The Psychology Research Institute (INPSY) is a specialized research institute at the Faculty of Social Studies at Masaryk University. Our research focus stems from a long-lasting interest in the topics of developmental, social and educational psychology, psychology of personality and psychology in the media. Strong methodological and statistical background allows us to perform quality basic and applied research and develop new psychodiagnostic methods.

We cooperate with the Department of Psychology at the FSS, Masaryk University. We participate in the teaching of students and at the same time, create conditions and opportunities for their involvement in existing research projects.

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Research Teams

Health, Media, and Sexuality

Measurement in Psychology

Gifted Children

Citizenship and Democracy

Early Development, Parenthood, and Attachment

Adolescents, Young Adults, and Identity

Center for Psychotherapy Research

Behaviors of Individuals and Groups Lab (BIG lab)

News

Are scientists sabotaging intelligence research? Behind the myth lies a previously unacknowledged methodological flaw

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In recent years, information has occasionally surfaced on social media claiming that scientists are “sabotaging” research on intelligence because it is a highly heritable trait with the potential to lead to discrimination. This claim is based, among other things, on a 10-year-old study by German scientists on the so-called “reverse publication effect” in research on the relationship between intelligence and school grades. In his recently published article in the journal Intelligence, Hynek Cígler of the Psychology Research Institute at Masaryk University’s Faculty of Social Studies demonstrated that the cause is in fact an undescribed methodological shortcoming in certain meta-analyses (i.e., studies that synthesize the results of dozens or hundreds of individual source studies).

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Sexual health after 50: Czechs are breaking down myths and want to be more active

Our members Gabriela Gore-Gorszewska, Anna Ševčíková and Dominik Hrabec explain the situation and myths about intimacy in later life in a new study by Masaryk University and the University of Opole. It shows that sexuality remains a key part of life and health for Czechs over 50. Although many people experience some age-related sexual symptoms, only a fraction of them seek help, placing the most faith in the internet and doctors. The research was funded by the Czech Science Foundation (GAČR).

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“Are they treating us fairly?” An international experiment examined when adolescents trust authority figures

Trust in authority figures is crucial for adolescence – it influences willingness to cooperate, respect rules, and participate in civic life. While research has long shown that fair decision-making by authority figures strengthens trust in adults, less is known about how these mechanisms work during adolescence. This gap is filled by a new study by our INPSY Citizenship and Democracy team members, which examines how different elements of fair decision-making affect trust in authority among young people across age groups and countries.

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Sex, intimacy, and changes: intimacy after 50

Sexuality remains an important part of life in middle and later age, yet this period is associated with a number of changes that can affect sexual desire and experience. Despite the importance of sexual well-being, people over 50 rarely seek professional help, and their experiences tend to be overlooked in research. A new study by Gabriela Gore-Gorszewska and Anna Ševčíková addresses this gap.

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How to interpret factor analysis? Let's ditch the simple rules

Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) is one of the core tools of modern psychology, widely used to evaluate how psychological measurement instruments function. Despite its importance, CFA is often applied in an overly mechanical way. A new methodological study by Petr Palíšek and Edita Chvojka (INPSY), together with Anna Literová (IRTIS), warns that blind reliance on “magic” statistical cut-offs used to assess the quality of factor models – such as RMSEA or CFI – can lead to erroneous conclusions. In a clear and accessible tutorial, the authors demonstrate how model evaluation can be approached more thoughtfully and with a deeper understanding of what the data actually convey.