Gwybodaeth Modiwlau
Module Identifier
PS11420
Module Title
PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL AND INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOUR
Academic Year
2010/2011
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 1
Other Staff
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 22 x 1 hour lecture |
| Seminars / Tutorials | 2 x 2 hours seminar |
| Workload Breakdown | (Every 10 credits carries a notional student workload of 100 hours.) No. of hours of lectures 18; No. of hours of preparation for lectures (4 hours per lecture) 72; No. of hours of seminars 8; No. of hours of preparation for seminars (4 hours per seminar hour) 16; No. of hours spent writing coursework 36; No. of hours spent revising for the exam 30; No of hours supplementary reading 20; TOTAL 200 |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | 1 x essay-outline (500-750 words) | 10% |
| Semester Assessment | 1 x essay (2000 words) | 30% |
| Semester Exam | 2 Hours written examination | 60% |
| Supplementary Assessment | 2 Hours written examination. Students may resit this module, as determined by the examination board. | 100% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of what defines and distinguishes social and developmental psychology and the psychology of individual differences.
2. Identify the major concepts/theories in the different sub-disciplines.
3. Critically assess the contribution each sub-discipline makes to our understanding of human behaviour.
4. Examine and evaluate some of central studies that have contributed to the emergence of key findings in social, developmental and individual differences psychology.
5. Critically evaluate the difficulties and challenges of conducting research in the sub-disciplines.
6. Demonstrate how their understanding of psychology can support their own development as self-directed learners.
Aims
This module provides an introduction to psychology for the non-specialist and assumes no prior knowledge of psychology. It provides students with an overview of the central concepts and theories in the sub-disciplines of social, developmental psychology and the psychology of individual differences.
Brief description
The module examines the theoretical and evidence bases of several sub-disciplines in psychology. Students are introduced to aspects of social interaction at the level of the individual and in groups together with the key elements of the study of individual difference i.e. intelligence and personality. An important aspect of understanding human behaviour is how human beings develop from infancy, through to later life and old age. Students will become familiar with the concepts of developmental domains and developmental change across the lifespan. The importance of empirical investigation will be examined across the module.
Content
- Social psychology
- Intelligence
- Personality
- Developmental psychology
- Lifespan development
- Empirical methods: challenges and controversies
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | Not directly applicable although students will be introduced to the key concepts of statistical analysis through the examination of research designs. |
| Communication | Students will understand the importance of information and clear communication and how to exploit these. They will know how to use the many sources of information available and how to use the most appropriate form of communication to the best advantage. They will learn to be clear and direct in their and to be direct about aims and objectives. They will learn to consider only that which is relevant to the topic and to focus on the objectives of their argument or discussion. Seminars will be run in groups where oral discussion and presentations will form the main medium of teaching. Students will be expected to submit their work in word-processed format and the presentation of work should reflect effective expression of ideas and good use of language skills in order to ensure clarity, coherence and effective communication. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | The module aims to promote self-management but within a context of assistance from both the facilitator and the fellow students alike. Students will be expected to improve their own learning and performance by undertaking their own research and to exercise their own initiative, including searching for sources, compiling reading lists, and deciding (under guidance) the direction of their essay and presentation topics. The need to conduct a seminar presentation and to meet an essay deadline will focus students' attention on the need to manage their time and opportunity resources well. Students will be expected to reflect on their own learning processes which will be evidenced through the submission of a reflections sheet with all coursework assignments. |
| Information Technology | Students will be expected to submit their work in word-processed format. Also, students will be encouraged to search for sources of information on the web, as well as seeking sources through electronic information sources (such as Web of Science and PsychLit). |
| Personal Development and Career planning | The discussions in particular will help to develop students' verbal and presentation skills. Learning about the process of planning an essay and a presentation, framing the parameters of the projects, honing and developing the projects and seeing through to completion will contribute towards their portfolio of transferable skills |
| Problem solving | Independent project work and problem solving will be one of the central goals of the module; the submission of an essay will require that the student develops independent research skills as well as problem solving skills. The need to research and prepare seminar presentations will also enable the student to develop independent project skills. The ability of students to solve problems will be developed and assessed by asking them to: adopt differing points of view; organize data and estimate an answer to the problem; consider case studies; reason logically; apply theoretical models; consider similar cases; look for patterns; divide issues into smaller problems. A final examination will ensure that an assessment of the student's ability to work alone can be undertaken. |
| Research skills | The submission of an essay will reflect the independent research skills of the student. The need to locate appropriate research resources and write up the results will also facilitate research skills. Research preparation for a seminar presentation will also enable the student to develop independent project skills. A final examination will ensure that an assessment of the student's ability to work alone can be undertaken |
| Subject Specific Skills | Students will have the opportunity to develop a wide range of subject specific skills that will help them to understand, conceptualise and evaluate examples and research publications presented on the module. These subject specific skills include: *Assessment of scientific methods in psychology. *Differentiation between quantitative and qualitative methods of inquiry. *Demonstration of a familiarity with the techniques required for literature searches. *Appreciation of the nature of ethical research in the social sciences. |
| Team work | Seminars will consist in part of small-group discussion where students will be obliged to discuss as a group the core issues related to seminar topics. Such class room debates and discussions are a vital component of the module |
Reading List
General TextBerk, Laura E. (2007.) Development through the lifespan /Laura E. Berk. 4th ed. Pearson/Allyn and Bacon Primo search Buss, David M. (2008.) Evolutionary psychology :the new science of the mind /David M. Buss. http://www.loc.gov/catdir/toc/ecip0712/2007008465.html 3rd ed. Pearson/Allyn and Bacon Chamorro-Premuzic, Tomas. (c2007.) Personality and individual differences /Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic. Blackwell Pub. Primo search Glassman, William E. (c2004 (various) Approaches to psychology /William E. Glassman and Marilyn Hadad. 4th ed. Open University Press Primo search Gross, Richard (June 2009) Themes, Issues, and Debates in Psychology 3rd ed. Hodder Education Primo search Hock, Roger R. (c2009, [i.e. 20) Forty studies that changed psychology :explorations into the history of psychological research /Roger R. Hock. 6th ed. Pearson Education Primo search Kail, Robert (Feb. 2009) Human Development Delmar Cengage Learning Primo search Mitchell, Peter (2007.) Fundamentals of development :the psychology of childhood /Peter Mitchell and Fenja Ziegler. Psychology Press Primo search Sigelman, Carol K. (2009.) Life-span human development /Carole K. Sigelman, Elizabeth A. Rider. 6th ed. (int. student ed.) Wadsworth Cengage Primo search edited by Miles Hewstone, Wolfgang Stroebe and Klaus Jonas. (2008.) Introduction to social psychology 4th ed. Blackwell Pub. Primo search Essential Reading
Adams, B (2009) The Psychology Companion Palgrave Macmillan Publishers of London Primo search Cottrell, S (2008) The Study Skills Handbook 3rd Palgrave Macmillan Publishers of London Primo search Passer, M. Smith, R., Holt, N., Bremmer, A., Sutherland, E., & Vliek, M. (2009) Psychology the Science of Mind and Behaviour. McGraw Hill, London Primo search
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 4