Why are emotional appeals in advertising campaigns sometimes effective and sometimes not? How do we encourage fewer people to cycle in pedestrian areas? How do we study the effectiveness of measures to prevent tax evasion? Many organisations and companies benefit from effectively influencing the behaviour of citizens or consumers. There are public health agencies trying to encourage people to exercise regularly, whereas advertising agencies try to increase sales of a particular product and municipalities try to discourage littering in parks. But how can we develop a strategy that is effective in achieving these goals?
Do you want to know more about Social Influence? You can visit our online open day page any time to delve into this study programme. Watch videos, talk to students and deepen your knowledge. Or sign up for an online event or open day.
Social psychology as a science aims to explain and predict human behaviour. The emphasis here is on understanding the role of the social context. Knowledge about determinants of behaviour, such as emotions, motivation, attitudes and group dynamics, can increase the effectiveness of interventions. These determinants play a significant role when you, for example, want to encourage citizens to separate their waste or help care for the elderly, or if you want your target group to purchase specific products.
During this master’s track, you have the opportunity to deepen your social-psychological knowledge and hone your research skills as well as learn about systematic, critical approaches to applied problems when influencing behaviour. You work through various case studies to learn how to apply scientific knowledge and approaches to applied behavioural influence problems.
You learn how to analyse concrete human behaviour using social-psychological theory and how to generate valid and reliable measurements of (current) attitudes, emotions, motivation and behaviour. You also learn, step by step, how to develop interventions and how to evaluate those interventions using intervention mapping.
Small-group teaching approach
An emphasis on behaviour with societal implications
emotions, motivation, attitudes and group dynamics
learn how to analyse human behaviour
Organisations often call upon the expertise of advertising or marketing agencies as well as research and consultancy firms. Some organisations even have such specialised departments in-house, such as strategy, communication or marketing departments. Students who graduate from this master's track can be found in organisations or departments that are involved in behavioural influence in the broadest sense of the word.
| Degree programme | MSc |
|---|---|
| Mode | Full-time |
| Credits | 60 ECTS, 12 months |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Starts in | September |
| CROHO code | 66604 |
| Location | Roeterseiland campus |