Dissertation Topics in Psychology (2018)

1. Introduction to Psychology Dissertations

This guide gives you some ideas for dissertation titles. Psychology covers many areas, so there should be plenty to whet your appetite here.Psychology dissertations typically take one of two forms, focusing either upon collecting and analyzing primary data or upon appraising secondary data only. Either type can be appropriate to your area of study. You will also find an overview of how to structure your dissertation in section three below.

2. Categories and List of Dissertation Titles

2.1 Developmental and Educational Psychology

2.1.1Are children’s eating behaviours and attitudes towards food affected by parents with eating disordersA quantitative study.

2.1.2Stranger danger Children’s internalizations of ‘the other’: a qualitative study.

2.1.3Father figures and perceptions of masculine authority in the pre-adolescent children of single mothers: a qualitative study.

2.1.4 To what extent is Vygotsky’s theories of child development a product of his cultural background, and do they have application to our post-capitalist societyA critical analysis of the literature.

2.1.5 Can attachment theory be used to explain the development of a subjective self in the child A literature review.

2.1.6 Does identifying children’s learning styles help improve outcomes: a quantitative study of primary school children.

2.1.7 Can the concept of reflective practice be used to help children learn in UK schools: a qualitative study.

2.1.8 What measures can be taken to help children suffering from anxiety disorders perform better in tests: a review of the literature.

2.2 Mental Health and Abnormal Psychology

2.2.1 To what extent does conflict over food in childhood impact on problematic attitudes to eating in adolescenceA qualitative study amongst anorexia sufferers.

2.2.2 The extent to which perceptions of social stigma impact upon sufferer’s coping strategies: a quantitative study.

2.2.3 The impact of diet on depression: can a ‘Mediterranean’ diet reduce symptoms in those prone to depressionA literature review.

2.2.4 To what extent are people with learning difficulties less or more likely to suffer from phobiasA review of the literature.

2.2.5 Can yoga and meditation be effective treatment options for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A randomized controlled study amongst OCD patients.

2.2.6 Does personality type impact upon patient outcomes for hospitalization for mental disorders A quantitative study in a large UK hospital.

2.2.7 Is there a link between self-harm in adolescent females and use of social networking sitesA qualitative study amongst British teenage girls.

2.2.8 What is the relationship between children’s home routines and treatment for ADHDA study of the literature.

2.3 Social Psychology

2.3.1 Conceptual models of riots and civil unrest: a critical analysis of the recent riots in the UK.

2.3.2 What is the relationship between narcissism and the use of social media such as facebookA quantitative study amongst UK students.

2.3.3 Mad, bad or dangerousAssessing changing social attitudes to mental illness through a study of magazine and TV advertising.

2.3.4 What do reactions to work uniforms reveal about attitudes to authority and control: a qualitative study amongst UK supermarket, bank and council workers.

2.3.5 Gender, marketing and internet presence: a critical analysis of images of women in corporate website branding.

2.3.6 Private, public and liminal spaces: what are car driver’s perceptions of other road usersA qualitative investigation amongst regular drivers.

2.3.7 Gendered nights: the range of gendered behaviours in fetish clubs and bars. An ethnographic investigation carried out in London, Swansea and Manchester.

2.3.8 Can music be used to reduce low-level criminal behaviour in public placesA quantitative study of an urban bus station.

2.4 Counselling and Therapy

2.4.1 Counselling and power: to what extent does the counselor/client relationship demonstrate an unequal balance of power A literature review.

2.4.2 Does Freudian psychoanalysis have any place in the current UK health serviceA qualitative study amongst healthcare professionals.

2.4.3 Does length of treatment affect outcome for patients undergoing cognitive behavioural therapyA quantitative study of adults.

2.4.4 Can ideas about ecology contribute to therapy and counsellingA review of the literature.

2.4.5. Projective testing: an outmoded technique in current counselling and therapy practiceA critical overview of the UK situation.

2.4.6 How effective are cognitive behavioural therapy self-help techniques when used with children under 13 A quantitative study of pre-adolescent children.

2.4.7 To what extent can computer-aided cognitive behavioural therapy be a substitute for CBT with a trained therapist A qualitative study amongst UK CBT therapists and practitioners.

2.4.8 Is there a role for the unconscious in life coaching, and if so which theoretical models are most appropriate A review of the literature.

2.5 Consumer and Industrial Psychology

2.5.1 Fashion Tribes: can Cova’s concept of tribal marketing be used to analyse the brand image of high street fashion retailers. A case study of five UK brands.

2.5.2 Colour and shopper motivation: a quantitative study of the impact of colour in own-brand packaging by leading UK supermarkets.

2.5.3 Hierarchy, authority and the workplace: a comparison of attitudes to authority between a rigidly hierarchical UK workplace and one with an egalitarian structure.

2.5.4 Diesel dyke or lipstick lesbianChanging images of gay women in advertising and the media: a literature review.

2.5.5 To what extent can Hofstede’s concept of cultural dimensions be useful in understanding international branding: a comparative study of 3 global organizations.

2.5.6 Can ideas from counseling and psychotherapy be used to enhance the corporate annual review for employees A primary study carried out in a leading UK financial services provider.

2.5.7 Burnout amongst executive staff: what are the main predictorsA review of literature from the UK and Europe.

2.5.8Industrial psychology and interior design: How have ideas about workforce motivation and reward affected the look of the office or factoryA critical and historical review.

3. How to Structure a Psychology Dissertation, Tips

For details on how to structure a marketing dissertation, kindly check out the following post:

How to Structure a dissertation (chapters)
How to structure a dissertation (chapters and subchapters)
How to structure a dissertation research proposal