Module PSYC2071: INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES AND ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY

Department: Psychology

PSYC2071: INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES AND ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY

Prerequisites

• Either (i) or (ii). (i) Introduction to Psychology 2: Understanding development, social interaction, and mental illness (PSYC1081) OR (ii) Introduction to Psychology 1: How the mind and how the brain works and what happens when it all goes wrong (PSYC1071) AND Introduction to Psychological Research (PSYC1062).

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• The aim of this module is to develop knowledge and understanding of theory and research in personality and intelligence in abnormal and clinical psychology

Content

• This module will cover theories of personality and the assessment of personality
• It will cover intelligence in terms of lay and academic conceptions, psychometric and other forms of assessment, behaviour genetics and environmental correlates
• It will also cover historical issues surrounding the study of psychological disorder, the issue of psychiatric classification, the main classes of psychological disorder, including affective disorders, schizophrenia and anxiety disorders
• It will conclude with a discussion of some issues surrounding clinical practice in abnormal psychology
• The content will be delivered through one-hour weekly lectures
• Individual student support will be provided through a weekly surgery hour

Learning Outcomes

• A broad knowledge of theories of personality and intelligence and the most common types of mental illness and the key concepts in psychiatric diagnosis, with in-depth knowledge of some topics

• Understand the relationship between theory and data, including the ability to evaluate theories and concepts
• Ability to formulate research questions and hypotheses

• Competent in written communication skills
• Competent IT skills in word processing and data presentation
• Effective retrieval and organisation of material
• Locate, read and review a body of research evidence
• Critical evaluation of the quality of evidence and arguments
• Ability to adopt different theoretical positions and see relationships between them

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Acquisition of knowledge and understanding in this area is facilitated by the material covered in lectures and the provision of detailed reading lists
• This knowledge will be assessed in the formative and summative assessments, and the written examination
• These assessments will be essay-based, providing students with the opportunities to demonstrate their abilities to organise, review and evaluate evidence and theory, to provide critical appraisal, and to contrast theoretical positions
• Feedback on progress in acquiring knowledge in the module is provided in the formative assessment
• Understanding of the relationship between theory and data is fostered through lectures and will be assessed in the formative and summative assessments, and the examination feedback on student progress in developing understanding is provided in the formative assessment
• Scientific reasoning skills will be fostered through feedback on the formative assessment
• The summative assessment and examination will assess students' abilities in this area
• The ability to organise and utilise knowledge is developed through preparation for essays and examinations
• Feedback on the formative essay allows students to gauge their progress in this area
• Assessment is via essays and the examination
• Written communication skills are developed through feedback on the formative assessment, and are assessed in the summative essay and written examination
• Feedback is provided on the adequacy of word processing skills as required on the formative essay
• A key component in the preparation of essays is the acquisition of adequate word processing skills
• Feedback is provided regarding the adequacy of these skills where necessary

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

1500 word essay due in Michaelmas term

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University