Module PSYS2111: ABNORMAL AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Department: Psychology (Applied Psychology) [Queen's Campus, Stockton]

PSYS2111: ABNORMAL AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations

Aims

• To build on core material on social behaviour covered in the first year, compare perspectives from social psychology and other areas of the social sciences, and apply theoretical perspectives towards understanding the behaviours that we see in various social situations and environments

Content

• Abnormal Psychology, including classification and diagnosis, a survey of some methods used in abnormal psychology and detailed coverage of major problems and disorders encountered in abnormal psychology
• Social Psychology, including the relationship between social psychology and applied social psychology and detailed coverage of important areas in social psychology such as attribution, attitudes, communication and culture
• The module will also cover related conceptual and historical issues in psychology

Learning Outcomes

• A broad knowledge base relating to the core areas of abnormal and social psychology and in-depth knowledge of some specialist sub-areas

• Understanding 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 difference 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 the areas of social and abnormal psychology is facilitated by the material covered in lectures and seminars, 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 primarily 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
• The skills of understanding of the relationship between theory and data, effective retrieval and organisation of material, abilities to locate, read, review and critically evaluate research evidence, and to interpret theoretically are fostered through lecture and workshop activities, and will be assessed in the formative and summative assessments, and the examination. Feedback on student progress in developing these skills is provided in the formative assessment
• Scientific reasoning skills will be fostered in group discussions in the workshops, and 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 workshop activities and 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

Two assignments