The ReMa-IDA contains four internal traineeships. The internal traineeships allow students to acquire hands-on experience with diverse aspects of research. Each traineeship has a different primary goal, covering knowledge and skills required throughout all phases of a research project in the following sequence: knowledge/skill acquisition (Traineeship 1); research design (Traineeship 2); data analysis and reporting (Traineeship 3); and peer-reviewing (Traineeship 4).
The general aim of the Internal Traineeship II is for students to write up a research design on a topic that i agreed with the supervisor. The topic needs to be related to the core focus of the research master on Individual Differences and Assessement. The research design should not be research that needs to be realized and executed, the goal of the traineeship is to develop the skills of designing an empirical or methodological study, which could potentially be executed. By “empirical or methodological” it is intended that the study can address a substantive topic on a purely methodological research question simulation studies. It is explicitly emphasized that the proposed project may represent a replication study. The aim of the traineeship is to write up a research design plan rather than executing one.
In practice, the second traineeship gives students the opportunity to translate their research interests into a concrete design, or to explore entirely new combinations of topics, populations, and methods. For those interested in methodology, this traineeship is a unique opportunity to deepen their understanding of one specific method. This results in a wide variety of research proposals each year.
Students use a wide range of methodological approaches, often in combination with specific topics or populations. Examples include setting up experience sampling (ESM) designs to catpure daily-life processes, validation studies of measurement instruments, or developing experimental and EEG-based studies to investigate cognitive mechanisms.
In addition, some projects take a more technical or quantitative approach. These include designing Monte Carlo simulation studies, or applying measurement factor analysis or item response theory, to issues such as response styles or biases in interpretation.
Additionally, the research designs are frequently tailored to specific populations or contexts. Students have proposed studies focusing on employees and teams, teacher or supervisor influence, parent-child and parent-adolescent interactions, or groups such as new mothers, older adults, and individuals with mental health conditions.
Across these designs, a wide range of topics is explored. Some projects focus on clinical themes, such as psychopathy, panic disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Others take place in social and organizational contexts, addressing topics like knowledge hiding, gamification, and interpersonal dyanmics. Lastly, some studies examine underlying cognitive and emotional processes, including emotion regulation, avoidance behavior, cognitive dissonance, and attachment.
Author: Mila Le Truong