Psychology

Course summary

Psychology is the scientific study of human behaviour and the mind, arguably the most complex machine on earth. It seeks to explain what makes us who we are as individuals in terms of how we think and feel, as well as understanding what influences our actions. Psychologists apply scientific methodology to the study of human behaviour. They formulate theories, test hypotheses through observation and experiment, and analyse the findings using statistical techniques that enable them to draw conclusions that can be used to provide insight into human behaviour. In this course, you will acquire knowledge and understanding of psychological concepts, theories, research studies and research methods about various aspects of human behaviour. In the first year, you will study five key topics: • Approaches in Psychology – the learning, cognitive, biological, psychodynamic, and humanistic approaches to explaining behaviour. • Psychopathology – definitions of abnormality and the nature of mental illness, including explanations and treatments for depression, OCD, and phobias. • Memory – the study of the nature of memory i.e. how information is processed and stored; explanations for forgetting and factors affecting the accuracy of eyewitness testimony. • Attachment – the formation of an emotional bond with the primary caregiver, disruption of attachment and its influence on the development of later relationships. • Social Influence – examining how people influence the behaviour of others: conformity, obedience, minority influence and independent behaviour. • Research Methods (to investigate human behaviour) – including experimental and non-experimental methods, scientific processes (e.g. theory construction, hypothesis testing), ethics, data handling and analysis, and inferential testing (e.g. the Sign test). Research Methods is integrated throughout the course. In the second year, you will explore a range of topics that aim to build on material taught in the first year of the course: • Biopsychology – the nervous and endocrine systems, localisation of brain function, functional recovery of the brain after trauma, studying the brain (e.g. fMRI, EEGs) and biological rhythms. • Gender – biological and psychological explanations for gender development and gender dysphoria. • Stress – the role of stress in illness, sources of stress (e.g. workplace stressors, life changes), and managing stress. • Addiction – risk factors, explanations and treatments for nicotine and gambling addiction. • Issues and Debates – gender/culture bias in psychology, reductionism, nature vs. nurture, holism vs. reductionism, idiographic vs. nomothetic approaches to psychological investigation. This is a synoptic topic and requires you to provide examples of psychological research where the key issues and debates have arisen. • You will study Research Methods in greater depth and learn more complex inferential statistical techniques of analysis. To succeed in this course, you need to enjoy learning scientific bodies of theories and writing essays.