Pictures of Research and Teaching in Psychology: A Comparison of Early-Career Academics' and Students' Perspectives

Abstract

An academic career in psychology typically begins with a role reversal: young academics, who were only recently being taught, become doctoral researchers and teachers. Studies at two German universities provide insights into how students and early-career academics (ecas) in psychology view research and teaching and how their perspectives might differ due to changed roles. In Study 1, participants (n = 35 ecas and n = 26 students) rated the appropriateness of pictures for illustrating teaching or research. Study 2 (n = 25 ecas and n = 42 students) reassessed typicality judgements and collected open statements for the 10 most representative pictures from study 1. Five pictures for research and teaching each illustrate how the discipline is seen by students and doctoral academics. The views of the groups differed in two regards: in how independent research and teaching situations were seen, with students treating them as more integrated than early-career academics; and in the perspective from which comments were given, with students reacting from a learner's perspective and early-career academics reacting mainly from a teacher's perspective. Findings implicate that roles shape how one views research and teaching. The pictures are valuable to the research community and applicable in teaching and academic development.