Psychology

Graduates of the doctoral programme in psychology possess a profound scientific understanding of psychology and of specific methodological skills to answer research questions and hypotheses in the field of psychology. They are familiar with the general principles of scientific theory and research practice and possess expert knowledge in specific areas of the field.

The research focus is on the fields of (clinical) child psychology; clinical and health psychology; social and personality psychology; general psychology (cognition and behaviour); and occupational, organizational and economic psychology.

The research is conducted in accordance with international standards and the results of the empirical work are published in international journals.

In order to obtain a doctoral degree, empirical scientific work has to be conducted. Minimum requirement are two accepted publications (which may each consist of several experiments/studies) in peer-reviewed journals (usually in English). Usually a thesis consists of at least three publications. The number has to be agreed with the supervisor and depends on the extent of the single publications. Depending on the topic it may be necessary to collect data in the laboratories at the Tyrolean Private University UMIT.

We place importance on intensive education and a close personal contact between PhD students and researchers. Therefore, only a maximum of 10 students are admitted each year.

Supervisors at the Institute of Psychology and their scientific topics:

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Stefan Duschek

Clinical and Health Psychology: Biological and psycho-social foundations of chronic pain, Cardiovascular regulation and psychological processes; Stress and stress management in crisis management; Quality of life in chronic diseases; Bodily perception and behavior.

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Martina Rieger

Cognition and Action: Embodiment, cognitive processes in motor expertise (playing a musical instrument, skilled typing, and sports), action-effect transformations (as in tool use), motor imagery, action observation, cognitive processes in aging, sleep and cognition, neuropsychology of action inhibition and error processing.

Univ.-Doz. Dr. Silvia Pixner

Learning and learning disorders: Dyscalculia, interventions for dyscalculia and mathematical problem interventions, typical and atypical number processing in children and adults, cognitive processes and strategies in calculation, development of number processing and cardinality, language influence of number processing and calculation, story problems in arithmetics.

Univ.-Doz. Dr. Claudia Schusterschitz

Work, Organizational and Business Psychology: Attachment at Work: job attitudes (e.g. Commitment, job satisfaction), workplace relationships (e.g. supervisor relationships, coworker relationships), work experiences (e.g. emotions at work), workplace behaviors (extra-role behaviors, counterproductive work behaviors); Voluntary Engagement: Commitment and extra-role behavior, motives, motive fulfillment and role identity as predictors of volunteers’ commitment and extra-role behaviors.

Academic Faculty Representative:

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Martina Rieger
Institute of Psychology
martina.rieger@umit.at