Jun.-Prof. Dr. Nikoleta Yordanova
Course description
The course of European integration has become the subject of heated political debate. The failed EU constitutional treaty in 2005, the divided reactions to the economic and refugee crises across and within member states over the past decade, and, ultimately, the EU exit vote in the UK referendum in 2016 all reflect the end of the era of permissive consensus. This course examines the impact of the EU’s politicization on electoral behavior at domestic and European elections, the positions of mainstream and fringe political parties and the responsiveness of national governments and EU institution to public attitudes towards specific EU policies, integration steps or the overall EU regime.
Aims and objectives
To familiarize students with the state of the art analytical research on the politicization of European integration
To encourage critical thinking in evaluating alternative theoretical arguments, research designs and empirical findings in class discussions as well as through research replication
To motivate students to develop their own research ideas and guide them in examining these ideas in their analytical papers
Literature
The full syllabus will be circulated during the first class. Readings will be available through the ILIAS or the Semesteraparat in the A5 university library.
The students are encouraged to consult the following reading prior to the course beginning:
Hobolt, S. and de Vries, C. E. (2016) ‘Public Support for European Integration’, Annual Review of Political Science 19: 413-32.
Recommended for:
MA Students in Political Science and doctoral students
Selected Topics in International Politics: Repression, security and peace (Seminar, English)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
7
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Hours per week:
2
Literature:
Required readings are indicated in the course schedule, which are based on seminal and current research on human rights, peace and security. Each session requires a significant amount of reading. Focus on the key arguments. You are not expected to know the details of all readings, or specific empirical strategies, results or facts. The seminar sessions will help you identify priorities. The specific topics and readings may change based on the interests of the class.
Instructor(s):
Professor Sabine Carey
Date(s):
Tuesday
(weekly)
12.02.2019 - 28.05.2019
13:45 - 15:15
211 Seminarraum; B 6, 30-32 Bauteil E-F
Description:
This seminar discusses seminal and current work on state repression, security and peace. It introduces on why and how states violate human rights. It focuses on how governments organize and implement repression and how they aim to justify or obfuscate state violence, particularly in the context of democratic institutions and international human rights norms. The discussion also discusses peace as a more heterogenous concept than the absence of war. Over the course of the seminar you will develop your own research question on one of the topics discussed in the seminar and carrying out your own research. Additionally, you are expected to read all required materials, provide feedback on other student’s work and lead one class discussion.
This tutorial accompanies the course “Multivariate Analyses” in the M.A. program in Political Science. The lab sessions will focus on the practical issues associated with quantitative methods, including obtaining and preparing data sets, how to use statistical software, which tests to use for different kinds of problems, how to graph data effectively for presentation and analysis, and how to interpret results. The seminar will also serve as a software tutorial. No prior knowledge of statistical programming is expected.
Courses in Sociology are usually only open for incoming exchange students majoring in Sociology and for exchange students at the School of Social Sciences (Political Science, Psychology). Nominated exchange students will be contacted by their departmental exchange coordinator via e-mail at the end of November/early December (fall semester) or by the end of May/early June (Spring semester) regarding their course choice.
Exchange students from other schools and departments may only attend classes if (a) places are left for other students (b) they have basic knowledge in sociology and statistics (c) the departmental exchange coordinator explicitly approves their participation. In case of further questions, please contact: int-soc@uni-mannheim.de.
BM2/BN2: “Fake News / False Beliefs” aus psychologischer Perspektive / “Fake News” from a Psychological Perspective (Seminar, German)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
German
Hours per week:
2
Literature:
Wird in der Veranstaltung bekannt gegeben bzw. eigenständig recherchiert.
Instructor(s):
Professor Herbert Bless
Date(s):
Monday
(weekly)
11.02.2019 - 31.05.2019
12:00 - 13:30
B 317 Seminarraum; A 5, 6 Bauteil B
Monday
(single date)
01.04.2019
17:15 - 18:45
B 317 Seminarraum; A 5, 6 Bauteil B
Description:
„Fake News“, „alternative Fakten“ oder das „postfaktische Zeitalter“, diese Schlagworte werden spätestens seit der Abstimmung zum Brexit und dem Beginn der Präsidentschaft Donald Trumps in den Medien immer wieder diskutiert. Propaganda und Fehlinformationen haben jedoch historisch betrachtet auch zu anderen Zeiten schon eine wichtige Rolle gespielt. Ziel dieses Seminars ist es, diese Phänomene aus (sozial-)psychologischer Sicht zu betrachten: Welche kognitiven und motivationale Faktoren machen Menschen empfänglich für bestimmte Arten von Fehlinformationen? Wovon hängt es ab, wie weit sich Fehlinformationen verbreiten und wie lange sie sich halten? Wie geht man am besten vor, um Fehlinformationen entgegenzuwirken? Diese und ähnliche Fragestellungen werden im Laufe dieses Seminars behandelt werden. Empfohlen für: BM1/BN1 bzw. BM2/BN2 Erworben werden kann: 4 ECTS Erforderliche Studienleistung: Referat, Hausaufgaben Erforderliche Prüfungsleistung: Hausarbeit Voraussetzung: B.Sc. in Psychologie oder äquivalenter Abschluss Anmeldung: über das Portal2 Sprechstunde: siehe Homepage
Literature:
Andress, H.J., Golsch, K. and Schmidt, Alexander W. 2013. Applied Panel Data Analysis for Economic and Social Surveys.
Instructor(s):
Professor Katja Hanna Helene Möhring
Date(s):
Wednesday
(weekly)
13.02.2019 - 29.05.2019
08:30 - 10:00
B 318 Seminarraum; A 5, 6 Bauteil B
Thursday
(single date)
04.04.2019
15:30 - 17:00
B 318 Seminarraum; A 5, 6 Bauteil B
Description:
The course provides a broad overview over methods of longitudinal data analysis, with a focus on the analysis of panel data. Compared to cross-sectional data, panel data can allow to improve causal inference. The first objective of this course is to understand why and under which conditions this is the case. In the next step, we will discuss a variety of different modeling approaches to panel data (fixed effects, random effects, first difference) and learn how to decide between these models. The lecture also provides an overview over event history models. It is highly recommended to participate in the parallel exercises to this lecture, in which the presented models are applied to real data sets.
Information for Mannheim Master in Data Science students:
Please be aware that there are only 3 places reserved for students of the Mannheim Master in Data Science. You can register via the portal until 31.01.2019. Places will be allocated randomly after this deadline. Please check on February 1, 2019 to see if you are (still) registered.
S Elective Seminar: Applied Causal Analysis (Seminar, English)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
6
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Hours per week:
2
Instructor(s):
Lars Leszczensky
Date(s):
Tuesday
(weekly)
12.02.2019 - 28.05.2019
13:45 - 15:15
A 103 Seminarraum; B 6, 23-25 Bauteil A
Description:
Does education increase income? Does minimum wage decrease unemployment? Does slave trade affect current-day levels of trust? A major goal of empirical research is to test causal relationships. However, many of the methods used in empirical social science research were not originally designed for causal inference, a gap that is rapidly filled by two “revolutions”: Following the identification revolution, researchers take the key assumptions for identifying causal quantities much more seriously than before. And in the wake of the potential outcomes revolution traditional statistical methods are reframed within a formal framework of causal inference (cf. Imai 2011). This seminar introduces students to the basic concepts underlying causal analysis. We discuss several common strategies to infer causality and apply them relying on classic examples from the literature. In addition, we apply those strategies to our own questions of interest.
S Elective Seminar: Social Network Analysis (Seminar, English)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
6
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Hours per week:
2
Learning target:
Learning goals:
Participants will learn when, how, and why social network analysis helps to advance our understanding of social phenomena. This includes basic knowledge of different statistical methods and their promises and pitfalls.
Instructor(s):
Lars Leszczensky
Date(s):
Thursday
(weekly)
14.02.2019 - 30.05.2019
08:30 - 10:00
B 318 Seminarraum; A 5, 6 Bauteil B
Description:
Description: Social network analysis is on the rise. Yet while social network analysis provides researchers with advanced and exciting tools to study social processes, it also involves considerable methodological challenges. This seminar introduces students to social network analysis, with the overarching aim of enabling them to understand when and how social network analysis can be used to advance our understanding of social phenomena.
In the first weeks, we will cover theoretical and methodological basics of social network analysis. Based on this knowledge, we then will approach methods of cross-sectional (ERGM) as well as longitudinal (SAOM) social network analysis. We will deepen our understanding of these methods by discussing exemplary empirical studies on network formation as well as social influence.
In the final weeks, participants will develop a network-related research idea in a field of their choice. They will elaborate on their idea in a conceptual/theoretical term paper that has to be submitted after the end of the seminar. To facilitate the development of the term papers, students will present and discuss each other’s ideas in the last weeks in class.
S Elective Seminar: Identity, Religion, and Intergroup Relations (Seminar, English)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
6
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Hours per week:
2
Learning target:
Learning goals:
Participants will acquire knowledge of key research questions, theories, and findings with regard to identity and intergroup relations. At the end of the seminar, they should be able to formulate and pursue a related research question.
Instructor(s):
Lars Leszczensky
Date(s):
Wednesday
(weekly)
13.02.2019 - 29.05.2019
10:15 - 11:45
A 103 Seminarraum; B 6, 23-25 Bauteil A
Description:
Description: This seminar deals with identity, religion, and intergroup relations. Broadly speaking, we will start by focusing on mechanisms that drive the development of ethnic, national, and religious identities and end by examining the ways in which these identities affect intergroup attitudes and behavior.
In the first half of the seminar, we will introduce the concept of social identity and its theoretical foundations and implications. We will discuss the development and peculiarities of ethnic, national, and religious identities. Reading both conceptual and empirical papers, we are particularly interested in how identity development is shaped by intergroup relations. Considering the perspective of both minority and majority group members, we will examine how minority members react to perceived discrimination as well as what attitudes majority group members hold towards members of different minority groups.
In the second half of the seminar, we will ask how identities affect intergroup relations and discuss empirical studies on intergroup attitudes and friendship. In the final weeks, participants will develop an own research idea that will result in a term paper. The term paper has to be submitted after the end of the seminar, and it can be either an empirical study or a theoretical elaboration. To facilitate the writing of the term papers, students will present and discuss each other’s ideas in the last weeks in class.
S Elective Seminar: Controversies of Migration an Integration Sociology (Seminar, English)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
6
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Hours per week:
2
Instructor(s):
Professor Irena Kogan
Date(s):
Monday
(weekly)
11.02.2019 - 27.05.2019
12:00 - 13:30
309 Seminarraum; B 6, 30-32 Bauteil E-F
Description:
During the seminar the students will have an opportunity to address several controversies found in migration and integration literature. One is related to immigrants’ (self-)selection. Are immigrants positively or negatively selected towards succeeding in the host country? Does selection of immigrants matter for their integration outcomes as well as integration prospects of their offspring? The second refers to immigrants’ aspirations. Do immigrants always have higher aspirations regarding educational and occupational attainment? The third concerns the link between immigrants’ education and labour market outcomes. Do highly-educated immigrants have better labour market prospects than lower-educated? In the end of the seminar, the participants are expected to select yet another controversy and discuss it either in a theoretical or empirical seminar paper.
S Elective Seminar: Current trends and topics in social demography and family sociology (Seminar, English)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
6
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Hours per week:
2
Instructor(s):
Professor Marcel Raab
Date(s):
Wednesday
(weekly)
13.02.2019 - 29.05.2019
10:15 - 11:45
A 102 Seminarraum; B 6, 23-25 Bauteil A
Description:
This seminar covers several current debates in family sociology & social demography, such as the multiple equilibrium framework, that tries to explain both the phase of marital and fertility decline and the subsequent recovery during recent years. We will further delve into the complex mutual relationship between family structure & social inequality. We discuss how increases in income inequality may lead to increases in single motherhood, particularly among less educated women. At the same time, we consider how single motherhood decreases intergenerational economic mobility by affecting children's material resources and the parenting they experience. The seminar also covers the recent interest in multigenerational relationships which is reflected in the increasing coverage of grandparental effects in social stratification research but also by the fast-growing literature on the social demography of grandparenthood (When do people become grandparents? How involved are they in the lives of their grandchildren?). Other topics: sequence analysis in social demography (introduction to the method and some recent applications), caregiving within the family (caring for frail parents, children, grandchildren; family-work conflicts).In sum, this seminar introduces you to a selection of current debates in research literature and hopefully helps you to develop some on research ideas which could be further pursued in the subsequent research seminar.
S Elective Seminar: Advanced Topics in Organizational Theory (Seminar, English)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
6
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Hours per week:
2
Instructor(s):
Professor Henning Hillmann
Date(s):
Tuesday
(weekly)
12.02.2019 - 28.05.2019
12:00 - 13:30
B 143 Seminarraum; A 5, 6 Bauteil B
Description:
This advanced seminar will explore recent social science research that seeks to explain variation in organizational behavior and development. We will consider a variety of research questions that tap into both formal and informal ways of organizing: what kinds of institutions are necessary to make economic organization work? Where do such institutions come from? Why do we observe very different outcomes across contexts even though they share the same market-supporting institutions? Why do some organizations survive even though they face the most unfavorable environments? How do conditions at the time of an organization's birth shape its development? To address these and further questions, we will rely both on recent theoretical advances and on empirical studies in a various settings.
S Elective Seminar: Experimental Methods in Sociology and the Social Sciences (Seminar, English)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
6
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Hours per week:
2
Instructor(s):
Professor Henning Hillmann
Date(s):
Wednesday
(weekly)
13.02.2019 - 29.05.2019
12:00 - 13:30
A 102 Seminarraum; B 6, 23-25 Bauteil A
Description:
A growing interest in causal identification and mechanisms testing in the social sciences has provided a surge in empirical research using the experimental method. As a result, the experimental methodology has become a common tool not just of psychologists and behavioral economists but also of sociologists and political scientists enabling them to test (bounded) rational choice theories and to isolate and study the causes, dynamics and effects of social phenomena. For example, important sociological concepts such as trust and trustworthiness, cooperation in social dilemma and social norms have been examined via using survey, field, lab-in-the-field and laboratory experiments.
The main objective of this seminar is to introduce students to the range of experimental methods, classical work as well as recent trends and best practices of experimental social science research. In addition, the seminar aims to teach students how to design and analyze an experiment aimed at answering a self-developed research question. Each student is expected to actively participate in classes by presenting and discussing papers selected by the instructor and to develop an experimental design of her/his own or in collaboration with one other student of the seminar.
S Seminar in Research Methods: Multilevel Modeling (Seminar, English)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
6
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Hours per week:
2
Recommended requirement:
Regression analysis.
Literature:
Goldstein, H. (2010). Multilevel Statistical Models (Fourth Edition). London: Arnold.
Hox, J. (2010). Multilevel Analysis: Techniques and Applications. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Rabe-Hesketh, S. & Skrondal, A. (2012). Multilevel and Longitudinal Modeling Using Stata. 3nd Edition. College Station, TX: Stata Press.
Raudenbush, S. W. & Bryk, A. S. (2002). Hierarchical Linear Models. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Snijders, T. A. B. & Bosker, R. J. (2012). Multilevel Analysis. An Introduction to Basic and Advanced Multilevel Modelling. London: Sage.
StataCorp. (2017). Stata Multilevel Mixed-Effects. Reference Manual. Release 15. College Station, TX: Stata Press.
Instructor(s):
Professor Thomas Gautschi
Date(s):
Wednesday
(single date)
13.02.2019
13:45 - 17:00
A 302 Seminarraum; B 6, 23-25 Bauteil A
Wednesday
(single date)
20.02.2019
13:45 - 17:00
A 302 Seminarraum; B 6, 23-25 Bauteil A
Wednesday
(single date)
06.03.2019
13:45 - 17:00
A 302 Seminarraum; B 6, 23-25 Bauteil A
Wednesday
(single date)
13.03.2019
13:45 - 17:00
A 302 Seminarraum; B 6, 23-25 Bauteil A
Wednesday
(single date)
08.05.2019
13:45 - 17:00
A 302 Seminarraum; B 6, 23-25 Bauteil A
Wednesday
(single date)
15.05.2019
13:45 - 17:00
A 302 Seminarraum; B 6, 23-25 Bauteil A
Wednesday
(single date)
22.05.2019
13:45 - 17:00
A 302 Seminarraum; B 6, 23-25 Bauteil A
Description:
Multilevel modeling is used when observations on the individual level are nested in units of one or more higher levels (e.g. students in classes in schools). The course will cover the logic of multilevel modeling, its statistical background, and implementation with Stata. Applications will come from international comparative research treating countries as the higher level units. Data from the International Social Survey Program and the PIONEUR project (on intra-European migration) serve as examples. However, students are also encouraged to bring their own data.
S Seminar in Research Methods: Big Data in Immigration Research (Seminar, English)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
6
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Learning target:
In this course students will learn to:
obtain and analyze data from non-traditional sources;
formulate and answer research questions related to migration and immigration using such data;
work in teams to scope a problem, distribute work, and combine their results for a joint presentation; and
work as part of an international collaboration with teams formed across countries.
Recommended requirement:
This is a graduate-level course. Advanced undergraduate students are allowed in upon approval from the instructors.
Students should have some interest and experience in one of the following areas: (1) working with large, unstructured data sets, (2) immigration research, and (3) project management. Students do not need to have extensive experience in all three areas. However, students are expected to have taken at least one statistics course and have basic familiarity with a software program that can be used for statistical analysis (e.g., R, Python, SAS). Although we will not teach students how to use statistical software, students who want instruction in this area can access DataCamp learning modules that will be made available for the course.
Instructor(s):
Professor Florian Keusch
Date(s):
⚠ Thursday
(weekly)
14.02.2019 - 30.05.2019
15:30 - 17:10
C 212 Besprechung; A 5, 6 Bauteil C
Thursday
(single date)
14.03.2019
14:30 - 16:10
Thursday
(single date)
28.03.2019
14:30 - 16:10
Wednesday
(single date)
22.05.2019
15:30 - 17:10
Caution: Individual dates in the series marked with ⚠ have changed. Please check the portal for details.
Description:
The growing complexity of human mobility and the integration of immigrants into host societies has created an increased need for reliable and timely data to inform policy development and humanitarian assistance. Data from traditional sources (e.g., national population censuses, sample surveys, and administrative sources) on migration and immigration are limited in quantity and quality, and new alternatives have recently emerged. Some of these new types of “Big Data” are particularly promising for the study of migration-related phenomena. These include mobile phone call logs, Internet activity (e.g., Google searches, tracking of online media content use), geo-referenced social media activity, and other passively collected (mobile) data. This course is shared between the University of Maryland and the University of Mannheim, and students will virtually attend the same class/lecture and then collaborate via online tools. Students from the two partnering universities will form international groups to collaboratively work on the collection and analysis of Big Data to answer immigration-related research questions.
S Seminar in Research Methods: Machine Learning (Seminar, English)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
6
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Recommended requirement:
Although this course will include a short introduction to R, students are encouraged to work through one or more R tutorials prior or during the first weeks of the course. Some resources can be found here:
This course provides an introduction to supervised statistical learning techniques such as decision trees, random forests and boosting and discusses their potential application in the social sciences. These methods focus on predicting an outcome Y based on some data-driven function f(X) and therefore facilitate new research perspectives in comparison with traditional regression models, which primarily focus on causation. Predictive methods also provide a valuable extension to the empirical social scientists' toolkit as new data sources become more prominent. In addition to introducing supervised learning methods, the course will include practical sessions to exemplify how to tune and evaluate prediction models using the statistical programming language R.
S Seminar in Research Methods: Fundamentals of Computing and Data Display (Seminar, English)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
6
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Hours per week:
2
Instructor(s):
Professor Florian Keusch
Date(s):
Thursday
(weekly)
14.02.2019 - 30.05.2019
13:45 - 15:15
A 103 Seminarraum; B 6, 23-25 Bauteil A
Thursday
(single date)
04.04.2019
17:15 - 18:45
A 103 Seminarraum; B 6, 23-25 Bauteil A
Description:
Empirical social scientists are often confronted with a variety of data sources and formats that extend beyond structured and handleable survey data. With the emergence of Big Data, especially data from web sources play an increasingly important role in scientific research. However, the potential of new data sources comes with the need for comprehensive computational skills in order to deal with loads of potentially unstructured information. Against this background, the first part of this course provides an introduction to web scraping and APIs for gathering data from the web and then discusses how to store and manage (big) data from diverse sources efficiently. The second part of the course demonstrates techniques for exploring and finding patterns in (non-standard) data, with a focus on data visualization. Tools for reproducible research will be introduced to facilitate transparent and collaborative programming. The course focuses on R as the primary computing environment, with excursus into SQL and Big Data processing tools.
Prerequisites: Some basic experience with programming in R or Python is helpful, but not strictly necessary. Students without any R knowledge are encouraged to work through one or more R tutorials prior or during the first weeks of the course. Some resources can be found here:
Courses in Psychology are usually only open for incoming exchange students majoring in Psychology. Nominated exchange students will be contacted by their departmental exchange coordinator via e-mail at the end of November/early December (fall semester) or by the end of May/early June (Spring semester) regarding their course choice.
Exchange students from other schools and departments may only attend classes if (a) places are left for other students (b) they have basic knowledge in psychology and statistics (c) the departmental exchange coordinator explicitly approves their participation. In case of further questions, please contact: int-psy@uni-mannheim.de.
AC1/BC1/BF2/BG2: Forschungs- und Anwendungstechniken/Praxis der A&O-Psychologie: Psychological interventions using diary designs (Seminar, English)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
4.0
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Hours per week:
2
Registration procedure:
PSYCHOLOGY EXCHANGE STUDENTS will be contacted by the international affairs coordinator for Psychology (int-psych@uni-mannheim.de) via mail to indicate their course preferences.
NON-PSYCHOLOGY EXCHANGE STUDENTS may solely attend if (a) places are left (b) students posses basic knowledge in Psychology and statistics (c) the docent approves participation. For applications please contact the international affairs coordinator for Psychology (int-psych@uni-mannheim.de).
Literature:
(a more comprehensive list will be available in the first meeting)
Bolger, N., Davis, A., & Rafaeli, E. (2003). Diary methods: Capturing life as it is lived. Annual Review of Psychology, 54, 579-616.
Lischetzke, T., Reis, D., & Arndt, C. (2015). Data-analytic strategies for examining the effectiveness of daily interventions. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 88, 587-622. doi:10.1111/joop.12104
Instructor(s):
Professor Sabine Sonnentag
Date(s):
Thursday
(weekly)
14.02.2019 - 30.05.2019
17:15 - 18:45
EO 256 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost
Tuesday
(single date)
19.03.2019
19:00 - 20:30
EO 157 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost
Description:
During recent years interventions using diary methods became increasingly popular within several fields of psychology, including health psychology and organizational psychology. These interventions use „intensive longitudinal designs“ to apply the treatment and to assess the data and build on daily-survey approaches that aim at „capturing life as it is lived” (Bolger, Davis, Rafaeli, 2003, p. 579). Frequent assessments typically implemented in daily-survey approaches allow for modeling change in affect, attitude, and behavior over time.
In this course we will discuss the nature of diary interventions, the research options they offer, as well as potential problems and challenges.
AC1/BC1: Forschungs- und Anwendungstechniken (Erdfelder): Programmieren in R (Seminar, English)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
4.0
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Hours per week:
2
Registration procedure:
PSYCHOLOGY EXCHANGE STUDENTS will be contacted by the international affairs coordinator for Psychology (int-psych@uni-mannheim.de) via mail to indicate their course preferences.
NON-PSYCHOLOGY EXCHANGE STUDENTS may solely attend if (a) places are left (b) students posses basic knowledge in Psychology and statistics (c) the professor approves participation. For applications please contact the international affairs coordinator for Psychology (int-psych@uni-mannheim.de).
For incoming students 2 additional ECTS are available on fulfilment of further course requirements.
Instructor(s):
Professor Edgar Erdfelder
Date(s):
Friday
(fortnightly)
15.02.2019 - 31.05.2019
10:15 - 13:30
EO 162 CIP-Pool; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost
Description:
This seminar will provide an introduction how to use R, a powerful programming language that is often used for statistical analyses, simulations, and cognitive modeling. The seminar first will provide a thorough introduction covering the core functionality such as objects, functions, data management, and plotting.
The last sessions of the seminar will address how to perform specific statistical analyses in R such as:
* Generalized linear mixed models with lme4 (also known as hierarchical
models)
* Simple structural equation models
* Basic set-up of Monte-Carlo simulations
* Simple cognitive modeling (e.g., signal detection or multinomial processing trees)
It is planned that participants practice R in homework assignments and work on small group projects such as analyzing own data, replicating a paper, or running a small simulation.
AE2: Selected Problems of Cognitive Psychology: Judgment and Decision Making (Nadarevic) (Seminar, German)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
4.0
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
German
Hours per week:
2
Recommended requirement:
Studierende im M.Sc. Psychologie im 2. Fachsemester.
Literature:
Wird in der Veranstaltung bekanntgegeben.
Instructor(s):
Professor Edgar Erdfelder
Date(s):
Monday
(weekly)
11.02.2019 - 31.05.2019
12:00 - 13:30
EO 242 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost
Description:
Inhalt:
Option A oder Option B? Schuldig oder unschuldig? Richtig oder falsch? Menschen müssen tagtäglich viele verschiedene Urteile fällen und Entscheidungen treffen. In diesem Seminar sollen aktuelle kognitionspsychologische Theorien, Modelle und Befunde aus der Urteils- und Entscheidungsforschung behandelt werden. Dabei erwerben die Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer unter anderem einen Überblick zu folgenden Themen: Soziale Urteilstheorie, Urteilsheuristiken und Urteilsfehler, Häufigkeits- und Wahrscheinlichkeitsurteile, Wahrheitsurteile, Moralurteile, Entscheidungen unter Unsicherheit, Entscheidungsstrategien sowie intuitive und unbewusste Entscheidungen. Im Fokus des Seminars stehen dabei aktuelle Publikationen zur Urteils- und Entscheidungsforschung, die im Rahmen von Referaten vorgestellt werden sollen und anschließend gemeinsam kritisch diskutiert werden sollen. Aufbauend auf diesen kritischen Überlegungen sollen neue Ideen für zukünftige Untersuchungen generiert werden.
Erworben werden kann:
Leistungsnachweis gemäß der Prüfungsordnung für den Studiengang M.Sc. Psychologie.
AE2: Ausgewählte Probleme der Kognitiven Psychologie (Seminar, German)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
4.0
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
German
Hours per week:
2
Instructor(s):
Professor Arndt Bröder
Date(s):
Thursday
(weekly)
14.02.2019 - 30.05.2019
17:15 - 18:45
EO 242 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost
Description:
Die Veranstaltung ist sowohl für 1. Semester im Master-Studiengang “Psychologie mit Schwerpunkt Kognitive und Klinische Psychologie” (2014) als auch für 3. Semester im Master-Studiengang “Psychologie mit Schwerpunkt Sozial- und Kognitionspsychologie (SG2)” (2013/2010) relevant.
Es werden aktuelle kognitionspsychologische Themen zur Auswahl gestellt, von denen eines anhand der aktuellen Originalliteratur aufgearbeitet wird. Nach einer Literaturrecherche werden einzelne Texte ausgewählt und gemeinsam besprochen. Dies erfordert die aktive Vorbereitung der Texte durch die Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer.
Der unbenotete Leistungsnachweis kann durch Referat oder Hausarbeit erbracht werden.
Nebenfach Medienpsychologie: Spezielle Probleme der Medienpsychologie (Seminar, German)
Lecture type:
Seminar
ECTS:
4.0
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
German
Hours per week:
2
Instructor(s):
Professor Edgar Erdfelder
Date(s):
Friday
(single date)
22.02.2019
13:45 - 18:15
EO 256 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost
Friday
(single date)
22.03.2019
13:45 - 18:15
EO 256 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost
Friday
(single date)
12.04.2019
13:45 - 18:15
EO 259 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost
Friday
(single date)
03.05.2019
13:45 - 18:15
EO 256 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost
Friday
(single date)
17.05.2019
13:45 - 18:15
EO 256 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost
Description:
Im Seminar werden theoretische Ansätze und empirische Forschungsergebnisse der Medienpsychologie sowohl zu klassischen Informations- und Unterhaltungsmedien als auch zu Internetportalen oder zum Social Web im Rahmen empirischer Projektstudien vertieft. Nach einer Einführung leiten die Studierenden in Arbeitsgruppen zu einer selbst gewählten Fragestellung nach Sichtung des Forschungsstandes Hypothesen her und begründen diese. Zu Überprüfung der Hypothesen wird für jedes Projekt ein experimentelles Untesuchungsdesign entwickelt und mit dem Umfragetool UniPark (EFS Survery) als Online-Experiment umgesetzt und durchgeführt. Die erhobenen Daten werden statistisch (SPSS. R) ausgewertet und im Lichte der formulierten Hypothesen interpretiert. In der abschließenden Sitzung werden in Analogie zu einer Fachkonferenz die Ergebnisse präsentiert und gemeinsam diskutiert.
Consultation hour(s): During the semester: Tue 3–4 p.m., Wed 10–11 a.m.
During the semester break: Wed 10–11 a.m.
No office hours April 16th and 17th, 2019.
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