PY0PSYA-Psychology

Module Provider: Psychology
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:F
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring / Summer module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr Richard Carciofo
Email: r.g.carciofo@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

Aims:
The aim of the module is to introduce students to the scope and nature of psychology as a science. The emphasis will be on acquiring knowledge and understanding thereby developing students’ transferable skills of analysis, evaluation and critical thinking.
The content of the module offers a range of core topics with a strong focus on the scientific method and research practice. Students will be introduced to a number of core areas within psychology such as Cognitive Psychology, Developmental and Social Psychology, Biological Psychology and Psychopathology. Students will study some of the classical studies within psychology, as well as being introduced to newer topics such as Eating Behaviour. Psychology is the study of mind and behaviour, so the module begins with a study of human memory.

Assessable learning outcomes:
By the end of the module students will be able to show a knowledge and understanding of concepts and theories and studies in relation to the following areas. Students will be able to:



(a) Show knowledge of one area within Cognitive Psychology (memory) including having a critical understanding of two models of memory: the multi-store model and the working memory model, be able to describe concepts of encoding, capacity and duration, and outline the strengths and weaknesses of these models. Students should be able to apply these ideas to reconstructive memory (eyewitness testimony).
(b) Show knowledge of early social development including explanations of attachment, including learning theory, Bowlby. Types of attachment, use of ‘Strange Situation’ in attachment research. Cultural variations in attachment. Disruption of attachment, failure to form attachment (privation) and institutional care.
(c) Be able to explain some of the factors insocial influence, including concepts such as conformity, (majority influence) and explanations of why people conform. Types of conformity, including internalization and compliance. Obedience to authority including Milgram’s work and explanations of why people obey. How people resist pressures to conform and obey authority. How social influence research helps us to understand social change. Students will be able to show they can evaluate the major social influence research studies
(d) Be able to understand the effects of stress on the immune system, including the body’s response to stressors, including the pituitary-adrenal system and the sympathomedullary pathway. Stress related illness and the immune system. Life changes and daily hassles, workplace stress, personality factors in stress.
(e) Be able to show knowledge of the factors influencing attitudes to food and eating behavior, (cultural influences, mood, health). Neural mechanisms involved in controlling eating behavior, evolutionary explanations of food preference. Be able to explain and evaluate psychological and biological explanations for eating disorders (anorexia, obesity).
(f) Be able to distinguish between biological and psychological explanations for human aggression and aggression as an adaptive response.
(g) Be able to understand problems associated with classification and diagnosis of schizophrenia, including issues of reliability and validity. Biological explanations of schizophrenia including genetics, biochemistry. Psychological explanations of schizophrenia including behavioural, cognitive, psychodynamic and socio-cultural.

Additional outcomes:
The module also aims to encourage the development of scientific writing with aan acceptable level of spelling, punctuation and grammar. Students will also develop their IT skills in presenting their work and in searching IT sources for information.

Outline content:
The module introduces students to some of the key areas and topics within psychology.

Psychological topics will include: Cognitive Psychology (Memory), Developmental Psychology (Attachment), Social Psychology (Conformity and
Obedience), Biological Psychology (Stress), Clinical Psychology (Anxiety Disorders) and Eating Behaviour.